EASMC President Anna Laughlin (l) and Board of Education Chairman Karin bailey sign contract at board members and negotiating team look on

Leonardtown, MD — The St. Mary’s County Board of Education has ratified changes to the contracts with two of their three unions. The board signed at their April 8 meetings the contracts for the Education Association of St. Mary’s County (EASMC), which represents teachers, and Collective Education Association of St. Mary’s County (CEASMC), which represents staff other than principals and administrators. The change was to the five-year contract which started in Fiscal Year 2012 and ends in Fiscal Year 2016.

The revised contract reflects the reality that none of the school staff received a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) or STEP increase this year. Salary issues are subject to negotiation each year. The school board had placed enough money in their proposed budget for two STEP increases next year but so far the county commissioners have only funded enough for one STEP.

The contract reflects some changes in benefits which were hammered out by negotiating teams from all parties over more than a one-year period of time. Some of the changes for both unions include:
• Crisis Prevention Institute training can be requested for site-based employees through their site administrator.
• Para-educators will utilize the board’s electronic absence reporting systems to reports days absent.
• Student taping/videotaping in the classroom is a violation of school system policy.
• Rules governing working beyond the duty day were modified.
• Following the death of an active employee who has worked for the board for at least 10 years, those family members last listed on the employee’s health care plan may choose to continue or rejoin the plan.
• Rules governing donating sick leave were modified
• Rules governing accumulating sick leave were modified
• Two days of bereavement leave allowed for death of nieces and nephews
• Revised insurance for employee personal property on school system premises

The EASMC contract was revised to preclude faculty meetings after the duty day on a Friday or before a holiday, except in an emergency.

The CEASMC contract was modified, to include:
• A welcome letter from CEASMC for new employees and an opt-out CEASMC application.
• Change was made to not require coursework certification renewal for professionally certified employees who are 55 years old or who have been employed for at least 25 years.
• Changes made in maternity leave regulations.
• Changes made in the way severance pay is computed for unused sick leave days.

Members of the EASMC negotiating team were Peg Johnson (chairperson), Trish Barry-Utzig, Steve Wolfe, Anna Laughlin (ex-officio witness) and Liz Purcell-Leskinen (chief negotiator)

Members of the CEASMC team were Kristie Mattingly (chairperson), Gabrielle McFadden, Patricia Dawson, Faith Abernathy (ex-officio witness) and Liz Purcell-Leskinen (chief negotiator).

The St. Mary’s County Public Schools negotiating team is J. Bradley Clements (chief negotiator), Dale Farrell, Tammy McCourt, Edmund O’Meally (legal counsel) and Kathy Mancini (recording secretary).

Below: CEASMC President Faith Abernathy (l) and Board of Education Chairman Karin Bailey sign contract as school board and negotiating team members look on.