By DAVID DUPONT
BG Independent News
Bowling Green City Schools lost 25 teachers last year, and 20 of those who left said money was a factor in why they left.
A new teacher’s contract approved by the Board of Education Tuesday hopes to address that.
The focus of the increases is on new teachers. Superintendent Francis Scruci said under the new contract a new teacher with a bachelor’s degree and no experience will now get $40,000. That’s up from $36,183. A new teacher with a master’s will get $43,000, up from about $40,000.
These front loaded raises put Bowling Green’s pay more in line with other neighboring districts, Scruci said, though not at the top.
In the first year of the contract, the district will spend 4.91 percent more on salaries. The compressed schedule loads much of that increase into the bottom. In the second and third years of the contract, the increase to the base will be 0.5 percent. Treasurer Cathy Schuller said while more expensive in the first year, this new schedule will be more sustainable over the long run.
Scruci said turnover is costly to the district since it invests in training new teachers, who then depart after a couple years depart for higher paying jobs. When they walk out the door, they take the value of that training and first years of experience with them.
The board also approved a three-year contract for classified staff that calls for a 2-percent raise in the first year and 2.5 percent rises in the subsequent years.
The two contracts were negotiated in a matter of days, Scruci said, a sign of the good working relationship between the unions and the district.
In other business, Tuesday, the board:
- Accepted the resignation of Ann McCarty, the executive director of teaching and learning effective Aug. 1.
- Accepted the resignation of long-time boys bowling coach William Wammes, and approved the appointment of James Beaverson to coach the boys and girls teams.
- Recognized seventh grader Lydia Mullins for winning the billboard contest sponsored by the Wood County Solid Waste Management District.
- Recognized the achievements of more than 120 high school students who excelled in Model UN, DECA, Future Farmers of America, theater, band, choir, and orchestra.
