News from
Sheridan School District No. 2
Contact: Mark
Stevens
[email protected]
303-495-8699
(mobile) • 720-328-5488 (office)
News
Release
May 18, 2018
Collaboration Yields Salary Increase, Agreement to Use Revised
RANDA System for Performance Evaluation and Study of ‘Community Schools’
Concept
Collaboration
teams representing Sheridan School District 2 and the Sheridan Educators
Association (SEA) last night reached agreement on terms for the 2018-2019
school year that include a salary increase for all employees.
The tentative
agreement also calls for Professional Council (representing administrators,
licensed professionals, and staff) to study whether the ‘Community Schools’
concept might be a good fit for Sheridan schools. It also calls for use of the
state’s revised RANDA online teacher evaluation system while other options are
explored.
The tentative
agreement must be approved by the Sheridan Board of Education and the
membership of the SEA.
The salary
agreement adds $2,000 to each of the cells on salary schedule and includes all
steps and lanes that reward years of service and completing or progress toward
advanced degrees. The increases yield a new starting salary in Sheridan
of $38,529. Depending on their current placement on the salary schedule, a
teacher may see anywhere from a 3 percent to 7 percent increase in pay.
In addition, the
district and staff will split the 15 percent hike in health insurance premiums.
The district will cover half of that increase (worth an additional $432 per
employee) and individual employees will be responsible for the other half.
Dental insurance rates did not increase.
“In Sheridan we
enjoy a close working relationship with our hard-working teachers and we thank
the Sheridan Educators Association for another year of thoughtful discussions,”
said the district’s representative, Pat Sandos. Sandos is also the
incoming superintendent, scheduled to start on July 1.
“This tentative
agreement will help Sheridan teachers keep up with salaries in neighboring
districts and will help Sheridan in its effort to compete when it comes to
hiring. We appreciate Mr. Sandos and the leadership team working
collaboratively with us to find a great resolution,” said SEA president Peter
Morris.
Classified staff
will receive step increases (years of service) plus a $.50 per hour increase in
pay.
Teacher
Evaluation
The agreement
calls for a new joint Evaluation Committee, made up of district administrators
and teachers to review the revised RANDA system and explore other evaluation
options as possible replacement for RANDA.
The Evaluation
Committee will report its progress at least three times to Professional
Council during the 2018-2019 school year and submit a final report no
later than April 1, 2019. The report could recommend to continue use
of the revised RANDA system in 2019-2020 or to adopt another system. If
another, new system is adopted for 2019-2020, the first year would be consider
a "hold harmless" year for all teachers and licensed personnel.
Community
Schools
The agreement
also calls for Professional Council to enter into discussions regarding the
Community School concept and models. The purpose of this study is to
determine whether or not Community Schools would be beneficial to the students,
parents, community and school district. The study may consider such benefits as
increasing parent and community engagement, increasing student achievement, and
increasing enrollment. The study will also consider cost, facility use,
and sustainability.
The Community
Schools concept calls for schools to become the anchors in the community for
educators, students, parents and community members to work together to create
high-quality schools that are connected to and serve the surrounding
neighborhoods.
About
Sheridan School District 2
Located southwest
of Denver, Sheridan School District 2 seeks high-level post-secondary options
for all students through continuous improvement of quality instruction. More: www.ssd2.org
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