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Support staff contract puts end to year of talks, cafeteria controversy |
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Saturday, 10 January 2009 |
 Johnsonburg Elementary/Middle School Principal Dennis Crotzer displays a “Gold Achievement Award” plaque for his school’s contributions toward the Walk to Cure Diabetes. By Heidi Zemach The Johnsonburg Education Support Professionals Association and the Pennsylvania State Education Association, their union, ratified a new three-year contract agreement with the Johnsonburg Area School District late Thursday afternoon. Later that evening, the Johnsonburg Board of Education voted unanimously to support the agreement, following an executive session that lasted more than an hour.
The 32 workers, (about 17 full-time) that constitute the district’s support staff, include secretaries, cafeteria workers, teachers- aids, maintenance workers and more. They have been operating under the terms of their old contract which expired in June. Negotiations have been ongoing, since January of 2008.
“We’re happy that there’s a contract. It’s always beneficial for both sides when there’s labor management rest, and we have that for a couple of years so that’s good,” said PSEA union representative Terra Begolly.
While she said the union is not allowed to disclose the terms of the agreement, Begolly did confirm that part of the agreement was that the district could not consider outsourcing cafeteria workers for the entire term of the contract.
“And we’re very pleased with that,” Begolly added.
Eleven cafeteria workers, seven full-time, and four part-time, have been concerned that their jobs were at stake after the school district decided to look into the option of out-sourcing the cafeteria services to a private outside contractor. Some 1,100 Johnsonburg and Wilcox residents had signed a petition in support of keeping the cafeteria’s operations in local hands. Varying numbers of cafeteria workers, parents, and others have attended the monthly board meetings since last May to show their support for the cafeteria workers. School district officials had argued that the cafeteria has been losing money; that outsourcing could save the district $30,000-$35,000, and that private companies are professionals when it comes to nutrition and food handling processes. Beyond that, not much had been said to the press or the public about their thinking other than that the matter was being handled in closed-door negotiations.
Mark Jacobs, the board of education solicitor, said public sentiment didn’t influence the negotiations as district negotiators felt that much of the public perception of the issue was based on a lack of information, and at times, misinformation. Superintendent Walter Fitch was not available Friday to release details of the terms of the new agreement. But Jacobs said that the contract ratified Thursday included 30-40 cent per hour salary increases, depending upon ones job, and a change in the insurance policy.
In other board of education news: because of all of all the bad winter weather so far, there is only one official snow day left in the school year, according to Superintendent Walter Fitch. The January 7 snow day will need to be made up by students going to school on March 20. As of Jan 9, there have been five 2-hour delays and two cancellations at the Johnsonburg schools.
Johnsonburg’s 5th grade students received a combined score of 98 percent on their first PSSA Test in Science, which they took last year in fourth grade, said Johnsonburg Elementary School Principal, Dennis Crotzer. The state average score was 81 percent. Crotzer said he is extremely proud of all the hard work that students and their teachers had put into preparing for the upcoming test, Crotzer said. Karen Kline and Carol Wallis were their teachers. Jan 21 marks the end of the second quarter for elementary/middle school students. Report Cards go home Jan 27. The “Four Sight” test for grades 3-6 take place Jan. 27 and 28. February 6 is an in-service day. The PSSA writing test takes place for fifth graders February 9. The PSSA reading and math tests for Grades 3-6 take place in March.
Crotzer also accepted a plaque on behalf of students and staff contributions toward the Walk to Cure Diabetes in May. They raised a combined $5,000 with coin drives, selling little shoes in local businesses, and fundraising jeans days for the staff. The whole school also walked around the school twice, and danced during the America's Children Exercise Simultaneously, (ACES) day.
Johnsonburg High School Principal Kurt Pyle says the annual winter formal, also known as the “Snowball Dance” will be run by the cheerleaders this year. The guidelines for who may attend are the same as in previous years. Meanwhile, Pyle has begun searching for volunteers to work at the Post Prom event. Anyone who steps forward to offer their help will be greatly appreciated, he said.
Pyle is asking the Boys and Girls basketball and wrestling coaches to suggest the five dates that they’d most like to see their games broadcast on local cable Channel 2 in the future. A boys basketball game against Kane was recently broadcast live via local cable Channel 2, as was the JAHS homecoming pep rally. Pyle said the broadcasts garnered positive responses from parents and grandparents who weren’t able to attend. Because of the idea’s popularity, he would like to have even more games broadcast.
Special Education Department head Becky Kreckel is planning an event at the high school Jan. 27, where parents and students from Johnsonburg, St. Marys, and Cameron County can meet with representatives of local agencies that provide services for people with learning disabilities and with health issues following graduation. The event will include door prizes and sweet snacks to encourage participation, she said. |
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Last Updated ( Thursday, 30 July 2009 )
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