DEXTER, MI – The additional work performed by Dexter Community Schools teachers and administrators during the COVID-19 pandemic is being recognized with a one-time off-schedule payment.
The Dexter School Board approved the agreement with the Dexter Education Association Monday, Jan. 25, to recognize the additional time and work required outside normal working hours to implement the district’s required Continuity of Learning and COVID-19 Response Plan.
The compensation is being paid for by one-time federal coronavirus relief funding. DEA members will receive an off-schedule payment of 3.09% of the amount they were paid in the 2020 calendar year on their base contract salaries. The same one-time, off-schedule payment also will be provided to all members of the Dexter Administrator Association.
The payment is coming March 31 for all DEA and DAA members actively at work as of March 1, and have not otherwise terminated at the time of payment.
“Our salaried employees have committed significant time over and beyond their contractual (work) to provide for the high-quality learning of our students throughout the pandemic school year,” Board President Julie Schumaker said. “We greatly appreciate that our salaried employees have worked tirelessly to help us prepare, adjust and continue to adapt to the learning environments required over the past year.”
The off-schedule payment recognizes the additional time that equates to just over one week of time spent over the summer by salaried employees outside of their contract requirements, Schumaker said.
The payment is the equivalent to paying salaried employees for working on their vacation days, or days that they were not contracted to work, Superintendent Chris Timmis said.
Schumaker expressed gratitude to teachers who have worked throughout the summer and traditional school hours to make learning for students possible, both virtually and in-person.
“It’s been very challenging for teachers to have to move and put their curriculum online and doing the hybrid teaching has also been challenging, as well, because you’re doing in-person as well as virtual.”
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