Published: August 26, 2008 11:35 pm            

Greater Johnstown teachers, school board OK contract

Teachers in the Greater Johnstown School District will receive average pay increases of $1,821 a year through the 2012-2013 school term under a contract approved Tuesday.

The deal was reached a week before classes are scheduled to begin; teachers have been without a contract since July 1, 2007.

“We are very happy with the contract,” union President William Brotz said Tuesday after teachers approved the tentative agreement.

Less than two hours later, Greater Johnstown school board also approved the six-year contract, retroactive to last year.

The lengthy negotiations reflect a number of issues being hammered out that reflect recent changes in education, Superintendent Barbara Parkins said after the school board’s vote. Sessions remained civil throughout negotiations, she added.

“We didn’t (have) any threat of a strike,” school board Solicitor John Kuzmiak said. “There were educational changes the superintendent wanted to make to better the educational process in the schools for our students.”

High school class scheduling, for instance, was restructured from a college-style, 90-minute block schedule to traditional 40-minute periods, Parkins said.

That change, made before negotiations commenced, is showing results in better test scores, she said.

“With the block schedule, we found there were times kids went an entire year without a math class,” Parkins said. “After the change, test scores went up 25 percent in reading and math.”

Teachers also agreed to allow the district to switch health-care benefits from an indemnity, or fee-for-service plan, to a preferred provider organization plan. Individual teachers’ one-time contribution to the insurance remains at $300.

The Greater Johnstown Education Association represents about 240 teachers.

Salaries under the contract this year range from $40,051 to $65,543, depending on education and length of service.

Both sides said they were pleased to finalize the contract before school starts.

        

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