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The Austin Public School Board on Monday night agreed to work on a broader and cohesive plan regarding how holidays are treated in its schools.

The board agreed to begin discussing a plan at a work session on Jan. 22 in the District Offices. The decision came after Board Member and 2023 Chair Kathy Green addressed the board, requesting a discussion on the topic before a decision is made. Green said she had been contacted by parents concerned that Valentine’s Day would not be observed in the schools this year.

“I would like to see this decision delayed until the School Board can have a discussion on this topic,” Green said, which other board members agreed to.

Following Monday night’s meeting, Dr. Joey Page said that the district doesn’t have a specific policy regarding how holidays are observed and that in the past it was left up to each individual school as to how holidays would be observed.

This has since led to a gray area, which played a part in Green’s request Monday night. It is hoped that by figuring out a policy for holiday celebrations that consistency can be attained across district schools.

Prior to the regular meeting, the School Board held an organizational meeting, during which it elected Carolyn Dube as the 2024 board chair and Green as vice chair. Cece Kroc was elected as treasurer and Peggy Young will serve as clerk.

A large portion of the organizational meeting was used to discuss the idea of board member stipends, which members were receiving $4,000 going into Monday night.  In comparison to other Big Nine Conference schools, the Austin stipend is second only to Rochester, which pays its board members $16,000.

However, board member Don Leathers presented a plan to raise that to $9,300, saying he felt members were treated fairly, but that board members across the spectrum should be recognized more for the work the board does.

“School boards are not compensated appropriately,” Leathers said. “I believe school boards should be recognized like any governmental body.”

To further sell the idea, Leathers suggested it would be appropriate to wait until after 2027 as some of the board members currently serving would be looking at re-election before that.

Likewise, Board Member Evan Sorenson suggested raising the stipend by $100 each and that the raise should be looked at as more of a symbol that these types of discussions shouldn’t be looked at as uncomfortable.

“Just to get the ball rolling so it’s not such an uncomfortable situation,” Sorenson said.

Neither plan was adopted by the board, however, Kroc did say that she wished to use Monday night’s talks as a lead in to a more substantial discussion at a future work session to get a plan in place that would make the stipend discussion of raising the amount easier in the future, something other board members agreed to.