Board OKs school staff raises

Many staff members in the Cedar Grove-Belgium School District are getting pay bumps.

The School Board last week approved raises for multiple employee groups.

Special education aides will receive $1 per hour more plus a Consumer Price Index increase of 2.63%. The starting pay goes up to $16 per hour.

Food service employees are receiving $2 more per hour, plus the CPI increase. The starting wage goes from $13 an hour to $15 an hour for servers, and from $13.50 to $15.50 for cooks.

“It’s like a thankless job, but we want it recognized because they’re a valued part of the community. Everything they do is not always noticed, but we notice,” board member Jennifer Schueller said.

Board President Jeremy Spriggs said, “We kind of have fallen behind the surrounding districts and we really want to make sure we take care of our people.”

Custodial and clerical employees will receive the CPI increase.

Athletic advisers and coaches will receive a CPI increase.

Administrators will get a CPI increase on their current salaries.

Substitute employee groups are also getting increases.

Custodial pay goes from $12.50 to $14 per hour. Lawn care workers go from $9.50 to $12.50 per hour. Cooks and servers go from $12 to $14 per hour. Building secretaries get a bump from $12.50 to $15 per hour. Special education aides will receive increases from $14 to $15 per hour.

“I just want to thank the board for making these adjustments because we were way, way low with some of these, and those are hard conversations to have,” Business Manager Tera Rogers said.

“People are feeling not appreciated and not wanting to come and work for us so hopefully this will help some of those conversations.”