Copperas Cove ISD looking at pay increases for new, returning staff

By LYNETTE SOWELL

Cove Leader-Press

The Copperas Cove Independent School District board of trustees will be considering a recommendation from CCISD administration for pay increases for district staff to include teachers and auxiliary staff, along with a 3 percent increase of midpoint for all staff.

If approved by the board, the starting salary for a starting teacher in the district would be $53,000, and all auxiliary staff would receive a market increase base on the salary survey results conducted by the Texas Association of School Boards. The cost to the district of $4.5 million would come from a combination of local and federal funds.

The trustees will be voting on the adjustments during their regular meeting on Tuesday, May 10, which starts at 6:30 p.m. in the CCISD administration board room, located at 408 S. Main St.

The district will also be naming new principals on Tuesday evening, for Williams/Ledger Elementary and Martin Walker Elementary schools.

According to the agenda, Tracie Phillips is recommended for the position at Williams/Ledger, and Breanne Turner is recommended for the position at Martin Walker.

Phillips has been serving as interim principal at Williams/Ledger Elementary since January 2022 and has 33 years in education, having served as an administrator before. The campus’ former principal, Lori Hensley, has already transitioned to the position of T-CLAS grant director for the district.

Turner has been with the district since 2012 and is currently a district literacy coach and serves as a cohort leader for the Texas Reading Academy. Turner replaces Earl Parcell, who filled the position of the district’s Chief Financial Officer.