By AUBRIE GEORGE | The Marlton Telegram
Salary and health benefit concessions made by every employee in the Lenape Regional High School District will likely save some of the 133 jobs slated for elimination under district’s failed 2010–11 school budget.
In late April, more than 400 district employees received notice that their jobs could be terminated. Reduction in staff notices were sent to all non-tenured staff as well as some tenured positions based on seniority.
But after the Board formally approved agreements with both the teachers and support staff unions, many of those jobs could be saved, district officials said last week.
Union representatives from the 800-member Lenape District Education Association (LDEA) and the 200-member Lenape District Support Staff Association approached district officials to re-negotiate the terms of the existing contract, which was not set to expire until 2012, according to a statement released by the district.
In addition to the modified contracts, the Board also approved a motion to extend both unions’ contracts one year so that they will now expire in 2013.
At a special meeting held on Thursday to formally approve the agreements, Superintendent of Schools Emily Capella said the concessions could save “some, if not most” of the jobs lost under the budget.
See this week’s print edition of The Telegram for the full story.
