Statement from the VGS School Board: Our Commitment to Students and Staff
The VGS School Board is committed to providing an excellent education for our students and a competitive, supportive environment for our valued teachers.
The Board has worked diligently and in good faith and accepted exactly what the Association requested - a one year contract that is robust and competitive which represents a $211,351 investment in our VGS teaching staff, demonstrating how much we value their work.
The Board accepted the Association’s one year agreement which included the following:
Significant Wage Increase: An average raise of $3,948 that includes a longevity step ($1,242), a 4.2% increase to each salary schedule cell and Board paid TRS costs, resulting in an overall 6.54% wage increase for teachers. Total cost to the District: $122,397.
Lower Out-of-Pocket Insurance Costs: The Board increased its monthly health insurance contribution to $750. This immediately reduces the teacher's individual out-of-pocket payment from $134.01 to just $103.05 per month. Total cost to the District: $24,934.
Enhanced Sick Leave Benefits: We granted additional sick leave days to employees. Total additional liability to the District: $41,934.
Additional Advancement on Salary Schedule: The Board agreed to increase the salary schedule credit for certified Speech Language Pathologists and Social Workers and grant credit for long term substitute experience and private school experience. Total cost to the District: $16,436.
Increased Stipends: We also agreed to increase extracurricular stipends. Total cost to the District: $5,650.
We welcome our teachers to celebrate the investments made to our students and staff, while considering the limited resources and respecting the burden on taxpayers.
The Association's negative online rhetoric regarding the use of District funds for a playground, after the Board accepted what the teachers asked for, is distracting from the positive steps the Board has taken.
The fact is that the District received a $312,000 grant for a much needed and new accessible playground for all of our students with a total cost of $414,000. In order to ensure the grant funds were not lost, the District had to make up the difference in the total cost with local funds of $102,000. This decision was a necessary and responsible use of taxpayer money to secure a major asset for the youth in our community.
The Board’s priority remains clear: We support our teachers with competitive pay and benefits while always putting the needs and welfare of our students first. The Board is also committed to providing non-certified district staff competitive pay and benefits that have to be annually budgeted for using limited resources.
The Vienna Grade School Board of Education is pleased with the outcomes of the contract agreement and what it represents for our dedicated teachers. We look forward to moving ahead together with a shared focus on what matters most, our students.