New contracts approved for bargaining units in KCSD

BALD EAGLE TOWNSHIP — The Keystone Central School Board tonight gave unanimous approval to contracts with district teachers, support professionals, applicable administrators and non-instructional administrative personnel.

All the agreements are for four years and retroactive to July 1 of this year. School board president Butch Knauff said the cost to the district over the four year period with be $1.81 million dollars, or $445,324 a year.

Tom Temple, chief negotiator for the Association of Clinton County Educators and Knauff met with the media after the brief meeting and detailed the new contract with the district’s some 360 teachers. The teachers had voted on the pact earlier today and Temple said they gave their approval but did not reveal the vote.

The teacher contract calls for a 2.9 percent pay hike in each of the four years and a 2 percent increase for those involved in extra-curriculars such as district coaches. Relative to health insurance, teachers will see their co-pay and deductibles increase.

The district’s support staff will get a 5 percent pay increase this year and 2 percent in each of the next three years. Instructional and non-instructional administrators will receive a 3 percent increase in each of the four years.

Both Knauff and Temple applauded the efforts of each side in reaching a new contract. Knauff said he was “shocked” it took only six months to come to a contract accord and said he “appreciated” the teachers’ willingness to settle, stating because so many “live here” they “know the picture.”

Earlier tonight the board reorganized for the new year, returning Knauff as board president; Jeff Johnston was elected vice-president. All votes were unanimous, except for the teacher contract approval, from which Knauff abstained as his wife is a teacher in the district. A transportation snafu prevented board member Albert Jones from attending the meeting.

The board also approved Marisha Cruz as the district’s new director of special education. She is a Clinton County native and most recently special education director in the Williamsport school district; her hire becomes effective upon release from that Lycoming County district.