Contract negotiations between Crawfordsville Community Schools and Crawforsville Education Association are in the home stretch of this bargaining season.
Crawfordsville Superintendent Dr. Scott Bowling gave board members an update Thursday during the regular monthly meeting, which was held at the Carnegie Museum.
“It’s been a good session, a productive session,” Bowling said. “We’ve really worked together I think to make sure that we are paying teachers appropriately and that we are trying to do the best we can for them.”
Some of the main areas negotiated in the new conract include: a $3,000 salary increase for teachers, the second largest pay bump on record; increasing the pay out of unused sick days from 50 to 70 days as part of a severance package; revising language pertaining to sick leave; revising funeral leave for teachers, allowing seven calendar days to be used in a year instead of restricting leave to the week immediately following a death; increased funeral leave for other staff from one to two days; increasing parental leave from three to five days; and allowing stipends for teachers who serve in leadership, team or mentoring positions within their school or district.
The tentative agreement with the teacher’s association also includes language revisions to the corporation’s seven-year bump language, Bowling said. It has been revised to comply with a ruling from the Indiana Education Employment Relations Board. He added that it does not change how or the amount teachers are paid for reaching that milestone, simply refines the language and removes redundancies.
The proposed agreement with the CEA also includes other longevity stipends for teachers, starting at the 20-year mark. Bowlign said both sides agree the corporation’s veteran teachers should be rewarded. The new contract outlines teacher stipends as follows: 20-24 years will receive $1,000; 25-29 years will receive $1,500; 30-34 years will receive $2,000; 35-39 years will receive $2,500; 40-44 years with receive $3,000; and 45 or more years will receive $3,500. These funds would go into their retirement account.
“Considering history, I have a really big appreciation for the CEA that we work so well with,” said board member Ellend Ball. “I’m really excited about the things we can accomplish and I’m really glad that we can offers as much as we can.”
Ratification of the tentative agreement is the next step. A public meeting is scheduled for noon Monday at the administration building, 1000 Fairview Ave. Public comment will be taken at this meeting per Indiana code.
In other business, the board:
• Approved a resolution authorizing the issuance of temporary loan tax anticipation warrants and setting the maximum limit. Bowling said this a customary practice and it is used annually as an “insurance policy” in the event of a property tax shortfall or delay.
• Gave approval to apply for technology advance monies from the Common School Fund. Bowling said this is how the corporation funds its technology purchases. It is an application to the Indiana Department of Education. Awarded funds will be used to replace student machines at the middle school, replace the computer lab machines at Hose, Nicholson and Hoover elementary schools and purchase software. The anticipated total is $235,000.
• Approved changes to the classified staff handbook, including adding language and guidelines for remote work and revising language throughout the manual to reflect the corporation’s shift from referring to staff as non-certified to classified.
• Approved the resignations of Joanie York, administrative assistant at the central office, and Cheryl Crowder, a teacher at Hose.
• Approved the employment of Madison Collins as a teacher’s aide at Hoover and Emily Cotten as an assistant at Nicholson.
• Approved a change of position for Stephanie Wilkinson from administrative secretary at Nicholson to administrative secretary at the central office.
• Heard an update from Bowling regarding recent visits to two districts with building trades program — one in Lafayette and one at Fountain Central. The Lafayette program was more classroom and lab based, while the program at Fountain Central had students building a new home. Bowling said they will gauge student interest in creating a similar program locally.
• Adopted a policy for the use of school corporation vehicles.
