(Chelsea Update would like to thank the Chelsea District Schools for this information. In addition, after this story published, I received a statement from CEA President Rick Catherman, which has been added to the end of the story.)
The Chelsea School District Board of Education and the Chelsea Education Association have agreed to a two-year extension of the current contract for the 2016-17 and 2017-18 school years.
The extension allows teachers to earn steps and lane changes based on their experience and educational level each year of the extension. Additional increases to wages, medical benefits and other payments will be based on a predetermined formula, which allows the district to maintain an appropriate balance in fund equity.
Three additional full days of instruction will be added to the school calendar, which has yet to be determined. All other language in the contract will remain the same.
The board wishes to thank Superintendent Dave Killips and the leadership of the Chelsea Education Association for taking a proactive approach to settling the contract, which honors the hard-working employees, but still maintains a solid financial base for the district.
The Chelsea Education Association agreed to a contract extension with guarantees that were important to us, like maintenance of a preferred insurance program, and steps and lanes advances on our salary schedule for our younger teachers. Some of those teachers haven’t been allowed to steadily, predictably move along up the steps outlined in our contract, as has been the case for our older teachers, and for generations before them. The formula for potential future employee compensation is sound, but agreeing to it is a leap of faith.
We trust the Chelsea School District will continue to be open, transparent, and responsible with the funding they get from the state and the taxpayers of the Chelsea community.
To have a settled contract until June 2018 is a great feeling and the CEA hopes that it provides stability to our district and begins to heal any lasting bad feelings from prior bargains, allowing us to continue concentrating on our top priority: educating the children of the Chelsea Community.
Chelsea Education Association, Sept. 18, 2015
From Rick Catherman
