The following update
was submitted to the PTO by the BSD
School Board on October 5
Burlington
School Board Update
During the past two weeks, Burlington School Board members have
talked with many parents and community members informally and during evening
informational sessions. We have appreciated the opportunity to share our
thinking, hear people’s views, and to directly answer questions. During these
discussions, we have repeatedly been asked to clarify the parameters of the
Board’s recent employment action. It is
important to address the misinformation and inaccurate information that people
have heard by beginning with the facts.
Fact: Negotiations Were Rigorous but
Unsuccessful. For 14
months, the Board met with the BEA. Requests by the Board for
collaborative approaches to bargaining were rejected by the BEA and
counter-proposals on many issues brought up by the Board were not considered. After the Board’s last and best offer
was rejected it was necessary for the Board to move forward unilaterally
because without a new contract in place status quo provisions in VT law
exposed the District to the potential for an additional $430,000 in costs
for this school year. The Board has
agreed to meet again with the BEA to further discuss this year’s contract
if invited to do so by Ira Lobel, the mutually appointed mediator.
Fact: Every Teacher Will Receive
a Significant Raise. The Board’s final salary
offer provides every full-time teacher with an average salary increase of over $1,900 for the current
school year. This represents a raise that is higher than compensation
settlements for other School and City employees this year and exceeds the
increases in compensation of many people who live and/or work in Burlington.
Fact: The Board’s Offer Reflects
Full Use of Available Funds. The Board’s final offer to
the teachers exceeded the money it had budgeted for salary increases. Any further expense to meet the union’s
compensation demands would result in either deficit spending, or
additional cuts to programs or staff during this school year,
neither of which the Board is willing to do.
Fact: The New Teacher Salary Grid
Improves Regional Competitiveness. The Board’s final
offer maintains a regionally
competitive salary grid for teachers, and improves the District’s competitiveness relative to
surrounding school districts at many of the benchmarks agreed upon by the
Board and union. In comparison with the 9 Chittenden County Districts, Burlington teacher
compensation now ranks above the
midpoint for new and mid-career teachers, and at the
midpoint for senior teachers.
Fact: Teachers Will Pay a Modest
Increase in Their Health Insurance Contribution. Despite
a 7.9% increase in health insurance costs this school year, the Board’s final offer absorbed 90% of the
increase by accepting the union’s proposal to increase the
teachers’ share of premiums from 15% to 16% starting January 1, 2017.
Fact: Teachers Will Continue to
Have Multiple Opportunities for Professional Development.
In addition to providing $80,000 for graduate course reimbursement, the
Board’s final offer continues
to provide additional salary increases beyond step movement for
teachers who successfully complete graduate credits, and the District will
continue to offer many professional development activities that teachers
can use to meet licensure requirements.
We ask all of you – community members,
parents, teachers, students, and taxpayers – to please consider the facts
because facts matter. And the facts show that this contract fairly compensates
teachers both in salary and benefits, and is sensitive to the financial
realities that many in our community face. The Board also is cognizant of the
fact that now is the time to start focusing on the longer term, and to that end
the Board has invited the BEA to immediately begin negotiations for the next contract
year. This is a critical time for the
District and we need to pull together to move forward. That
is a fact that is undisputable.
(This
post was adapted from a Burlington
Free Press MyTurn editorial written by board member Miriam Stoll)
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This is the 2nd letter from the PTO leaders to both
the BSD school board and the BEA.
October 5, 2016
Dear BSD and
BEA,
It looks from
this perspective, that, in order to avoid continued fiscal crises and likely
more cuts to the BSD budget, this community needs to accomplish several things;
1) We seek and
support a swift and fair teacher contract settlement. We are confident that the
BSD and the BEA can work together to restart ‘16-’17 negotiations without
preconditions. The two parties are no longer far apart on money issues, and the
non-monetary items provide both sides with something to give. Given the fact
that this is for a one year contract, some of the issues can be revisited in
the upcoming contract negotiations.
2) We believe in
harnessing broad community support to lobby Montpelier for improvement to situations that
make it difficult to properly fund this school district. These include: changes
to the pupil equalization formula; the return of PILOT funds to the school
district from the city; protecting BSD from the possible effects of Act 46
which may shift funds from schools that “failed” to consolidate to schools that
did; and the support of legislation that may shift the burden of funding the
schools from property taxes to income tax.
