PARIS — The SAD 17 board of directors Monday night approved the terms of a new three-year contract with the Oxford Hills Education Association.

Although the directors discussed details of the contract in executive session prior to their vote in open session, no details will be made public until the teachers union ratifies the contract, said Director Barry Patrie, who chairs the negotiation committee. That action is expected to occur when teachers return for the new school year on or before Aug. 29.

Negotiations between the Education Association and SAD 17 directors began in January, after the association and directors ratified a new one-year contract in early September 2015.

The previous three-year contract expired June 30, 2015. At the time, Patrie said it “was basically a one-year extension of the previous contract.” Both sides agreed to come back to the negotiation table for a three-year contract after the new year (2016.)

The one-year extension provided a 2.25 percent increase in base salary, according to Superintendent Rick Colpitts at that time.

The previous three-year contract gave teachers a base pay increase of 2 percent in the first year and 2.25 percent in the second and third years, reduced the annual costs of steps and boosted the starting teacher pay from $27,797 to $30,600.

Also Monday, directors approved a new contract with the Oxford Hills School District Supervisors. It has been approved by the Supervisors Union and will go into effect immediately, Colpitts said.

The contract calls for a 2.5 percent pay increase for each year. There are six supervisors.

In other action during public session, the board unanimously approved using $10,000 from the Contingency Fund to pay for a two-bedroom apartment and utilities, for two Chinese teachers who will be working at Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School and Oxford Hills Middle School this coming school year. They will teach Mandarin and Chinese culture.

The money is normally built into the operating budget but an oversight during the fiscal 2017 budget preparation necessitated the money’s removal from the Contingency Fund.

Although the Chinese government pays for everything, from the teachers salary to transportation, housing is the responsibility of the receiving school district. The additional Chinese teacher who will teach introductory Mandarin at the middle school is new this year.

Middle School Principal Troy Eastman said he hopes the new program will help build the foundation and create interest for an ongoing program at the school.

The exchange program has been ongoing at the high school for eight or nine years.

Directors were also told of the ongoing professional development this summer, including the training of grade one through six teachers in the district’s new math program, work on the proficiency-based diplomas that will be put in place in several years, student leadership work, and other professional development work.

Assistant Superintendent Patrick Hartnett reported that as of Monday all but five positions have been filled for the new school year. The five positions recently opened up with last-minute resignations

“We have a lot of excellent potential in people we’re bringing in,” he said of the dozens of new hires.

ldixon@sunmediagroup.net

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