The Elwood Paraprofessional Union and the Elwood Board of Education have agreed upon the terms for a new contract that will freeze salaries and steps for the next year.

This three-year agreement, coming just a week after the Elwood custodial unit agreed to significant contract concessions, adds another 50 Elwood employees to the staff who are doing their part to help the district’s children and residents.

Most paraprofessionals in Elwood are community residents who generally work part-time, supporting our programs for students by assisting staff, working in the cafeterias, and helping students with special needs.

The new agreement calls for a complete freeze with neither overall nor step increases for the 2011-12 school year.  The initial year is followed by two additional contractual years that will not increase salaries and longevity above 2% in each year and may be lower, depending upon implementation of a state tax cap, and it freezes step increases in both additional years as well. It should also be noted that this agreement represents the entirety of the increase in compensation.  

The Board thanks our paraprofessionals for joining our custodians, central administrators and Superintendent of Schools in their concessions aimed to preserve the programs, services, and staffing on behalf of the Elwood community.