Webster Groves board approves teacher contract, multiple pay schedules and roof-maintenance agreement

Webster Groves School District board members on March 13 approved a new collective bargaining agreement with the Webster Groves National Education Association and a set of salary schedules for nurses, support staff, administrators, curriculum coordinators and the Adventure Club. The board also approved a preventative roof-and-gutter maintenance contract and removed a monthly financial report from the consent agenda before recessing into executive session to discuss personnel.

The collective bargaining agreement the board approved was ratified by the WGNEA on March 9 and, according to district presentations, sets the teacher salary schedule at 104.5% of the St. Louis County median for 2025–26. District materials presented at the meeting estimated the salary schedule and step increases resulting from the agreement will cost the district about $930,000 and translate to approximately a 3.5% increase in payroll for the bargaining unit. The board’s motion to approve the agreement said the contract is effective July 1, 2025.

Why it matters: the contract sets base salary guidance and step increases used in budgeting. District staff told the board that the 104.5% figure is a reduction from prior years’ practice of a higher percentage above the county median and that the change was proposed in light of projected district budget deficits.

Board action and related votes (at a glance) - Motion to approve the revised collective bargaining agreement effective 07/01/2025 with the amended salary schedule for the 2025–26 school year between the Webster Groves School District and Webster Groves NEA. Outcome: approved (voice vote). Note: WGNEA ratified March 9; district estimate cost ≈ $930,000; salary model = 104.5% of STL County median. - Motion to approve the nurses salary structure for the 2025–26 school year. Outcome: approved (voice vote). Note: district presented nurses schedule aligned to 104.5% county median. - Motion to approve the Adventure Club salary structure for the 2025–26 school year. Outcome: approved (voice vote). - Motion to approve the support-staff salary schedule for the 2025–26 school year. Outcome: approved (voice vote). - Motion to approve the administrator salary structure for the 2025–26 school year. Outcome: approved (voice vote); administrators’ model presented at 103.5% of the county median with a 2% minimum increase for individuals. - Motion to approve the curriculum coordinators’ salary structure for the 2025–26 school year. Outcome: approved (voice vote). - Motion to approve Weatherproofing Technologies, Inc., as the vendor for preventative maintenance for roofing and gutters at a cost of $55,505 per year. Outcome: approved (voice vote). The district said the work will be funded from the facilities budget and that expected preventative maintenance should offset reactive repair costs. - Motion to remove agenda item 6.04 (monthly financial report) from the consent agenda and table it to the next meeting. Outcome: approved (voice vote). - Motion to recess into executive session for the purpose of discussing personnel. Outcome: approved (roll call). The board recorded a roll call vote that included Miss Davis voting yes; the chair reported the board recessed into executive session.

What presenters said: Dr. Wiley Skinner, presenting on collective bargaining and employee groups, said the district and unions negotiated a limited set of reopeners and discussed the salary schedule in the context of a district budget deficit. Jacob Myers (district financial presenter) explained the salary-model methodology used in prior years (county median plus a percentage), and stated the adjustments that drove the final schedule and the estimated fiscal impact. On the maintenance contract, the district said Weatherproofing Technologies had completed earlier exterior work for the district and that a preventative maintenance approach would reduce reactive repair costs.

Next steps: staff will implement the approved contract provisions (effective dates as stated) and bring the previously removed monthly financial report back to the board at the next meeting. The board moved into executive session on personnel matters and did not take additional public action immediately afterward.