Massapequa Schools Approves New Contract With Teachers

The Massapequa school district has approved a new contract with teachers.

The four-year deal, announced at Thursday's Board of Education meeting Thursday.

It goes back retroactively to the 2012-13 school year when teachers worked without a contract, and they will not receive a raise for the first year of the deal, according to School Superintendent Lucille Iconis.

They will receive a 1 percent raise in years two through four of the contract, but in two of those years, incremental pay will be delayed until February. The increment will be paid in September during the fourth year of the contract.

There will also be a new salary schedule for newly hired employees which eliminates salary levels between Bachelors and Masters degree. Under the current salary schedule, which is still in effect for those hired before the new contract, teachers would get raises when they received  a BA plus 15 credits, a BA plus 30 credits and a BA plus 45 credits. Now they will only recive a higher salary upon completion of their Masters degree.

There will be a retirement incentive during the  the 2013-14 school year and in the 2015-16 school year.

Two half days will be eliminated  on the elementary school levels to add full instruction days. 

One half day during parent teacher conferences will be eliminated, leaving three half days. The annual half day for elementary school spring exhibit was also eliminated, a decision that brought out criticism from members of the public who weighed in at the end of the meeting.

"I'm very upset about the exhibit night being cut," said one elementary school parent. "It is a time it is a time to celebrate the growth and development of each child, whether it be artistically or academically she said. 

When asks to explain the elimination of the day, Iconis said, "The impetus here during negotiations, was to regain instructional time," she said.

School Board president Gary Bennett  said that in making cuts, the district is looking to protect core programs and classes. He praised the teachers for agreeing to small salary increases in tough budgetary times.

"There's only so much money," he said. "Fortunately they understood that. hopefully by the time this contract expires and maybe the economy turns around a bit, maybe we can help them then, but right now it's tight as a vice they realize that.