Post by title1parent on Aug 19, 2008 6:09:09 GMT -5
www.suburbanchicagonews.com/beaconnews/news/1114497,2_1_AU19_WEST_S1.article
Both sides welcome three-year West pact
August 19, 2008 BEACON
By Elisabeth Kilpatrick ekilpatrick@scn1.com
The promise of a longer school day and a healthy pay boost take center stage in a teachers contract unanimously approved by the West Aurora School Board Monday.
"I know how much time each team had to put in," said Board President Al Rhea, who served as the teachers union president from 1998-2001. "I thank you."
Both the teachers union and district administration called the three-year deal a welcome change from last year's one-year contract, which was negotiated amid uncertainty about the district's finances. In April 2007, West passed an operating-rate tax referendum for the first time since 1988.
West contract highlights
• Lump-sum "catch-up" payment of 2 percent of base pay due to all of last year's teachers
• 4 percent raise in base pay each year
• 1.9 percent increase in the salary schedule starting in 2009-2010
• 7 percent increase in teaching time for all teachers starting in 2009-2010
• Reduction in class sizes at all levels
• A more streamlined teacher evaluation process
• Changes to the stipend schedule for extracurricular coaches and added coaches for many activities
"We're happy to get a multi-year deal," said Mike Lehman, chief negotiator of Aurora Education Association-West, adding that last year marked the first time a one-year contract had been negotiated.
Superintendent Jim Rydland said that while last year's one-year deal was considered the most "beneficial to the district" at the time, the successful referendum has allowed the district to more fully compensate the district's roughly 850 teachers.
That includes a lump-sum "catch-up" payment for all returning teachers, worth 2 percent of last year's base pay. Teachers will also receive 4 percent raises each year of the contract.
"We haven't felt that we were as competitive as we needed to be," Rydland said. "This allows us to retain teachers, as well as recruit."
Teachers will be working harder than ever for those salaries. Starting in 2009-2010, the length of school day will increase by 7 percent, or about 20 minutes, all devoted to more classroom time.
"It's not 10 minutes lunch, 10 minutes specials," Lehman said.
The lengthened school day will allow teachers to spend more time with their students, a request board members said they often hear from district parents.
"When we went around to community meetings (to raise support for last year's referendum), we heard time and time again, 'Your day's too short,'" Board Member Angela Smith said.
In return, teachers will see the salary schedule rise 1.9 percent in 2009-2010 on top of regular raises. Lehman said that the negotiating team was careful to make sure all the raises were within the district's new budget.
"There's no deficit spending," he said. "As long as the snowball's still going uphill, we're OK."
Other highlights of the contract include a reduction in class sizes, a new stipend schedule for extracurricular supervisors and a more streamlined teacher evaluation process.
Board members praised the work of both bargaining teams Monday, particularly the decision to extend the school day.
"The time factor goes back decades," trustee James Toynton said. "You took a stand and addressed it. ... The winners are the students."
Both sides welcome three-year West pact
August 19, 2008 BEACON
By Elisabeth Kilpatrick ekilpatrick@scn1.com
The promise of a longer school day and a healthy pay boost take center stage in a teachers contract unanimously approved by the West Aurora School Board Monday.
"I know how much time each team had to put in," said Board President Al Rhea, who served as the teachers union president from 1998-2001. "I thank you."
Both the teachers union and district administration called the three-year deal a welcome change from last year's one-year contract, which was negotiated amid uncertainty about the district's finances. In April 2007, West passed an operating-rate tax referendum for the first time since 1988.
West contract highlights
• Lump-sum "catch-up" payment of 2 percent of base pay due to all of last year's teachers
• 4 percent raise in base pay each year
• 1.9 percent increase in the salary schedule starting in 2009-2010
• 7 percent increase in teaching time for all teachers starting in 2009-2010
• Reduction in class sizes at all levels
• A more streamlined teacher evaluation process
• Changes to the stipend schedule for extracurricular coaches and added coaches for many activities
"We're happy to get a multi-year deal," said Mike Lehman, chief negotiator of Aurora Education Association-West, adding that last year marked the first time a one-year contract had been negotiated.
Superintendent Jim Rydland said that while last year's one-year deal was considered the most "beneficial to the district" at the time, the successful referendum has allowed the district to more fully compensate the district's roughly 850 teachers.
That includes a lump-sum "catch-up" payment for all returning teachers, worth 2 percent of last year's base pay. Teachers will also receive 4 percent raises each year of the contract.
"We haven't felt that we were as competitive as we needed to be," Rydland said. "This allows us to retain teachers, as well as recruit."
Teachers will be working harder than ever for those salaries. Starting in 2009-2010, the length of school day will increase by 7 percent, or about 20 minutes, all devoted to more classroom time.
"It's not 10 minutes lunch, 10 minutes specials," Lehman said.
The lengthened school day will allow teachers to spend more time with their students, a request board members said they often hear from district parents.
"When we went around to community meetings (to raise support for last year's referendum), we heard time and time again, 'Your day's too short,'" Board Member Angela Smith said.
In return, teachers will see the salary schedule rise 1.9 percent in 2009-2010 on top of regular raises. Lehman said that the negotiating team was careful to make sure all the raises were within the district's new budget.
"There's no deficit spending," he said. "As long as the snowball's still going uphill, we're OK."
Other highlights of the contract include a reduction in class sizes, a new stipend schedule for extracurricular supervisors and a more streamlined teacher evaluation process.
Board members praised the work of both bargaining teams Monday, particularly the decision to extend the school day.
"The time factor goes back decades," trustee James Toynton said. "You took a stand and addressed it. ... The winners are the students."
