Personal day discussion hot-button issue at board meeting
Posted on Tuesday, November 21, 2006
BENTONVILLE - How Bentonville school employees spend certain days off became a hot button issue Monday night during the Bentonville School Board meeting.
Besides Christmas, spring break, summer and sick days, Bentonville school employees are allowed a certain number of personal days each school year. The original intent of those days was for employees to deal with situations that couldn't be done at any other time such as visiting with an attorney or some other appointment.
Superintendent Gary Compton said the personal days have evolved to include any reason the employee wants to take the day off - including for pleasure trips.
A policy in the final development stages makes an attempt to rein in how employees use the personal days. The policy passed first reading Monday but it also brought discussion from two teachers who represent separate teacher organizations.
"It seems any consideration to eliminate personal leave days is a wrong direction to take," said teacher Larry Roberts, representing the Bentonville Education Association.
Teacher Ronnie Flowers represented the Bentonville Teachers Association.
"We feel we are professionals and are able to make decisions on how to use the personal days," he said.
Flowers said after the meeting that the association wants the employees to use their own discretion as to how the days are used.
The policy will continue to be discussed within teacher and board committees before it receives final approval, Compton said.
In other school district news, the board voted to roll back the district's millage by half a mill to 40. 3.
Amendment 59 requires that no taxing unit gets a larger increase in revenue than 10 percent. If the revenue exceeds the 10 percent maximum, then the taxing entity - in this case the school district - must roll back its millage to accommodate for the extra growth.
The board members discussed the situation, including the fact that although the district is growing in its assessments, it is not growing enough to be able to afford future building projects.
"It does not mean we have money coming in that we can use to build buildings," Board President Doylene Fuqua said.
The board also • Approved refinancing $ 4, 425, 000 in bonds • Approved the calendars for the 2007-08 school year; and • Discussed the International Baccalaureate Programme.
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