By Ellie Fellers,Special to the Sun Journal

NEW GLOUCESTER – A three-year contract between 150 support personnel and the SAD 15 school board was approved by the board on Wednesday.

Prior to that, the Gray-New Gloucester Educational Support Personnel Association OK’d the agreement with the board just days before the lapse of a three-year contract that expires today.

Margaret Liprocates, president of the support personnel union that represents bus drivers, educational technicians, custodians, secretaries and food service workers, said she was elated with the contract that runs from July 1 through June 30, 2009.

Superintendent Victoria Burns on Friday said the contract phases in for the first time a dental plan, additional retirement benefits, and an additional week of paid vacation for employees with more than 15 years of service. The salary range increases between 3 and 4 percent for the first year and 3.5 percent for the remaining two years.

The contract agreement includes a parenting leave for the first time and an adjustment for bus drivers with kindergarten runs, reflecting the full-day program. That means that those drivers impacted by the program will not lose their health insurance plan that requires a 35-hour work week.

Burns said negotiations were civil and friendly throughout the past months of deliberations.

School board chairman Dr. Alan Rich commended the negotiating team for their work to settle the contract.

Liprocates said, “Things went well. This is the smoothest negotiation I recall. We fought for a contract last time for three years before settling with the board.”

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