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Board adopts operational plan and approves several administrative resolutions including substitute pay increase
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Summary
The school board approved a multi-year operational plan presented by Assistant Superintendent Trish Perry and adopted administrative resolutions covering substitute pay, absentee-ballot procedures and UOCAVA judges; the board also approved the consent agenda.
The Alexandria Public School District board voted to adopt the district operational plan and approved a set of administrative resolutions, including an increase in substitute teacher pay and establishment of absentee-ballot procedures for the November election.
Assistant Superintendent Trish Perry presented the operational plan, saying it aligns district efforts on student achievement, student-centered learning, family and community engagement, employee retention and efficient operations. Perry highlighted several initiatives in the plan: participation in the Perpich Center comprehensive arts planning (CAP) grant (a three-year program that selects 10 districts statewide), portfolio development at Discovery Middle School, expanded elective offerings and a new heavy-equipment program slated to begin this fall, multi-aged home bases at Discovery that mix sixth through eighth grades, ongoing kinder-camp activities, and the middle-school launch program that ran this summer. Perry said the plan also calls for more intentional parent communication about the district’s standard response protocol and increased use of dashboards and progress check-ins to report implementation status.
Perry and Superintendent Stansted told the board the district will provide progress reports, with an update scheduled for January and an end-of-year report. Perry said the district is piloting a public-facing dashboard and will share progress updates with the board as the system is refined.
On administrative personnel matters, Human Resources Director Jesse Gelley presented a resolution to adjust substitute staff pay rates effective Sept. 1, 2025. Gelley said the recommended increase targets the teacher substitute daily rate and was based on regional comparisons and the need to remain competitive to attract substitutes.
Board members then considered and approved routine election-related resolutions. The board adopted a resolution establishing an absentee-ballot board and discussed that early in-person absentee voting will be conducted at Woodland Elementary School for the district’s November ballot. The board also adopted a resolution appointing absentee and UOCAVA (Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act) election judges to ensure service members and overseas voters can receive and return ballots.
The board approved the consent agenda earlier in the meeting, which included minutes for prior meetings, payment of bills, personnel recommendations, adoption of district policies (including minor legislative updates), agreements (including a lease for the Transition Center and partnerships supporting students in transition), the Leadership Handbook and superintendent goals, and the annual e-learning plan that must be approved in August.
Votes at a glance
- Consent agenda: approved (motion carried; roll-call counts not specified in the record). The consent packet included minutes, bills, personnel actions, policy adoptions, agreements and the e-learning plan.
- Operational plan: approved (motion carried; roll-call counts not specified). Moved and seconded during the meeting; board scheduled progress reports for January and year-end.
- Substitute staff pay resolution (effective 09/01/2025): approved (motion carried; roll-call counts not specified). The resolution increases the teacher substitute daily rate to remain competitive and address shortages in substitute availability.
- Resolution establishing absentee ballot board (for district November election): approved (motion carried; roll-call counts not specified). Early in-person absentee voting will be held at Woodland Elementary School when the district’s ballot is the only local contest.
- Resolution appointing absentee and UOCAVA election judges: approved (motion carried; roll-call counts not specified). The resolution names staff and volunteers to serve as election judges for absentee and overseas ballots.
Board members did not request further public comment on these items after the votes. Several board members and administrators thanked staff for related work (communications, transportation support for community events, and preparations for the upcoming school year). The meeting also included a report that auditors visited the district in early August and that audit reports are expected later this fall.
No contract awards, bond measures or budget adoptions requiring separate board votes were presented at this session.
