Education Association meets with school board
By Alyssa Schafer
While teachers continue to increase their experience and knowledge each year, their paychecks do not always follow suit. The Underwood teachers’ pay-scale was one of several topics discussed during a meeting last week between the Underwood Education Association (UEA) and members of the Underwood School Board. Education association members expressed concerns that eventually teacher wages plateau, even though their dedication to their classes and knowledge about the subjects they teach continue to grow. "It’s hard for us to understand why in a profession (like teaching) we all of the sudden come to a road block," UEA member Toni Cottingham said. According to school board members, the current pay-scale system was set up years ago, and it will require a great deal of time and effort to bring a new system into place. "It will take some work to change it," Underwood School Board President Dan Leidholm said. "There is so much to do with negotiations." While education association members believe teachers deserve to be compensated well for their work, they do ultimately want what’s best for the school system.
