Dist. 303, teachers union finally reach deal

The St. Charles school board approved a new contract with its teachers union Monday after four months of negotiations.

The three-year pact outlines incremental pay raises of 4 to 5.5 percent through 2011 and carves out more time for teachers to plan lessons. It also redefines pay incentives for teachers who in their spare time work on extracurriculars or pursue certification through the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards.

Union President Pam Turriff said the agreement brings base salaries in District 303 to roughly $40,000, or "the middle" when compared to similar districts.

"We're not flying high but we're not in last place either, at least in the beginning salary," she said. "I would say we're still lagging behind a bit in our top end."

The contract, effective Aug. 18, was ratified by the union last week. More than 80 percent of those who voted did so in support the deal, Turriff said. The board's vote was unanimous.

One caveat for teachers was agreeing to extend the school day by 10 minutes beginning in the fall of 2009. The school year also will grow one full day longer that same year, and an additional day will be tacked onto the following year.

But teachers will have more time to prepare for the classroom, too.

The contract calls for gradual boosts to the amount of time teachers are given for lesson planning from the current 120 minutes a week to 180 minutes a week in its final year, Turriff said.

Another bargaining point was the reworking of a stipend system for those who work as coaches and club sponsors, or who achieve prestigious National Board Certification. The new system assigns flat values, based on starting salaries, to efforts that benefit students but are outside the realm of a regular school day. Turriff said the old system was antiquated and confusing.

Both sides described negotiations as amicable and said the new contract would go a long way in retaining quality teachers.

"I feel it's a very fair contract," Turriff said. "Both sides' needs were met."

School board President Kathy Hewell credited the negotiating teams, comprised of district administrators and union representatives, for the smooth proceedings.

"I think everyone was really giving it their best effort," she said. "The board is very happy with this contract."