March 29, 2024
BANGOR DAILY NEWS (BANGOR, MAINE

SAD 4 to foot bill for records check

GUILFORD — SAD 4 directors voted Wednesday to absorb the costs of the criminal record checks of staff members, recognizing the financial impact on limited incomes.

Although the combined cost of $2,500 for the criminal record checks will be borne by the district, school employees will be required to pay $25 for the one-time cost of fingerprinting.

Superintendent Norman Higgins said Thursday that the board is supportive of the process of ensuring that the school is a safe environment for students and recognizes the need, in a risky environment, to implement certain protective measures.

At the same time, directors also felt the cost for record checks had a much greater financial impact on support and professional staff, and they were concerned about that, he said.

“We wanted to share in that financial cost of this new process,” Higgins said.

The district has about 100 employees who will be required to have the criminal record check.

Directors also approved unanimously a new contract with the SAD 4 Teachers Association.

The new contract provides teachers with a 3.6 percent increase in pay for 1999-2000; a 2.6 percent increase for the year 2000-2001; and a 2.6 percent increase in the year 2001-2002. The district will continue to pay 80 percent of health insurance premiums, and the staff will pay the remaining 20 percent.

The change will increase the current base pay of $21,100 of teachers to $21,900 this year and will add $100 in each of the next two years, according to Higgins. The salary of a teacher with a bachelor’s degree and 25 years of experience will increase from $39,850 to $40,900 this year, $41,750 next year and to $42,600 the third year of the contract.

Considerable time was spent by directors on a student matter. An executive session was conducted by the directors with a male high school student, his parents and the district’s legal counsel.

After the executive session, the student was expelled from school for violating the disclipinary code and the standards of conduct. Higgins would say only that the student’s problem involved his disruptive and threatening behavior. Although the expulsion came without a date for which the student could return to school, Higgins said he has the opportunity to reapply for admission.


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