Teachers in the Park Hill School District will be seeing a bump in salaries with the next school year.
At a meeting of the Park Hill Board of Education in May, a new salary and compensation package with the teachers’ union was approved. In it, the minimum salary was set at $48,525 with an average salary increase of 8.2 percent for all returning certified teachers and staff. A 5 percent increase in contribution to employee benefits was also approved.
Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources Dr. Amy Dillon and PHNEA President Mandy Frayer presented the teachers’ negotiated agreement for July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2028.
According to the district, this update comes as a result of the community’s support in passing Proposition G in April, which allows Park Hill to offer competitive pay and benefits that help attract and retain excellent teachers and staff. With this support, Park Hill will rank in the Top 5 for beginning teacher salaries and in the Top 3 for average teacher salaries across the region.
DISTRICT PARTNERS FOR ELEMENTARY SAFETY
The board also approved the introduction of school protection specialists (SPSs) at the elementary level. Park Hill will introduce SPSs in elementary schools starting next school year.
These SPSs will be provided to the district through a partnership with Strategos International. Four SPSs will rotate through every elementary school in the Park Hill School District.
Park Hill partners with local police departments for school resource officers at the middle and high school level, these new specialists for the elementary level will be specifically dedicated to elementary schools.
Specialists will meet teachers and staff in early August. They will interact with students during the day and attend events to meet families throughout the school year. The specialists will rotate between three elementary schools and be in their assigned schools every day. Once these specialists are assigned to their home schools their names will be announced.
SPSs will be uniformed as Strategos employees, with visible duty gear and weapons.
According to the district duties for these officers include:
Recognize and respond to security threats or breaches
Recognize and respond to emergency situations and safety hazards
Assist in crisis response per PHSD guidelines
Observe and monitor school bus loading/unloading and car rider lines
Monitor and enforce PHSD access control procedures
Patrol and monitor school grounds
Implement and enforce security procedures
Respond to unauthorized persons attempting access
Engage in conflict resolution and de-escalation techniques
Coordinate with law enforcement agencies
Maintain firearm safety and training
Maintain awareness of threat intelligence such as online threats, social media and reports from staff/students
Founded in 2002, Strategos International reports it has trained, consulted, and protected over 250,000 people in over 15 countries across the world. The company has offices in Missouri, Texas and Florida and handles security for churches, schools and private organizations.
LEAD ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL
Randy Stout has accepted the position of assistant principal at the LEAD Innovation Studio for the 2025-2026 school year, pending the approval of the Board of Education at its meeting on June 12.
Stout currently serves as assistant principal and athletic director at F.L. Schlagle High School in the Kansas City, Kan. school district, a role he has had since 2022. Before that, he was an instructional coach and math teacher.
Stout received his bachelor’s from Kansas State University, master’s from Pittsburg State University and specialist’s degree from Arkansas State University.