Seaford Teachers Reach Deal with School Board

The Seaford School District announced late Tuesday that an agreement has been struck between the board of education and the the United Teachers of Seaford.

The Seaford Board of Education and the United Teachers of Seaford (UTS) have signed a memorandum of agreement for a one-year term, which provides for no increase in wages. The deal includes a 0 percent salary increase and a hard freeze in contractual step and lane movement for the 2013/2014 school year. The one-year deal also calls for maintaining the percentage contributed for health insurance and guarantees no layoffs to UTS members.

Terms of the deal were ratified by the UTS Tuesday at a special vote held in each school and will go before the board of education at their regular meeting scheduled for this Thursday at the Seaford Manor School. The agreement will allow the district to avoid cutting 8.8 full-time equivalent teaching positions under a previously announced budget plan that would reduce to an eight period day at Seaford Middle School next year. The memorandum of agreement and the continuation of a nine-period day in the middle school for 2013-2014 is contingent upon a passed budget on May 21.

“We are pleased that the UTS and the district could come to terms that would have otherwise had a negative impact on our students and teachers,” said Brian Fagan, president of the Seaford Board of Education. “The board extends its appreciation to the UTS President Matthew Fields, the UTS executive committee and its membership for working together for the benefit of the district.”