District 67 Board Approves New Teacher Contract

One down, one to go.

approved a new three-year teacher contract with the Lake Forest Education Association at its Tuesday night meeting.

Next is the teachers, who remain in negotiations. Those negotiations likely will become the property of new , who officially starts July 9. retires June 30.

The District 67 board's approval comes after district teachers endorsed the contract June 19. Lake Forest Education Association represents more than 200 teachers and teaching assistants.

The base increase on the teachers’ salary schedule is 1.1 percent for the 2012-13 school year, followed by 1.35 percent for both 2013-14 and 2014-15.

Overall, the two sides agreed to 21 items related to operational efficiency, professional development, minor working conditions, and legal/compliance issues. Additionally, the contract has been adjusted to align with the new state requirements for teacher evaluation.

John Julian, vice president of the board of education and a member of the negotiations team, believes the contract is "a win-win for all."

"It is fiscally responsible and keeps our teachers’ salaries and benefits competitive with other top performing school districts," Julian said. "The teachers should be credited with engaging in the negotiations with integrity, dedication and a willingness to listen to all points of view. We thank the teachers for their hard work and congratulate them in what we believe will be an excellent agreement for the next three years.”

Lake Forest Education Association co-Presidents Susan Christianson and Karen Dolin added in a statement, "The LFEA and the board teams worked collaboratively to reach an agreeable contract for both parties and the community. We are pleased that this was accomplished before the start of the 2012-2013 school year."

Next: a more in-depth story from Lake Forest-Lake Bluff Patch.

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