BY ANDY GARDNER
North Country This Week

MASSENA -- The Board of Education voted to change insurance carriers, a move that will bring significant savings, and raised pay for substitutes. The board also voted to slightly raise lunch prices.

Those were all approved at their Thursday meeting as part of a yearly reorganizational resolution that included 60 items. The complete list is here.

"We are seeing, as many schools are, a lack of substitutes. Our pay is generally average or in many cases above average in the region. We felt by raising it a little bit it could be one piece to help attract teaching subs," Superintendent Pat Brady said.

The board approved paying uncertified substitute teachers $95 per day and $105 per day for certified or experienced substitutes. The district will also now pay $150 per day for certified long-term substitutes and $120 per day for uncertified long-term subs.

Home tutors will now be paid $17.50 per hour, the board decided.

"We're also having difficulty getting home tutors as well," Brady said. "This year, we tried to as much as possible, if a student needs a tutor because of disciplinary reasons for example ... we do have them come to the high school ... in many cases that works very well."

Among other items in the resolution was switching to Utica National as the district's insurance carrier. Brady said that will save them 23.5 percent on their current rate.

Also, school lunch prices will increase 10 cents. There is no change to the breakfast price.