The Edison Local School Board of Education is looking to increase wages for substitutes and may review another pay hike in the near future.

 During the Dec. 16 regular meeting at Edison High School, the board wrapped up business for 2021 and one topic was to initiate a raise for non-certified subs including night custodians, secretaries and aides following the federally mandated increase beginning Jan. 1. Superintendent Bill Beattie said the board agreed to raise current wages from $8.80 to $9.30 per hour but may take a look at another change next month.

  “The board increased the minimum wage under the new law effective Jan. 1 with the intent to revisit it and maybe looking at increasing it at the January meeting. We are trying to get people interested in subbing in the district,” Beattie explained. “When we have substitutes in the district, we look at them first as far as hiring permanently.”

 Officials also wish to move forward with a $21,500 project to create a new greenhouse for the Vo-Ag program, which is included with the planned outdoor classroom project at the high school. The board approved an addendum with SHP to incorporate the greenhouse into the current plan.

 Three structures are in the works for John Gregg and Stanton Elementary Schools as well as the high school and Beattie said they were inspired by COVID-19 to give students an alternative space to learn. Construction has already begun at the elementary schools, which will feature a 30-foot-by-30-foot pavilion with a concrete pad, ceiling and roof as well as picnic tables for seating. The two buildings cost $50,000 each while SHP was contracted to create designs for the third site at EHS.

  “We’re excited to move the greenhouse and add it to the Vo-Ag building to make it more accessible to the FFA program,” Beattie added. “We will repurpose the concrete slab [of the current greenhouse] for the outdoor classroom seating area.”

  The board is waiting on those plans and hope to have it completed along with the other outdoor classrooms this spring while the greenhouse could be ready in August.

   In other matters, the board:

–Discussed possibly revising the district’s strategic plan at the next session;

–Approved additions to the substitute teacher listincluding Emily Ferrell, Lindsey Breon, Toni Carpenter, Jackie Harris and Jessica Zeigler;

–Accepted the resignations of Keely Drabick as assistant varsity track coach and Jason Waggoner as junior high wrestling coach and approved supplemental posts forDrabick for varsity track and Nolan Marcus, Jimmy Panella and Cory Wickham as baseball volunteers;

–Approved the hiring of Denise Truax as accompanist for the EHS choir for one day per week;

–Employed Colleen Shepherd as Title I non-public tutorat Bishop John King Mussio Elementary, not to exceed 40 hours;

–Employed Troy Pethtel as night building cleaner at EHS retroactive to Nov. 30;

–Accepted the resignation of bus driver Aric Bernhart, effective Jan. 7;

–Set the district’s organizational meeting for Jan. 12 at 5:45 p.m. at Stanton Elementary with current President Aaron Richardson serving as President Pro Tempore. The regular board session will follow at 6 p.m.