The following “official email newsletter” was distributed on May 21, 2018, to families and community members signed up to receive 204 E-News. Video of the meeting can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XCBfgIciFA4.
At its May 21, 2018 meeting, the District 204 Board of Education approved a new four-year contract for teachers.
Last Friday, 71 percent of Indian Prairie Education Association (IPEA) members voted in favor of approving the teachers’ contract. The new agreement calls for an increase in salaries of 4.13 percent in year one, 3.50 percent in year two, 3.43 percent in year three and 3.46 percent in the fourth year.
Additionally, coaches and club sponsors will see an increase in stipends for their after-school work and the starting salary for first-year teachers will increase by $1,000, bringing it to $44,770. The contract also includes language that either side may terminate the contract after year two if the district experiences significant financial hardship or an increase in revenue due to legislative changes from the State.
Board of Education President Mike Raczak described the agreement as a balance of fiscal responsibility and honoring the work of teachers. “This contract reflects the positive relationship we have with our teaching staff. It is a fair agreement that allows the board to maintain a balanced budget.”
IPEA President Paul Gamboa said, “The association’s bargaining team entered into negotiations seeking to reach an agreement that is respectful to the teachers in Indian Prairie and the community.”
As a result of the hard work and dedication of teachers, Indian Prairie students continue to achieve record-setting ACT/SAT scores and perform significantly higher than state averages on standardized tests. In addition, all three District 204 high schools recently made U.S. News & World Report’s national list of Best High Schools and were ranked in the top 25 for the state. Dr. Karen Sullivan said this accomplishment reflects that students are meeting the challenges of a rigorous curriculum.
“I’m proud of the work of our students, the support of our parents and community, and the efforts of our teachers who deliver instruction in a way that engages our students,” Sullivan said.
IPEA has more than 2,000 members, making up close to 70 percent of the district’s workforce. Both the IPEA and the Board of Education continue to focus on preparing students for their futures and inspiring all students to achieve their greatest potential.
Report submitted by 204-enews@ipsd.org on May 21, 2018.
Editor’s Notes / Indian Prairie School District 204, one of two local public school districts serving Naperville, is the fourth largest school district in Illinois with 28,000 students. Encompassing 46 square miles, School District 204 serves portions of Naperville, Aurora, Bolingbrook and Plainfield.
Earlier this month, as noted in the above report from School District 204, all three high schools (Waubsonsie Valley, Neuqua Valley and Metea Valley) were ranked in the top 25 in the 670 high schools in the state for the first time in the 2018 Best High Schools ranking from U.S. News & World Report.
View board meetings, 2018 Commencement online
Meeting agendas and documents are available online prior to board meetings. Video of the regular meetings can be streamed live or viewed the following day at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XCBfgIciFA4.
2018 Commencement for School District 204 high schools is set for different times (MVHS at 10AM, WVHS at 2PM, NVHS at 6PM) on Sun., May 27, at Northern Illinois University Convocation Center in Dekalb. All three ceremonies will be streamed online at https://www.visionfriendly.com/sd204/.
