WARSAW — The Warsaw Community School Board of School Trustees and the Warsaw Education Association recently announced the ratification of a certified teaching contract for the 2019-20 and 2020 21 school years.

Highlights of the two-year certified contract include: a $2,800 increase on the base salary for all certified teachers ($1,400 for 2019-20 and $1,400 for 2020-21); other adjustments to the base salary for certified teachers in years 0 to 7 in the teaching profession; the creation of extra curricular stipends – orchestra summer programming, speech club, German club, middle school soccer, unified football and unified track; a 2.5% increase to the overall ECA schedule; and up to 10 additional contract days for the senior guidance counselor.

Warsaw Community Schools also announced raises in the amount of 2.5% for administration for the 2019-20 school year and 2.5% for classified staff starting Jan. 1, 2020.

“We are very thankful for the collaboration with the WCEA to ratify this two-year contract,” said WCS Superintendent Dr. David Hoffert. “It was made possible by some very creative thinking and strong support from our board. While we are thankful for new dollars from the state of Indiana, this contract was made possible through the watch of our financial budgets and multiple efficiencies throughout the district.”

“The WCEA is grateful for the collaborative spirit and common goals of the negotiations process,” said WCEA President Terry Sims. “Certified teachers are a critical and life-changing aspect of the education setting. The ratified contract for the 2019-20 and 2020-21 school years helps to ensure WCS is able to recruit and retain exceptional teachers.”

“On behalf of the WCS Board of Trustees, we are thankful for the cooperative negotiation process between WCS and WCEA,” said WCS Board President Heather Reichenbach. “Within this coordinated effort, we have strategically placed this corporation in a position to offer our starting teachers a base salary of $40,000 in the 2021-22 school year. WCS has also increased the salaries for all the district’s incredible teachers. These priorities of both WCS and the WCEA have been funded by efficiencies and cost-savings measures. We are blessed and grateful to remain vigilant on the district’s priorities and to innovatively direct resources where they are most needed.”