Worcester County Board ratifies teacher and support‑staff contracts, approves personnel and several operational items

The Worcester County Board of Education on April 2025 unanimously approved a package of personnel, contract and operational items, including ratification of negotiated agreements with the Worcester County Teachers Association and the Worcester County Educational Professionals Association and a $4.95 million iPad refresh lease for staff and teachers.

The agreements with both bargaining units cover the 2025–26 school year and include a step increase for eligible employees, salary‑scale adjustments and modified contract language, the superintendent said. The board also approved the personnel exhibit listing retirements, new hires, separations and promotions, adopted a new employee/contractor records retention policy to align with Maryland law, authorized a contractor bus purchase and the sale of an older 2013 bus to the district for use as a spare, and selected four architectural firms for interviews related to the Berlin Intermediate School feasibility study.

Why it matters: the contract ratifications set compensation and working conditions for the next school year; the iPad lease is a large, multiyear technology commitment the district said is included in the proposed operating budget; and the personnel exhibit updates staffing across schools. The items were routine on the agenda but have direct budget and operational impact.

The board acted on the…