BRENHAM SCHOOL BOARD APPROVES $500 STIPEND
Brenham ISD teachers and staff did not receive a raise this year, but they will be receiving a $500 one time stipend, thanks to the school board. The board approved the stipend at their meeting last (Monday) night after Superintendent Dr. Tylor Chaplin reviewed the district’s financial standing after COVID-19 hit in March. He said that the district actually saved about $620,000 because things were shut down at the end of the past school year. School Board President Natalie Lange said the district needed to do something for the teachers and staff for all of the extra effort they have put in due to the pandemic. The one time stipend will cost the district about $480,000.
In other action, the board was in general agreement to move forward with a plan for Rapid COVID Testing. Superintendent Chaplin said a plan could be put together through the TEA for the testing. The free COVID testing would be totally voluntary, and would not change the protocols the district already has in place.
Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative was recognized with the “You Make a Difference” award for their allowing the school board to utilize their conference room for off-site superintendent interviews this past spring.
Advanced Placement Scholars were also honored at the school board meeting. Brenham High School Principal Joe Chandler said that while the number of advanced placement students had been increasing each year, it did take a small dip this past school year. He said that a number of students actually had to retake the college exams after they were changed overnight. He said it was their choice to stick with it and move forward instead of simply not re-taking the exams.
While this is a nice gesture on surface, this is disappointing for the efforts that teachers are going through in a pandemic. The board and district must be resting its laurels on the pay increase from the last legislative session’s gift. Was the annual teacher raise or salary scale taken into consideration during the budget sessions? You and the appraisal district considered my tax revenue on the income side. Add in the realized savings from the end of the year along with some CARES Act funding to cover parts of your IT and PPE purchases and it doesn’t make sense that this couldn’t have been done IN ADDITION to their normal pay increase if you were really wanting to thank them for all they are doing in a crazy year.