Festus R-6 School District officials have approved a $41 million budget for the 2023-2024 school year that includes pay increases for all its 405 employees.
Board of Education members voted 7-0 on June 15 to approve the new budget, which includes 3.4 percent raises for teachers and other certified staff, like counselors and librarians, and 3 percent raises for administrators.
Classified employees, such as cafeteria and maintenance employees and bus drivers, will receive raises of at least $2.50 per hour.
According to the new budget for next school year, the district projects $40,225,228 in revenue and $41,052,845 in expenditures, an $827,617 deficit.
Jonathan Earnhart, assistant superintendent for business and personnel, said start-up costs for the district’s Early Childhood Education program set to open next school year, as well as a lag in getting state money designated for the program, are the reasons for the projected deficit.
“We’ll get approximately $900,000 reimbursed to us from the state (for providing the Early Childhood Education program) that we won’t see until fall 2024,” he said. “Once we get that reimbursement, it will all even out. We have to fund the program up front.”
The district has been developing the program for more than two years, including buying the old Wee Care facility, 821 American Legion Drive, in Festus where the Early Childhood Education program will be housed. The program already is full, with 125 children enrolled. The program serves children ages 3-5 who live within the Festus R-6 School District.
The program has a waiting list, district spokesman Kevin Pope said.
The new budget includes several significant capital improvement projects to be completed this summer, Superintendent Nicki Ruess said.
“We are continuing our renovations at the Early Childhood Center and plan to have our grand opening celebration Aug. 8,” Ruess said. “Other summer projects include a forced (water) main extension at the bus garage, (asbestos) abatement at the elementary and high school, a high school roof project, asphalt and paving projects and campus painting and landscaping across the district.”
She said the bus garage at 11311 Pounds Road has been on well water and the forced water main extension involves connecting the facility to the city’s water system.
She said the total anticipated costs of those summer projects is $605,000.
Earnhart said the district is in a solid financial position, with projected reserves at the end of the 2023-2024 school year at 28 percent to 32 percent, or about $16 million.
“I’d say we’re really strong, financially,” he said.
The district’s tax levy rate is $4.0833 per $100 assessed valuation.
Salaries
Ruess said she will be paid a $180,000 salary next school year, up from her current $175,000 salary for her first year as the district’s superintendent. The board voted to extend her contract by one year, through the 2025-2026 school year, in January and approved her salary increase when the new budget was passed.
She said she has enjoyed her first year leading the district.
“I am honored to serve the Festus R-6 community. Together we continued high academic achievement, relationships, safety enhancements, positive partnerships and multiple championships. I am grateful and ready to begin year two.”
Doug Wendel, the board president and Festus Police Chief, said board members appreciate the work Ruess has done as superintendent.
“We just think she’s done an excellent job for the district,” he said. “She is very knowledgeable when it comes to curriculum. We’re looking forward to continuing our working relationship with her.”
The 3.4 percent raises for certified staff (teachers, counselors and librarians) raises the low end of the pay scale to $43,000 a year – for new teachers and other certified employees with a bachelor’s degree – and the high end of the salary scale to $95,000 a year – for certified staff in their 35th year who have a doctorate.
She said the fiscal year 2024 budget also includes a new salary schedule for classified staff that provides for the raises of at least $2.50 an hour, with some classified staff employees receiving larger raises based on years of experience.
“We have created an entirely new salary schedule for classified staff,” Ruess said. “We now have a base of $14 an hour, with many positions starting at a higher rate.”
“Yearly increases are based on a tiered system created to reward longevity within the district. In addition, classified employees will now be given ‘credit’ for years of service for similar work experience and will be placed on the appropriate step based on years of experience. This new schedule is modeled after the certified teacher salary schedule in terms of steps, tiers and experience granted.”
Earnhart said the salary increases will cost the district $1.2 million next school year, and, all told, salaries and benefits account for $27,457,939, or about 67 percent, of the FY24 budget.
Administrator salaries
The following is a list of the district’s administrators and their salaries for the 2023-2024 school year.
- Nicki Ruess, superintendent, $180,000
- Jonathan Earnhart, assistant superintendent of finance and human resources, $153,979
- Lucas McKinnis, assistant superintendent of teaching and learning, $140,595
- Karl Shininger, high school principal, $139,425
- Darin Siefert, elementary principal, $130,853
- Spencer Kearns, intermediate principal, $117,740
- Joel Roth, assistant high school principal, $114,374
- Jacob Munoz, middle school principal, $107,990
- Josh Bauman, director of technology, $94,760
- Deanna Brown, assistant intermediate principal, $94,116
- Cara Pellerin, director of student services, $92,942
- Matt Boyer, assistant middle school principal, $90,264
- Sauny Benack, assistant elementary principal, $89,891
- Jason Therrell, assistant principal/athletic director, $85,000
- Kevin Pope, communication coordinator, $79,918
- Samantha Mouser, early childhood education director, $75,000
- Cindy Schraer, accounts payable, $70,887
- Tom Stegemann, custodial/maintenance director, $65,417
- Becky Uding, human resources, $63,788
- Kim Richardson, Parents As Teachers director, $61,044
- Brooklyn Ragsdale, food service director, $60,863
- Angie Thomas, transportation director, $60,000
- Paula Cox, core data specialist, $56,480
- Lindsey Roth, health and wellness coordinator, $55,968