Newton School Committee News
January 31, 2024
Update from Thursday Night/Friday Morning Negotiations Session
Dear NPS Families,
The School Committee and NTA bargaining teams are extremely close to settling a contract. Although negotiations persisted throughout the night and did not pause until 6:00 AM this morning, the parties have not yet reached agreement. We remain optimistic about the progress we’ve made towards a return to school on Monday.
Both sides have been working extremely hard to get our kids and educators back in school. The parties have agreed to COLA increases for all members that honor our educators and paraprofessionals and are sustainable over the life of the contract. The remaining contractual issues to resolve are related to flexibility the district seeks for its leadership to manage the structure of the school day and best serve students.
We also need to finalize a Return to Work agreement that supports a thoughtful transition back to school and ensures students receive services required by law. As a result of the strike action, the district has incurred, and will continue to incur, approximately $1.1M in costs related to compensatory services and court fees, and it is our responsibility to determine how those costs will be paid.
Negotiations will recommence in earnest today at 1:00 PM. We look forward to finalizing the agreements today and returning students to the classroom on Monday.
Sincerely,
Newton School Committee