FARMINGTON — Regional School Unit 9 directors voted Tuesday to approve a three-year teachers’ contract, which includes extending the school day.

The teachers’ association agreed to add 12 minutes to the school day, which equals an additional one week of student class time during the school year, Superintendent Tom Ward said.

Wage increases in the contract without factoring in step increases are: 0.75 percent in year one; 1 percent in year two; and 1.25 percent in year three, he said.

With step increases factored in, it is an overall increase of 1.96 percent the first year; 2.38 percent second year; and 2.52 percent increase in third year.

The contract eliminates the district’s requirement that teachers get a master’s degree within 10 years of employment, Ward said. It also caps the amount of course reimbursement.

Opposing the vote on the contract were Directors Cherieann Harrison of Wilton and Jennifer Pooler of New Sharon.

In favor of the vote were Directors Craig Stickney of Chesterville; Scott Erb, Iris Silverstein and Tami Labul, all of Farmington;  Nancy Crosby of Weld; Angie LeClair of Wilton, Chairwoman Jennifer Zweig Hebert of Starks; Vice Chairwoman Betsey Hyde of Temple; Irv Faunce of Wilton; Helen Wilkey of Vienna; Doug Dunlap of Farmington; Robert Patterson of Industry; and Richard Hargreaves of New Sharon.

Farmington Director Ryan Morgan was absent because of illness, Zweig Hebert said.

Directors tabled action on the administration collective bargaining agreement.

The board also set a timeline for developing a new budget. A $33.89 million budget failed to pass June 13 by a vote of 1,457 to 1,641.

Budget deliberations will be held at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 27 and Thursday, June 29, at the forum at Mt. Blue Campus.

The board is scheduled to set a budget on July 6. The districtwide budget meeting will be held July 18 at Mt. Blue Campus. The referendum validation will be held July 27, in each of the 10 district towns.

dperry@sunmediagroup.net