Nazareth teachers union accepts revised salary guide proposal

FROM THE EXPRESS TIMES

The Nazareth Area School District teachers union approved the school board's recommended salary scale for teachers today, about a week before the old salary scale was due to expire.
A four-year teachers contract approved in December 2009 and due to take effect Sept. 1 includes average raises of 3.75 percent each year of the deal.

Until today, however, the union and school board could not agree how teachers should share the raises. Some teachers are to get more than the average and some less, based on experience and advanced degrees.

The union proposed the biggest raises for teachers at step 16, the highest end of the salary scale. Teachers at step 1 would have received the lowest raises.

Superintendent Victor Lesky and the board convinced the union to redistribute the funds so the new teachers would get more generous raises.

Under the new plan, teachers at step 16 will get 1.84-percent raises and teachers on step 1 will get 4-percent raises.

The school board plans to approve the salary scale at a special meeting Monday.

Lesky said he pushed for the salary scale change so Nazareth teachers could remain competitive with surrounding districts.

“The board and administration believe the union’s offer would severely impact Nazareth’s ability to attract the best and brightest young teachers when recruiting teachers to work in our district,” Lesky said Tuesday.

Lesky said the district’s starting salary is lower than starting salaries at Parkland, East Penn, Easton, Bangor and Stroudsburg districts. Lesky said the district’s pay at level 16 is significantly above those districts.

Nazareth Area Education Association President Aris Asdouriam said Wednesday the union looks forward to the board approving the schedule.

"Just like them, we're on the same page," he said.

Lesky said the average teacher’s salary in the district is $57,000 to $58,000.

Teachers who want to further their education are reimbursed by the district up to $3,000 a year for tuition payments. Lesky said all teachers are encouraged to earn a master’s degree.
The board will meet 7:30 p.m. Monday in the district's board room.

http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/nazareth/index.ssf/2011/08/nazareth_area_school_board_rej.html