Number two,
which is vital to the health and maintenance of this district cannot be
accomplished until number one is complete.
If the
negativity and divisiveness caused by this protracted contract negotiation
continues, the broad support needed for the other causes will be nearly
impossible to garner.
Every day that
this continues diminishes the community that you both serve.
What it takes
for this school district to remain a healthy and a vital system, begins with
you.
We are aware
that there may be motivations at play that go beyond the immediate fiscal and
social well being of this school district. We ask you all to reflect on those
motivations and how they may or may not contribute to a community partnership
that rebuilds our battle-worn district and helps us to create success together.
Both the BSD and
the BEA need to be willing to cooperate. We, Burlington’s PTO leaders, support you both in
this endeavor and pledge our future support to keeping this district strong. We
will continue to advocate for an agreement between the BSD and BEA until one is
reached.
We are counting
on you. Please do not let us down.
Thank you,
PTO LEADERS
representing The Burlington School District
Paula Henry, HMS
PTO
Karen Ruben and
Sue Chayer, CP Smith PTO
Clare Wool, EMS PTO and BHS Boosters
Kate Lasko and
Susan Munkres, IAA PTO
Tyler Doggett
and Teal Doggett, IAA PTO
Susan Cline
Lucey, Christina Erickson, Tiffany Tillman, SA PTO
Sarah Kenney and
David Lines, SA PTO
Leigh Fisher,
Hollie Foley, Rachel Shelley, EES PTO
Christine and
Nicole Thomas-Demerritt, Flynn PTO
Mike
Fisher, on behalf of the Champlain PTO board
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This is a letter from Burlington Friends and Supporters of Education
Dear Burlington
Friends and Supporters of Education,
We have waited to send out a September
update in hopes of successful contract resolution.
As parents, guardians, friends and
supporters of our public schools here in Burlington
we advocate for ALL students.
Currently the climate in our district
is one of uncertainty and one that we feel is not healthy for our students,
their families, our teachers and our city.
Please take a moment to review the
correspondence below from our unified PTO’S sent to our school board, teachers
union and school district administrators.
Additionally attached are the links to
both BEA and BSD where you can read their current communication regarding the
contract.
*IMPORTANT MEETINGS THIS WEEK*
SCHOOL BOARD COMMITTEE MTG
Special Negotiations
Monday,
Oct 10th
Central Office
150 Colchester Ave
7PM
TEACHERS UNION
(BEA MEMBERS ONLY)
Thursday,
Oct 13th
BHS
3:45-5PM
(Vote for Job Action Motion)
SCHOOL BOARD OCT. MEETING - POSTPONED
Thursday,
Oct 13th
Central Office
150 Colchester Ave
7-9PM
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Our Annual Fall Harvest Dinner Approaches!
Did you know about the Harvest Festival coming up soon at our school?
Thursday October 27th!
This has always been a great community event with parents and students welcome. Great food, wonderful music and everyone being involved. If you haven't attended before, you are going to love this event. If you're new to the school and would like to meet some new people & help out, let us know via email.
We need help setting up, serving meals, & handing out ice cream.
This would be a great way to meet the teachers in a casual setting along with parents of your students.
The food is wonderful and the kids put a lot of work decorating for this night each year.
We hope you'll join us. Put it on your calendar now!
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Hunt T-Shirts
Thanks to everyone who ordered a shirt through the pre-order forms.
We received over 50 newly designed, eye-catching Hunt Middle School t-shirt orders!
We also ordered 50 more, which will be here in approximately 2 weeks.
At that time, everyone will have an opportunity to purchase one.
Watch for more details!
We will be selling them at the Oct 27 Harvest dinner.
This is a good opportunity to support Hunt Middle School and show some school spirit.
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Drama Club Presents:
WILLY WONKA & The Chocolate Factory
Save the date for an upcoming Hunt Drama Program Production Meeting!
Are you interested in learning more about Hunt Drama Program's spring production of "Willy Wonka"?
Please come to our fall production meeting on Wednesday, October 19th at 6:30pm in the Hunt Middle School library.
Planning for the annual musical begins months in advance and we welcome all parents who are interested in helping to support the production.
At the fall meeting, we will be recruiting volunteers and
setting fundraising goals.
