The Upper Perkiomen School Board and the district's teachers ratified a new contract last week. The board voted unanimously to ratify a new three-year agreement with the Upper Perkiomen Education Association during a Dec. 12 special meeting.

           The deal, which runs through the 2021-22 school year, includes pay increases for Upper Perk educators, changes to healthcare plans and modifications to preparation and non-teaching time, according to a news release provided by Nicole Gum, the district's communications specialist.

           UPEA members voted to approve the contract on Dec. 11. A significant number voted against it, according to Bob LaSalle, president of the organization. He described the percentage of no votes as the largest in his 22 years in the district.

           "Overall, I think people are glad that the process is over and that the contract is resolved, but I know that we were disappointed that it took this long," LaSalle wrote in an email message received Saturday, Dec. 14.

           Board members described the contract as fair to both sides prior to the vote. Neither side got everything it wanted, according to board President Raeann Hofkin.

           "I'm glad we got it done," Melanie Cunningham said during the 10-minute meeting. "Merry Christmas."

           The new contract reflects pay increases, including steps of 2.96 percent for 2019-20, 2.93 percent for 2020-21, and 2.85 percent for 2021-22. Starting salaries increased to $46,068 for those with a Bachelor's degree and $52,612 for those with a Master's degree in year two of the contract, and $47,007 for those with a Bachelor's degree and $52,847 for those with a Master's degree in year three of the contract. The maximum salary at Master's + 30 credits increases from $102,252 from the previous contract to $105,800 in year three of the new deal, according to information provided by Gum.

           It also states that changes were made to healthcare coverage, revising the district's alternative plan and increasing the premium share in years two and three of the contract. TeleMed was also added, and a premium share towards prescription coverage was implemented. Advanced utilization management was instituted to help reduce prescription costs.

           Modifications were also made to teacher preparation time and non-teaching time. Some of the changes will allow principals to utilize teachers' time when they aren't directly responsible for instruction, to provide them with time to work in professional learning communities and assist in the operations of the schools, according to the information.

           According to LaSalle, his members favored a provision that will allow teachers to move through the salary schedule each year of the contract following a step freeze in three of the past seven years. He expressed concerns over an additional change to the teachers' preparation time. "The additional erosion of our time to ... plan, research, make copies, grade tests and assignments, develop interesting and engaging activities, and so much more," LaSalle wrote. "The more of that we lose, the harder it becomes to do great things in the classroom,"

            According to LaSalle, the parties could not resolve an issue over the shortage of substitute teachers. He explained that far too often, teachers lose preparation time when they are called to cover another class.

           "We tried to find a solution that would work for all of us, but we were unable to do so," he wrote.

           Negotiations – which started in January – were delayed in part due to shifting personnel on the schoolboard's bargaining team, according to Hofkin. She said that Alexis McGloin and Ashley Kitten, the district's former superintendent and director of human resources respectively, initially joined the negotiations committee and Business Administrator Sandra Kassel at the negotiating table.

           An interim HR director was ultimately replaced by Georgiann M. Fisher, who currently holds the position. McGloin's successor, Allyn Roche, took her place in the discussions.