Peabody teachers have a new contract.
The three-year deal provides a 2 percent raise each year.
“Things went well,” said Cara Murtagh, superintendent, in a brief interview.
In addition to the pay raises, longevity compensation for teachers will rise. Those with 30 years on the job will receive a $5,000 bonus in the 2020-2021 school year, up from $4,750 this year. Staff with 25 years experience will see their bonus rise to $2,450 from $2,250.
Under the terms of the deal, class size at the Veterans Memorial High School will be limited to 30 students, while English and math classes are capped at 28. That’s up from a limit of 25 students in Level 4 English in a previous contract.
The Peabody School Committee and the Peabody Federation of Teachers (PFT) said the contract negotiation, which began earlier this year, was marked by “positive, productive discussions.”
The School Department and the teacher’s union did not provide a copy of the contract. But the mayor’s office made it available.
“The Committee and the Federation were determined to conclude their negotiations before the end of the school year, and we accomplished that goal through the extraordinary efforts of both parties.” said Bruce Nelson, PFT president, in a statement. “The last thing teachers want to worry about during the summer is whether or not they have a contract for September.”
Members were pleased with the terms and voted overwhelmingly in favor of the new pact, he said, and they look forward to continuing to work with the committee and the administration to provide high quality public education for the children of Peabody.
Brandi Carpenter, School Committee finance chairwoman, said their mission is to give the teachers the best and fairest contract possible within budget means.
“We are pleased that we were able to work together to ensure those standards and complete the agreement before its expiration,” she said in a statement. “We look forward to continued good relations and fair contracts.”
