RC School Board votes to ratify teacher contract

The Rogers City Area Schools Board of Education gave unanimous approval to the teacher contract after a closed session Monday night. The three-year agreement now goes to the Northern Michigan Education Association for final ratification by the teachers’ union. The agreement is retroactive to the expiration of the previous contract last year and is therefore effective from September 1, 2003 through August 31, 2006. The school calendar will be produced once both parties have mutually accepted the contract, hopefully, by the end of the month.

The current schedule has been set through the end of November to allow parents, teachers and administrators to plan events. The board also discussed the service employees’ contract in closed session to prepare for a negotiating session that was convened yesterday (Wednesday) afternoon.

IN OTHER business, the board approved the transfer of title on property located at one end of Gilpin Field. A surveying error in the original documentation concerning the property transfer has now been corrected. “Mary Ann Heidemann from the County Development Commission has indicated that the property descri

ptions are thus changed and our attorney has said that since this board has approved this transfer once with the incorrect property description that it would be wise if we were to approve it again with the correct information,” said Superintendent Ed Schultz. The board now will forward the material to the county commission for its approval.

THE BOARD accepted the resignations of two coaches, Jackie Quaine and Greg Erno and will post the vacancies to be filled. The appointment of Diane Schultz, who had been covering the position of food services supervisor since Ginger Urban retired in June, was approved.

Schultz recognized Bryan Mills and the RCHS choir for their performance at the annual superintendents’ conference in Traverse City. A large poster from the event featuring the choir was presented to Mills and will be displayed at the high school.