Brandon Twp.- Teachers in the school district agreed to a 16-month contract on Thursday.
Highlights of the contract, which takes effect immediately and concludes in December 2010, include a temporary freeze on salary increases and a change in insurance requiring a higher deductible and higher office visit co-pays.
Superintendent Lorrie McMahon was pleased with the contract, noting that the new, longer contract means that the next time bargaining takes place, district officials will know the student count and per-student funding from the state, both of which are typically revealed in October. Previous contracts went from July 1-June 30.
‘Under previous contracts, for us to wait until these are known means that teachers would have to work without a contract for several months,? said McMahon. ‘That is not a good situation for the teachers or the district.?
Teachers who have been in the district 11 or more years will receive a 1 percent longevity increase, but the salary scale for teachers will remain unchanged, with years of service not being recognized until Jan. 1, 2010. At that time, teachers with less than 11 years will also receive their salary step increases.
McMahon noted that the longer contract, changes in insurance and unchanged salary scale save the district money, more than offsetting the costs of the longevity increase.
‘The teachers and the district worked very hard to reach this fiscally responsible agreement,? McMahon said.
‘We will continue to meet every month to maintain the contract and a good working relationship. We both recognize the positive impact that a good working environment has on student achievement.?
Brandon Education Association President Steve Hendershott declined to give exact an exact vote count, but said teachers were ‘overwhelmingly? in favor of the contract.
‘I feel it was a very fair contract for both the Brandon School District and the teachers given the times we live in,? he said. ‘Both sides won in this negotiation.?