The contract restructuring reflects the committee’s goal to align paraprofessional wages with market standards, especially for those in general and special education roles who were previously underpaid. The new agreement sets out a differentiated pay increase scheme for the first year, with some paraprofessionals receiving raises as high as 20% to 25%, while others see more modest increases. This initial year of varied increases will be followed by uniform raises of 3% in the second and third years. The contract also adds more steps for salary increases to reward longevity and introduces $1,000 and $2,000 bonuses for those reaching 15 and 20 years of continuous service, respectively. Additionally, the contract specifies that paraprofessionals stepping into a teacher’s role will receive an additional $10 per hour once they exceed a one-hour threshold at elementary schools or cover a full class period at middle or high schools.

The meeting also covered the Hopkins School Project, with Chris Eberly, the project executive, presenting a proposal for soil pre-characterization work. The committee authorized a not-to-exceed expenditure of $50,000 for this environmental step, which is seen as a cost-saving measure to avoid potential delays and inefficiencies during construction.

Finally, the committee announced a vacancy due to the resignation of a member, Adam Munroe. The vacancy will be filled through a joint appointment by the remaining school committee members and the Select Board, following the town’s charter process. Further information about the application process and the timeline for the appointment will be forthcoming.