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Schools

Springs Teachers, Board Make Progress on Communication

Green ribbons worn in a show of solidarity.

The District Board of Education convened a special meeting to hear the concerns of its teachers on Monday night, and the library was packed with educators pinned with green ribbons as a show of unity.

At the last board meeting on Jan. 10, the Springs Teachers' Association asked to read a letter, outlining its concerns about leadership and communication in a private meeting with the board. Instead, the board called for another meeting so that the association could read the letter publicly, they said, in the interest of transparency.

The union is also in the midst of negotiating its contract with the district, which expired in July.

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As the union began to address the board on Monday night, STA co-president Amy Turner said the association “did not mean for it to be secretive,” but said a private meeting would make it easier to have an open discourse.

Turner and co-president Nancy Olsen read the letter, along with other teachers, and addressed issues such as "staggering art and technology programs" and staff cuts. The prevailing message was that the teachers want to increase communication with the board.

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Much of the concern has centered around superintendent Michael Hartner’s recent 11.8 percent pay increase and contract extension. He now receives a salary of about $190,000. 

The board admitted that not explaining the pay increase was a mistake. It handed out a packet on Monday night showing that the average salaries of other superintendents in the area, about $200,000, is higher than what Hartner now receives.

The teachers' letter also said that under Hartner “decision making has become strictly top-down.” They are concerned that he and the board do not listen, respect and take the teachers, students and parents into consideration.

Board members were saying they have to cut some things while teachers were saying they are cutting the wrong things. Board member Thomas Talmage said, “There are fiscal realities that are out there -- nobody likes it. Nobody on this board wants to cut a single program.”

The teachers said they were blindsided by cuts that were made. They do not want the board and Hartner to make decisions without consulting the teachers. Hartner said, “No one said a second computer lab was a bad idea until the restructuring of the kindergarten,” came up as an issue.  

The teachers, board and Hartner began to agree that to fix these problems they must communicate more. A new biweekly meeting was mentioned to create open communication from all parties.

Talmage said, “The message is we need to communicate but communication goes both ways.”

Olsen agreed, adding, “It’s constructive to have an open dialogue.”

At the end of the meeting Kathee Burke Gonzalez, the board vice president, asked Olsen if everyone -- parents and board member -- could have ribbons. Olsen said, yes.

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