Spring-Ford Signs 3-Year Pact With Teachers Union

Blogger's Note: The following is an edited version of the release provided by the Spring-Ford Area School District Monday night.

The Spring-Ford Board of School Directors voted 9-0 to approve the three-year contract between the Spring-Ford Area School District (SFASD) and the Spring-Ford Education Association (SFEA). 

Noteworthy items within the new contract including:

• A three-year agreement with a step freeze in the first year, professional staff will see step movement in the second and third years.
• An average increase of less than 3.34 percent a year over the next three years. This increase includes salary, health care benefits, and PSERS retirement benefits.
• The three-year Professional Agreement between the Spring-Ford Area School District and the Spring-Ford Education Association will cover the 2021-2022 through 2023-2024 school years.

“I would like to thank all those involved in the negotiation process, in particular, the lead negotiators and their committee for both the School Board and the SFEA," said Robert Rizzo, Spring-Ford assistant superintendent. "Thanks to their desire to work together, we’ve been able to reach an agreement during these difficult times. This helps us move forward as we continue to plan for upcoming years.”

Tom DiBello, longtime board member and lead negotiator shared the following statement: “During these extremely difficult times we were able to have important, respectful and meaningful negotiations with the SFEA. We have amazing teachers who have been going beyond the call of duty trying their best to provide the best education possible for our students." 

School Board President Colleen Zasowski said, “I am appreciative of the collaborative efforts of the SFEA negotiating team along with members of the SF administration and the board's personnel committee. The respectful and productive negotiations will continue to move our district forward and build the trust needed to continue to grow positive energy at Spring-Ford. Thank you to all of our incredible teachers who have gone above and beyond during the pandemic," she said. 

Zach Laurie, lead negotiator from the Spring-Ford Education Association (SFEA), said, “sometimes when districts and associations negotiate a contract, it can be a long, difficult, and damaging process that leaves both sides demoralized in the end. I am proud to say that Spring-Ford did not fall into that too-common pattern seen at many districts. Through open dialogue and a collaborative approach, we were able to work together to craft an agreement that is fair to all stakeholders in the Spring-Ford community." 

"SFEA looks forward to building upon this positive momentum with the school board to continue advancing our district and providing a top-tier educational experience for all Spring-Ford students and families,” Laurie said

“This school year has presented several challenges, but our members have continued to work incredibly hard to successfully support our students across multiple learning environments," said Jackie Ritter, Spring-Ford Education Association (SFEA) President . 

"We appreciate the board’s recognition of these efforts through their willingness to collaborate with us to come to this fair agreement. I am grateful for the partnership of the School Board Personnel Committee, the SFEA Negotiation Committee, and the Spring-Ford Administration to allow for a negotiation process conducted with the best interest of all Spring-Ford Area School District stakeholders in mind.”

Last night the school board also had an extensive discussion about plans for a senior prom.

You can read about that here, in Tweets from the meeting.