A proposed John Stark Regional High School teacher’s contract would ask teachers to work longer and harder to reach the top of the pay scale.

The two-year contract, slated for discussion at the district’s deliberative session tonight, would expand the step grid from 12 to 20 steps, and would also include increases to various steps if certain requirements are met, according to a press release from SAU 24.

For instance, all teachers will get a step increase of 1.3 percent as well as a cost-of-living increase each year, 1 percent the first year and 0.8 percent the next. But teachers who have taken a graduate-level writing course by year 10 will receive a 4 percent increase. There are also step increases at years 5 and 15, and the agreement requires teachers to have a master’s degree by year 10.

“When John Stark was created 34 years ago, we wanted to attract highly effective teachers to the new school, and we want retain those great teachers,” SAU 24 superintendent Lorraine Tacconi-More said in the press release. “This new grid stretches the amount of time that a teacher spends in the profession in order to reach the top pay to step.”

If approved, the contract would increase the school’s salary and benefits line: $175,518 in the 2017-18 budget, $100,228 the next year and $106,647 the following year.

The contract is the only warrant article likely to cause conflict, aside from the district’s $13.5 million proposed operating budget, which represents a $354,031 increase over last year’s approved $13.2 million budget. Should the operating budget be defeated, the default budget would be $13.5 million.

Health insurance increases continue to be a big driver of school budgets in SAU 24, and John Stark is no exception: of the roughly $366,000 expected in mandatory increases, health insurance has a maximum projected increase of about $187,000.

In Weare, the proposed budget and warrant article would represent a 45 cent increase for every $1,000 of assessed property value, or an extra $112.50 for a $250,000 home. Henniker would see a 55 cent impact on the tax rate, or an additional $137.50 for a $250,000 home.

The deliberative session is scheduled for 7 p.m. at John Stark Regional High School.

(Caitlin Andrews can be reached at 369-3309, candrews@cmonitor.com or on Twitter at @ActualCAndrews.)