Board OKs raises, contract

Teachers have a new contract in place.

Raises were approved for administrators, support staff and substitutes as well.

During an eight-minute meeting Monday, Jay School Board approved a collective bargaining agreement with Jay Classroom Teachers Association that calls for average raises of 7% and OK’d increases for other staff.

The teachers’ association had previously approved the agreement.

Jay School Corporation superintendent Jeremy Gulley recommended the agreement, explaining that the average 7% increase is about the same as what was approved last year. It will be taking the minimum starting salary for teachers to $46,003 from the previous $43,003.

The agreement also includes a 2% raise for all employees for extra-curricular activities.

“We’re very happy with the contract and with the negotiation process in general,” said JCTA president Abby Homan following the meeting. “Everybody comes to the table with the same attitude of wanting to do what’s best for everyone involved.

“It’s hard when our enrollment is down this far. We could have gotten a lot less, so we’re very happy with what we did get and that the board was very willing and wanted to give us raises.”

(Since 2015, the Jay Schools student count has dropped by 485 to 2,820.)

There was no public comment or discussion on the proposed agreement.

Board members Ron Laux, Phil Ford, Jason Phillips, Vickie Reitz, Chip Phillips and Marcie Vormohr, absent Donna Gessaman, voted unanimously in favor of its approval.

“I think compensation is moving in the right direction for sure,” said Gulley. “I’m looking around at other schools near us and seeing how are we stacking up, and it looks like we’re hanging right in there. …

“Very smooth. Two sessions and done. A lot of trust.”

The 7% increases the last two years are the largest teachers had seen recently, surpassing the 5.5% average from 2022. Previous raises for teachers averaged 2% in 2018, 3.5% in 2019, 4% in 2020 and 4.3% in 2021.

Also Monday, the board approved memorandums of understanding for administrators and support staff.

Administrators will receive 5% raises, taking pay to $150,411 for the superintendent, $124,635 for the junior-senior high principal, about $99,000 for most junior-senior high assistant principals and elementary school principals, $86,100 for elementary school assistant principals and $79,336 for the director of transportation. The director of e-learning’s contract was pushed to 260 days, with Gulley including a note that “her current compensation is undervalued” and noting that she would take the lead role if the pilot program for Jay Virtual Academy is approved.

Support staff will receive a minimum raise of $1 or 5%, whichever is larger. Other changes include a minimum four hours pay for bus drivers for extra-curricular trips and a $3 premium for the East Jay Elementary School head custodian because of the size of the building and number of events held there.

The school corporation is increasing its contribution to health insurance to $7,000 for individuals and to $16,400 for families for both teachers and support staff.

Board members also approved a $5.50 increase to $116.50 per hour for certified substitute teachers and a $3 increase to $98 per hour for non-certified substitutes. Rates for substitutes for other positions also went up, with the lowest rate coming in at $13.50 per hour.