Valparaiso board passes new contract for teachers
Valparaiso Community Schools Board of Trustees unanimously passed a new contract for teachers that includes a higher salary range, with starting teacher annual pay boosted from $43,000 to $47,000 and a cap increase from what was $81,433 now spanning up to $84,000 for annual salary potential.
“It was a productive bargaining session with the teachers association, with several factors that went into that, including an increase in our funding formula and our increase in student enrollment, which positively impacted our ability to negotiate significant raises for our teachers,” said Dr. Jim McCall, who was appointed superintendent of Valparaiso Community Schools in September 2020.
“The terms and highlights include all returning teachers receiving $4,542 in addition to their 2021 base salary, and that figure is an average increase of 7.8% for the average salary teacher. And all returning teachers will also receive a 1% stipend at the end of the first semester along with a $400 flat stipend at the end of the second semester.
“All new teachers will receive a $4,000 increase added to their previously agreed-upon salary for 2021-22.”
McCall presented highlights of the proposed new contract at an early morning special school board meeting Oct. 29, and the contract was ratified and approved 10 days later at the Nov. 8 school board meeting.
Further contract highlights include:
Addition of new extracurricular activity positions, including at the high school a robotics group sponsor paid a stipend of $1,438, UNICEF sponsor paid $3,422 and an assistant band director with a stipend of $2,153.
K-Kids sponsor positions at all eight elementary schools each paid a stipend of $931.
The high school sports coaching salaries are $13,691 each for boys and girls basketball and football head coaches; $10,072 for swimming and wresting head coaches; $9,292 for baseball, soccer and track head coaches; $6,942 for golf head coach; and $6,162 for both tennis and cross country head coaches.
“The Valparaiso Teachers Association is pleased with both the transparency of the bargaining process and the positive results that have been realized,” said Annie Schoenfelt, president of the Valparaiso Teachers Association.
“We are proud that the results of our efforts have created both a significant increase to teachers’ base salaries as well as their extracurricular responsibilities, and we look forward to working with the school administration in the future.”
Schoenfelt said 2021 marked her third year as a member of the teacher contract negotiation committee and she continues to be pleased with how well both teachers and administration work together to reach what she describes as “a seamless agreement.”
During the public comment forum portion of the Oct. 29 meeting, only parent Jessica Jepsen spoke to address the board.
“My husband is a teacher so I love to hear these range of salaries,” Jepsen said.
“But my husband is at Portage Schools, and they are also having contract talks there.
“He has a master’s degree and been in education 20 years, and I don’t think he even makes $50,000 a year. It’s amazing you can do this for the teachers here in Valparaiso.
“Every penny counts when you are a teacher making $50,000 a year.”