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Massena teachers seek better pay, support to keep new hires from leaving

Posted 6/24/22

Updated at 8:05 p.m. June 24 to correct headline BY JEFF CHUDZINSKI North Country This Week MASSENA — Increased efforts to offer better pay and support for teachers in the Massena School District …

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Massena teachers seek better pay, support to keep new hires from leaving

Posted

Updated at 8:05 p.m. June 24 to correct headline

BY JEFF CHUDZINSKI
North Country This Week

MASSENA — Increased efforts to offer better pay and support for teachers in the Massena School District could lead to less turnover in teachers.

That was the message delivered to the Board of Education on June 16 by Massena Federation of Teachers president Randall Freiman.

According to Freiman, many teachers leave the district after becoming dissatisfied with their pay level and support they receive.

“Many new hires to Massena do not stay. They leave us. Obviously there are many factors that contribute to our younger colleagues’ departure from this district. But, one overarching common theme that I’ve heard is they simply don’t feel supported and have received better offers elsewhere,” he said.

Freiman is also the high school chemistry teacher and chair of the science department.

The discussion of pay increases is likely to become a hot button topic as the school continues contract negotiations with the union.

The current contract, which began from July 1, 2020, is set to expire on June 30.

Under the soon-to-expire contract, teachers received a 3% raise for the 2020-21 school year. That raise was retroactive to July 1, 2020.

A 3.25% raise was implemented for the 2021-2022 school year.

Teaching assistants received a 2.75% raise for the 2020-21 school year, again retroactive to July 1, 2020. Teaching assistants received a 3% raise for the 2021-22 school year.

Under the terms of the old agreement, extracurricular activity advisors saw no raise for those assignments in 2020-21 and a 2% raise during the 2021-22 school year.

Freiman argued that the pay raises were not nearly enough to retain staff at a time when teachers are in short supply and hiring becomes increasingly more difficult year to year.

During my career, I’ve worked under many different superintendents and even more principals. While administration has changed, one aspect did not change throughout my career, and that was that my colleagues, whether hired as teacher, counselor or teaching assistant, stayed in our district and proudly retired in Massena,” he said.

Freiman also said that Massena once set the standard in education for the entire North Country, including through an advanced curriculum program, arts, music and athletics.

“We well compensated our staff for the times and were the example for other districts to look to,” he said.

“It’s clear that we need to work with the district to help raise our starting salary to attract the best talent to Massena and adjust our salary schedule accordingly. We need to provide the best benefits available to get new hires in the door.”

According to Freiman, many younger staff members who were saddled with student loans were living paycheck to paycheck during one of the most difficult and tumultuous periods ever for educators.

He said the pandemic and its challenges, coupled with the rising inflation rates over the last six months have only made things worse. A banking issue with direct deposited payroll last week also caused additional stress for many staff members, as paychecks were not received as expected.

“Automatic payments cause accounts to be overdrawn and, as the day went on, I heard personal struggles. It became even more apparent to me just how important it is for members to have a new contract. This new contract needs to include a raise to help us keep up with inflation, health insurance benefits that are the best in the county for both staff and retirees, and to prove that administrators support excellence,” Freiman said.

Freiman closed out his comments by saying that by investing in teachers, students will see a more positive impact on the community’s youth.

“We’re relying on this board to decide to honor and support your teachers, teaching assistants, counselors and social workers with a new contract that will once again set Massena apart as a standard for education and one of the most attractive places to work in the north country,” Freiman said.