Board approves EMIS director pay scale, hires assistant principal and agrees to study retirement "pickup" policy

The Little Miami Local School District Board of Education approved an exempt salary scale for the district's director of EMIS and approved personnel items including hiring Kristen Overbeck as assistant principal at the primary school. The board also directed staff to review the district's retirement "pickup" practice and the exempt handbook and return with data for further action.

The board voted unanimously to accept the exempt salary scale for the director of EMIS, a 225-day pay scale needed so the district can lawfully pay the employee who is retiring July 31. A district administrator explained, "I can't legally pay her without having her scale approved by the board." That comment led to the vote that approved the scale and cleared the way for a July payment for the retiring director.

On personnel, the board approved hiring Kristen Overbeck as assistant principal at the primary school; the hiring vote showed one recorded "no" by a board member who opposed some concurrent proposals.

Board members then moved into a lengthy discussion of retirement pickups and the exempt handbook. Board members and administrators explained how pickups work in the two Ohio systems: SERS pickups are 10% and STRS pickups are 14% (percentages the transcript lists at 10% and 14%). Several trustees raised concerns about whether the district should continue offering pickups to as many exempt positions, whether pickup amounts should be converted into base salary, and how removing pickup might affect recruitment. One board member said the district could "grandfather" current employees while changing rules for future hires; others warned that reducing pickup could force the district to raise base pay to remain competitive.

The board agreed to an in-house review: staff will compile comparative data on which positions receive pickup, look at comparable districts (Mason, Springboro were mentioned), analyze cost implications of removing pickups versus increasing base wages, and present findings ahead of the July agenda item that will include retire-rehire contracts. The board discussed inviting representatives from STRS and SERS or using published position listings from the retirement systems as part of that review.

Why it matters: EMIS (educational management information system) work affects state funding claims and data that drive district revenue; changes to pickup policy affect compensation for current and future exempt employees and could influence recruitment and costs.

Next steps: staff will gather data, with board members asking for options that could include grandfathering current employees, identifying positions for pickup going forward, and showing budget impacts; the board plans to revisit contracts and handbook changes at upcoming meetings.