KL Ed Board and Nurses Reach Contract Agreement

LEWISBORO, N.Y. – After nearly six years without a contract, the Katonah-Lewisboro Board of Education and the District Teachers’ Assocation – on behalf of the district’s nine nurses – have reached an agreement.

The new contract calls for wage increases for the nurses that average 2.91 percent per year beginning with the 2006-07 school year. (In 2011-12, a nurse at the top step of the salary schedule will make $56,608.) However, increases for employee contributions to healthcare premiums will largely offset the salary increase for the remaining two years of the agreement, resulting in only a nominal increase in total budget impact to the district of less than $10,000.

“The board appreciates the willingness of this group of employees to recognize the financial challenges that public agencies are operating under,” said Board of Education President Mark Lipton. “This is a good agreement, one that models the kind of responsiveness that is necessary to today’s economic conditions.”

The nurses formerly bargained under the auspices of the KL Support Staff Association. As a result, this contract is an amendment to an existing Katonah-Lewisboro District Teachers’ Asscoation (KLDTA) contract that runs through June 30, 2013. It replaces the contract the expired in June 2006.

“Our school nurses are now compensated more in line with regional norms for school nurses,” said Sandy Grebinar, president of the KLDTA. “But it also acknowledges the increasing cost of healthcare costs to the employer and, as a result, is more responsive to the needs of taxpayers.”

The nurses will receive retroactive pay for the 2006-07 through the 2010-11 school year in two lump sums in December 2011 and February 201). These monies have accrued and are being held in reserve by the district. There is no increase in cost to the district as a result of the payout.

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