OXFORD – Teachers from the Oxford Hills Education Association signed a two-year contract with SAD 17 Friday giving them an average 2.46 percent raise for the current and next school years.

Assistant Superintendent Mark Laroach said teachers’ and guidance counselors’ payroll is about $11.3 million for the current year, including the new raises. They also receive benefits from the district that total about 25 percent of the payroll.

The highest raise was 4.2 percent, according to Edward Stevens, head of the OHEA. He said the highest raise went to the teachers in the middle of the salary scale, while others around them received lower raises.

“We’re very happy with the outcome of the contract and believe that the school board is supportive of the raise,” Stevens said.

The raise affects teachers and guidance counselors. Support personnel including clerical and education technicians, although part of the OHEA, were not part of the increase. They negotiate separate contracts.

Stevens said there weren’t any rollbacks in health insurance, a major issue of the constituency.

“Considering the economic times we are in, I believe that they made their best effort to meet our concerns,” Stevens said.

Laroach said the base salary of teachers will remain the same over the next two years. That will save the district some money because the stipends that teachers receive for performing extracurricular activities other than teaching are based in part on the base salary.

The base salary for teachers with bachelor’s degrees is $25,350; for teachers with master’s degrees it is $27,350; and for teachers with master’s degrees and 30 graduate credit hours it is $29,350.

Laroach said negotiations with teachers began in March and although negotiations were sometimes contentious, he felt the teachers’ goals were melded with what the district could afford to pay.

“The teachers weren’t unrealistic,” LaRoach said. “They knew what the fiscal environment is locally.

“We compete heavily with the ‘Gold Coast’ – Yarmouth, Falmouth and Portland – and it says a lot about the district to be able to retain the quality individuals we have here,” he said.

Teachers represent 54 percent of the 550 employees of SAD 17. The wages and benefits of all employees represent 72 percent of the $29.8 million budget.

jsmedley@sunjournal.com

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