The Edgerton School District might not have to lay off any teachers in 2009-10 after receiving money from the federal stimulus plan.
The district had planned to eliminate 14 positions next year, three through layoffs and 11 by not filling vacant positions, Superintendent Norm Fjelstad said.
But money from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act will allow the district to hire back the three teachers who received layoff notices, Fjelstad said.
The money even will allow the district to hire a new teacher. Brad Comptom, a special education teacher, will become the new high school transition coordinator, resulting in an opening at the middle school, Fjelstad said.
EDGERTON — Children could learn a lot from the way Edgerton teachers and administrators settle their disagreements.
Come to think of it, so could adults.
The Edgerton School Board approved a 2009-11 teacher contract Monday that includes a 4.2 percent increase per year in salary and benefits. The teachers approved the contract earlier in the day with 96 percent in favor.
The contract takes effect July 1.
The approval makes Edgerton the 13th district out of 426 in the state with a settled 2009-11 contract, said Christina Brey, spokeswoman for the Wisconsin Education Association Council.
Just because Edgerton reached an agreement quickly doesn't mean there was no controversy, said David Calkins, lead negotiator for the teachers union.
"We can have some pretty strong disagreements, (but) it never descends into a deadlock or acrimony," he said. "We tend to keep our contentions at the table."
For example, teachers and the district have debated raises for continuing education for the past four years, Calkins said. Teachers wanted to receive credit for a national professional development program that requires new teachers to be certified as professional educators within five years.
Teachers will receive education credit for the program in the new contract.
Edgerton traditionally approves its teacher contracts before the previous contract expires, a rarity among Wisconsin districts. It approved its 2007-09 contract in June 2007.
Janesville approved its 2007-09 contract in April 2008. Milton approved its contract in September 2008, more than a year after the previous contract expired.
Under the new contract, teachers will receive average salary increases of 3.62 percent, including an across-the-board increase and increases for experience with the district. They will receive a 0.58 percent increase in benefits.
The second-year salary increase will depend on health care costs in the coming year.
Despite the recession, the district believes Edgerton teachers deserve a salary increase, especially after recent budget cuts and staff reductions, said Donnelly, school board president and chief district negotiator.
"The board recognizes remaining staff are working harder," he said. "We weren't going to come in with a proposal that wasn't realistic."
The school board and teachers had extra incentive this year to reach an agreement quickly, Calkins said. The district is searching for a new superintendent to replace Norm Fjelstad, who will retire at the end of 2009-10, and it wants to show potential leaders that it has good teacher-administration relations, he said.