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    • New Bedford Educators Association members talk about their contract hopes
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    New Bedford Educators Association members talk about their contract hopes

    Umito Posted on

    NEW BEDFORD — As New Bedford school officials and teachers prepare to begin contract negotiations — expected to begin before the end of the year, according to New Bedford Association of Educators Speaker Thomas Nickerson — Nickerson and others came to the public comment table last week give school committee members an overview of what union members expect.

    “Although it seems like only yesterday that we ratified the latter contract“Actually, it’s been almost three years,” Nickerson said of the teachers’ current contract, which expires June 30, 2025. “Since then, however, things have changed a lot and, as a result, the teachers’ bargaining committee AENB will work to offer our members the strongest contract to date.

    The things NBEA members will be looking for in their next contract, Nickerson said, are “better working conditions, especially for our working parents,” “more autonomy” for educators and, citing the increase living expenses, “a solid salary package”.

    “Teachers in our district are feeling the weight of an increasingly demanding workload,” followed NBEA Unit A Vice President Lynn Drayton, a teacher at Carlos Pacheco Elementary School. “Our educators struggle to find a healthy balance between work and home due to their job responsibilities. Many must arrive early, stay late, and bring work home to fulfill these responsibilities.

    “These demands have increased without adequate support and resources, alongside an increase in class sizes and caseloads for special educators and providers.”

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    Drayton also expanded on Nickerson’s mention of teacher autonomy, “because we know that when teachers can use their professional judgment in their classrooms, they are not only more engaged but also more effective.”

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    “The NBEA will seek contractual provisions that would address these concerns in a meaningful way, including expectations for a more manageable workload,” Drayton continued. “By fostering the professional and personal well-being of teachers, we can create an environment in which they feel more valued, more energized and more engaged in their work with New Bedford students.”

    Teacher Hay-Mac: New Bedford educators should afford to live there; Teacher retention is a problem

    “Even though I have a master’s degree and have 15 years of teaching experience and have dedicated my career to education here in New Bedford, I find myself working 20 to 30 hours extra per week at a second job just to afford housing in this community,” said AENB Executive Board Member Victoria Jones, a teacher at Hayden-McFadden Elementary School. Jones identified herself as a New Bedford resident and the “sole breadwinner” of her household.

    “The reality is that the rising cost of housing and basic expenses are making it increasingly difficult for single-income households to rent or purchase a home in New Bedford,” Jones continued, noting that Hayden teachers McFadden left “for neighboring districts which offer better pay and more favorable living conditions.”

    “These are educators that New Bedford Public Schools has invested in through professional development, course reimbursement, ESL (English as a Second Language) or special education certification opportunities, but they are leaving and taking their skills and their dedication elsewhere with the investment of New Bedford Public Schools,” Jones said.

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    Jones mentioned two teachers who left Hayden McFadden this year: one being “an integral part of our ESL program for newcomers” and the other being the school’s reading specialist for 4th and 5th grades. This last position was still not filled as of November 4. School committee meeting, according to Jones.

    What are New Bedford teachers paid under their current contract?

    Under the current Unit A contract between the NBEA and New Bedford Public Schools — effective July 1, 2022 through June 30, 2025 — the salary schedule effective July 1, 2024 provides a range of $49,605 per year for the low end (step 2, with a bachelor’s degree and less than 15 years of experience) and $96,475 for the high end (step 14, with an advanced graduate certificate or doctorate.)

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