Though teachers in the township's school district will continue to receive step pay increases, the overall salary guide will not be increased under a new agreement forged between the Board of Education and the township's teachers union.
Board President Sharon Kight said the new, three-year pact – which was approved by the board at its Aug. 16 meeting – will continue the same terms, salary-wise, as the previous contract that had been in place.
Under the contract, teachers will continue to be paid based on a 20 step salary guide that starts at $51,396 for a new teacher with a bachelor's degree to $89,985 for a top-step teacher with a doctoral degree. Teachers with only a bachelor's degree top out at $85,010.
The new contract includes $1,500 stipends for teachers at the highest step in the second and third years of the new contract, said Kight.
The contract also eliminates hall monitors and cafeteria monitors, and allows only single health coverage for non-tenured teachers. After four years, teachers can participate in family health plans, or they can purchase family coverage on their own before receiving tenure.
Under the state's health insurance plan, teachers generally pay about 12 percent of their health insurance premiums.
Kight said the negotiating process went well.
"We were trying to just do the best we could with what we had," she said.
JD
10:35 am on Tuesday, August 21, 2012
Someone at the top step will get a stipend... all others will get a step increase.
But they get $1500 instead which is about 2%.... So everyone is still getting a raise whether by step increase or stipend.
I think the reason for this was because the Brick teachers are paid much higher than surrounding schools. Toms River starting salary is $46,000 for 2012-13 school year. So they want the salary guide to be similar to the surrounding schools...
Jennifer
12:08 pm on Tuesday, August 21, 2012
And the poor teachers aides get a measly $333 before taxes and then have to pay over $300 for insurance. End up with less than before. Here's an idea give them back their $500 in union dues!
Victor
1:35 pm on Tuesday, August 21, 2012
Taxpayers get it again.
RCL67
1:21 pm on Wednesday, August 22, 2012
Jennifer - I could not agree with you more. I am a Special Education graduate and have seen how hard the Paraprofessionals work. They deserve so much more than what they get because they do the about 90% of what the teacher does, they just don't have the degree to back them up.
jami
2:09 pm on Tuesday, August 21, 2012
I taught in Brick. There is a reason why they pay a little more than neighboring districts. In previous contract negotiations there have been huge givebacks, ie. longer school day, shorter lunchbreak, required job duties that do not exist in other districts. This is why they pay a little more.
JD
2:18 pm on Tuesday, August 21, 2012
I highly doubt that...
Just poor negotiators of previous BOE.
School day state average is 6hr 35min
Brick is 6hr 35 min
Toms river is 6hr 20min.
An extra 15 min does not constitute 10% more... obviously the union agreed to freeze the pay for 3 years as the other school districts increase and they Brick will be the same with other districts.
JD
2:20 pm on Tuesday, August 21, 2012
Typo above... State average is 6hr 53 min.
KC
12:49 am on Wednesday, August 22, 2012
And oh my goodness class sizes can be huge!
tuna stick
3:22 pm on Tuesday, August 21, 2012
Funny. All of the comments are about how much it costs the taxpayers, or how the teachers in Brick are paid more then surrounding areas. I'll assume that the thought that Brick schools may get better teachers, and subsequently, the children a better education is not important.
JD
3:40 pm on Tuesday, August 21, 2012
Brick schools do not get the better teachers...
Take a look at the new hires!! For many, the district matters... some would rather get paid less and say teach in Holmdel due to demographics perse... now I say that not knowing the payrate of Holmdel but you get my drift.
Many school districts like Asbury, etc need to pay more to attract decent candidates to their school.. it's hazard pay so to say. Clearly the best teachers are NOT going to Asbury as it's not worth it to them.
The problem with Brick schools is class size!!!
tuna stick
5:07 pm on Tuesday, August 21, 2012
If Asbury Park paid more money to their teachers, they would get better teachers? How does that logic work for Asbury and not for Brick? I do agree with you that class size is an issue, but I still stand by my point that the more money you offer creates a better teacher pool.
