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Struthers school board OKs contract with teachers
By jeanne starmack
struthers
The board of education unanimously approved a three-year contract with the Struthers Education Association.
The contract doesn’t provide raises in base pay, and it phases in changes in health-care benefits, said schools Superintendent Robert Rostan.
Teachers in the Struthers school district make from $31,117 for a first-year teacher with a bachelor’s degree to $70,947 for a teacher with a master’s degree and 30 years’ experience.
The district also will do away with low-deductible and high-deductible health-benefits plans, having instead only the core plan.
Teachers using the core plan previously did not pay part of the premiums. Now, they will pay 4 percent starting in the second year of the contract and 8 percent in the third year, Rostan said.
Rostan said the insurance rates have not been set for next year. Teachers previously paid $429.95 for single coverage; $901.41 for employee-spouse coverage; $729.70 on the employee-child plan; and $1,201.88 on the family plan.
The school board also adopted a revised academic calendar for 2011-12. Rostan said the union gave some leeway on days off the district previously had to give. He said there will be no more required weeklong spring break.
He also said teachers agreed to do away with the attendance bonus — they were entitled to $300 for each semester they didn’t call off sick.
“Our employees recognized the economic situation everybody’s facing in the state and the immediate community,” Rostan said. “We’re grateful for their helping us maintain fiscal solvency.”
The district and union began their talks in mid-March. Terri Rogan, union president, could not be reached for comment.