Jasper teachers and school board ratify new contract

The Greater Jasper Consolidated School Board ratified the contract with teachers for another year this morning in a special session at 7:30 a.m.

In past contract negotiations, reaching an agreement has been difficult, but not so with this contract.

Smiles abounded on the faces of the Jasper Classroom Teachers Association representatives, the school administrators and school board members.

School Superintendent Dr. Tracey Lorey said that the negotiations were amicable and well received by the Teachers Association Representatives. Teacher Association co-president Nicki Roberts agreed, “We are very pleased with it. It was a very fluid process. The administrators worked hand-in-hand with the bargaining team,” he said. “They came back with very reliable answers. They tried to work for the best for the teachers and support staff. They knew what type of position we were in.”

Roberts stated the RISE program implementation was a difficult portion to work through. RISE is the new Indiana State Teacher evaluation system being implemented to help make sure that teachers are performing at their very best for students around the state.

According to Dr. Lorey the contract negotiation process started in August. “We had to muddle through some changes with our health insurance benefits,” she said. “and we also had to look at what the requirements of new Indiana codes say about teacher contractual agreements and what can actually be bargained and what cannot be. But I think we were able to come to an amiable about what could be there and feel that the agreement is fair to both sides.”

School Board Chair Nancy Habig stated she thought the process went well. “It’s been a very smooth process and I really believe it’s been a win-win for all of us. The teachers are happy with the contract and the administrators are happy with the contract. I think it’s fair to everybody – tax payers, teachers, everyone.”

The ratification comes even though there were tough issues facing the teachers and school corporation. New regulations in Indiana instituting a teacher evaluation system added to the bargaining topics of discussion. Those changes were echoed in the session this morning with several board members asking Lorey about the changes and what it will mean for the teachers and School Corporation going forward.

In the end, however, the board passed the contract unanimously after the motion was introduced by board member Ken Schnaus and seconded by Mike Braun.