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Board, teachers OK two-year agreement

By Caroline Trowbridge - | May 10, 2000

Tonganoxie teachers next year will see an average 4.6 percent increase in their paychecks, followed by a 3.9 percentage increase in 2001-2002.

At their meeting Monday night, school board members unanimously approved a work agreement for the district’s 97 teachers that covers the upcoming two academic years. The Tonganoxie Education Association last week overwhelmingly approved the agreement.

“I think we took care of some issues that we needed to take care of in the district,” said Richard Erickson, superintendent of schools.

He praised the work done by both the school board and teacher teams who negotiated this agreement.

“I think everybody really worked together well,” he said. “And we came up with an agreement that can be beneficial to the district and to the teachers.”

Money was added to the teacher base salary, as well as to the pay that some teachers receive for performing extra duties, such as coaching or sponsoring clubs, according to Pat Wakeman, a Tonganoxie High School biology teacher who leads the teachers’ association.

In addition, teachers at the elementary school will receive some compensation for the collaboration time that is required of them. And additional funding will be given to teachers for longevity with the district.

“We tried to do some things that increased everyone’s pay,” he said.

Like Erickson, Wakeman was pleased with the atmosphere surrounding this year’s negotiations.

”It was nonconfrontational. We sat down and really negotiated. I don’t think many people came to the table with axes to grind.”

Salaries for the approximately 65 classified employees will be determined at the June 12 meeting.

In other matters Monday night, the board accepted the retirements of Wanda Robbins, who has driven a school bus in the district for 33 years, and Waneta Karriker, who has been district food service supervisor for 30 years.