Board approves PTO change for salaried staff, handbooks, building needs assessment and insurance renewals

The Paola Board of Education approved a set of personnel, policy and fiscal measures during the meeting.

The board voted to make paid time off available to contract- and salaried employees while leaving hourly employees on their current sick/personal-day system ("option 3"). The motion passed by voice roll call; the board chair stated seven members voted in favor.

The board also approved updates to employee and student handbooks for the high school and middle school, including the addition of an item referenced as "17" in the handbook text and the leave-time language that aligns with the approved paid-time-off approach. The board directed staff to incorporate the leave changes into the employee handbook and to follow up with a board policy process on discipline language.

Other approvals included the district's annual building needs assessment and two insurance renewals. The board approved the property and casualty renewal with a change to a $250,000 deductible (per occurrence) to reduce the premium, and it approved the workers'comp renewal. The board chair stated both votes passed with seven members voting in favor.

The board also authorized the superintendent and board clerk to make transfers and expenditures necessary to close out the 2024-25 fiscal year budget. The meeting record shows the board then entered executive session under attorney-client privilege and returned to open session.

Votes at a glance

- Approve paid-time-off structure (Option 3: contract/salaried employees receive PTO; hourly employees remain on current sick/personal-day system). Motion: not specified; second: not specified; tally: yes 7; outcome: approved; notes: board directed HR to implement tracking changes for affected employee classes.

- Approve updated employee handbook and high school/middle school student handbooks with addition ("17") and updated leave language. Motion: not specified; second: not specified; tally: yes 7; outcome: approved; notes: board requested follow-up drafting of a district policy addressing progressive discipline/long-term suspension procedures.

- Approve building needs assessment (for posting to the district website and state reporting). Motion: not specified; second: not specified; tally: yes 7; outcome: approved; notes: presentation and discussion were given by Tammy (staff member).

- Approve property and casualty insurance renewal with $250,000 deductible (per occurrence). Motion: not specified; second: not specified; tally: yes 7; outcome: approved; notes: option chosen reduces premium by roughly $41,000 versus lower deductibles; district staff noted capital outlay/contingency could cover a large deductible if a major event occurred.

- Approve workers' compensation renewal. Motion: not specified; second: not specified; tally: yes 7; outcome: approved; notes: district experience modifier (mod) was cited as 1.57 and staff noted this increases premium compared with prior years.

- Authorize superintendent and board clerk to make transfers/expenditures to finalize the 2024-25 budget. Motion: not specified; second: not specified; tally: yes 7; outcome: approved.

Why this matters

Collectively these votes change how some staff accrue and use leave, set discipline and handbook language that will govern student conduct, commit the district to insurance coverage and premiums for the coming year, and finalize the financial close of the fiscal year. Staff flagged implementation steps (HR system changes, handbook edits, board-policy drafting) required after the votes.

What the board said

Board discussion and staff explanations focused on implementation logistics and budget impacts. A staff member summarized the pros and cons of three leave options and said option 3 "makes the most sense" from an administrative perspective because it limits the number of new leave categories the HR system must track. The district's insurance presenter (staff member) recommended the $250,000 deductible option noting the saving would recoup costs within about five years under normal assumptions.

Next steps

Staff will update the employee handbook and the student handbooks, post the building needs assessment on the district website as required by statute, implement leave-tracking changes in payroll/time systems, and carry out year-end budget transfers. The board asked administration to work with the school board association to draft a board policy that would address progressive discipline and any recommended "three strikes" procedural language.