Schools

Info Added: More Details on Teachers Contract Settlement

Retroactive three-year pact grants raises of 1.5 percent for this year and 2 percent for next two school years.

The Board of Education's approval on Monday night, June 13 —following the previous Friday's "overwhelming" vote favoring settlement by the Bernards Township Education Association—officially wrapped up a three-year contract, retroactive to July 2010 for for 650 educators and related school staff.

The contract grants the BTEA members raises of 1.5 percent for the current 2010-11 school year and 2-percent increases for the next two school years, through June 2013, according to a joint announcement by the school board and BTEA.

ADDED INFO:  Under the new contract, the starting salary for teachers with a B.A. is $45,573, Denise Graff, co-president of the Bernards Township Education Association, said on Monday, June 20.

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The was $62,822, according to figures released the week beforehand by the N.J. Department of Education.

Graff said on June 20 top salary on the BA column is $79,865. Teachers at the top of the guide will not receive a percentage increase, but instead will receive an annual $500 raise, according to information from Graff and at the meeting.

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However, the May 23 Board of Education agenda included approval of a salary of $96,340 for a teacher at the top of the scale with a master's degree plus 20 credits.

Negotiations for the completed contract had been conducted for the past 18 months, beginning before the previous three-year contract expired in June 2010. "We are glad that our 18 months have come to an end," Graff said in addressing the school board when the contract was approved.

Board president Susan Carlsson pointed out at Monday's board meeting that teachers this year have begun contributing 1.5 percent of their salaries toward the cost of their health care benefits. That new statewide requirement went into effect last July 1, and will remain in effect through the duration of the contract, said the joint announcement from the BTEA and board.

The terms of the settlement will allow teachers to receive those raises while maintaining all current school district programs through June 2013, when the contract expires, Carlsson said in response to a question.

"The contract reflects new fiscal constraints placed on school districts by the state," the joint announcement said. A tightened state cap means that districts may increase property taxes by no more than 2-percent since this past year, down from four percent in 2009-10, the announcement said.

Carlsson said that the contract granted teachers the lowest level of increases the union had received in decades, showing recognition by both sides that fiscal conditions had changed.

Board member Michael Byrne said he would not vote in favor of the contract. "I don't agree with the numbers," he said on Monday.

The contract also freezes the stipends for coaches and extra-curricular advisors for all three years.

The number of steps needed by teachers to reach the top of the scale also has been increased from 21 to 23, meaning teachers will take longer to reach that level, Carlsson said on Monday. The amount of tuition reimbursement funds for the entire BTEA also was reduced from $375,000 to $225,000 for the next few years, with any unused amount to revert to the district, Carlsson added.

Byrne further explained on Tuesday morning that by his calculations, the approved contract completely nullifies the governor's mandate that teachers contribute 1.5 percent to their health benefits, a change he said could save the district about $600,000 each year.

The total cost of all salaries and benefits paid to BTEA members in the 2009-10 school year was $50.2 million, but that base amount was reduced to $49.7 million by the governor's mandate on health care contributions, Byrne said.

Under the contract approved on Monday night, Byrne quoted figures that the district's total cost of salary and benefits rises to $50.9 million for 2010-11, $52 million for 2011-12 and $53.6 million for 2012-13. He said he believes that third-year figure is about $1.5 million higher than it should be.

Stalled negotiations led to labor talks assisted by and last month with a state-appointed fact-finder.

To urge a settlement teachers announcedin late May before the two sides reached a tentative settlement about two weeks ago.

Also on Monday, the board held a ceremony for district recognition for teachers and students.

Teachers chosen as Teacher of the Year included Carley Arnoldi, counselor at Cedar Hill Schools, Barbara House-Quigley at Liberty Corner School, John Gullifer, Mount Prospect School, Glen Denys at Oak Street School, Josh Gebhardt at Ridge High School and Janet Marino at the William Annin Middle School. 

Further information will follow on the recognition awards.


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