Augusta County teachers ask for resumption of pay raises

Teachers and other educators asked the Augusta County School Board on Thursday night to end the four-year drought for pay raises despite a bleak budget outlook for 2012-13.

The comments came during a public hearing held at the board’s first meeting of the year.

Jenny Pippin, acting president of the Augusta County Education Association and a teacher at Buffalo Gap High School, said that teachers are doing more work for the same pay, and that preparing students for the Virginia Standards of Learning tests has become more difficult. She also said employees are taking home less pay than four years ago because health insurance costs have increased.

Scott Cassell, librarian at Riverheads High School, said county educators are resigned “to the inevitable, to sacrifice our family’s future on the budget altar.

Cassell said it is important for teachers and other staff in Augusta to receive increases “so we can fulfill our obligations to our families.”

County resident Buck Kent also asked the School Board not to close Craigsville Elementary. He said the school plays a vital role in the Craigsville and Augusta Springs communities. The School Board considered shuttering Craigsville a year ago.

In addition, Superintendent Chuck Bishop told School Board members that the budget outlook is bleak for 2012-13.

Reductions in state funding continue to plague the school district, he said: It faces more mandates despite an $88 million budget that is $10 million less than that of 2007-08.

Finance Director Mark Lotts said the change in the county’s local composite index has helped fuel a projected cut in state revenue of more than $1.1 million for 2012-13. Lotts said the school system also faces a more than $3 million increase in Virginia Retirement System contributions during the upcoming budget.

“I wish I could bring you better news,” he told the School Board.

Also Thursday night, the board reorganized for 2012, choosing South River member Tim Quillen as chairman and Middle River member David Shiflett as vice chairman.