Volunteer becomes paid employee

A pioneer of volunteer services for the Maricopa Unified district became a paid employee at Wednesday night’s school board meeting.

Margaret Jackson has served as the volunteer services coordinator for the district since January. During that time she has helped create the volunteer web site, volunteer policy and coordinate efforts of volunteers.

“When I started the position, I was putting in maybe 15 hours a week, but during the past several months that number has climbed to 30 plus hours,” Jackson said.

The decision to make her a paid employee came from the school board.

The district had put an item on the agenda, which would have created a paid volunteer coordinator position. However, if the board approved this position the district would have done an open application and interview process to find someone to fill the position.

Board member Tim White wasn’t keen on the idea of creating a paid position and interviewing other people for it when the district already had someone filling those duties.

“We have this great person who has been doing all of these wonderful things in the district. We should make her position paid instead of creating a new position,” White said.

So the board did just that, amending the agenda item to make Jackson a paid employee.

“I am very excited to be a paid employee now; we have created a wonderful program here,” Jackson said.

In addition to making Jackson’s position paid, the board voted unanimously to approve 12 new teaching positions and one additional truancy officer.

File photo