Rockport committee moves to approve ratified support-staff contract

The Rockport School Committee voted to accept a tentative contract that the Rockport Educational Support Staff Association (RESSA) ratified, administration told the committee.

Administration said the agreement includes a financial package, language updates and three updated evaluation forms for paraprofessionals, custodial/maintenance staff and administrative assistants and clerks. Officials emphasized the contract contains a salary-grid adjustment that raises the floor for unit members so that, minimally next year, members will receive what the administration called a living-wage adjustment to $28 per hour.

Committee members and negotiators praised the process as collaborative. Administration thanked Chair Kathy Riley and Assistant Chair Nicole Altier for their role on the committee’s negotiating team and acknowledged RESSA co-chairs and members for their participation. No amendments to the terms were offered at the meeting.

The committee moved and seconded approval of the contract as tentatively agreed; the chair called the vote and reported unanimous support. The administration said the contract documents and the updated evaluation forms will be attached to meeting materials and published for public record.

The approval finalizes a bargaining cycle the administration described as broadly collaborative and resets the district’s wage floor for the covered support staff unit; implementation details and effective dates were not specified at the meeting and will be reflected when the signed contract is posted.