Board approves classified‑staff agreement with pay and benefit changes

The Vermillion School District 13‑1 School Board on July 14 approved the negotiated agreement with classified staff (paraprofessionals, educational assistants, building administrative assistants and school librarians) for 2025–26, the administration reported.

Key terms summarized by district staff included a 50¢ per hour wage increase for represented classified positions, and employer absorption of a 1% increase in single‑health insurance premiums and a 5% increase in single‑dental premiums. The agreement also modified sick‑leave payout and retirement resignation provisions (adjusting years of service thresholds and per‑day reimbursement levels), added two paid holidays during the December break, and preserved certain benefits such as district activity passes and bereavement and military leave provisions. The packet included job‑description attachments, grievance procedures, wage‑calculation worksheets and evaluation forms.

District staff told the board the bargaining teams spent time over the summer completing the contract and that the measures were negotiated to balance recruitment/retention with budget…