Vallecitos School District approves collective bargaining agreement with VEA

Joe Naiman

Village News Reporter

The Vallecitos School District board has approved a collective bargaining agreement with the Vallecitos Educators Association.

A 4-0 board vote Jan. 9, with one vacant seat, approved the agreement for fiscal year 2023-24. The Vallecitos teachers will receive a 5% raise for 2023-24, and the agreement also provides for a 4% raise for 2024-25.

“It was a productive negotiating session,” said Vallecitos School District Superintendent Meliton Sanchez, who is also the district’s chief business officer.

The collective bargaining agreement also adds six days to the counselor work schedule beginning in 2024-25. “It gives some additional planning time outside of the school year,” Sanchez said.

The position known as Certificated Counselor/Social Emotional Learning Specialist will now have 190 work days rather than 184. The daily rate will not change. The additional six work days will be added to the work year calendar at the discretion of the school and district administration.

The new agreement does not add any additional steps, columns, or ranges to the salary schedule.

Seven additional causes to suspend a student were added: having knowingly received stolen school or private property, possession of an imitation firearm, attempted sexual assault, harassment or intimidation of a witness in a school disciplinary proceeding, participation in an unlawful sale or other offer of the prescription drug Soma which is a muscle relaxant, hazing which carries a risk of bodily injury or an adverse mental condition, and bullying which creates a fear of physical harm or a detrimental effect on a student’s mental health or performance of academic or extracurricular activities.

“I’m grateful to our teachers for the hard work that they do,” Sanchez said.