School Board, teachers approve contract
School Board, teachers approve contract
By Jerry W. Kram
The Parshall School District and Parshall Education Association completed contract talks and have approved a contract for 2013-14 school year. The changes in the contract include a $500 across the board raise for teachers’ base salary.
Superintendent John Weidner said the package represents about a 5.8 percent increase in total compensation, which includes increases in insurance costs as well as payments to the state retirement system and social security. Along with the increase in base salary, returning teachers will will get a salary increase of $1,200 per year. Teacher’s base pay will be $34,500 with a Bachelor’s Degree and no experience, up from $34,000. The contract’s impact on the budget will be about $90,000, Weidner said.
“When you calculate the salary you have to look at the total package,” Weidner said. “You have to ask what are all the costs of an employee to the district. You’ve got regular salary, retirement, health benefits and social security. Those four items make up the total package. Pay for activities (such as athletics) was also calculated into the package.”
Other changes to the agreement include raising the compensation for the school’s athletic director to the equivalent of 9.5 percent of his or her salary, the same as varsity head coaches receive, from 6.1 percent, which is what assistant coaches receive. The contract also creates a position of “Web Master” which will pay the equivalent of 4 percent of the teacher’s salary.
The contract also increases the days of family leave from two to three days and defines the term “immediate family” to limit it to parents, spouses and children. Unpaid leave is now limited to circumstances beyond the teacher’s control, as determined by the Superintendent. Teachers will no longer be reimbursed for unused sick days if they leave district after less than 11 years of service. Teachers with 11-24 years of service will be reimbursed at a rate of $20 per day while those with 25 or more years service will receive $40 a day.
