Warrant Articles 4 and 6 will be the topic of this week's blog. (Number 5 asks the voters to authorize the governing body to call a special meeting if Warrant Article 4 does not pass).
Warrant Article 4 concerns the Raymond Teachers’ Association contract. The teachers have made concessions in their contracts concerning insurance so as to eliminate the possibility of the school district paying an excise tax (also called the "Cadillac" tax) and have negotiated with the School Board for a two year contract. Everyone is concerned about how the new insurance laws will affect us and this seemed a necessary item. Teachers will receive one step and an increase of 3.2% for 2016-2017 and a step plus a 1.7% increase for 2017-2018 (for 2015-2016, the teachers received a step and a $100 raise). The total cost of the new contract is $242, 133 for 2016-2017 and $255,810 for 2017-2018.
At the same time that the average teacher salary in New Hampshire is $55, 986, the average teacher salary in Raymond is $47,660. Each year we lose teachers who move on from Raymond to other districts where they earn more money. The Board hopes that this contract will help Raymond become more competitive and help us keep the wonderful, dedicated teachers we have to continue the gains in instruction we have made over the years. Through grants, workshops, mentoring, and hard work, we have provided valuable instructional training for our teachers. Starting over with new teachers always has a higher cost: both monetary and in student learning.
Some of the other language changes for this Warrant Article include establishing Flexible Spending Accounts for teachers (and a $500 contribution to married couples when both are employed by the District); establishing schedules at the high school and middle school; having members liable for $1000 in damages if they resign after June 30; and changing the date for a teacher' final letter of resignation from December 1 to May 1.
Warrant Article 6 is the Capital Improvement Plan (CIP). Every year, money is put aside to provide for those larger items for which we should ‘save up’. Some of these items on this budget include an emergency access road for the high school, roof seams at the elementary school and cameras for the middle school . These are items that will maintain our buildings (some of Raymond’s largest assets) and improve both safety and instruction. The total in this plan is for $214,000.
Thank you for taking the time to read about the budget process and the warrant articles you will be seeing and hearing about. Our schools, staff and the education that happens every day, truly, rank high among Raymond’s most important assets. I look forward to answering any questions you might have. Please go to our web site for the PowerPoints and more information on all of the School District Warrant Articles at http://www.sau33.com/school_b.cfm?subpage=986002
Warrant Article 4 concerns the Raymond Teachers’ Association contract. The teachers have made concessions in their contracts concerning insurance so as to eliminate the possibility of the school district paying an excise tax (also called the "Cadillac" tax) and have negotiated with the School Board for a two year contract. Everyone is concerned about how the new insurance laws will affect us and this seemed a necessary item. Teachers will receive one step and an increase of 3.2% for 2016-2017 and a step plus a 1.7% increase for 2017-2018 (for 2015-2016, the teachers received a step and a $100 raise). The total cost of the new contract is $242, 133 for 2016-2017 and $255,810 for 2017-2018.
At the same time that the average teacher salary in New Hampshire is $55, 986, the average teacher salary in Raymond is $47,660. Each year we lose teachers who move on from Raymond to other districts where they earn more money. The Board hopes that this contract will help Raymond become more competitive and help us keep the wonderful, dedicated teachers we have to continue the gains in instruction we have made over the years. Through grants, workshops, mentoring, and hard work, we have provided valuable instructional training for our teachers. Starting over with new teachers always has a higher cost: both monetary and in student learning.
Some of the other language changes for this Warrant Article include establishing Flexible Spending Accounts for teachers (and a $500 contribution to married couples when both are employed by the District); establishing schedules at the high school and middle school; having members liable for $1000 in damages if they resign after June 30; and changing the date for a teacher' final letter of resignation from December 1 to May 1.
Warrant Article 6 is the Capital Improvement Plan (CIP). Every year, money is put aside to provide for those larger items for which we should ‘save up’. Some of these items on this budget include an emergency access road for the high school, roof seams at the elementary school and cameras for the middle school . These are items that will maintain our buildings (some of Raymond’s largest assets) and improve both safety and instruction. The total in this plan is for $214,000.
Thank you for taking the time to read about the budget process and the warrant articles you will be seeing and hearing about. Our schools, staff and the education that happens every day, truly, rank high among Raymond’s most important assets. I look forward to answering any questions you might have. Please go to our web site for the PowerPoints and more information on all of the School District Warrant Articles at http://www.sau33.com/school_b.cfm?subpage=986002
