School Committee Ratifies Teachers' Contracts

New Teachers' Contracts

After several months of deliberations between the School Committee and the Woburn Teacher's Association, at Wednesday night's School Committee meeting, the School Committee ratified a new teacher's contract to run through August 31, 2013.

Here's a quick rundown of the main points changed in the new teacher's contracts:

• A 1% pay increase on the 91^st day of school for 2012.
• A 1.5% pay increase on the 1^st day of school for 2013.
• A 2% pay increase on the 1^st day of school for 2014.
• There will be a 20/80% split for employee/employeer health benefits.
• In 2012, there will be an increase to $24,000 for advanced education training.
• In 2013, there will be an increase to $25,000 for advanced education training.
• The opening of school will be pushed back one day each year starting next year and running through the 2013 school year.
• Higher retirement packages for teachers.

Co-President of the Woburn Teacher's Association, Nancy Whalen, was pleased to sign the contract along with the School Committee to make the ratification official.

Security Cameras at the High School

The School Committee also held an executive session Wednesday night to discuss security cameras being installed at Woburn High. New Woburn Police Chief Robert Ferullo was invited in by the School Committee to discuss the matter.

After the private session, the School Committee announced they would be recommending the addition of security cameras in and around Woburn High to the City Council.

School Committee members said that payment for the cameras would come out of the High School Construction Fund at the cost of roughly $180,000.

Other News

Some other news brought up at Wednesday's School Committee Meeting dealt with a nation-wide essay contest coming through Woburn through the Veteran of Foreign Wars Council and the community development group, Woburn Students Making a Difference, a breast cancer support network.

Patriots and Pens is the name of the nation-wide contest that will soon have it's flyers posted around Woburn's Middle Schools. The contest is for 6^th, 7^th and 8^th graders and tasks them with writing a 300-400 word essay surrounding the themes of patriotism and democracy. The top prize for the contest is $10,000 given through the National Veteran's of Foreign Wars Council. For more information on Patriots and Pens, click here. Flyers and application will be posted through the Woburn branch of the VFW.

Another important topic at Wednesday's School Committee Meeting dealt with the breast cancer support group, Woburn Students Making a Difference. Making a Difference will be having a charity walk with all proceeds going to the Gillette Breast Care Center at Massachusetts General Hospital. The 2-mile walk takes place this Sunday, October 1^st, from 9 a.m. - 12 p.m at Horn Pond.

Members of Making a Difference also noted that they are still on the look out for more Middle School and High School girls to get involved with their charity efforts as other members have recently left for college.