North Callaway R-I School District Superintendent Kenya Thompson said she is excited about a certain personnel development happening in the district.

“Overall, we are very excited about our ability to recruit and retain great teachers and employees,” she said in an email. “Last year, when our community supported Props N+C, it truly enhanced the District's ability to keep great teachers and to attract new ones to our District. We have rapidly increased our percentage of highly qualified teachers, and this is having a direct impact on student learning.”

At the April 10 North Callaway school board meeting, the board approved a 2025-26 salary schedule that included various increases for salaried employees not on the salary schedule. 

“This year, the District added $2,000 to the base teacher pay, moving the base from $36,000 to $38,000,” Thompson said, referring to the increase made at the March board meeting. “This is a 5.5% increase, made possible only by our community's support in passing Prop C last year. It is having a significant impact on our ability to recruit and retain highly qualified teachers.”

Additionally, also in March, hourly employees received a $1.50 raise, moving the base from $13.50 to $15.00, Thompson said. 

“This 11% increase is to retain our quality bus drivers, aides, paraprofessionals, and administrative assistants,” she said. “The increases for salaried employees not on the salary schedule varied, but no one received more than a 5% increase.”

Also from the meeting, in her superintendent’s report, Thompson said one notable highlight is the significant increase in student attendance at Williamsburg Elementary School and North Callaway High School. 

“Both have worked very hard this year to improve student attendance through new incentives and strategies that appear to be effective,” she said in her email. 

The goal going into 2024-25 was to increase the student attendance rate (90% attendance) from 84.36% to 87%. The goal for the high school in 2024-25 was 82%, and all of the percentages have been in the mid to upper 80s throughout the school year. At Williamsburg, the goal was 92% and a few of the numbers trended in the mid-90s in the second part of the school year, with April’s percentage being 93.44%.

Regarding the High School Program of Studies update presented by Assistant Superintendent Niki Buschmann, Thompson explained that the change in the high school program of studies was to create an Algebra II Honors course. 

“This reflects our overall change in the math scope and sequence, now that students have the option to take Algebra I in eighth grade,” Thompson said. “Algebra I in eighth grade was introduced as a curriculum change for the 2024-25 school year to increase the overall rigor of our math program for students.”

Also in the superintendent’s report, Thompson said the district conducted the annual climate and culture survey April 8-11, with the survey being emailed to all district parents. All teachers and staff will have the opportunity to participate, as will students in grades 3-12, and the survey results are one metric the district uses annually to set performance goals for the district.

Thompson also stated in her report that she and other officials met with a playground vendor  and a survey is being developed for district patrons regarding their vision and dreams for the playground. Thompson said the design team will use the survey results as they work to develop a design for the K-5 and TLC playgrounds, and this will be an ongoing process from now until August. 

In the curriculum report, Buschmann noted that a variety of curriculum work will take place over the summer. 

“Most elementary grade levels will be working on aligning the new resources (Magnetic Reading and Bridges) with the written curriculum, making sure report card items have accompanying proficiency scales so grading is consistent from one building to another and one grade to another, and aligning grade card items with the term(s) in which they are taught,” the report stated. “Most of the work in secondary curriculum will surround increasing rigor and relevance.”

At the April 22 board reorganization meeting, the board, among other measures, reelected Amy Reinhard as president and reelected Sandy Lavy as vice president. The board also approved the certified election results.