The recommendation came through the interest-based bargaining team and had been approved by the teachers.

Additional salary costs were generated by a $250 increase in base salary, $50 step increase in selected categories, and increases in the base salary amount for supplemental positions.

Superintendent Gordon Mohn said the recent decision by the Kansas Supreme Court, which ordered the state legislature to put an additional $143 million of "new" money into Kansas schools, could have an effect on the local district.

The legislation already approved would bring a $153,440 funding increase to the district, which is a 3.7 percent increase in operating funds.

If the funds are doubled, as the Supreme Court ruled, that would bring the adjusted general fund to just over $4.31 million.

Under the agreement reached by the interest-based bargaining team, teacher salary contracts will be reviewed if the adjusted general fund exceeds $4.225 million.

"It doesn't mean we'll have to redo the contract, but just that we have agreed to reopen the talks," Mohn said. "I don't know what's going to happen, but I have faith in the legislature."

Members of the bargaining team are Dennis Boldt, Jerry Hinerman, Diana Holub, Dale Klassen, Rod Koons, Scott O'Hare, Jim Robb, Tonja Wienck and Mohn.

Total compensation costs for teacher and supplemental contracts amount to an increase of 2.69 percent.

The board also approved a 3 percent increase for members of the leadership group, which will keep them in line with the increases received by teachers or recommended for classified employees.

Members of the leadership group are Corey Burton, HMS principal ($53,045); Keith Goossen, building, grounds and transportation supervisor ($37,683); Max Heinrichs, activities director ($50,093); Hinerman, business manager ($45,711); Dale Honeck, HHS principal ($68,938); and Evan Yoder, HES principal ($62,359).

Following a 20-minute executive session, the board approved a 3-percent raise for Mohn, which will increase his salary from $84,103 to $86,626.

New teaching contracts

In other personnel matters, the board approved teaching contracts for two new teachers as well as several supplemental contracts that were negotiated following the board's May 9 meeting.

Bruce Major was hired as a math instructor at Hillsboro High School. Major has taught at Southeast of Saline and Junction City as well as in American schools in Guam and Honduras. At HHS, he will be teaching Algebra I and geometry.

Doug Dick, who has been teaching in the Marion school system for 17 years, will teach fifth grade at Hillsboro Elementary School this fall.

Dick assumes the position vacated by Gloria Winter, who submitted her resignation to the board to accept a position with the Marion County Special Education Cooperative.

The board extended Sandy Arnold's contract as media specialist at HES from 54.4 percent to full-time. Her full-time salary will be $38,315.

During the meeting, Arnold presented a 10-minute slide show on her vision for the HES library. She said the job description of a librarian has grown to include teacher, technology organizer and integrator, collection manager, information provider and promotional director.

The board also approved the following supplemental contracts:

-- Arnold will be assistant girls' basketball coach at HHS in addition to being head volleyball coach.

-- Janette Brubacher and Carmen Hein will be Culture Club sponsors at HHS.

-- Dick will be assistant coach for HHS boys' basketball and baseball.

-- Sharon Funk will be junior class sponsor.

-- Stuart Holmes will be co-sponsor for student council, senior class sponsor and HHS Scholars Bowl sponsor in addition to head cross-country coach and assistant track and field coach.

-- Anne Janzen will be an assistant middle school volleyball coach.

-- Megan Kilgore will be HHS cheerleader sponsor.

-- Major will be freshman class sponsor.

-- Phil Oelke will be head baseball coach at HHS in addition to being head football coach for HMS.

-- Don Penner will be assistant coach for track and field.

-- Jim Robb will be assistant boys' basketball coach at HMS in addition to co-sponsor of student council at HHS.

-- Stephanie Sinclair will be head softball coach at HHS as well as head volleyball coach at HMS.

-- Lynn Wiebe will be head girls' tennis coach at HHS.

-- Tonja Wienck will be the sponsor for HMS Scholars Bowl.

Building reports

Heinrichs reported another successful year had concluded at Hillsboro High School, with eight of 13 spring activities qualifying for state competition, which included a Class 3A state championship for the HHS girls' track and field team.

HHS band instructor Gregg Walker reported that 48 students attended his beginning band meeting May 23.

Maura Wiebe issued an invitation to the board to attend the Technology Generation II meeting from 10 a.m. until noon on Friday, June 24, at the HHS Technology Presentation Lab.

In other business, the board:

-- accepted resignations from Judy Hiebert as full-time food service worker contingent on receiving a part-time contract, and Irene Bezdek as full-time custodian contingent on receiving a part-time contract.

-- accepted the resignations of Arlene Pankratz, after 33 years as custodian and bus driver, and Priscilla Unruh, as an aide in the Wiebe Media Center.

-- approved a 3 percent increase in the hourly wage paid to non-contracted classified employees.

For substitute employees, the new rates range from $6.90 an hour for aides, cooks and secretaries to $8.50 for bus drivers.

For other positions, the hourly rate ranges from $5.25 for summer student help, to $16.25 for teachers who work as summer tech assistants.

-- approved building fees for 2005-06 that will remain constant for the second consecutive year.

-- approved textbook fees, which will remain at the current level for another year. Year-to-date spending for textbooks is $45,437, which generated $18,689 in revenue.

-- tabled a decision on meal prices for the coming school year.

-- heard a TEEN report from board representative Mark Rooker.

-- was updated on the Marion County Special Education Cooperative by board representative Debbie Geis.

-- heard Mohn's report on training new board members, e-mail communications, the USD 410 Web site;

-- discussed presenting plaques to retiring employees at an upcoming meeting, and adding heated steps in front of HHS to alleviate ice in stormy weather

-- heard from Hinerman that June tax collection totaled about $250,000, which included $44,000 of capital outlay and $43,500 of bond interest ($178,000 general fund).

-- approved paying bills of $59,857 for the purchase of 49 laptop computers, and $12,000 for technology upgrades.