JD
5:36 pm on Tuesday, August 21, 2012
Just because Asbury pays more...
does not mean they get better teachers!!! They don't!!
They pay more for "hazard pay"... just like Camden, Jersey City, etc...
Teachers put in applications into school districts they want to teach in long term... and demographics, classroom size, etc are all part of what goes into the thought process in accepting a position.... or subbing until there is an opening.
Look at it this way... would you rather teach at Brick with classroom size of 27 at $51,000 or in Toms River for $46,000 with classroom size of 22.
Its not just the money teachers consider... its everything... environment, facilities, etc.
brick strong
6:51 pm on Tuesday, August 21, 2012
Get rid of dead wood teachers..give the new teachers that have graduated and cant find jobs ..fresher ideas and more excited to teach rather then get my years and retire..I agree with Christie's new program ..And good night MRS Kight ..your day is coming .. .
Joseph Woolston Brick
9:40 pm on Tuesday, August 21, 2012
OK I will admit it's been eons since I've been in a Brick school as a student but I have said and I will say it again. I went through the Brick system and had great teachers! If you think there are teachers that are bad now, name them, have the guts to do it otherwise shut up. There was one teacher I had that I thought was absolutely nuts, nice guy, but nuts. He taught on a level I was not used to at BTHS I thought at first he was a bad teacher, turns out in time his statements and what he taught turned out to be true. For example, he taught us that Christopher Columbus did not discover America, but was credited with discovering America which is a big difference. He said that the history books were wrong and they knew it, but carried on the big lie for it was tradition. WHAT? Christopher Columbus didn't sail the ocean blue and discover America in 1492? Truth is, he didn't. Turns out that the Nordics had been here hundreds of years before he landed. As each year passes more archaeological artifacts are being unearthed to prove that, and that is exactly what he told us. In fact a Mayan temple has been unearthed in Georgia not far from Atlanta and they believe they have found another one in the New England area, which could mean America may have been discovered by non native Americans a thousand years BEFORE Columbus. This teacher was amazing, he taught us to think outside the box before they coined that phrase. Todays parents would say he was a lousy teacher.
Lori Morrison
12:47 am on Wednesday, August 22, 2012
Sounds familiar, we must have had the same teacher!
KC
12:58 am on Wednesday, August 22, 2012
Why does everyone want to pick on Columbus? The Nordics did NOT share the information with what was then considered the civilized world. This is why Columbus trumps the Vikings.
I do agree with you that despite huge obstacles, my experience as a parent has been the overwhelming majority of teachers in Brick are very caring and apt. I do believe the township like many others statewide needs to address the fact that because of the salary "guide" hiring practices are unfair and discriminatory. The district will only hire entry level candidates and this shuts out an entire talent pool of experienced people. Not true when they are hiring superintendents or administrators. Hmmmmm
bayboat
7:28 am on Wednesday, August 22, 2012
I think the native americans have the Nordics by 10 thousand years or so!
kari
9:42 pm on Tuesday, August 21, 2012
Clearly many of you are not in education. When someone is looking for a teaching job, they take whatever job they can get.....regardless of the district. Many very good teachers teach in less desirable areas due to the fact that many of the more desireable areas are so politically run that someone who is not connected cannot even get an interview most of the time. So, to say that pay has anything to do with the quality of teachers they hire is not plausible. I am a teacher...a highly dedicated and skilled teacher. The town I work in has no bearing on the type of teacher I am. Like in most other professions, you work where you can get hired....and where you get hired does not dictate the quality of employee you are.
KC
12:59 am on Wednesday, August 22, 2012
Amen
Catpan
2:09 pm on Wednesday, August 22, 2012
NJ Monthly school rankings out. 328 public high schools. Brick Township High School is 261 and Brick Memorial is 269. Point Boro 154. Toms River East 225.