Board upholds superintendent recommendation on employee grievance; administrators provide salary and transportation cost figures

The St. John the Baptist Parish School Board voted May 9 to adopt the superintendent’s recommendation in an employee grievance after reviewing the hearing transcript and the superintendent’s written recommendation.

The motion to agree with the superintendent’s recommendation passed on recorded vote: 8 yeas (Holden, Triche, Morris, DeFrancesch, Frizzell, Mitchell‑Williams, Vicknair, Wallace), 1 nay (Burl), 1 abstention (Mamou) and 1 absent (Schum).

During the agenda item, board member Mitchell‑Williams questioned administration on compensation and transportation costs. Administration said the average teacher salary in the district is about $56,000–$57,000 depending on experience. For transportation, staff reported extra-run payments over the last 12 months totaled $193,387 — about $96,000 over budget — and that an average of 49 drivers received extra runs; the highest bus driver salary paid last year was $70,540.75.

Public commenters also addressed the grievance item before the Board acted. The Board did not make the grievance transcript public at the meeting but recorded its disposition in open session.