Madison Messenger - December 20th, 2020

PAGE 2 - MADISON MESSENGER - December 20, 2020
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WJ Schools ratifies teachers’ union contract
By Linda Dillman
Staff Writer
Jefferson Local Schools ratified a one-year contract on Dec. 14
with its teachers’ union with no increase in the base pay index, but
a jump in health insurance costs and a change in the weekly schedule
at Norwood Elementary.
The former one-year agreement expired in July. Superintendent
William Mullett said the contract was limited to a one-year agreement
primarily for financial reasons and the continued uncertainty
surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic.
Both sides met for the first time in-person approximately two
weeks ago.
“There’s really not much change,” Mullett said. “Teachers got a
step increase, but the base increase was zero. However, they will
get the benefit of a bump in pay if they have a step increase (based
on years in service, increases in professional academic level).”
According to Mullett, the district has not had an increase in
health care premiums for 10 years and the board was paying 93
percent of the monthly cost for the insurance.
With board approval, the cost for a family plan jumps from $140
a month to $210. The cost for a single plan goes from $70 to $100.
“That’s untenable long-term,” said Mullett, who said while the
increases are necessary, they are not going to fix the problem
Each Home Instead Senior Care ® franchise office is independently
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overnight. “The issue with health care is that it’s gone
crazy.
“This was a start. We hope to be able to get to the
point where the board pays 80 percent and teachers pay
20 percent. That’s pretty much the standard with school
districts.”
Another part of the new contract includes once-aweek
early release at Norwood on Wednesdays after
lunch, starting in January.
Norwood is on an all-day in-school model because of
the ability to socially distance classrooms. However, due
to quarantines and isolations, more children are forced
to engage in remote learning, resulting in more demand
LAW
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ment with wish lists that included not just toys, but also
practical items such as clothing.
“Our Shop with a Cop started close to eight or nine
years ago. One of the officers saw it as a community outreach
being done in other areas. So, we decided to start
it here,” said Glenn Nicol, London police chief. “We’ve
kept it going, and it grows stronger every year.”
In the past, the department has solicited donations
of merchandise and services from area businesses to
auction off to fund the Shop with a Cop program. This
year, they went a different direction.
“We did not feel it was appropriate to hit up the
small businesses this year,” Nicol said. “Instead, we received
(monetary) donations from various individuals
and businesses, and the officers themselves donated
over $1,000.”
The Madison County Sheriff’s Association delivered
gifts to 15 children in the Madison-Plains School District
on Dec. 19.
“We talked to the kids’ guardians and got to know
the kids that way because, of course, due to COVID, we
on teachers.
“When we began all-day, we selected one teacher for
remote learning,” reported Mullett, “but more and more
kids have to be isolated. Most of our teachers are now
doing both in-class and remote, and that’s a lot more
work for our elementary teachers.
“We’re making the change to early release one day a
week to help those teachers. Nothing changes at the
high school and middle school, though.”
Mullett said he will make a formal announcement
after the Christmas holiday about the early release
schedule at Norwood Elementary and what school will
look like when students return on Jan. 5.
couldn’t take the kids shopping with us,” said Dep.
Roberta Roberts. “We asked about their needs and their
wants. Their needs—like clothes, hats, and gloves—were
our first priority. It was touching that a lot of their
wants were things for their siblings.”
Roberts and 11 other members of the department
and their families went shopping at the London Walmart
on Dec. 10.
“I gave each deputy a picture of the child they were
buying for and their age, grade, favorite color, likes and
what they collect,” Roberts said.
Tom Coughlin of Coughlin Automotive covered the
cost of the gifts.
“He paid for everything. I wasn’t expecting that. I
had a little budget in mind, and he doubled it. He really
wanted these kids to have stuff,” Roberts said.
Shoe Sensation stepped up to the plate, too, with a
big discount. As a result, each child is receiving a pair
of tennis shoes and a pair of winter boots plus socks.
The Madison County Sheriff Deputies Association donated
money for gift wrap, gift bags and name tags.
“Having everything done local made it more personal,”
Roberts said.
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