By Dedra Cordle
Staff Writer
The South-Western City School District’s administrative personnel have a new contract.
At its regular meeting on June 13, the board of education unanimously approved a new management agreement with the members of the South-Western Administrative Association (SWAA).
Under the terms of the management agreement, which runs from July 1, 2022 through June 30, 2025, classified administrators will receive a salary increase of 3 percent in the first two years of the contract, and a 2.8 percent increase in the third year. Certificated administrators will receive a 1 percent salary increase and a 2 percent board paid retirement in the first two years of the contract, and a 2.8 percent salary increase in the third year of the contract.
Members of SWAA include school principals, assistant principals, and some administrative staff at the District Service Center.
Superintendent Dr. Bill Wise praised the members of the association, citing their tireless work behind the scenes.
“Effective leadership drives culture, which shapes the experiences and opportunities our students enjoy each day at South-Western City Schools,” he said. “Our administrative team works tirelessly behind the scenes to account for the needs of the school community and provide opportunities.”
Members of the board shared a similar sentiment.
“We applaud our administrative team members for their service and commitment to the children of the district,” said board president Cathy Johnson. “The leadership our administrators provide is a testament to their skills in working with children and education.
“Expectations and demands continue to increase and our administrative staff continues to meet the challenge.”
During the meeting, the board also approved a salary index increase for non-SWAA members. They include the deputy superintendent, the executive director of technology, the executive director of communications, the assistant superintendents of curriculum and personnel and additional DSC staff.
The new management agreement with the members of SWAA comes on the heels of recent board approved contracts with members of its certificated and classified employees. In April, the board approved a new three-year collective bargaining agreement with the Ohio Association of Public School Employees (OAPSE) Local 211 and in May the board approved a new three-year collective bargaining agreement with the South-Western Education Association (SWEA).
Treasurer Hugh Garside said while the increase in salaries and benefits were higher than expected in the five-year financial forecast, the district will be able to maintain its strong fiscal standing throughout.
“We would not be able to certify these salary increases if we could not prove that we have the funds available,” he said.
In other news, the board agreed to waive a competitive bidding process and declare an upgrade to the HVAC unit at the Bostic Center an urgent necessity. They awarded a $383,029 contract to Speer Mechanical to provide the upgrades as “expeditiously as possible.” Garside said he expects the delivery date of the unit to take at least 40 weeks due to the high demand of raw materials and continued supply chain issues.
