HOWARD — East Knox Local School’s three-year union contract was approved Thursday at April’s board of education meeting.
The East Knox Education Association’s new union contract will be effective from July 1, 2023 to June 30, 2026, according to the board’s agenda.
Union members will see an 4% increase in salaries for the first year, and then a 3% increase the following two years. There’s also a $1,500 retention bonus per year, Supt. Steve Larcomb said.
Non-teaching, non-certified staff members beginning with the 2023-2024 contract year will also see a 4% increase in wages.
“We did it in one evening and we have high levels of mutual trust between the board, the administration and EKEA,” Larcomb said. “We’ve actually been able to do that now for the last couple times, and rather than come with a whole host of issues we just come with several items.
“Each side comes with a couple items they’re interested in seeing in the contract or out of the contract as it may be,” he said. “We’ve always had a family-type relationship.”
A point of importance for union member Ron Fannin was wanting to keep and retain teachers at East Knox Local Schools.
“Being able to attract new teachers and keeping the current teachers that we have was a big priority,” he said.
The board also approved two Knox County Sheriff’s Office school resource officers for the 2023-2024 school year, contracts not exceeding $87,000.
“We’re very thankful to Sheriff Shaffer and the Knox County Sheriff’s Office for working with us to provide for the safety of our students and staff,” Larcomb said.
In other business, the board denied Houghton Mifflin Harcourt science curriculum for grades 4, 5, and 6 for three years. Board member Larry Campbell brought the recommendation to a vote, but without a second, the motion died.
After the motion failed, board member Matt Schwartz said he looked on the science curriculum’s website.
“After I looked at what the website was, I don’t know what you call it, I don’t think it’s critical race theory, but from what I read on the website, there was a lot of things we didn’t have no business teaching kids,” Schwartz said.
“Without getting into what their preference is, there’s special sections … let the parents deal with that, the schools need to stay out of that,” Schwartz said, to a smattering of applause.
An audience member asked the board how much time any of them spent reading the actual physical materials referenced, not just the material on the website.
“I glanced at, I didn’t read through,” Schwartz said before being interrupted.
“The people making decisions always glance at things,” the audience member retorted.
“I’m talking about what’s coming in the future,” Schwartz said.
Finally, the board approved the purchase of a 2013 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 from Ohio Auto Warehouse for $45,280. The dump truck will be used for a variety of maintenance-related tasks as well as a snow plow.
To coincide with the Silverado, the board approved the quote from Holmes Rental & Sales for a $9,480 snow plow, and an all-electric, six-inch Auger Under tailgate spreader for $8,015.
