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Teachers press board with contract proposals; ESE staff seek hazard pay as student speakers urge board to protect Pizzo community
Summary
During the employee and student input portion May 5, HCTA outlined contract proposals to reduce workload, ESE staff urged hazard pay/supplements for high‑risk center roles, and Pizzo K–8 students and teachers asked the board to keep their community intact amid proposed moves.
Hillsborough's employee and student input segment May 5 included formal requests to improve working conditions for instructional staff and to provide additional compensation for some high‑risk positions.
Valerie Cheuchman, secretary‑treasurer of the Hillsborough Classroom Teachers Association, presented a summary of bargaining proposals compiled from members and contract action teams, saying the proposals represented extensive membership input and would reduce workload and improve retention if adopted. "These proposals make a huge difference in teacher retention, morale, and the quality of education for all students," Cheuchman told the board.
Specialized staff from ESE centers urged the board to prioritize safety and to consider hazard pay or supplements for center positions that manage high‑needs students, citing physical‑management responsibilities, individualized behavior plans and crisis protocols. "When staff are injured, burned out, or leave these positions, classrooms lose their consistency and trust that our students desperately need," an ESE specialist said.
Student and teacher speakers from Pizzo K–8 described a recent charter outreach at their car line and warned that dispersing the Pizzo community to other schools risks pushing families to charter operators. Pizzo teachers and students asked the board to consider alternatives that preserve the school community and its culture.
Board members acknowledged the proposals and requested that district bargaining teams and staff prioritize follow up in contract talks and in operational planning.
