The South Portland School Board unanimously approved teacher contracts this week. 

Teachers started the school year without a contract, with negotiations between the board and teachers’ union dragging on since March. 

The drawn-out process was partially the result of changes in district leadership, according to Sarah Gay, president of the teachers union. In the past eight months, two school board members — including the chair — and the previous superintendent resigned. 

The union filed a request for mediation following its June meeting with the district. When mediation stalled, the union started a fact-finding process at the end of September. Negotiations persisted while that six- to 10-week process was underway. 

The groups reached an agreement after two five-hour negotiation sessions last week. There were no legal teams present, just “us local folks,” interim Superintendent George Entwistle said. 

“There was something very nice about us just being with the teachers,” he said. 

“When we actually sat down and talked through what they wanted and what we wanted in the same room, it turned out to be basically the same,” board Chair Tandy Ratliff said. “There were a few words tweaked here and there.” 

Throughout the negotiations, the union had three main sticking points: health and safety, use of leave time and layoffs, and in the final contract, they made gains in all three areas, said Gay. 

Teachers now have the ability file a grievance if the district does not follow health and safety codes, something that hadn’t been spelled out in the previous contract. 

The new contract also updated language about leave time to be in line with state statutes. Teachers can take five days of personal leave without having to provide a reason, except in exceptional circumstances, per the statewide earned paid leave policy. The previous contract allowed three days of personal leave, with two of those days without disclosure. 

The agreed upon terms also clarified the reduction-in-force policy, something that was front of mind for many teachers following the layoffs last spring. 

Now, there’s a clear process for determining who would be laid off. Seniority is the primary point of comparison. If two candidates have comparable seniority, the district then compares certification, then degrees, then total time in education and then training. 

“I have to imagine by that point, there would be something different,” Gay said. “It lets the teachers know where they stand.” 

The contract also added a few new items, said Entwistle, including a preamble and language about sabbaticals. And the new contract stipulates that teachers who move schools or classrooms will receive a stipend to support that process. 

Abby Anderson, one of the vice presidents for the teachers union, said during her public comment at Monday’s school board meeting that teachers were relieved that the contract was approved. Now, they can focus on what they do best: educating.

“There was a new life that was only achieved because the lifted weight that came with knowing our negotiated raises, working conditions and updated policies are finally going into effect,” she said.  

But many in the district — the educational technicians, clerks and office managers — are still waiting on a contract, with the South Portland Educational Support Professionals Association still in negotiations with the district. Their contract was due to begin on Sept. 1.

“All of the employees in this district deserve to be working with the appropriate pay and working conditions,” Anderson said. “Until this happens, our district can not fully engage in the healing process that we so desperately need before what I imagine will be a very difficult budget season.” 

Ratliff said she met with some support professionals association representatives during the past couple of days and is interested in going back to the table with them. 

“I really would love to have this all straightened out before we go into the December holidays,” Ratliff said.