The board of trustees deliberated for more than two hours Sunday in closed session before approving the employee pay proposal. The resolution passed unanimously with little discussion in the portion of the meeting that was open to the public.
The district now guarantees employee pay through the district’s extended spring break, which district officials recently announced would last through March 20. The pay guarantee would also apply to any other potential closures through the end of the 2020-21 school year.
“[T]he Board concludes that continuing wage payments to all regular employees ... serves the public purposes of maintaining morale, reducing turnover, and ensuring continuity of District staffing when schools reopen,” the resolution reads.
The measure applies to salaried and nonsalaried employees and those who work for the district on a contract basis.
The Plano district announced the school closures March 12 as government agencies, school districts and companies across the country grappled with how to handle the spread of the virus.
“We are taking these steps out of an abundance of caution,” Bonser said in the March 12 statement. “Public health officials have not yet made this a requirement for public institutions. Nevertheless, given all that we know, and what we can anticipate based on information from local, state and national agencies, ... we believe this is the most prudent course of action at this time.”
To prepare for the possibility that schools will remain closed beyond this week, the district is surveying parents to see how many students have technology needs that would limit their ability to participate in classes remotely, PISD spokesperson Lesley Range-Stanton said.
All students will be eligible to receive free curbside meals March 16-20 at six district campuses. The meals will be brought outside to vehicles from 7:30-8:30 a.m. and 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Those campuses are:
- Daffron Elementary
- Rose Haggar Elementary
- Huffman Elementary
- Meadows Elementary
- Sigler Elementary
- Thomas Elementary
Editor’s note: This story has been updated with the results of the vote and comments from the district spokesperson.
