| Show 1 Teachers Teacher's accept contract proposals Negotiations between the Uintah County School Districts District's Board of or Education and teachers took a step cl closer er tl to being finalized Monday night after a small portion of the Uintah Education Associations Association's members voted to ratify their 79 1978 contract at atan atan atan an association meeting held at the Vernal Jr High School After Arter spending two months in negotiation meetings with School Board members Ken Anderton and Ken Aycock the teachers will become the first group of district employees to have their contracts approved if the board votes their approval at tonight's Thursday board meeting The major item included in the package calls for a salary increase to the beginning teacher salary base an approximate 77 per cent Increase over last years year's beginning salary A beginning teacher leacher at Step 1 will receive Last years year's increase at per percent percent percent cent one of the lowest in the stale state added with this years year's one of the highest in the state puts Uintah School District teachers about average in terms of salary hikes the past Jast two years Overall the teachers ranked ninth from the bottom last year in terms of dollars and cents With this years year's increase however the teachers should rank near the middle of or the pay scale in the state Another big issue particularly to the teachers centered around the pupil- pupil teacher ration Many of the teachers felt classes should be limited to a maximum of 31 students as a result of projected class loads for several classes in the district to be as high as 39 during the 79 1978 school year While not dealing specifically with numbers members of the negotiating team for the teachers and the school board agreed to the statement whereas the Board o of Education would be committed to work toward the state guidelines in the primary grades concerning pupil t pupil teacher ratio The board will also support as low Iowa a ratio as economically feasible They will also consider alternatives such as busing use of or ald aides and the hiring of new teachers if it high enrollment becomes a problem If the contract negotiations are agreed upon by the thc board Thursday night teachers will be able to expunge critical and derogatory statements from their personal files after alter a period of five years through a formal request to the Board of Education Additionally Additionally Ad Ad- all materials entered into the files flies will be signed and dated by the person or persons entering the material Any unsigned and undated materials now in any teachers teacher's file may be removed upon request by the teacher and approval by the Board of Education Other matters approved by the Teachers Teacher's Association include Addition to the W Westside teacher In In in- Teachers working on the Westside will be paid after afler the first year after the second after the third after the fourth and after the fifth and succeeding years of working on the Westside in the district Present insurance program provided for and the Increased costs of maintaining maintaining main main- taming it Provide for a term-life term in insurance insurance in in- of employee only not to include include in in- clude spouse or children Probationary period of teaching will willbe willbe willbe be reduced from five to three years The grievance procedure is extended extended ex ex- tended to all employees A committee will be formed to study board policy regarding teachers teacher's associations and other associations within the district The officers will conduct a survey of all teachers regarding the special emergency leave policy to be completed by October 1 1978 The officers and members will work diligently to improve and andreport andreport andreport report on the efforts of employees to conserve energy and nd reduce supply waste U CEA members will work diligently to improve the average daily attendance during the 79 1978 school year The conclusion of negotiations with the teachers now leaves the school board with the task of agreeing to terms with the classified employees principals and the administrative staffs before school resumes in the fall 1 r t fi ii i |
