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Lantern • April 81

Teachers Getting More Pay, Shorter Hours

By Bob Shuts ERMA * — The Lower Cape May Regional School Board and the district’s teachers ratified a nevy two-year contract March 10 that will increase teaching salaries by some 16 per cent over the next two years. Under terms of the contract, that will become effective July 1, base salaries for teachers will increase by about 8.6 per cent the first year and by approximately 7.8 per cent the second year. According to Janice Utsch, president of the local Educational Association, the average increase per teacher each year will be in the neighborhood of 11.3 per cent. RIGHT NOW, district teachers with bachelor degrees are earning between $11,600 and $19,604. Next year their salaries will range from $12,600 to $21,300 and in 1962-83 they will make between $13,558 and $22,918. At the masters level, current salaries begin at $12,400 and move upwards to $19,871. Next year they will jump to between $13,470 and $22,170. Finally, in 1962-83 they wUl begin at $14,494 and go to $23,854. FOR TEACHERS holding a masters degree plus 30 hours graduate work beyond the degree, salaries range this year from $12,934 to $20,938. Next year the increase will push these figures up to between $14,050' and $22,750, and in 1982-83 the salary scale calls for these

teachers to make between $15,117 and $24,477. Although the base salaries will only increase by approximately 16 per cent, the increase individual teachers make as they progress up the salary ladder will in some cases be much greater. For example, a teacher on the first step of a bachelor level is making $11,600 this year. Next year this teacher will advance to step two and make $13,180 and the following year, when reaching step three, he or she wiU be making $14,806. This is an overall increase during the twoyear period of 27.6 per cent. THIS YEAR the regional board of education carried out negotiations with the teachers without utilizing the services of a professional negotiator. According to Arthur Craig, chairman of the board’s negotiating committee, this saved the district upwards of $6,000. The board members serving on the negotiating committee with Mr. Craig were Robert Bonner, Stephen Todd and Freeman Douglass. According to Mrs. Utach, the teachers were represented at the first negotiating meeting by a professional negotiator from the NJEA. After that initial meeting, however, the teachers represented themselves. THE TEACHERS obtained a number of additional benefits in the new two year contract. First, they will now have a shorter

5«14 NEW JERSEY AVENUE WILDWOOD CREST

STHIIBY SHV3BQS

It's our way of wishing you a very joyful spring and Easter. The colorful, fragrant blooms on display In our thfee offices will be given away Thursday, April 16. Just come in snd fill out an entry form for your chance to win. Drawing held at noon April 16.

school day. The day at the high school will be reduced 40 minutes and the length of the day at the Teitelman School will be reduced 45 minutes. This will make the teacher's day only seven hours long. “This change came about after a survey was made of the length of school days in other districts," Mrs. Utsch said. "Some have only 6.5 hour days.-” ANOTHER SIGNIFICANT benefit is the addition in the new contract of a medical bank. This is a reserve from which each teacher, or member of his or her family is entitled to draw up to $150 the first year and up to $300 the second year to pay any medical bill not covered by a’ medical or prescription plan. This includes the cost of eyeglasses and dental care. According to Mrs. Utsch, this plan also was adopted after a survey was made of the prescription, eyeglass and dental plans of outher school districts. A new longevity plan will also be introduced next year. Superintendent Ephraim Keller explained that instead of teachers getting an additional $300 in their 20th, 23rd, 26th and 29th years, they will receive an additional $125 per year from their 17th year to their 30th year. SPOKESMEN FROM both sides of the negotiating table reported that the talks, which lasted from mid-October to Mareh 10 was "amicable.’’ "There was a lot of give and take on both sides,”

correctionelaboration

An article in last week’s paper on the opening of the library in Avalon on weekends neglected to mention Laura Pastre. the librarian who is there weekdays and who, according to one reader, "is most helpful and obliging at all times.” A News Digest article last week reporting on the 1979 Sandman slander case contained a typographical error in which the word chest was substituted for the word client in the sentence in reference to the Cape May policeman whom Sandman claimed had unmercifully beaten his client during a 1976 drug arrest.

Mrs. Utsch said. "We often disagreed, but we talked things over." Mr. Craig agreed. "There was no animosity," he said. "The negotiations were handed oh a professional level. I feel that the district gained and so did the teachers.” Although he did not sit in on the negotiations, Mr. Keller stated that he believes the teachers are quite satisfied with the new contract. The increases are much higher than in the past," he said. "But then," he added. "So is inflation.”

STUDENTS MAY find it easier to obtain the books they need for class assignments once a new electronic d#tect!on system is installed in the high school library this summer.

Taking Books will be Alarming

ERMA — In an effort to cut down on the disappearance of library books, . the J^jwer Cape May Regional Board of Education has approved the purchase of an electronic detection system for the high school library. The $6,840 system will be purchased from Checkpoint System Inc. of Thorofare, N.J. Payment will be in three installments, the first $3,361 being provided by federal Title IV-B funding. These funds are made available thru the Elementary and Secondary. Education Act passed in 1963. SUPERINTENDENT Ephraim Keller said last week that Title IV-B funding is available for a variety of things including guidance, library books and equipment, and special education. "We Have traditionally used the money for the library, sometimes for equipment and sometimes for reference books,” he said. It is anticipated the other two installments will also be paid thru the same program. There is a possibility, however, that the funding won't be available next year. If that occurs, Mr. Keller stated, the rest of the money will have to come from the general library fund.

-Fan Against Crime-

To Drive Home Message

COURT HOUSE — Demonstrations and programs on crime prevention will be brought to residents of eleven Jersey Cape municipalities starting next week. The Cape May County Crime Prevention Council will be sponsoring the program thru the use of a stateowned crime prevention demonstration van. The van will arrive in the county April 15 for this schedule of appearances: April 16 A 17—Middle Township. April 18—Lower Township, April l»—Sea Isle City, April 20 A 21—Wildwood Crest, April 22—Dennis Township, April 23 It 24-West Cape May. April 2S A 26-Avalon-Stone Harbor, April 27—Wildwood, April 28—Woodbine, April 29 A 36—Upper Township, May I A 2—Ocean City, May 3—Wildwood. Citizens interested in learning the latest in crime prevention methods should contact their local police department for exact time and location, or the Crime Prevention Council, 465-7111 ext. 390.

LIBRARIAN Irma McVey believes the system will be effective in reducing the number of books that disappear during the school year. "It's frustrating because its the cream of the crop that disappear.” she said. ‘‘Most of the books that disappear are those that are in special demand for a certain assignment. They usually show up again < but by that time other students who needed the same books have been unable to use them" MRS. McVEY told the school board, March 26 that the detection system is needed basically to stop the disappearance of materials that can no longer be replaced. She said that because of a change in recent federal regulations, publishers are being taxed for their Inventory.

"The publishing companies aren't printing as many copies of an individual edition, therefore more books are getting out of print more quickly," Mrs. McVey explained. She said the system will pay for itself in a short time and that the money that would have been spent f6r lost materials can now be spent to enlarge the pre sent collection of reference books. THE ELECTRONIC detection system basically consists of placing a radiosensitive material within each book. If someone tries to exit the library without properly checking out the book, an alarm sounds. The system is expected to be installed this summer and wiU be in full operation when students return for classes in September.

NOTICE TO OUR CUSTOMERS

The (til* on ifomt llttod in circulor in todoy’t popor b*0on on Tootdoy. Thut cortoin items may be told out. Should fhlt occur, pleote go to our tervice detk ot the front of the ttore and request o ro incheck. Thank You.

ReminderaH Sturdy I.R.JL customers who have net made a 1980 ContributionDeadline is Wednesday, April 15,1981.

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