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NORTH MANCHESTER - Employees of the Manchester Community School System will have added benefits in their health insurance plan this year.
Tuesday night, the Manchester School Board approved a new health insurance plan with its current provider, ISTA. The new plan includes the benefits employees had last year plus an added vision plan.
The added vision plan includes one exam per year, one set of lenses per year and one set of new frames once every two years.
The cost of the single plan stayed the same for employees, but those who wish to add a spouse, child or entire family will see rates drop as much as $500 per year.
Later in the meeting, the board approved an increase in substitute teacher pay. The old rate was $50 per day for non-certified subs (those without a teaching license), $55 per day for certified teachers and $58 per day after 30 days of subbing. All substitutes now will receive $60 per day, and $65 per day for more than 30 sub days.
"We were pretty much low on the totem pole, and it's pretty hard to function without subs," said Manchester Business Manager Steve Shumaker. Other area schools were called to determine better pay numbers for the substitute teachers.
In other business, the board:
• Approved the resignation of Tony Cassel as Manchester Junior High School Principal.
• Approved transfers for Deny Craft (from Laketon Principal to Laketon sixth grade teacher), Abby Sleeth (from special education teacher at Manchester Junior/Senior High School to second grade teacher at Manchester Elementary) and Diana Nettleton (from second grade at MES to special education at LES and MJSHS).
• Approved the hiring of Richele Binkley (volunteer assistant junior high volleyball), Laura Mooneyhan (MJSHS business teacher) and Rebecca Fields (Maple Park Educational Center Secretary).
• Accepted a $12,000 donation from Ford Meter Box and an anonymous donation for $5 toward each second-grade textbook rental this school year.
• Heard the Manchester High School band received the 2004-05 All Music Award from the state. Only 25 schools in the state received the honor, and in order to earn the award, the band had to place well at several competitions throughout last school year.
Manchester school board members are Sally Krouse, president, Thom Frantz, Kent Terrill and Steve Flack. Superintendent is Diana Showalter. Todd Speicher, Brian Schilling and Carlye McLaughlin were not present at the meeting.
