AISD teacher contracts renewed

By Melinda L. Lucas

Albany ISD trustees hired a new school nurse and a new PE teacher/coach, as well as renewing teacher contracts at the regular meeting on Monday, April 17.

Heather Nitschke was hired on a 6-0 vote to serve as district nurse for the 2023-2024 school year, replacing Jessica Myers, who will be moving at the end of this school year.

Nitschke was one of three “impressive” applicants, according to AISD superintendent Jonathan Scott. She worked as a nurse in Canada before the family moved to a ranch outside Albany several years ago.

The board also employed Makinzie Tomascik as a PE teacher and coach, also on a unanimous vote. She will graduate next month with a degree in kinesiology from Tarleton State University. Her coaching duties will be determined later.

Both new employees will be on one-year probationary contracts.

Contracts for the teaching staff members were extended for the next school year, as well as a separate vote of approval for a staff member with a “multi-job probationary contract.”

Letters of assurance will be sent to the recommended list of paraprofessionals.

No decisions were made about salaries until the state legislature announces what it plans to do about increases in teacher pay, but Scott reviewed some proposed professional stipend increases, along with adjustments in an outdated support staff pay scale. No action was taken.

In related business, a resignation was accepted from secondary teacher and coach Elizabeth Martin.

Other Business

•Albany fifth grader Artie Bell presented a short program about incorporating a “Create Space” at the elementary campus.

•Scott went over some options for the district’s property casualty insurance, but no decision will be made until a later date.

•The superintendent also discussed the balances in the ESSER II and II funds, with some suggestions for how to spend those monies.

•Also presented was a list of “project needs” for the district.