Board ratifies tentative teachers' agreement with raises, alters 2026–27 calendar and names Five Hawks principal

The Prior Lake-Savage Area Schools Board of Education unanimously approved a tentative agreement with the Prior Lake Secondary Education Association (PLSEA) on March 23, ratifying multi-year compensation adjustments and a one-year memorandum of agreement (MOA) that changes the 2026–27 calendar.

Director Cothern summarized highlights: for the 2025–26 school year the contract provides step-and-lane movement plus salary enhancements of $300 for steps 1–14 and creates a new step 16 at $700; for 2026–27 steps 1–15 would see $1,500 increases and step 16 would increase by $2,500. Schedules C and D would receive 5% increases in both 2025–26 and 2026–27. Using the MSBA costing model, the total percentage increase for the package equated to 5.15 percent.

The agreement includes a one-year MOA that adjusts the 2026–27 calendar: converting October 14 (MEA Wednesday) to a non-work/non-student day, making January 4 a student-contact day, shifting the spring-break schedule so third quarter ends March 31, 2027, and designating the first inclement-weather day as an e-learning day. The MOA results in a net reduction of one student-contact day and a reduction of teacher contract days from 185 to 183 for 2026–27; administrators said the change still meets approximately the statutory minimum of 165 student-contact days.

Board members thanked negotiation teams and expressed support for the agreement; the board approved the tentative agreement 7-0. The board also approved administration’s recommendation to hire Lisa Manders as principal of Five Hawks Elementary effective July 1, 2026, to succeed the retiring Katie Sherman, and approved funding for a 0.9375 FTE elementary building substitute teacher at Edgewood (funded from the community services fund).