Ada board updates substitute pay Posted on October 18, 2025 0 By TIM THOMAS Times editor ADA — Updated substitute pay rates were approved by the Ada Board of Education at its meeting Thursday night. Substitutes had been paid $12 per hour across the board in the district, said Treasurer Kim Light. A survey of substitute rates in area schools resulted in the proposal to increase rates in Ada. Effective Oct. 20, the hourly substitute rates will be: secretary, $20.13; custodian, $18.92; and cafeteria worker and educational aide, $14.58. Ada also implemented a new policy this year to help cover classes when substitute teachers are not available. High School Principal Dan Lee said it was added to the teachers’ contract to allow them to cover open periods in house. “It’s worked super well,” he said. Lee also reported Senior Service Day will be Friday (Oct. 17). Seniors go out in the community and serve different needs, the go out to lunch together. The school rents the movie theater and they get to watch a movie. He noted over the last year Ada has done more to build up the senior year. “They really enjoy it and develop long-lasting friendships,” he said. Lee also reported the move of sixth grade to middle school has gone well. They made a change to sixth grade specials. They no longer go to a special class every day. They shifted it to where sixth graders will have a quarter of gym for nine weeks, then to a quarter of music and a quarter of computers. He said it’s been a positive change that both the teachers and students like. Also at the meeting, the board: – Discussed the student drop-off procedure which results in a long line of cars in the morning. Superintendent Julie Simmons said they will put out additional information to parents about how they can take advantage of the long sidewalk leading to the school to drop off students earlier. – Learned a Veterans’ Day Breakfast for all veterans in the district will be on Nov. 11 from 8 to 9 a.m. – Approved a list of school substitutes for the 2025-2026 school year on an “as needed” basis. – Approved the resignation of Kim Simon, food service. – Approved an out-of-state trip for the Ada swim team to attend a meet in Jay County, Indiana, on Jan. 10, 2026. – Approved Bethany Daft as an ESL tutor for the 2025-2026 year at a rate of $30 per hour. – Approved teachers Rebecca Rosenbauer, Valerie Hall, Linda Dysert and Sara Bryan for the after school program. The stipend payment per teacher is $30 per hour for one hour a day for a total of four hours per week. – Approved classified contacts for Amber Stoll and Tonia Silone as cafeteria workers for the 2025-2026 school year. – Approved teachers Christina Bowden and Sarah Davis to monitor the after school detention program this year school at a rate of $20 per hour. – Approved the following supplemental contracts for the 2025-2026 school year: Tracie Amburgey, 7th grade girls basketball coach; Ezra Deitering, site manager for junior high girls basketball; Dan Lee, volunteer wrestling coach; Jacob Reif, junior high wrestling coach; and Joe Carl, assistant wrestling coach. – Adopted a resolution to purchase a nine-passenger van and to receive bids from the Educational Purchasing Council. The next regular school board meeting will be Nov. 20 at 6 p.m.
