D86 teachers contract extended one year
Teachers in Hinsdale High School District 86 now have a contract through June 30, 2023.
The current contract was set to expire June 30, 2022. The extension was ratified by Hinsdale High School Teachers Association members the week of Jan. 3 and approved by the school board Jan. 13.
The board, administrators and teachers union representatives have had a positive dialogue about the future of the contract, according to a joint statement released last week.
"While that dialogue has reinforced our commitment to working toward and achieving a long-term deal, it also galvanized our shared belief that helping our students, staff, schools and community successfully navigate the pandemic must remain our top priority at this time," it states.
"With this goal in mind, we have agreed to a one-year extension of the current teacher contract, which will now run through the 2022-23 school year. By extending the contract, we can reward the hard work and dedication of our educators, provide additional time and opportunity to collaborate on a new agreement and, most importantly, keep our energy and attention fully focused on meeting the needs of our students."
The base salary for teachers will increase 1.4 percent for the 2022-23 school year, in accordance with the consumer price index, according to the memorandum of understanding between the two groups.
The starting salary for 2022-23 for a teacher with a bachelor's degree and no experience is $57,632. The highest salary, for a teacher with a master's degree and 60 hours of education, will be $141,166.
Other pay rates, such as extra-curricular stipends, summer curriculum work and internal subbing, also will increase by 1.4 percent.
Efforts on the part of the teachers union, board and administration were tireless, according to the release.
"We want to thank the community for its unwavering support of our schools, especially in the face of so much adversity the past couple of years," the release states. "We also want to thank our students for the tremendous joy and sense of purpose they instill in us. We look forward to continuing the important work we do with them on a daily basis to help them down the path toward their ideal future."
The current two-year contract was approved in January 2021, after the previous contract had expired, due to delays caused by COVID-19.