School board increases Hime’s salary

Among the topics discussed this week at the January meeting of the Clinton School Board, members talked about a high-tech method to combat bullying, rules against vaping, and the decision was made to give Superintendent of Schools Kevin Hime a raise. 
As is customary in January, board members met behind closed doors after their regular meeting to conduct the superintendent’s annual salary review. In a phone conversation the following day with board president Luke Adams, he said they decided to give Hime a raise. 
“His total package was $157,394, and we gave him a $10,000 raise. It will be $5,000 this year and $5,000 the next year.”
Adams said the superintendent isn’t always awarded a raise in January. He received a five percent raise last year to reach what had been his current salary, and the three years prior to that he had received nothing. However, the decision to give Hime a raise this year was reached quickly. 
“It was a consensus that it was in the best interests of the schools and the kids to give him that raise,” said Adams. “There’s no question, he earns it.”
Board member Kim Meacham had learned that some schools in the state have been using a smart phone app which allows kids to report bullying anonymously. She brought it to the attention of Superintendent Hime and the possibility of using the same method here is now being looked at. 
“We’ve got posters up in the schools with my phone number saying call the superintendent if you feel bullied,” Hime said. “I’ve probably gotten three phone calls in the eight years I’ve been here, so clearly that’s not working. 
“We all went to school and we all know it happens. The problem is, how do you get kids to report it?”
He said there’s a line between what is normal, everyday behavior and bullying, but he believes that if someone feels bullied then it should be reported. 
“If you think I’m bullying you, it doesn’t matter what I think. I either need to change what I’m doing, or somebody needs to help me change what I did that made you feel bullied. 
“The app that some schools are using now gives kids an opportunity to report bullying anonymously, and they can also report things they see other kids doing. Maybe it’ll help kids feel safer if they feel like they’ve got a place to report things.”
Hime said he doesn’t know much about the apps yet, but that the district’s counselors are currently researching the subject. 
“Our counselors are looking at the pros and cons of them to see if the positives outweigh the negatives. And if those particular apps aren’t what we want, then maybe we need to find something else. We just want people to be aware,” he said. 
As for vaping on school property, it’s already against the rules in Clinton but a proposed state law would give that rule some teeth. 
“At the present time in Clinton, vaping is considered a tobacco product and therefor it’s forbidden,” Hime said. “But there’s a bill in the queue this year that would make it a state law that vaping is the same as tobacco.”
Oklahoma already has a ban on using tobacco products in public and private school buildings and vehicles. Under Senate Bill 33, the Tobacco-Free Schools Act, that ban would be extended to vapor products. It would include the noncombustible device and the cartridges, even if they don’t contain nicotine.
“My assumption is that it will fly right through. I think it’ll be non-partisan and they’ll do it fast would be my guess. But, I don’t ever like to assume too much when it comes to what the legislators are doing.”