Storm Lake board approves 2% raises, extends superintendent contract

Storm Lake school employees will get 2% raises across the board after the School Board approved a new agreement with the Storm Lake Education Association, a move aimed at keeping the district competitive for teachers, custodians and other staff as money remains tight. The deal also adds an extra flex day in August for teachers and coaches, a small offset to a compensation package district leaders said had to stay restrained.

At Wednesday’s special meeting, Superintendent Stacey Cole told the board that the Iowa Legislature’s 2% supplemental state aid for next school year was “low” and forced the district to negotiate in an “extremely fiscally responsible” way. The raises are not limited to classroom teachers. Custodians and support staff will receive roughly the same package, with salary and benefit changes built around the same basic increase.

The vote came against a difficult financial backdrop for the Storm Lake Community School District. In March, district leaders were planning about $1.5 million in budget cuts and considering a property tax levy increase of roughly 8%, to about $17.95 per $1,000 of taxable valuation. The pressure has only grown more complicated as Storm Lake continues to add students. The district reported 77 new students for the 2024-25 school year, bringing enrollment to 2,659, a 2.9% increase that adds demand even as administrators try to control recurring costs.

The board also extended Cole’s contract for three years, setting her salary at $232,793 for the upcoming year, a 2% increase. Board President Dave Skibsted praised Cole’s performance and said the board was more than happy to have her continue as superintendent. Cole has led the district since 2018 and was named the 2023-2024 Iowa Superintendent of the Year by the School Administrators of Iowa for leadership for learning, communication, professionalism and community involvement.

Those personnel decisions come as Storm Lake keeps pushing ahead on major projects, including the early elementary school plan approved by voters in September 2022. Phase two was reported on track for completion before the 2024-25 school year, and phase three was later approved by the board. With payroll, construction and enrollment all moving at once, the district’s latest contract agreement reflects a careful attempt to hold staffing steady without adding more strain to future budgets.