At the Valley View School Board meeting on Monday, Aug. 18, dozens of teachers, paraprofessionals, parents and students urged trustees to reach a “fair contract” after staff began the school year without a negotiated agreement.

Speakers described widespread concern about pay, staffing and working conditions and criticized a district plan discussed in bargaining to add time to the school day as a way to offset compensation. “You are not willing to provide us with a fair contract,” teacher Michelle Tampa told the board during public comment. “They’re worth their weight in gold. They deserve a living wage.”

Why it matters: contract terms determine staffing stability, pay and program continuity in a district with multiple schools and special‑education programs. Several commenters said staffing shortages and turnover are already affecting instruction and services for students with complex needs.

During public comment, the themes included: requests for higher pay and parity for paraprofessionals and support staff; opposition to adding 20 minutes to the school day or moving high school start times earlier; concern about retention of bilingual and special‑education staff; and calls for budget transparency from the board. Students said an earlier start would reduce sleep and make extracurricular participation harder; parents and staff said the extra minutes should not be the district’s primary bargaining lever.

Union representative (Valley View Council) remarks summarized the bargaining status and explained the association’s position. The representative said the union “called an impasse the moment the district was willing to lose money to get what they wanted” and urged the board to negotiate in good faith. The representative also told the board, “We will not be divided anymore.”

Board and administration responses during the meeting focused on the negotiation process and on listening to community concerns; no contract was finalized or approved at the meeting. Superintendent Mark Wood (identified in remarks as Doctor Wood) reiterated that the district would continue to work with Valley View Council 604 in an effort to reach agreement, and he described district priorities including equity and student supports. He also described the district’s concerns about funding and the process for any proposed schedule changes.

What happened at the meeting: public comment drew many speakers representing teachers, paraprofessionals, parents and students (see speaker list). The union delivered an extended statement at the podium. The board did not vote on contract terms; no formal labor agreement or board action on the negotiations was recorded at the Aug. 18 meeting.

Voices in the meeting:
- Teacher Michelle Tampa: “I am one of the very few people left in this district that has taken a strike vote ... I am in the twilight of my career.”
- Valley View Council representative: “We called an impasse ... We will not be divided anymore.”
- Parent Ruth Michaelson: asked whether “a 7% contingency” could be added if federal dollars fell short and urged the board to optimize district operations before cutting staff compensation.
- Students repeatedly said that adding 20 minutes to the day would harm sleep and after‑school activities.

Discussion vs. decision: the meeting served as a public forum for comment; the board recorded no formal contract action. Negotiations remain ongoing, and the union indicated it has declared an impasse in bargaining.

Next steps: the district and union will continue negotiations outside the public meeting; the board did not set a meeting‑level deadline or vote on bargaining proposals at this session.

Ending: community speakers asked the board to prioritize direct compensation and staffing to retain experienced educators, paraprofessionals and support staff; the board acknowledged the concerns and paused further action pending continued negotiations.