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Staff and parents urge board to reconsider monthly PTO/vacation limits
Summary
Two public commenters told the Schuyler Community Schools board they learned only at the start of the year that staff now have one PTO day and one vacation day per month, and urged the board to delay or reconsider the change to avoid unpaid days and fairness problems.
PALOMA ARCA, public commenter: "We came to find out when we started the school year that we only have one PTO and one vacation per month." Paloma Arca said she spoke on behalf of co-workers and parents to raise concerns that long-tenured staff (five to 11 years or more) learned only at the start of the school year about a policy limiting paid time off to one PTO day and one vacation day per month. She asked what employees should do when children are sick multiple times in a month or when a family emergency lasts more than five days, asking whether they would be forced to go unpaid.
Marisol Lopez echoed the concern, saying staff previously received contract information at the end of the school year that allowed planning for vacations and that being told about reduced PTO midyear is unfair. "Why you didn't let us know that in the beginning of the school year when we have our contract?" she asked, urging the board to wait until the next contract cycle so employees have notice.
The board acknowledged the comments. Administrators and board members noted the district had revised its leave practices after seeing mid-year patterns of leave use, but speakers in the meeting emphasized the need to communicate changes earlier and consult staff before implementing changes that affect scheduling and pay. The meeting record does not show a formal board decision on the PTO/vacation scheduling; commenters asked for more time and clarity from administration.
Why this matters: Changes to leave and vacation practices affect employees’ pay and family planning; employees said the change was presented after contracts were already issued, limiting their ability to plan. Next steps: board members suggested discussing the concerns with administrators and offering staff a chance to provide input before any formal adoption of new rules.
