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Kyler Toben was playing “hide and seek” among the mounds and mounds of snow around Akron on Friday afternoon. His friends, Andrea Hughes and Colton Dennison, had plenty of places to hide as residents tried to find places for the nearly foot of snow that fell Thursday night. Akron-Westfield students enjoyed a “snow day.”

The Akron-Westfield Education Association and board of education are starting negotiations seven percent apart in terms of proposed salary increases. Both groups presented proposals Dec. 17 to begin the process for a new contract. Pam Von Hagel led the union committee and School Board President Jim Black presented the board’s alternative. The next session was established, for 6:30 p.m. Jan. 26 for the purpose of negotiations, and will be in closed session. “We look forward to working with the board cordially. We believe that instruction in the classroom will improve when experienced teachers are rewarded for their training. As community leaders, you should believe in positive employment climate for the staff,” Von Hagel said in remarks. Von Hagel noted the state funding for teacher salaries the district received the last two years, plus more students. Under the union’s plan, the base salary would increase from $28,777 to $30,085. The increase would be 6.65 percent with a total of 8.2 percent, and 10 percent for insurance. There are increases suggested per lane, or salary schedule. Teachers could pay $70 per month for life insurance. The total cost of the package is $255,893, according to the union committee. The school board presented a 1.5 to 1.7 percent increase. Black cited that these are dire economic times, and while the board supports the teachers, hard decisions have to be made. “The recession is only expected to get worse. Many people in the district are worried about their jobs, and trying to keep up with their quality of life. Our only sources of revenue are the levies and allowable growth rate. Our taxes rates are already high,” Black said. Also, the school district may lose $318,000 in revenue if the Greater Hoyt students, 46 now, do not return. Black said the board showed its support of teachers by hiring additional staff to reduce class sizes and additional aides. The state funds for salary increases may be reduced or eliminated due to pending state budget cuts. Other provisions in the union’s plan: Each employee shall be eligible for two days of paid personal leave which may be used for any purpose at the discretion of the employee. If all days are not used, the employee may accumulate two days to be carried over to the next school year. Any days not used or carried over will be paid at the substitute rate. Requests for leave of absence shall be made one week in advance of the date of the employee’s intended absence. In the event of an emergency which prohibits prior approval, permission may be secured by telephone or in person and followed by a written request within five days of the staff member’s return. The minimum use shall be one confined to less than two consecutive hours. “Should the number of personal leave requests occurring on one day cause a staffing problem, the superintendent or his designee shall have the discretion to grant only those requests for which substitutes may be obtained.” When a vacancy occurs, the notice shall be posted for three days before it is advertised outside the district. Current employees shall be given first consideration of a vacancy. If employees are denied a transfer, reasons shall be given in writing. Life insurance: the board of education will pay 50 percent (up from 35 percent) of a full premium on an L.T.D. policy, as agreed to by both parties, for each employee covered by this contract. If the L.T.D. is dropped by the employees, payment shall be made less IPER and FICA costs. The board of education will pay the full premium on a $10,000 term life insurance policy, as agreed to by both parties, for each covered employee. Increase of the BA plus 30 to 45 from $850 to $1,050 in addition to the salary; Each new employee will be hired on the salary schedule based on a step no greater than actual years of experience. Any employee who has given more than 90 days of service shall be given credit for one year of service. When the number of participants in a sport or extracurricular activity exceeds 29, an assistant coach or supervisor shall be hired. The previous package was a 4 percent increase in salary. Board response The term seniority is used in this contract shall be computed from the date that the employee began working for Akron Community School, the Westfield Community School or Akron-Westfield Community School. The definition of the term half-time employee shall be a licensed employee with a 0.5 FTE ratio teaching assignment. Full-time employee will be a 1.0 FTE ratio teaching assignment. Employees who work more than half-time shall receive full seniority. Health, physicians and major medical: the board will pay 85 percent (down from 90 percent) of the premium on family health insurance and 100 percent of their single premium each month to provide group health, physician and major medical coverage. The work day will change, from 8:05 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. to 7:45 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. Employees who perform teaching, counseling, curriculum writing-revision, in-service activities, committee, Phase III projects and other services performed on individual extended contracts, shall be compensated at the rate of $25 per hour, a change from $27 per hour. The increase is 1.5 percent total package. Teachers who increase from a BA to a BA plus 15 or BA plus 30 (education hours) or from a MA to a MA plus 15 or MA plus 15 to MA plus 30, shall receive an extra $850, and those who go from a BA plus 30 to BA plus 45 will receive an extra $900. The new base salary will be $29,209, under the school board’s proposal. Negotiating for the Akron-Westfield Education Association also are: Todd Colt, Chris Harvey, Lisa Harris, Ryan Schuknecht, Linda Nielsen, and Mora Zinn, Uniserv Director.

Ryan Oetken, a senior at Morningside College, was recently named to the first team NAIA All-American football team. Oetken, a defensive back, had an outstanding career at Morningside plus being an academic honoree. Ryan, a 2005 graduate of Akron-Westfield, will graduate from Morningside in 2009. Oetken will then enter dental school at either the University of Nebraska or the University of Iowa. As far as I know this is the only All-American that Akron-Westfield has ever had!

The Akron-Westfield Westerners, on the second half of a boygirl double header, on Monday, Dec. 15 at Dakota Valley got the short end of the deal. DV had four players in double figures as they ran by and around A-W. Using great speed they simply outgunned A-W in every phase. Mike Oetken led AW with 19 while Ben Wolthuizen and Derek Appley added 12 and 10 each. DV led by 5, 10 and then 15 at the quarter breaks to end up with a 74-56 win. A-W worked hard but just couldn’t quite cope with the Panthers. Matt Lupkes had a number of steals which turned into layups while Kyle Hooks drove the middle to score. Oetken had a good game in the middle despite getting into early foul trouble and played very little in the first half. A-W’s record now stands at 2-2.

The Akron-Westfield girls traveled to Dakota Valley on Monday, Dec. 15 to play the Panthers. A-W, shooting 45 percent from the floor, opened up a tight first half to pull away to win 49-33. A-W led at halftime 26-24 but then went a 12-2 run in the third quarter. A-W held DV to only nine points in the second half as A-W turned up the defense to really control the Panthers. The bulk of DV’s scoring came from two girls as Wall and Huber scored 31 of the team’s 33 points. A-W, led by Karly Groon, who tallied 16 and was closely followed by Jordan Harris, who tossed in 14.