Bloomingdale District 13 teachers ratify contract

Bloomingdale Elementary District 13 teachers have ratified a proposed contract, union officials said Tuesday.

Members of the Bloomingdale Council of Teachers voted to support the deal about a month after negotiators reached a tentative agreement and one day before students begin the new school year.

In an email, Co-president Kristen Novotny declined to say how many teachers cast ballots in favor of the contract, saying those details "will remain private to our council."

The two sides have refused to release any specifics of the tentative contract. The pact will become final once the school board approves it.

That vote is expected during a board meeting starting at 7 p.m. Monday at the district's offices at 164 Euclid Ave., Bloomingdale.

If board members give the OK, the new agreement will replace a three-year contract that expired at the end of June and gave teachers a 5 percent raise to their base pay in the first year and a 4 percent increase in each of the last two years.

The average annual Bloomingdale teacher salary is $52,073.

Board President Diane Birkley said she would not discuss the new terms until the contract is approved.

Negotiations with the union, which represents more than 100 teachers, began in March and eventually involved a mediator assigned to talks by a federal agency.

"We are pleased to be taking action Monday night," Birkley said.

The district serves roughly 1,300 students in two elementary schools and one middle school.