HIGHLIGHTS OF SETTLEMENT:

• 1-year agreement

• Base pay increases to $52,000 (BS) and $55,100 (MS)  -  Increase from previous $46,000 (BS) and $48,100 (MS)

• BS schedule will increase from the previous 21 to 25 steps - this recognizes more years of experience.

• MS schedule will compress from 27 to 25 steps - teachers will get to the top of the salary schedule faster.

• Teachers will receive a 1% contribution from the district into a 401a retirement account.  The 401a contribution is 1% of the teacher base salary, and this amount is in addition to their base salary.

SUMMARY OF FINANCIAL COMPONENTS:

• All teachers will be placed on the level reflecting their years of previously completed teaching experience (i.e. get their step).  - Salary tables may be viewed below or in the settlement presentation linked above.

• CTE teachers with a Workplace Specialists license will receive previous career experience at a rate of 3:1 (years experience : years recognized) for placment on the salary schedule.

• Teachers possessing the Literacy Endorsement will continue to receive a $150 stipend added to their salary placement - endorsement must be placed on license.

• ECAs will remain unchanged and percentage amounts on the schedule will continue to be referenced at $46,000.  WCTA and WWS have agreed to thoroughly study our ECA schedule over the next several months with the goal being to make thoughtful updates and revisions in the next contract.

HOW YOU WILL RECEIVE YOUR RAISE:

• Current paycheck amounts will remain the same through the June 4th pay.

• New paycheck amounts reflecting the new salary placements will begin on the June 18th pay.

• A retroactive one-time paycheck will be distributed on June 16th.

• The 1% contribution will be a monthly payment into 401a accounts.  The June 2027 contribution and all retroactive contributions will be made by 6/30/27.  The 7/2027 and 8/2027 401a contributions will occur at the end of those months.

LANGUAGE AND OTHER CHANGES:

• PTO (Paid Time Off) - Language dictating that PTO days must be used before using accrued sick days has been removed.  -  When entering absences in Frontline, teachers should simply choose the appropriate "pot" (PTO or Accrued Sick) for their absence going forward.

• Parental Leave - Parents of a newborn child receive 10 paid days.

• Sick Bank -  Language added for eligibility to apply for sick bank days if a teacher is seeking or undergoing treatment at an accredited inpatient facility or participating in intensive outpatient therapy for mental health conditions or substance dependency.  This change was adopted in an effort to remove any barriers that may have existed that may have kept sick bank members from using days for this purpose.

SUMMARY:

This was a challenging settlement due to the very tight timeline required to meet state regulations for bargaining and because the settlement hinged completely on a successful passage of the referendum.  It was the success of the referendum in November that made this settlement possible.  Passage of the referendum guarantees financial stability for our district for the foreseeable future and supports our goal to attract and retain only the best teachers available by offering very competitive salaries and benefits.

Another challenging aspect of this settlement is the fact that WWS will not see any of funds from the referendum that just passed until May/June of 2027.  Our district will continue to be cash-strapped until then which is why retroactive pay and progressing to the new (increased) paycheck amounts must wait until June.

The WCTA Bargaining Team would like to thank the WWS Admin and WWS School Board for working with us towards this settlement in a spirit of full transparency, collaboration, and shared goals.  

We would also want to thank the Westfield community for supporting our schools through the passage of the referendum.

Calculating your Base Pay Increase

Since we began this school year under last year's contract which has expired (status quo), you are currently still being paid at a rate commensurate with your placement on the 2025-2026 salary table.  With ratification of this new contract, all teachers will ascend to the next step that represents their total years completed of teaching experience as of the end of last school year.

Example Scenarios:

• This is my first year of teaching ever.  I am currently being paid at BS-0 on the 25-26 salary table ($46,000).  I will now move to BS-0 on the 26-27 salary table ($52,000).  My base pay increase is $6,000.

• I was a brand new teacher last year and was paid all last year at BS-0 on the 25-26 salary table ($46,000).  I continue to be paid at that level so far this year.  I will now move to BS-1 on the 26-27 salary table ($53,300).  My base pay increase is $7,300.

• I have my Masters Degree and was being paid at MS-15 on the 25-26 salary table ($73,730) last year and so far this year.  I will now move to MS-16 on the 26-27 salary table ($81,876).  My base pay increase is $8,146.

• I am a 30 year teacher with a Bachelors Degree.  Last year I was paid at level BS-21 on the 25-26 salary table ($80,489) and am still being paid at that rate so far this year.  Since the BS table cap has increased, I will now move to BS-25 ($98,781) on the 26-27 salary table.  My base pay increase is $18,292.

• I have a Masters Degree and was paid at level MS-27 ($98,752) on the 25-26 salary table last year and so far this year.  Because salaries have now been greatly compressed with quicker gains over fewer years in the new contract, I will now be placed at MS-25 ($104,670) on the 26-27 salary table.  My base pay increase is $5,918.  I'm now making nearly $105k!