SCHOOL BOARD APPROVES TWO-YEAR TEACHERS CONTRACT, 5% RAISE

The Board of Education on Tuesday approved a new two-year contract with the teacher's union that includes a 5% raise over two years and a switch in parent conferences to allow for more night sessions.

Currently, each elementary school teacher has three days of parent conferences, two during the afternoon and one at night. Under the new contract, beginning next Spring, those will be changed to two nights and one afternoon.

The school board voted, 4-0, to approve the deal in a special meeting Tuesday night in which Board Member Johanna Wright abstained because her daughter is a district employee. Others in attendance included Board President Wayne Eastman and members Beth Daugherty, Donna Smith and Elizabeth Baker. 

Board members Jeffrey Bennett, Madhu Pai, Maureen Jones and Stephanie Lawson-Muhammad were absent, but since a quorum was present the vote was enough for approval.

Members of the South Orange Maplewood Education Association ratified the deal Monday night, but did not disclose the vote margin.