Schools

Royal Oak Teachers Aggreement Approved

The agreement reflects the continuing fiscal challenges of the district, according to Royal Oak Superintendent Shawn Lewis-Lakin.

The Royal Oak School Board approved a new teachers union aggreement for the district Wednesday, one that will run through the end of the 2014-2015 school year.

Royal Oak Superintendent Shawn Lewis-Lakin said negotiations between the district and the teachers union lasted nearly a year.

The contract includes capping employer contributions for health care costs and continues a wage scale freeze that has been in place since the 2009-2010 school year.

Find out what's happening in Royal Oakwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Additionally, the new contract includes calendars for the 2013-2014 and 2014-2015 school years, which will be made available to district families in May.  

“The agreement reflects the continuing fiscal challenges our district and indeed all public schools in Michigan are facing,” said Lewis-Lakin in a press release. “At the same time, the agreement and the completion of the protracted negotiations that led to it establish a context for focusing on student learning. I am grateful for the commitment of all persons who work in the district and I am confident that together we will continue to create a community of excellence for student learning in Royal Oak.”  

Find out what's happening in Royal Oakwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The district noted the action of a state legislative subcommittee threatening financial penalties to districts settling contracts prior to right to work legislation, which went into effect Thursday, is directed at settlements that extend contracts that have not expired or institute contracts that are longer in length than the agreements they replace.  

This settlement does neither of these things, according to the district press release. 


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