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Highlands Today

School Support Union Talks Recess Until Fall

TEACHER CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS START TODAY

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By MARC VALERO | Highlands Today

Published: June 19, 2008

SEBRING — Contract talks between the Highlands County School District and the school support personnel union have recessed until September when negotiators will have more information on which to base their salary talks.

The state budget issues will be a little clearer in a few months, said Michel Bernier, chief negotiator for the support personnel union.

Also, after school starts in August, the district will know how many support workers they'll need based on student enrollment. The state funds school districts a certain amount per student. More students bring in more state monies to school districts.

"A lot of things really could change because this is an unusual year from the standpoint of the state cutting the actual funding to the district," Bernier said. "This is the first time funding got cut and so we are all just a little bit hesitant to move too quickly into this unknown territory.

"We all agree that it's probably in everybody's best interest to just step back for a little bit and then see how it kind of shakes out."

Teachers union contract talks begin today focusing on three issues: teacher evaluations, student discipline and teacher vacancies and transfers.

Teacher salaries will not be part of the negotiations because they were agreed upon last year with the approval of an 18-month salary schedule effective Dec. 1, 2007 through June 30, 2009.

Teachers Union President Stephen Picklesimer said the committee reviewing the teacher evaluation process suggested a slight change –– adding a rubric so teachers know how they received a particular rating.

So a teacher who receives a "needs improvement" in the area of student growth and achievement would know how that rating was determined by the evaluating administrator, he said.

Also, with the forthcoming opening of a new school along with a reduction in teaching positions, Picklesimer said it seemed appropriate to look at the hiring process in these instances.

Picklesimer is seeking a time frame for current employees to request a voluntary transfer prior to the position being advertised for out-of-county applicants.

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