The Pittsfield School Board made one thing quite clear at Thursday night’s deliberative session, keeping quality teachers is hard work.
“About 20 percent of our teaching staff left the district last year,” School Board member Molly Goggin said, “and the primary reason was low pay. The current salary structure in Pittsfield is not competitive with school districts and surrounding towns.”
It’s an issue that returns each winter, along with the annual School Board meeting: low pay – well below that of other schools in the area – leading to quick exits to other schools, all of which pay far more than Pittsfield. The rhythm between student and teacher is hard to cement.
As an SB2 town, residents finalized the ballot of warrant articles at Thursday’s open meeting and will cast their votes on Election Day on March 8.
Voters agreed to request a $10.17 million operating budget to operate the schools next year.
The school board asked for $327,000 for salaries and benefits over three years, called for in the collective bargaining agreement reached between the Pittsfield School Board and the Education Association of Pittsfield.
That figure includes a $121,119 increase in wages for the upcoming school year.
Goggin used a slide show to illustrate the added strain put on the school district and inequities involved because of the relatively low funding the district receives.
“In order to hire quality staff and retain the staff we do have,” Goggin said, “the school board knew there had to be a change.”
Goggin mentioned that starting pay for a teacher at Pittsfield High School is $32,794 with a bachelor’s degree, $36,960 with a master’s. Salaries in surrounding school districts are as much as $10,000 higher.
The school board wants a $3,700 raise for teachers over the three-year length of the contract, $4,100 for those with master’s degrees.
A question of semantics then surfaced. Michael Cabral – already critical of the board and Superintendent Bryan Lane for what Budget Committee Vice Chair Bob Schiferle had said were inaccurate budget numbers – wanted further explanation.
“How many teachers did we fire last year because we took a million dollars from last year’s budget?” Cabral asked. “I’m confused now about this whole thing.”
Lane told Cabral that the school district was filling open slots as a result of turnover.
Not everyone clashed with school officials. Dan Schroth, known around town as Dan the Stone Man, had praise.
“I think the school is doing incredibly well with circumstances they’ve been under,” Schroth said. “I’d like to just think about that. After what happened last year and all those people leaving, I’m grateful to the school. It seems some people want to tear down our school.”
Also, Lane said he’d convene with Schiferle and the School Board to ensure the budget data is correct. Lane acknowledged he trusted Schiferle’s judgment.