Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Staff Compensation And Benefits topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Paraprofessional raises, health coverage concerns raised at Palos CCSD 118 meeting
Summary
At the May 14 Palos CCSD 118 meeting a paraprofessional urged the board to address low wages for paraprofessionals and playground supervisors and said a district letter tied a $5,000 pay increase to dropping family health coverage.
Barbara Ketchy, a paraprofessional, told the Palos CCSD 118 Board of Education during public comment that many paraprofessionals and playground supervisors are "unhappy and dissatisfied" with compensation and that a district communication offered a $5,000 pay increase only if employees gave up district family health coverage or paid substantially more for it.
Ketchy said some long‑service paraprofessionals earn about $16.33 to $17 an hour, and she described cases in which newer employees have take‑home pay that she characterized as extremely small—she said one newer employee had a take‑home of about $12.50 every two weeks. Ketchy said two benefit examples included a widow and a divorced parent who must insure children; she framed the issue as a hardship for largely female staff in these positions.
Ketchy told the board that a letter circulated in May (which she said came from "Justin") presented two options: accept a $5,000 increase that required dropping family coverage provided at a 95% district contribution, or take the raise to base salary and permanently opt out of the district's family coverage. Ketchy asked the board to consider the effect of that choice on employees who must insure family members.
By board procedure, the board does not engage in discussion during public comment; the board stated that specific questions are referred to the superintendent and that written responses to public comment will be posted to the district website within 24 hours. The transcript record shows the comment was delivered during the formal public-comment period and that no immediate board action was taken on the issue during the meeting.
Ketchy’s remarks call attention to district compensation, benefit design and recruitment for paraprofessional and playground supervisor positions; the transcript does not include a district response during the meeting, nor does it provide the district-authored letter text or confirm the authoring official. Further detail, including any formal proposal or negotiated memorandum of understanding, was not disclosed in open session during the meeting.
