Wissahickon School Board Votes to Ratify Teacher Contracts

Wissahickon School Board voted 6 to 3 to ratify the with the Wissahickon Education Alliance, with Richard Stanton, Seth Grant and Young Park dissenting.

The three-year contract applies to the 2010-11, 2011-12 and 2012-13 school years. It is typical of to enter into three-year contracts with the professional staff.

A salary freeze is in effect for year one of the contract, something no other school district in Montgomery County has done. Three other districts in Pennsylvania have implemented a salary freeze, West Chester, Lower Dauphin and Penn Manor.

Year two of the contract has step, or advancement in years at the district, plus 1.5 percent, for a total of a 3.88 percent overall salary increase for the district. For year three, salaries increase to step plus 1.74 percent, for a total of a 3.99 percent overall salary increase for the district.

It was explained at the presentation of the contract terms that one percent of the overall salary increase is equal to approximately $310,000; meaning three percent is approximately $1 million.

As a cost-cutting measure, the contract also lowers the starting salaries of teachers, from $53,209 to $51,539. This keeps Wissahickon School District still competitive in the market without having the highest starting salary in the county. The change won’t affect current collective bargaining members.

The contract also looks at the elementary prep period and duty free lunch provision already in the contract. Teachers found they were being interrupted during these prep periods. Therefore, if there are more than five school based interruptions during these prep periods in the school year, teachers will accrue leave time for future interruptions. The leave time will be paid at the substitute rate or can be carried over as accrued leave.

The new contract also addresses reimbursement for additional work that is “required” beyond the school day. Rates for specific work like summer school will increase at the same rates as teacher salaries.

However, activities that are not already compensated that are required will be compensated on an hourly basis. Compensation rates will be $25.72 for the first year, $26.11 for the second year, and $26.63 for the third year.

The special education stipend, paid to persons performing additional special education services, will increase in the contract from $500 to $1,000 per year.

An early retirement incentive plan is also in the contract, as it has been in the past, for professional staff that has 10 years of employment with Wissahickon School District and 30 years of service to Pennsylvania public schools. These people will receive an additional $10,000 for each five years of service, on top of their pension.

The community members gathered at the Wissahickon High School were as split about the contract as the board.

“I speak in favor of this contract,” said Rabbi Gregory Marks. “It is a reasonable agreement.”

“How much can we squeeze out of the taxpayers?” asked Chris Fisher.

“[It’s] a fair and reasonable conclusion to this difficult negotiation,” said Matt Heppe, AP economics teacher at Wissahickon High School.

“I do believe this contract is fair,” said Janice Singer, board member.

The contract was ratified by the WEA prior to the School Board meeting, and negotiators are working on language for the contract that is agreeable to everyone involved.

The three-year contract is retroactive, spanning from July 1, 2010 through June 30, 2013.