Circle School Board approves one-year teachers'union agreement with 4% base increase

The Circle School District Board voted to approve a one-year agreement with the teachers'union that gives a 4% increase to base pay and a 3% longevity supplement for tenured teachers, the board said during its regular meeting.

Chair said the board and union were unable to reach a two-year deal and therefore "we're gonna go with a 1 year term," and characterized the decision as cautious given fiscal uncertainty. The board did not provide a multi-year guarantee at the meeting.

Board discussion described returning to the district's previous salary schedule and embedding longevity in the longevity section of contracts. The board set a 15-year cap for credited prior experience when teachers enter the district, saying a maximum of 15 years of experience will be credited toward placement in the salary schedule.

The agreement also includes small contract adjustments: a $100 health-insurance concession for employees enrolled in a higher-deductible plan, an extracurricular allocation of about $35,000 based on the schedule used previously, and changes to some advising stipends including an increase in the honor-society adviser rate from 1% to 2% and a new assistant cross-country stipend.

A majority voice vote approved the agreement; the board did not call a roll'call vote in the transcript. Chair said the board will revisit longer-term scheduling and wage decisions as the district assesses budget impacts.

The board ended discussion by thanking negotiators and staff for the work on the proposal; no implementation timeline beyond the current school year was specified.