Credit: Tom Sofield/LevittownNow.com
The Pennsbury School District and the union that represents support staff reached a new contract.
The school board voted at their Thursday evening meeting to ratify the new contract between the district and the Pennsbury Educational Support Professionals Association (PESPA). The new contract lasts for five years and begins on July 1, 2022.
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The deal features a 1.85 percent salary increase yearly and moves the staff to the Delaware Valley Health Trust, which will include increased employee health contributions, according to the district.
“As support professionals, we are essential to student success in the Pennsbury School District,” said Marla Lipkin, president of PESPA. “As an Association, we believe this agreement reflects the district’s understanding of this fact while providing what PESPA members need to support the education of all Pennsbury students. This agreement is a fair resolution for both the district and our members. On behalf of PESPA, I am proud of how our negotiation team and administration worked collaboratively to reach an agreement that puts our students first.”
“We believe this to be a fair deal for both sides,” School Board President Christine Toy-Dragoni said in a statement. “We worked together to come up with an agreement that was fair to the staff while remaining fiscally responsible to our stakeholders. Our support staff is an integral part of district operations, and on behalf of the board, I want to thank them for their dedication to our students.
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There are more than 670 support staff in the district. They perform vital jobs like driving buses, cleaning facilities, performing maintenance work, paraprofessional duties, secretarial work, and other roles.
The current contact expires on June 30, 2022.
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The last contract was approved in 2017 and agreed that the district would not subcontract out union members’ work.
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