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player ready...More than 500 School City of Hobart support staff workers, including school nurses, secretaries, cafeteria workers and others, will get paid for eight missed school days following the Aug. 11 derecho that uprooted trees and utility poles knocking out power across Northwest Indiana.
The school board voted unanimously to pay the workers, following a recommendation from Superintendent Peggy Buffington. The days span Aug. 12-20. Aug. 12 was to be the first day of school. Now, they’re set for the first day of school on Monday, Aug. 24.
Hobart was one of many region cities hit hard by the storm. Many residents just got power back in recent days and others are dealing with fallen trees and flooded basements. As of 4 p.m. Friday, NIPSCO had about 1,735 customers still without power in Hobart.
Teachers are paid for the missed days, but the U.S. Department of Labor and school policy doesn’t call for other employees to be paid.
The resolution stated: “However, we view the circumstances as being beyond the control of our employees and recommend that these employees not be penalized as a result.”
Buffington said most of the support staff live in Hobart.
“They were counting on coming back to work for those paychecks,” she said. “This is eight days of pay. That’s a lot of money for our classified staff.”
Buffington said she has already applied for a waiver with the Indiana Department of Education for the eight lost days but it’s unclear how many days will be approved.
Days could be added at the end of the calendar, if needed.
“Operationally, we can’t function without those people. We absolutely adore our teachers; they are amazing but so is this part of our organization,” Buffington said of the support staff.
In other business, the board approved a resolution conveying an easement on Hickey Street, near Liberty Elementary, for storm water drainage improvements.
Carole Carlson is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.