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Chicopee teachers urge school committee to reject added noninstructional time, press for fair COLA
Summary
A long string of teachers and school staff used the school committee's public comment period to oppose proposals to add mandatory noninstructional meeting time, criticize reduced prep and collaboration days, and press for a cost-of-living adjustment in contract talks.
Dozens of Chicopee Public Schools teachers and staff told the Chicopee City School Committee at its Oct. 15 meeting that proposed increases in mandatory noninstructional meeting time would harm instruction and staff retention.
“My name is Ben Eisen, high school science teacher,” said Ben Eisen during public comment, saying many mandatory extended-day meetings “lack any sort of interaction” and could be handled by email. Multiple speakers said meeting time is being traded for unpaid work done outside the school day.
The group cited three recurring concerns: that many meetings deliver information that could be emailed, that shortened elementary preparation periods would cut students’ specials time, and that collaboration days had been reduced. “By reducing elementary preparation periods from 45 to 40 minutes, you’re reducing our students’ specials class time,” said Kate Moss, physical education teacher at Bow Elementary, adding that the final five minutes of lessons are often when students make key progress.
Teachers described long unpaid work hours and rising benefit costs. “One of my paychecks almost covers daycare,” said a teacher speaking for a colleague, referencing rising insurance contributions; another described regularly working into the evening to finish required tasks. Several speakers framed the dispute around contract talks with the Chicopee Education Association and pressed the committee to offer a livable cost-of-living adjustment rather than additional unpaid time.
Speakers said collaboration days — which allow specialists to meet and plan — had been cut from five days to three (from 15 to nine hours per year), reducing opportunities for professional development and cross-building coordination. “Collaboration days are incredibly important for PE teachers,” Moss said. “I have learned more from these colleagues during our collaboration time than almost any other meeting time.”
A handful of public commenters who identified as paraprofessionals and librarians described similar pressures, noting time spent on paperwork, library collection maintenance and student supports that occur outside classroom instruction. Several urged the committee to negotiate a contract that addresses both compensation and the scheduling decisions that drive after-hours work.
The committee allowed an extension of public comment later in the meeting; the transcript records robust participation but does not show a committee vote on a specific scheduling or contract proposal during the public comment period. Committee members later moved into executive session for contract negotiations.
