Quaker Valley School District negotiating new contract with teachers

Quaker Valley School District officials and teachers are negotiating a new contract.

Their prior four-year deal expired June 30. The 165-member Quaker Valley Education Association has been negotiating with the district for a new contract.

Details of those negotiations were not immediately available.

“While we understand the public’s interest in these negotiations, we also recognize the importance of respecting the confidential nature of the discussions,” Superintendent Tammy Andreyko said in a statement. “However, we want to assure the community that the school board and administration have been steadfast in their efforts to meet and collaborate with the Quaker Valley Education Association to find common ground.”

Meetings between the entities started last winter, she said. The groups have met “on numerous occasions” and are continuing to meet “to work toward a fair agreement,” Andreyko said.

“During these meetings, we have been engaged in meaningful discourse on critical elements such as salary, benefits and working conditions,” she said.

Jeff Sebastian, union president and chief negotiator, previously told TribLive that sticking points included wages, health care contributions, work time and “a handful of language items relating to working conditions.”

He told TribLive last month that the union was not considering a strike, but it would only need to give the district 48-hour notice if its members decide to walk off the job.

“Negotiating a contract is a delicate balance between the requests of our educators and the short- and long-term financial commitments that a responsible school board must consider,” said Jon Kuzma, the school board’s president. “Each side has come to the table with topics and desired outcomes. We sort through each of them one by one.”

Kuzma said the board is “committed to reaching an agreement that is fair and just for all parties involved.”

“The teachers are an invaluable asset to the culture of the Quaker Valley School District,” he said in a statement. “Their dedication and contributions shape the educational experience for our students.”

The next bargaining session is scheduled for Wednesday, said Michelle Dietz, a spokesperson for the district.