One Year Contract Needs Lake Forest High School Teachers' Approval

The Lake Forest Education Association (LFEA), representing Lake Forest High School teachers, and the District 115 Board of Education will likely be back at the bargaining table within the next few months if a one-year tentative agreement between the two sides is signed.

After months of negotiations dating back to April, the Board of Education announced Friday that a tentative agreement had been reached. The teachers have been working without a contract since June 30.

The agreement came after two marathon sessions last week following a notice of strike letter filed by the LFEA.

The one-year agreement calls for a freeze in teacher salaries, and no change in health or retirement benefits.

“We were hoping to get a two-year contract,” said Chuck Gress, LFEA's media liaison. “This will give us some breathing room to proceed from here and negotiate next year’s contract.”

Gress said there is contract language that needs to be worked out at a subcommittee level comprised of members from both sides. He indicated that the work needs to be done within 10 days of the tentative agreement. Once that is accomplished, the contract will be voted on by the teachers.

District 115 Board of Education president Sharon Golan was hesitant to comment, noting the contract is with the LFEA and they are waiting for them to bring it back to the board.

Golan did say that if the one-year agreement is signed by the teachers, negotiations for the next contract would begin by late winter, early spring.

Gress said the LFEA is already taking the necessary steps to be ready to return to the bargaining table.

“We want to get it done by the end of the school year,” Gress said.

Visit our complete coverage of the Lake Forest High School teacher negotiations.