It's a deal; USD 234, teachers reach tentative settlement in 2012-2013 contract negotiations; proposed agreement still has to be ratified by both sides

USD 234 officials and teachers reached a tentative agreement Monday on their contract for the 2012-13 school year.

It must still be voted on by the school board and teachers' organization to make it official. Negotiators met with federal mediator Patrick Dunn at the board office yesterday. Talks had been ongoing since the end of March. The meeting with Dunn, from Kansas City, Mo., was scheduled earlier this month after an impasse was reached.

School Board President and lead negotiator Janet Braun said there were two basic issues left to be decided -- stipends and district health insurance contributions.

In June, Braun said some teachers were given checks to make up for lost salary steps. There were an estimated 43 instructors who did not receive checks and wanted a stipend as well.

The other matter was the desire for an additional monthly contribution to health insurance by the district. "We did reach a tentative agreement on those two items today," Braun said. "The board now has to vote on it and the teachers now have to vote on it."

It's not a done deal until then, Braun said.

Fort Scott High School social science teacher and NEA lead negotiator Roberta "Bert" Lewis said she is still working on scheduling a meeting with the teachers to vote on the tentative agreement. "Not everyone got what they wanted, but we feel it is an equitable settlement," Lewis said.

"I feel that the mediator was able to help (us) move to an agreement," Lewis added. "This was our 10th session for this year's contract, including the one prior to the settlement of part of it at the end of June."

"At this point," she added, "we're still working on some of the language. I don't want to put that out until I have a chance to put it to the negotiation team. I want to make sure we have the language correct before I put it out to anybody."

Braun said she feels the package to be presented to the board and teachers is good and she acknowledged it's been a long road to get to this point. "But I was glad we were able to do some talking today and come up with something I hope will be acceptable to both sides," she said.