MUSD ON A SPREE
Published in the January 18, 2025 edition.
The Mammoth Unified School District (MUSD) Board revised two salary schedules at its special meeting Tuesday to include four new positions.
The two salary schedules were the “classified management/confidential salary schedule” and the “administrative salary schedule.” The meeting was held in the MUSD Office at 5:30 p.m., and the only public attendant was a stray mouse that ran across the floor, aside from an individual associated with the board.
“We’re aligning with the district’s strategic priorities, and so we’ve implemented some critical staffing enhancements across the department,” O’Neill said regarding the added positions.
The budget impact of these new and modified roles was described as a game of “pros and cons,” O’Neill noted, adding that they would need to “keep an eye” on the expenditure.
“Honestly, we are going to be using up our cash a little quicker, but we don’t really have a concern [about budget] at this point,” he said.
The classified management/confidential salary schedule was updated to include the Maintenance, Operations & Transportation Manager, with a starting salary of $69,586, and the addition of a Human Resources Coordinator position, starting at $86,706.
The schedule also “cleaned up” an Executive Assistant/Human Resources Associate position, which has a starting salary of $77,410. This position will provide comprehensive administrative support to the Superintendent, Board of Education, Human Resources Coordinator, and employees, according to the approved job description.
This role already exists but was previously named the “Executive Assistant/Human Resources Specialist.” The name was changed to align with their requirements and to include a bilingual requirement.
The Human Resources Coordinator, on the other hand, is a new position responsible for the operation and administration of all services related to certificated and classified personnel, according to the approved job description. This will relieve some of the pressure on the aforementioned Executive Assistant/Human Resources Associate.
“Currently, we have the Executive Assistant doing board work, superintendent work, and HR work; this is really to give a lot of attention to our staff,” Superintendent Annie Renaldi said. This will be the first time the district has hired a dedicated human resources person.
The Maintenance, Operations & Transportation Manager is an expansion of an existing position, recognizing the “increasing demands,” Renaldi said. This position aims to improve oversight and staff protection during upcoming construction projects, particularly since the school’s bond measure was passed in the last election.
That measure authorized $70 million in bonds for upgrading heating, air conditioning, and ventilation systems; improving school facilities; and constructing teacher/staff housing.
The Administrative Salary Schedule was also updated to include the Expanded Learning Opportunities Program (ELO-P) supervisor, which is a 215-day, three-quarter position.
ELO-P provides funding for afterschool and summer school enrichment programs for transitional kindergarten through sixth grade, according to the California Department of Education.
Because this position is funded externally, it is not expected to draw from the school district’s funds, O’Neill said.
“There are enough [funds] to cover this for this year or next easily, but that is something that we will make sure doesn’t encroach on us,” he added.
Currently, ELO-P starts while school is ending, so the office staff has to coordinate the kids during that time. This position allows for an employee to begin their day when the program starts, alleviating office staff from that task.
Also at the meeting, the Board discussed the job description for the Community Schools Partnership Program (CCSPP) Coordinator, which exists to implement a network of community schools that align with the district’s strategic priorities and address the academic, social-emotional, and wellness needs of students and families.
This is a grant-funded position, and the CCSPP Coordinator is responsible for securing ongoing grant funding to sustain this role beyond the current funding period. As such, the future of this position is pending based on the outcome of several grants.
“We have this coordinator working with us; it’s their job to apply for this funding. So, we’re just swinging forward again,” O’Neill said. “Are we going to get it? I don’t know, but […] I know we’re not going to get it if we don’t submit something.”
