Northville School Board Approves Contract that Brings Back Half of Laid Off Teachers

After months of , the Northville Board of Education and the teachers' union, the Northville Education Association, reached an agreement Wednesday night on a 2-year contract.

The agreement will allow for 26 of the 52 teachers to return to their jobs this fall. The contract was approved by a 5-2 vote, with board president Joan Wadsworth, Dottie Garrity, Libby Smith, Marilyn Price and Ken Roth voting to approve the measure. Opposing the contract were board members Joe Hige and James Mazurek.

The agreement calls for teacher concessions which include two unpaid furlough days and most notably – big changes to teacher health care plans.

Board members expressed disappointment that more concessions could not be made to ensure all the teachers laid off in the spring could return. Hige was among the board members who said class size will be 20 percent larger and that fewer people would be doing the work of the teachers who won't be returning.

Secretary Libby Smith, who is not running for re-election in November, said that "I just think people need to be very aware it will be a very different district from here on out."

The next meeting is scheduled for Aug. 23 at 7:30 p.m. at . The board will also be expected to review a contract with the central office administration. The board is currently seeking bids for custodial and food service workers.

Previously the board said it would consider an to help resolve the negotiations. had maintained that an .

Visit Northville Patch tomorrow for a full story.