Teacher says district pays new hires more than long-serving staff, asks board to fix salary placement

Julie Bernier, a teacher who said she both lives and teaches in the district, told the Washington Elementary School District Governing Board on March 27 that new hires are receiving credited experience and starting salaries that exceed those of current staff with comparable qualifications.

Bernier said she joined the district in 2020 with 11 years of prior experience and now has 16 years total. She said the district now credits up to 10 years of experience for new hires and that a teacher in her salary tier with 10 credited years would make $5,787 more than she does under the current schedule. She said a 2% salary increase for next year would still leave her about $4,613 behind a new hire with identical qualifications.

Bernier urged the board to provide clarity about which salary schedule governs and to change the practice of using retention stipends to bridge pay gaps. She said the only solution presented to her so far was to leave the district and return later, which she said is not in students’ interests. The board asked district staff — Dr. Stewart or his team — to follow up with Bernier. The transcript records no vote or personnel action on March 27 related to the salary-placement concerns.