The Winthrop Teachers Association and the Winthrop School Committee that began contract negotiations in February 2012 have reached a two-part, tentative agreement that will go through 2015.
The first part is a one-year settlement, which includes no wage increases or changes in stipends for this year. The second part that will cost the Town approximately an extra $200,000 is a three-year decision involving a 1.5% set wage increase as of September 1, 2012 and a .5% wage increase for March 1, 2013.
In addition, since the 2005-2008 agreement, there have been no adjustments in funds for extracurricular activities. Under the new agreement, the coaching salaries will go up for the first time in seven years.
There will be housekeeping changes and a new evaluation document as required by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. Teachers will be responsible for 60-minute meetings with their principals once a month.
The P-30 column, or Bachelors Plus 30 Credits, has been eliminated from the wage scale for new hires as an incentive to encourage higher education among staff. A PhD and Double Masters column will be added. The second Master’s degree must be in a subject critical to the education; the superintendent is responsible for determining the appropriateness of the second degree.
The Collective Bargaining Agreement and the insurance language of the contract will be updated, and the budget and structure of the system will also be adjusted.