District 204 approves deal with support staff

Indian Prairie Unit District 204 has reached a tentative agreement with its 800-member support staff union.

According to a statement released by district officials, the Indian Prairie Classified Association members were expected to ratify the agreement Monday evening and the district's board of education is expected to vote on the contract May 18.

Neither union president Carol Schaible nor Nancy Valenta, district assistant superintendent for human relations were available Monday afternoon to comment on the deal.

District officials said they will not release details of the agreement until Tuesday, after union members have the opportunity to vote on the new contract.

The union includes 598 teaching assistants, 95 secretaries, 37 deans assistants, 36 library/technology assistants and 33 health assistants, clerks and receptionists.

The group's three-year deal expired in April and included a 5.15 percent increase in salary and benefits for 2006-07, a 4.11 percent increase for 2007-08 and a 4.02 percent increase for 2008-09.

Just last month, Indian Prairie Unit District 204 school board members approved a one-year deal worth an average 3.87 percent raise for the district's 2,155 teachers by a vote of 6-1.