It’s time again, and during the holidays there is often a high demand for blood.  On Thursday, January 6th from 3:30 to 8:00 pm, there will be a Red Cross Blood Drive at the Pittsfield Elementary School on Bow Street, sponsored by the PTO.  To avoid wait time you may call 1-800-Red-Cross (1-800-733-2767) for an appointment.  However, walk-ins are welcome.

While you help save lives by giving blood, Dunkin’ Donuts is offering “Give a pint - Get a pound”.  Child care is provided for your convenience.

Northwood School Board Press Release

Recent negotiations between the Northwood Teachers Association and the Northwood School Board left frustrated negotiators unable to reach an  agreement on a renewed contract.  The resulting impasse means that both sides must now submit to a non-binding arbitration process, which is sure to extend what was hoped by the Board to be a mutual agreement that would recognize the hard work of the staff while also considering the economic climate of the town.

The impasse was largely a result of disagreement over compensation and health benefits.  Multiple secondary issues were proposed by both sides but there was little common ground.

The Board proposed a $1,000 per teacher salary increase along with other considerations to compensate the teachers for a proposed restructured school day that would have resulted in 15 minutes more instruction time per day.  In an attempt to control the ever-rising costs of health and dental, the Board also asked the teachers to pay an additional 5% of their  insurance premiums.

The Association countered with their proposal of a $7,000 per teacher salary increase in the first year followed by a 3% increase in each of the next two years.

In addition to the proposed salary increase, the Association proposed the following items which were not amenable to the Board:
1. Fair share – a provision whereby all teachers would be compelled to pay a portion of Association dues even if they wished not to be a member of the bargaining unit.

2. Work year – would reduce the teachers’ work days from 187 to 185.

3. No duties – a provision that would require the school to hire additional staff to supervise such school day activities as: recess, lunch, bus loading and unloading, to provide teachers more time in the day for professional duties.

4. Non-renewal advance notification – would require administration, by December 1st, to notify teachers who are in danger of having their contract non-renewed.  Currently teachers who are not renewed are notified by April 15th.

5. Personal days – increases number of available days from three to five.

6. Longevity payment recalculation – this proposal would entitle every teacher upon completion of 10 years of service to receive $150 times the number of years of service ($1,500 after 10 years, $1,650 after eleven, $1,800 after twelve and so on).  Current contract language entitles teachers to receive $800 after 10 years and then $800 plus $150 per year of service counting only those years in excess of 10 ($800 after 10, $950 after eleven, $1,100 after 12 and so on).

7. Sick leave buy back – a new provision to allow a teacher to “sell” back to the District each year up to 10 days of accumulated sick days at a rate of $90/day.  This would apply only to teachers who have accrued at least 50 days of sick leave.

 
8. Sick leave buy back (retirement) – would obligate the district to buy back up to 75 days of accumulated sick leave.  Current obligation stands at 55.

9. Death of a teacher – this provision would require payment to the heirs all monies due to him or her including accrued sick leave. 

10. Domestic partner benefits – proposal to require District to add to its health/dental  insurance policy a rider that would permit employees to place a domestic partner on their health plan

11. Retiree medical insurance – would permit retirees access to the District’s health and dental plans and require the district to pay 65% of a single or two-person plan.  Such arrangement would be in effect until Medicare becomes available to that retiree.

The District made the following proposals, all of which were rejected by the Association in favor of keeping the current contract language:
1. Work day – provision would have increased daily instruction time by 15 minutes.

2. Evaluations – would allow observations and evaluations to be made by either the Director of Special Education or the Assistant in the case of Special Education teachers.  Current provision is for Principal, Asst. Principal, Superintendent, or Asst. Superintendent to conduct all evaluations.

3. Complaints – provision would have removed a teacher’s right to meet with a student in order to rebut a complaint made by the student.  The teacher’s right to meet with any other complainant for rebuttal is still protected.

4. Transfers – to remove requirement for teacher who is being transferred to meet with the Principal AND the Superintendent and make it necessary to meet only with the Principal.

5. Leave increments – proposal would limit the use of leave days (sick, personal, emergency, professional days) to one-half day increments.  Current practice is not contractually defined.

6. Sick leave bank –removes the obligation of the District to match voluntary employee contribution of sick days to a “bank” that assists participating employees who may have exhausted their personally accrued sick leave days.

7. Insurance Buy-back – proposal would offer employees who opt out of the District’s health insurance coverage to receive $2,000.  The Board hoped to entice more employees to opt out by raising this from $1,500 to $5,000 last year.  This proposal would roll back that offer.

Additional proposals rejected by the Teachers include:
1. Compensation - $1,000/teacher increase would raise the value in each “cell” of the salary chart. 

2. AYP Bonus – A $500/teacher bonus for achievement of “Adequate Yearly Progress”

Accepted by both sides were the following:
1. Evening meetings – The District proposed reducing each teacher’s obligations to attend only 2 instead of current obligation of 5.

2. Workshops – The District proposed an increase in the amount paid by the District per employee to the pool of money used for professional workshops from $300 to $400.

3. Spiking – This District proposal tightens current contract language to protect the District from so-called efforts by public employees elsewhere to spike “retirement income.”

4. Liability cap – The District proposed removing a one-time provision for capping its liability in the event of a large increase in health insurance premiums.

5. Staff children – The Association proposed permitting non-resident staff members to enroll their children at Northwood Elementary school on an as-available basis.

The next phase requires the enlistment of an arbitrator.  Fact-finding efforts will begin early in the new year.

Contact Board Chair, Colleen Pingree by email at  [email protected] or by phone at 603-942-5249 with questions.

Star Search Northwood 2011

Calling all vocalists! The second annual Star Search Northwood will be held at Chadbourn’s Restaurant one Saturday night a month concluding with a showdown final match of monthly winners on April 9th.  All singers of any age are encouraged to participate in the contest. There are no entry fees and the top winner will receive a one week stay at a timeshare in Florida.

The first monthly star search will be held on January 8, to be followed by February 19 and March 12. Starting time is 6 pm. A panel of judges will make the final decision. Reservations are required for all contestants; please call the restaurant at 942-5992. Reservations are recommended for those who plan to be in the audience as seating may be limited.

Northwood Budget Hearings

Happy New Year! With the holidays behind us, it is time to turn our attention to the upcoming budget public hearings. The Town Budget Public Hearing is scheduled for 9:00 AM. Saturday, January 8th. The School Budget Public Hearing will take place at 9:00 AM. on Saturday, January 15th. Both meetings will be held at the Northwood Town Hall.

Please consider attending both important public hearings. These meetings are the best opportunity you will have, as a taxpayer, to have a voice as to how your hard earned money is spent. Please help us craft the 2011 Town and School operating budgets, by attending this Saturday! Thank you.

Bob Holden

Letter To The Editor

I read to my dismay of Rep. Tony Soltani’s (and cosponsors) effort to restore the Suncook River to its prior course at an estimated cost of $2.85 million. THIS is the ‘fiscal responsibility’ touted by the GOP?! Sounds to me like a bailout for some property owners who lost their riverfront property due to natural forces. At the next 100 year storm (now 2 in the last 10 years), when Mother Nature returns the Suncook to its new course, that $2.85M will be washed away. As suggested, how about cutting this project and Rep. Soltani could say that he retired his portion of the deficit.

Bob Strobel
Northwood