Riverside, Teachers Reach Agreement

After six months of dispute, the Riverside School District and its teachers have agreed to a new contract.

The proposed three-year contract, finalized Friday, must be ratified by the teachers union and approved by the school board.

Riverside Education Association president Steve Nicols said he will recommend approval. A school board vote is scheduled for March 18.

“It’s a good contract,” said Nicols. “It should have happened last August.”

The new contact is similar to the former, expired contract, said administrators and union officials. The contract includes a cost-of-living pay raise, which is set by the state Legislature.

Administrators also agreed to give elementary teachers blocks of preparation time, a key union demand.

“We’re hopeful we can now put our energies into other areas,” said assistant superintendent Terry Weinmann.

The Public School Employees union, which represents bus drivers, custodians and other nonteachers, remains without a contract.

The union and school administrators met with a mediator last week. The district has proposed contracting for bus services with a private company and to reducing the number of bus routes.

, DataTimes