Yesterday evening the Warsaw Community School Board of Trustees met for the regular monthly meeting of the school board. The board was presented with a motion to approve stipend recommendations and adjustments.

According to Kevin Scott, chief financial officer for WCS, the 2014-2015 teachers’ master contract was settled at the end of September. Prior to the year end, eligible teachers also received stipends from two separate state performance grants. Scott noted salary and wages for all other categories of employees have remained the same as the 2013-2014 levels.

“With recognition that state funding for the general fund is flat, .4 percent, coupled with no enrollment growth, the administration is proposing stipends for all other groups,” noted Scott in a reading of the public content of the recommendation.

Scott went on to explain that stipends are a one-time cost rather than a recurring additional operating cost. The maximum stipend for support and special services staff is a gross pay of $500. For staff members working less than 40 hours per week, the stipend will be proportional to the hours worked. Total one-time costs are supported by modest cash balance growth during the 2014 calendar year.