New Year, New Contract For Simsbury's Teachers

SIMSBURY, CT — Simsbury Public Schools teachers entered the new year with a new contract after the Simsbury Board of Selectmen opted not take any action on a deal last month.

The Simsbury Board of Education unanimously ratified the agreement with the Simsbury Education Association in November, with selectmen, essentially, saying "yes" at its last 2025 meeting on Dec. 15.

The new, three-year pact runs from July 1, 2026, to June 30, 202,9 and irons out teacher pay for the next three school years.

Those pay hikes, according to the contract, call for a 3.4 percent increase in 2026-27; a 3.4 percent increase in 2027-28; and a 3.5 percent raise in the final year of the pact, 2028-29.

In addition, Simsbury teachers must pay for part of their medical insurance premiums, which are 21.5 percent, then 22 percent, and 22.5 percent during the length of the contract.

Once the school board and the teachers union iron out a deal, the final step is the town's top governing body, in this case, the Simsbury Board of Selectmen.

Selectmen, according to state statutes, can vote to ratify the contract; vote to reject the deal; or take no action.

A "no" vote would have sent the issue to arbitration, a contentious and potentially costly process, while the "no action" vote means the contract is considered ratified after 30 days of the selectmen's decision, making the contract official in mid-January.

Simsbury Assistant Superintendent for Administration Neil Sullivan briefed the council on the contract last month, explaining why selectmen had addressed the new teacher deal.

"Undoubtedly, because in most towns, it represents the biggest financial contract of any union in a town," Sullivan said.

"We wanted to settle by October, and we met that goal. We have a good relationship with the Simsbury Education Association," Sullivan said.

Simsbury First Selectman Wendy Mackstutis said the selectmen's role was a "legal requirement," but admitted members did not play a major role in negotiations.

"By taking no action, we're not endorsing it, but I don't think we're going to refer it to binding arbitration. It's really not on us. The board of education has made this decision, and we're just letting it happen," she said Dec. 15.

As a result, selectmen by consensus opted against taking any action and allowing the deal to become automatically ratified 30 days later.

For the minutes of the Dec. 19 Simsbury Board of Selectmen meeting, click on this link.

For the minutes of the Nov. 11 Simsbury Board of Education meeting, click on this link.

For the summary of the new teachers' union contract, click on this link.