Paraprofessionals Contract Approval Delayed

The Hampton School Board and the local paraprofessionals union have yet to ratify a new contract, although one official said that has more to do with scheduling conflicts that an indication of disagreement.

Superintendent Kathleen Murphy said the school board was unable to ratify the during its Tuesday night meeting because members of the Seacoast Education Support Personnel Association had yet to ratify the deal themselves.

The union must ratify the deal before the school board. SESPA was expected to ratify the deal earlier this week, although Murphy said other contract negotiations delayed the group's vote on the SAU 90 deal.

Murphy said SESPA's ratification is expected at some point this afternoon.

Because the school board was unable to ratify the deal Tuesday, Murphy said a special meeting will be scheduled for a yet-to-be-determined date next week, possibly Monday, Dec. 19, or Tuesday, Dec. 20, in order to do so.

School board members are checking their schedules, said Murphy, and a date and time should be announced soon.

"I think the board is very intent on ratifying [the contract]," said Murphy. "The board will ratify the paraprofessionals contract next week and probably vote on all the warrant articles and review the revenue that the Hampton School District receives every year."

Murphy said those three items "need to be finished up" in order for the district to be ready for their next presention to the Hampton Budget Committee at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 12, at .

After that, the budget — along with the rest of the Hampton-related budgets — will go before the annual public hearing at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 17, at .