The new Groveport Madison Local Schools teachers’ contract gives a little and takes a little.
At its Nov. 14 meeting, the Groveport Madison Board of Education unanimously approved the new teachers’ contract while the teachers had voted to approve the contract on Nov. 1. The new two year contract will run from June 30, 2007 to June 30, 2009.
The new contract includes a 1.5 percent salary increase for this year, retroactive to August, and a 1.5 percent increase for next year. A beginning teacher’s salary was $32,643, but under the new contract it will be $33,133.
But with the pay increase also came a cost beginning next year as teachers with a family plan will pay $20 a month towards their health insurance. Previously the teachers did not contribute financially towards the plan. Additionally, teachers will spend more for doctor’s office visits and prescriptions.
Contract negotiations had begun last May and included help from a federal mediator to reach a resolution and both sides appeared satisfied with the finished product.
Groveport Madison Superintendent Scott McKenzie said reaching the agreement was important to the district’s administration in order to provide the ability to forecast expenditures for the next 18 months.
"We have had four one year contracts in a row," said McKenzie. "It will be nice for the teachers to have a multi-year contract for their planning and for the district to have stable figures for determining future projections."
Groveport Madison Local Education Association President Margie Whitis stated, "We have excellent teachers in the Groveport Madison district. We are pleased that they now have a ratified agreement and we are happy that it is a multi-year contract. There are a lot of good things happening in the district and the ratification of this agreement will help us to move forward."
Other Groveport Madison news
•The board tabled a resolution to authorize the five year lease, at a cost of $1 per year, of 2.5 acres at Glendening Elementary to the village of Groveport for the potential use of a skateboard park. The board tabled the resolution so they would have time to review the full terms of the proposed lease before taking a vote on the issue.
•Director of School Improvement Susan Briggs presented the board with the third grade reading scores on the 2007 fall Ohio Achievement Test.
The scores (representing the percentage of students scoring proficient or above) are as follows: Asbury, 45 percent; Dunloe, 67 percent; Glendening, 54 percent; Groveport, 49 percent; Madison, 56 percent; and Sedalia, 56 percent. Compared to the 2006 scores, Asbury and Madison remained the same; Sedalia decreased 1 percent; Glendening increased 1 percent; Groveport fell 14 precent; and Dunloe improved by 16 percent.
•Briggs and McKenzie reported that the district that the Ohio Department of Education (ODE) informed the district it could hire nine literacy consultants (one for each of the district’s 10 buildings, excluding Glendening which already has a math consultant). The consultants are funded by the ODE. The consultants will provide training and support for teachers, coordinate data collection for literacy programs, help align literacy efforts in the district, and assist individual students.
