Wednesday, November 16, 2005

Teacher contract -- a four year deal gets signed

I turned to the Fox Chapel web site today after hearing yesterday's budget presentation from Pittsburgh's outgoing mayor. He mentioned Fox Chapel at the microphone. The mayor is talking about Fox Chapel to make the point that the next breed of leaders for the city need to think in a regional way. We can't think Fox Chapel as a competitor -- but we have to think of the entire region.

I coached the boys and girls varsity swim teams at Fox Chapel a couple of years ago in a "transitional season." The old coach has split to a new job out-of-state. He was a young guy (sound familiar) and his wife was able to land a job there too. But, all the coaches on the staff left at the same time. The varsity team needed a coach and I stepped up.

I have a lot to say about those concepts of regionalism raised by the mayor and how we should NOT compete with Fox Chapel-- but for now, check out the news there. The Fox Chapel Teachers got a new deal signed. See the notes of the blog or their home page for some of the details. http://www.fcasd.edu.

I'm sure that the Pittsburgh Federation of Teachers are looking long and hard at the plans and vision of the new superintendent of schools, PPS's Mark Roosevelt. The teachers are going to see their ranks shrink. Some 250 jobs are going to be cut. Plus, there is sure to be a lot of shifting of jobs among schools as so many schools are getting a make-over or else closing.

One cornerstone of the new plan for next year is a longer school day for the "accelerated learning academy" settings. Those kids need to be put into overdrive to catch-up.

The Fox Chapel plan calls for more working days in the school year, but the work day is kept to eight hours.

Presently, I can only wonder what's going to happen with the union and the reaction of the plans for the district. Should be interesting.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

FCASD Four-Year Teacher Contract Extension
"The Fox Chapel Area Board of School Directors has approved a four-year extension of the current contract with the Fox Chapel Educators’ Association (FCEA). The School Board voted to approve the contract extension at its regular business meeting Monday, November 14, 2005.
The four-year extension covers the term July 1, 2006-June 30, 2010, and, based on the current makeup of the teacher’s bargaining unit, includes the following average salary percentage increases:
2006-2007......................3.790 percent
2007-2008......................3.802 percent
2008-2009......................4.179 percent
2009-2010......................4.051 percent
Highlights of the contract extension include:
•During the first year of the contract extension (2006-2007), the teachers will pay a $40 per month contribution toward premium for individual health care coverage and a $60 per month contribution toward premium for coverage of two or more subscribers. During the contract’s second year (2007-2008), the contribution toward premium for individual health care coverage will be the greater of $40 per month, or 1.2 percent of basic monthly salary to a maximum of $60 per month; and coverage for two or more subscribers will be the greater of $60 per month, or 1.2 percent of basic monthly salary to a maximum of $90 per month. During the third and fourth years of the contract extension (2008-2009 and 2009-2010), the monthly contribution will increase three percent both years for all subscribers. Under the current contract, all teachers now pay $35 per month toward their basic health insurance. 
•The teacher’s work year under the contract extension will be 195 days.
•The teachers will continue to work an eight-hour day.
Based on the current makeup of the bargaining unit, the average teacher’s salary will be $61,810 in the first year of the contract (2006-2007). For the first year of the contract extension (2006-2007), based on the current makeup of the bargaining unit, the minimum salary will be $38,246 and the maximum salary for a teacher with at least 19 years of service and a doctorate will be $91,200. For the last year of the contract extension (2009-2010), the minimum salary will be $40,346 and the maximum salary for a teacher with at least 19 years of service and a doctorate will be $97,680.
The members of the FCEA voted October 31 to approve the contract extension."