School Board, teachers agree to new contract

LAUREL — The Laurel-Concord-Coleridge School Board approved a contract with the teachers’ union during its regular meeting Jan. 10.

The Negotiations Committee recommended approval of the proposed 2022-23 negotiated agreement with the Laurel-Concord-Coleridge Education Association with the following provisions:

-The base salary of $37,300 remains unchanged for the 2022- 23 school year.

-The salary schedule is amended to have 4 percent increments for experience and 5 percent increments for education beyond a bachelor’s degree (vertical and horizontal steps).

This modification - along with vertical movement (additional year of experience), estimated horizontal movement (acquired coursework) and increased insurance premium costs - represents a 3.13 percent increase in total compensation.

-The incentive plan has been amended so teachers required to provide in-house substitute coverage for classes will receive $5 per 10 minutes for grades prekindergarten-12.

Increments different than 10 minutes will be rounded to the nearest 10-minute increment using a traditional rounding method.

-The language and guidelines in the sick leave bank have been amended.

Beginning with the 2022- 23 school year, a teacher who donates two paid-time-off days annually for five consecutive years will no longer be required to donate PTO days in each subsequent year and will maintain membership in the sick leave bank as long as he or she remains employed as a teacher with Laurel-Concord-Coleridge.

There will be no limit to how many days can accumulate in the sick leave bank.

In other agenda items, the Laurel-Concord-Coleridge Public School Board of Education on Jan. 10:

-Heard a reminder from Superintendent Jeremy Christiansen to file for re-election to the school board.

He pointed out the school board will have five positions up for election this year.

However, board members passed a resolution this past year to reduce the total number of board member positions from nine to seven following the general election in November this year.

This means for the next election cycle, there will be four positions elected instead of five. The new terms begin in January 2023 and run through December 2026.

Incumbent board members must file for re-election on or before Feb. 15, while nonincumbents seeking to be elected must file on or before March 1.

-Approved a board policy regarding extra duty and extended contract assignments and administrative regulation.

The Nebraska Public Employees Retirement System has recently changed its reporting requirements for full-time teachers who also perform extra duty assignments.

Many schools have been deeply dissatisfied with these new reporting options that require hourly time and effort logs to be submitted monthly.

School attorneys have worked out a policy solution that NPERS has agreed will meet its new requirements.

NPERS has indicated if school districts decide to adopt this policy and issue these extra duty assignment letters, the system will not require any additional record-keeping or reporting.

NPERS will also allow this solution to be retroactive back to the beginning of the 2021-22 school year.

Again, this option is only available for teachers (not classified staff) who are fulltime (expected to work more than 1,100 hours per contract year).

While this policy is optional, both the Policy Committee and Christiansen recommend adoption.

If adopted, it must be implemented with the included assignment letter (administrative regulation).

-Selected the school district’s nondiscrimination compliance coordinators.

Each January, the school board identifies and selects those individuals who will serve as coordinators designated to handle inquiries regarding complaints, grievance procedures or the application of these policies of nondiscrimination.

Christiansen serves as the Title VI coordinator, handling issues of discrimination or harassment based on race, color or national origin.

He also serves as the homeless student liaison and Safe and Drug Free Schools coordinator.

Christiansen recently participated in a required homeless liaison training provided through the Nebraska Department of Education.

School districts are required by federal law to identify and support students who meet the established criteria and guidelines of homelessness, including the lack of a fixed, regular and adequate nighttime residence.

High school principal Ken Swanson serves as the Title IX coordinator, handling issues of discrimination or harassment based on sex or gender equity.

Guidance counselor Alan Gottula handles issues of discrimination or harassment against people with disabilities as well as making reasonable accommodations for them.

-Selected the school district’s legal counsel.

Each January, the school board identifies and selects its legal counsel for the calendar year.

Laurel-Concord-Coleridge has previously retained the services of Perry Law Firm in Lincoln.

Board members followed the recommendation to continue this relationship and designation.