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The Lebanon County Career and Technology Center’s joint operating committee on Tuesday approved three agreements for school employees, including two collective bargaining agreements for individuals who are union members.
The two collective bargaining agreements between the school and those unions run for school years 2024-25 through 2027-28, according to administrative director Andra Groller. The school budget runs concurrently with the state’s budget, meaning the school’s fiscal calendar is July 1 through June 30.
The agreements between the Career and Technology Center (CTC) and the Lebanon County CTC Education Association and the Lebanon County CTC Education Support Professionals are effective July 1, 2024, and continue through June 30, 2028.
The base salary under the terms of the agreement with the Education Association for a first-year, full-time teacher is set at $60,696. That salary covers a teacher that works 189 days during the school year and has no additional higher education credentials, according to a chart on page 25 of the agreement that explains the tiers from a first-year teacher through various years of service with varying levels of credentials, including those who have obtained a master’s degree.
Salaries under the new agreement can scale as high as $86,897 for those with 17 years of teaching experience and a certain level of credits (30 hours) coupled with a master’s degree, added Groller.
“Typically, a teacher, when they begin, they begin with their years of work experience and they will go into this (salary chart) as well,” explained Groller. “These salaries consist of the average of the six (public) school districts. So, of where they are on the chart, they take the average of the six districts and the districts’ increases are part of it (the CBA).”
Concerning the agreement for support staff, the joint operating committee (JOC), provided a $0.50 increase to current salaries along with a 4.85 percent salary increase for staffers for the next four years. This raise is retroactive to July 1.
In the third action item pertaining to other staff members, the JOC approved an additional $0.50 per hour to the current salary and a 4.85 percent salary increase for non-union support employees for the 2024-25 school year, effective retroactive to July 1.
Groller told LebTown after the meeting that the 4.85 percent increase is based on the average increase in pay for the six public school districts that supply students to the CTC.
During her report to the JOC, Groller provided a few updates on future activities at the CTC, which is the vocational career training center for Lebanon County’s six public schools.
Groller said that Pennsylvania Department of Education officials will be on campus for three days in early December to conduct a Chapter 339 review. The state code requires vocational schools to review, among other criteria, their planning, curriculum, personnel and facilities.
Groller told the JOC an emphasis will occur with safety and building security, noting that “half of the audit includes safety and security.” The primary program review will occur from Dec. 4-6 and the safety portion will be conducted in late November.
“They will be visiting all programs and this will be a pretty big audit,” said Groller, adding that staff has been prepping from the review and is looking forward to having PDE officials onsite. “Half of it concerns safety and security, so they will be looking into classrooms, making sure guards are on equipment, aisles are clear and things like that for the safety portion of the audit. One of the best things about this audit is we learn where we may need to improve. We’re all about improvement, we’re all about growing.”
Groller also announced that the next report concerning the feasibility study should be presented to the JOC at its January meeting. She noted some changes have been made to the study to “make the building more conducive to use” and added it is taking into consideration the needs of the CTC for the immediate and future needs.
In other business, the committee moved to:
- Have installed a new stop sign at the northeast corner of Metro Drive and Birch Road. The installation and payment will be made by the South Lebanon Police Department to improve traffic safety.
- Hire Camryn Vila as a substitute instructor for the 2024-25 academic year at the $140 per day rate.
- Accept the resignation of Meghan Weaber, vocational facilitator, effective Jan. 3.
- Pay bills/transfers in the amount of $1,193,138.36. It was noted in the agenda that there are no Capital Reserve Fund checks included in this amount.
- Approve the Oct. 15 meeting minutes, and reports from the administrative director, financial department, and cafeteria staff.
The JOC meets the third Thursday of the month at 6:30 p.m. in the conference room of the Lebanon County Career and Technology Center. Entrance is to the rear of the building.
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