Teachers union, Lake Villa school board pleased with new deal

The union representing teachers in Lake Villa Elementary District 41 expects a ratification vote on a new contract with the district within the next few weeks, a spokesman said Sunday.

"We're working very quickly to schedule the meeting where members get a chance to look over the full tentative agreement and have the chance to vote on it," said Kenzo Shibata, a spokesman for the Illinois Federation of Teachers.

After a 17-hour bargaining session that began Friday afternoon, Lake Villa Federation of Teachers and District 41 board of education announced Saturday the two sides had reached tentative agreement on a four-year deal.

Terms of the contract will be finalized following approval by both the teachers and the school board, according to the announcement.

The agreement comes after teachers indicated they would go on strike Feb. 29 if a new deal were not reached by that date.

"We had a session where we rolled up our sleeves and just decided to keep going until a deal was reached, a deal that was fair for not only the teachers, but the students as well," Shibata said Sunday. "There are a number of reforms that are included in the tentative agreement that will improve teaching and learning."

School board Vice President, Kurt Hansen said the negotiations were "a good experience for both sides."

Superintendent Dr. Lynette Zimmer said the school board could set up a special meeting to ratify the agreement. The board's next scheduled meeting is Monday, but any action on the contract that soon is unlikely, she said.

"This is a very positive step forward for our district, especially for our students," Zimmer said of the new agreement.

Despite the 10-month impasse, which required the assistance of a federal mediator, Zimmer said there was a smooth give-and-take between both sides,

"I was very pleased that both sides kept the communication channels open and both sides were willing to keep at it until we reached a solution," she said. "Our teachers have remained positive. They have remained student-focused. The teachers have done an excellent job."