The Gettysburg Area School District Board of Directors and its teachers’ union have a new contract. During a recent meeting, the board approved the agreement in a 7-1 vote. Michelle Smyers was absent and Cynthia Ayers dissented.
The four-year agreement gives teachers an average 3.9% salary increase in the first year of the contract, according to a news release from the Gettysburg Area Education Association. Teachers will receive an average 3.95% increase in the second year and an average 3.9% percent increase in years three and four. A new benefit gives educators who earned their doctorate additional compensation.
The teachers’ union agreed to remove athletics from the contract and contribute more to employees’ health insurance. Additionally, spouses who are eligible for insurance through their own employer can no longer join the district plan. Spouses who remain on the plan will face an increased surcharge.
Board President Kenny Hassinger acknowledged a lack of communication or a miscommunication on behalf of the board led to the contract’s delay. Hassinger said he does not think there was any intent of malfeasance from either party. Tim Seigman, Jeremy Davis, and Ryan Morris represented the board during negotiations, Hassinger said.
After District Solicitor Leigh Dalton of Stock and Leader confirmed he had no conflict despite his wife working for the district, Hassinger voted for the contract. Dalton said the contract benefits the teachers as a whole and not Hassinger’s wife specifically. Hassinger said he planned to abstain from the vote before receiving Dalton’s advice.
Board member Al Moyer expressed appreciation for the negotiating teams. “I realize sometimes this process is not a lot of fun, and it took a little longer to get to the point where we are tonight,” he said.
Education Association Co-Presidents Axa Jones and Charlene Norris wrote in a news release that the union was pleased to reach an agreement and looks forward to strengthening its relationship with the district.
“While ultimately our members are not pleased with some of the changes,” Jones and Norris said in the release, “they believed that it was time to move forward. We are happy to have a contract so that we can do just that.”
Alex J. Hayes has spent almost two decades in the Adams County news business. He is passionate about sharing stories focused on the people in our communities and following local governments in an age when few journalists report on their meetings. Alex is also a freelance writer for several other publications in South Central Pennsylvania. Alex encourages readers to contact him at ahayes83@gmail.com.