Teachers and staff press Kirkwood R-VII to remedy decade-old salary "frozen step"

A series of teachers and district staff used the public-comment period at the KIRKWOOD R-VII Board meeting on Feb. 2 to press the board for remedies to a salary-step freeze imposed in 2016–17 that speakers said continues to depress pay for long-serving staff.

Bridgette Ryan, an 11th-year teacher, said the freeze was presented as temporary but that "nearly 10 years later, many of us are still being financially affected by that decision." She said she is paid at a lower step despite earning a master’s degree and additional graduate credits and asked the board to address the long-standing effects.

Chrissy Stroup, a kindergarten teacher with 12 years in the district, and Lucas Ravenscraft, a social-studies teacher and KHS alumnus, described the harm as not only financial but a loss of dignity and respect for employees who have remained with the district. "All we're asking is to have some loyalty shown back to us," Ravenscraft said.

Amy Leatherberry, a librarian who referenced the failure of Prop A and later passage of Prop K, said neighboring districts like Melville have started returning frozen steps and urged Kirkwood to find a way forward that recognizes long-tenured staff. Lisa Shinneberger and Courtney Wilson (school counselor, 17 years) provided additional personal and retirement-impact detail, with Wilson asking the board to consider restoring frozen step credit or applying retroactive service credit for retirement calculations and to examine leave-restoration options for employees who exhausted leave when no paid parental leave existed.

Board members did not take immediate formal action on frozen-step remedies during the meeting; the issue was raised repeatedly during public comment and may be brought forward as an agenda item for staff study or future board consideration.