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Board reviews employee-handbook changes, including bereavement and child‑rearing provisions
Summary
Michelle presented proposed 2026–27 employee-handbook updates clarifying funeral and bereavement time, project-based pay for curricular writing, and changes to child-rearing leave language; trustees asked about comparability to neighboring districts and implementation details.
Michelle presented proposed updates to the Whitnall School District employee handbook for 2026–27, describing changes intended to clarify leave rules and pay for curricular work.
She told the board the bereavement change would separate funeral leave from broader bereavement time: "two days of funeral leave and then the remaining coming out of their sick days as bereavements," she said, explaining funeral leave would cover attending wakes and funerals while bereavement/sick-day use would cover mourning and planning. Michelle said the district compared neighboring districts when setting the funeral-day allotment and believes their proposal remains comparable.
On curricular writing compensation, Michelle explained the district uses a project-based approach rather than a strict hourly model and that past curricular projects informed the recommended per-project pay rate. Trustees asked whether the rate had been surveyed against other districts and whether staff had been consulted; Michelle said she averaged previous work estimates (roughly 17 hours) and comparable rates when proposing the figure, and that some teachers had expressed interest in participating.
Trustees also questioned changes to wording on child-rearing leave. Michelle explained the policy wording is being clarified and that the district provides FMLA as required; she said the history showed employees taking child-rearing leave often did not return in the fall, so the revised policy language reflects that operational reality rather than creating a new entitlement.
Board members pressed for clarity in the handbook mark-up (strikeouts and redlines), and Michelle said red text indicates language to be removed while 'for clarity' notes add explanatory language staff receive most often in HR inquiries. She offered to provide additional comparisons and supporting materials as requested.
Next steps: The board will review the proposed handbook language and supporting comparisons; staff offered to circulate comparative district data and a final clear redline version before the board’s next meeting.
