The contracts call for base pay freezes, the elimination of step increases and increases in the district’s contribution to employee insurance reimbursements.
However, teachers could receive raises and step increases in the last year of their contract if the budget allows.
“It was a very big commitment by our employees,” Treasurer Ryan Jenkins said. “I’m glad our staff agreed to make this commitment to continue to cut costs and make ends meet without asking for additional revenue.”
The pact for OAPSE is effective July 1 of this year through June 30, 2013, and the contract for teachers is effective July 1, 2011 through June 30, 2014.
Amy Geiger, vice president of the teachers union, said teachers gave up raises in 2010 and made concessions again to save jobs.
“With the current economy we think that it’s appropriate. The hope is that with this contract more people or all of them will stay employed,” Geiger said. Geiger said she hopes the budget will allow for raises in 2014.
In the 2011-2012 school year, students in middle school and high school will have to make major changes, too, after board members on Thursday unanimously agreed to install a pay-to-participate policy.
The policy requires high school students to pay $100 per sport. It also includes a $10 club and activity fee and a $225 family cap.
Middle school students will pay $50 per sport and $5 club and activity fees. No family would pay more than $225 per academic year.
Jenkins said the new policy would bring in $50,000 annually to pay for an athletic program that costs $300,000 to run.
He also said the teachers and support staff unions will save the district $150,000 annually by giving up step increases.
“Everything is being done to keep us from having ask the voters for additional money,” Jenkins said. “We received overwhelming support from the voters on the levy, and we don’t want to have to hit them again.”
In other business, board members rejected a proposed busing change that would have put kindergarten through fourth grades and grades five through 12 on the same buses.
The proposal, which Jenkins said would have saved $52,000, failed 3-2 with board members saying they need more time to discuss the idea and hear concerns from parents.
Many parents objected to the idea at a meeting in May, saying fifth-graders are too young to ride with high school students.
Leigh Young, a parent of a sixth-grade boy, voiced concerns that the unions made concessions to save money, but the district is paying interim superintendent Thomas Ben $600 per day, paying $8,500 for a firm to search for a new superintendent, while also continuing to pay Superintendent Lori Lytle, who recently resigned.
Board President Dennis Henry said Lytle has significant vacation time available and the district couldn’t afford to wait to hire an interim superintendent.
About the Author