The Chelsea Education Association, the union that represents the Chelsea School District teachers, has brought in a state mediator to assist with contract negotiations with the Board of Education.
According to a press release from Rick Catherman, CEA president, despite working without a contract, Chelsea School District teachers started the 2014-2015 school year, on Sept. 2.
“We maintained our programs to help students transition to our middle and high schools, as well as any music or sports programs that started before the beginning of the school year,” Catherman said in a press release.
“Additionally, our teachers were ready to teach, as usual, on day one of the school year, with Open Houses at all buildings and classrooms decorated and education-focused,” he said in the press release.
He said class sizes have grown the past few years, and are once again higher than usual across the school district.
“Students deserve smaller classes to help maintain the best learning environment, and to achieve the accolades the school district is so proud of,” Catherman said.
Contract negotiations began in spring, with committee meetings about health care coverage beginning during the fall of 2013.
The Chelsea teachers are “committed to providing the best education for the students of the Chelsea community – which is what those families expect and deserve. Because of that, we decided to request a mediator from the State to help us get a resolution to our contract situation,” Catherman said.
“This is the first time we’ve ever done it, but we are anxious to get a fair resolution to the contract issue, as quickly as possible,” he said in the press release.
