Prospect Hts. Dist. 23 approves new contract, but veteran board member resigns

By a vote of 6-1, the Prospect Heights Elementary District 23 board on Tuesday approved a new 4-year contract with teachers following the district's first strike, but the lone dissenter announced she would be resigning from the school board.

The vote brought to an end a nearly two-week period of strife for the community that included students missing seven days of class while the teachers union and school board battled over raises.

The tentative agreement will cost the district $12,500 more per year than the "best and final" offer made by the school board last week.

Most teachers will receive 3.75 percent raises in the first year of the contract, 3.5 percent the second year, 3.25 percent the third year and 3.75 percent the last year. Teachers who make more than $90,000 a year will receive a 3 percent increase the first year, 2.5 percent increase the second year, 2.25 percent increase the third year and 2 percent the last year, according to the contract.

The contract does not include a salary schedule, which had been a sticking point for the teachers during negotiations. However, teachers will receive a 4.5 percent increase on top of their annual raise for getting a master's degree, said school board President Mari-Lynn Peters.

The Prospect Heights Education Association ratified the contract on Sunday after a more than 13-hour overnight negotiation session, and school resumed on Monday. Union President Bob Miller was not at the meeting on Tuesday, but the two sides issued a joint statement saying they "look forward to continuing to work together."

Board member Judi Zimmerman, who voted against the new contract because of the salary increases, said on Tuesday that she would be resigning effective immediately. However, she maintained that her minority vote was not the reason for her departure after 14 years in her position.

"Over the last few weeks I realized that I'm tired of the business of education. I want to be able to express my views without them reflecting back on the school board," she wrote in the letter. "I want to be a private citizen again. The time has come to move on and work to implement change in other ways."

Zimmerman said she hopes that with all the attention the district has received, there will be plenty of interest to fill her seat. The board has 45 days to replace her.

While the rest of the board members approved the agreement, several expressed disappointment in how the tense negotiations affected students, parents and teachers.

"I am sad about what has happened to the community," said board member Carol Botwinski.

Board member Kevin Novak agreed.

"I was kind of struck and in awe with the amount of animosity that was shown between the individuals on both sides and the lack of ability to have good, professional discussions," Novak said. "It was, to be quite honest, disturbing. Going forward, my request would be that we drop all history and move forward acting as a cohesive school district with one objective: bettering our children."