Fort Cherry OKs teachers’ contract

Fort Cherry School District and its teachers union have reached a contract agreement.
The five-year contract with Fort Cherry Education Association was approved at Monday’s regular school board meeting.
The teachers had been working without a contract since August.
The agreement includes an average salary increase of 3.35 percent across five years, including incremental movement.
The starting teachers’ salary in the district will be $35,731 in the first year of the contract and $37,594 in the fifth year. The maximum salary will be $78,991 in year one of the contract and $80,854 in the fifth year.
The union agreed to changes to the health care plan, which calls for the premium share to double in the first year and rise each year.
One of the key provisions in the contract calls for a 10-minute increase in the school day each year for the next three years. The increases – a half-hour in total – will add 90 hours of instructional time per year, according to Fort Cherry school Director Jamie White, chief negotiator for the board.
“It’s kids in seats. I think you’re going to see a lot of districts moving in that direction,” said Mary Ellen S. Jones, a representative for the Pennsylvania State Education Association. “The more instructional time teachers spend with kids is important for teachers and kids.”
Also, the contract calls for the school district to reimburse teachers for their required state clearances.
The amount of life insurance increases to $50,000 and teachers will receive two additional personal days.
White said negotiations with the teachers union were “cordial and clear.”
“We have a wonderful group of teachers here who obviously care about the kids and the community,” said White.
The FCEA includes 93 teachers.