School employees tell board recent PTO changes leave them short-handed

Two school employees addressed the Schuyler Community Schools Board of Education during public comment to raise concerns about a change in paid-time-off accruals.

Paloma Arceva, who said she came to represent coworkers and parents, said staff discovered at the start of the school year that “we're only receiving 1 vacation and 1 PTO per month.” She asked how employees should proceed when children are sick multiple times in a month and whether employees would be expected to take unpaid days: “What are we supposed to do? Are we supposed to go unpaid?”

Marisol Lopez, who said she works at the middle school, told the board she and other staff received contracts late and only learned of the accrual change after the year began. Lopez said staff had previously received full contract terms at the end of the preceding year and urged the board to present such changes before contracts are issued.

Board members did not provide a policy-level response during public comment; Chair acknowledged the speakers and the district’s administrators later discussed personnel and policy review processes during the meeting. The staff member presenting later described the district’s broader policy-review practice and encouraged building-level conversations between principals and office staff about operational needs.

The board did not vote on PTO or leave policy at the meeting. Next steps recorded in discussion included directing administrators to gather staff feedback ahead of any formal action and considering tabling related policy decisions to allow additional input.