Teachers urge higher pay as bargaining talks continue, citing district reserves

At the start of the meeting two public commenters addressed the board during the closed-session public-comment period, urging stronger bargaining outcomes for certificated staff.

Janice Bonisi, speaking as a member of the Lemon Grove Teachers Association and a Mount Vernon resident, told trustees the bargaining team's offer remained "basically still less than the cost of living" and warned that many teachers are supplementing income with second jobs. "We have more than 20% of reserves when we're only required to have three," she said, urging the board to prioritize staff pay rather than administrative increases.

Danielle Prell, a teacher in the district, praised a newly negotiated 50 minutes of self-directed prep time for TK–6 but said the district salary schedule is skewed: "It takes 30 years to reach the max in our salary scale. It takes administrators six years with less educational requirements," she said, adding that some colleagues are considering leaving the profession. Both commenters asked the board to shift budget priorities to retain teachers.

The remarks were provided as public comment only; the board did not take immediate bargaining action during the meeting. Trustees acknowledged the speakers and proceeded to closed session and subsequent agenda items.