The Pennsbury School District and the Pennsbury Educational Support Professionals Association reached an agreement on a new five-year contract, which the Pennsbury school board voted to approve at its Oct. 21 meeting.
The contract includes a 1.85 percent salary increase each year and also supports a move to Delaware Valley Health Trust with increased employee health contributions.
“As support professionals, we are essential to student success in the Pennsbury School District,” said Marla Lipkin, president of PESPA. “As an association, we believe this agreement reflects the district’s understanding of this fact while providing what PESPA members need to support the education of all Pennsbury students. This agreement is a fair resolution for both the district and our members. On behalf of PESPA, I am proud of how our negotiation team and administration worked collaboratively to reach an agreement that puts our students first.”
Pennsbury’s support professionals, totaling approximately 674 staff members, include all bus drivers, custodians, maintenance employees, paraprofessionals and secretaries, among other positions.
“We believe this to be a fair deal for both sides,” said Pennsbury school board president Christine Toy-Dragoni. “We worked together to come up with an agreement that was fair to the staff while remaining fiscally responsible to our stakeholders. Our support staff is an integral part of district operations, and on behalf of the board, I want to thank them for their dedication to our students.”
The current PESPA contract expires on June 30, 2022. The new agreement takes effect on July 1, 2022, and expires on June 30, 2027.
