GRANADA– The Granada-Huntley- East Chain School Board met on Thursday night to approve items such as the Orton-Gillingham training, raising the custodian sub-pay to $15 per hour, and approved contracts to three long-term substitute teachers.

Orton-Gillingham is a teaching approach specifically designed to help struggling readers by explicitly teaching the connections between letters and sounds. It was created to be a multisensory approach to teaching reading. It works on the building blocks of learning how to read and Superintendent Doug Storbeck wants to build those foundational skills starting in kindergarten so that kids will enjoy reading.

“I really want to build a culture where students want to read,” Storbeck said. “I feel like if they have good skills that they will like to read. I think that’s true in everything we do at life is if we’re good at something we will enjoy it more.

Storbeck has created a culture of reading especially after the schools I Love To Read Month in February. At the high school level, Storbeck purchased 50 books that students could do book reflection on them or even create book talk videos to get other students to read the same books.

The training for this program would cost $7,200 per teacher and cost the district roughly $29,000. The district currently has $76,000 in its staff development account.

The board approved raising the custodian sub rate to $15 per hour. This was done to try and attract people to the job in the hope of an increase of subs.

We want quality individuals to always work at the school,” Storbeck said. “So to get quality individuals you need to pay them right and pay them what they’re worth. We feel like upping our sub rate will help us out at the school.”

The school board also approved three long-term substitutes for April and May. Madi Thull was approved as a long-term substitute for Third grade. Sarah Emmert was approved as a long-term substitute for Fourth grade. Paul Sundholm was approved as a long-term substitute for middle school social studies.

In other action, the board also approved:

– A resolution to transfer “restricted funds” from basic skills-extended time to safe schools in the amount of $13,528 to offset expenses related to School Resource Officer expenses shared with Martin County Sherrif’s Office.

– Approved a contract for Dave Hartfield as a part-time custodian starting on March 11, 2021.

– Approved all of the spring coaches for the 2020-21 school year.

— Approved an FFA contract for Star Schipper.

The next GHEC School Board Meeting will be held on Thursday, April 8 at 5:30 p.m.