If a college-educated person with 15 years of experience loses her job and can work for minimum wage at McDonalds to be gainfully employed, why can't an unemployed accredited teacher with experience be "qualified for BA1 pay" in district 113A, if She is willing to accept that level of pay? The question has been asked of Dr. Madonia and the Board. What is the answer?

Great question!!!!! I totally agree!

What Michelle Nevin fails to discuss is what happens after year 1 when their pay has to be addressed with step/lane changes in accordance to the contract. In other words, the teachers pay would be dramatically increased due to their years of experience and education, thus not keeping them at entry-level pay for a long period of time, which according the financial plan, we cannot sustain.

Mary Van, on page 31 of the contract, it shows all the increases and requirements for step/lane changes that must be adhered to. There is no other chart in the contract nor is there any language, provisions or exceptions that describe an experienced teacher coming in at entry-level salary would be excluded from the requirements. You bet the union will make sure we enforce those requirements to the letter. It's laid out in black and white in the contract. I'm surprised as a retired public school teacher who participated in negotiations know how iron clad these contracts are.

I'm going to look online at the high school's contract if it is posted to see there language.

On the high school's website, click on the "about us" link, then scroll and click on the human resource page.....over to the left hand side is the teachers' contract. In article 5.1 is called "Experience Credit", and it states that a newly hired teacher will be awarded 8 years credit for his/her teaching in elementary, middle, or high school. It also mentions that it can be a case by case, and at the discretion of the superintendent. SD113a has no "Experience Credit" provision in their contract, thus any teacher hired, can be placed on year one, with absolutely no threat by the union in future years to fight for the years.....it just can't happen.

I'm curious.......have you participated in teacher negotiations in the past?

The last thing I will reply to you on this is: You can bet the union will enforce the step/lane changes on page 31 especially if there is no language in the contract that stipulates otherwise.

Ann Paul....are you in the "unions are evil" club? Remember it was a school board that depleted the working cash fund (deliberately) and got us in this mess in the first place.......there were know "demanding" requests by the union, no strike, and no picketing......just a freeze for two years in their salaries, and making AYP. I do have to say Ann....you are entertaining.

Mary Van, oh how you like to imply. Never once said ant-unions. Good grief is this all you got? By the way, there is only ONE CHART in the teachers contract that determines pay for step/lane changes. It can be found on page 31 of the contract, if you are looking at the right document. That is the only thing in the contract that determines what will be paid to a teacher and when. Because language otherwise isn't in there means they will uphold what IS currently in there and approved by all parties. It is what it is and you cannot read into anything than what is there. I have not personally attacked anyone. If you can pull something out of the contract that is FACTUAL to support your argument, by all means bring it to this forum, stay on topic because quite frankly, the personal attacks are meaningless when people have a difference of opinion.

Thanks for acknowledging the BOE's wrong doing. I have been critical of them and bashed for it. So you are right there, that is also where the blame should be. Why weren't you defending me then when I was personally attacked?

Ann, there is no page 31 of the 2011-2013 teachers' contract. If you have other questions feel free to call me on my home phone 630 410-8435. Or try my cell which I'm sure you have.

By all means Ann....tell where I can find the right document, because I'm pretty sure that the one I'm looking at on 113a's website in the right and most current document, and it only goes up to page 27, which is where the salary schedule is located. Please tell me where I can find the right document.

For those reading the blog, the teachers contract has 31 pages in total, but 26 numbered pages. The confusion is due to pages not being numbered and the actual total number pages. My reference page is the last page of the document is what others are referencing as the unnumbered page 27. Crazy isn't it?

Michelle, maybe you can now shed some light on the union's position of pay increases and rehiring experienced teachers at BA1 pay for their first year. Will the union be enforcing the step and lane changes as outlined in the contract for these individuals' pay increases after year 1? There is no other addendum or chart to address otherwise. Please explain how this will work. My guess is you are legally bound by the terms of the contract. What will the union hold the BOE and taxpayers accountable for for these teachers if they were hired back. Thanks!

Ann, of course you are anti-union, you have posted many comments in the past proving you are. Here is one of them, "Guess what, your posts and statements are a dead giveaway that you must hold a unionized public job, so I would suggest you get back to work and do what the taxpayers are paying you to do. Quit using taxpayer equipment and wasting taxpayer money"

You have also posted many comments critical of teachers, certain BOE members, administrators and made many personal attacks. All of those are easily found in looking at your past comments. To say you haven't done this just shows how completely off your rocker you are and how willing you are to lie.

Why don't you ever answer any questions when you are asked them? Where is page 31? What connection do you have with the schools? Where is your proof on the $80,000 legal fees? Why are you so paranoid? Do you have any help in dreaming up all of your crazy conspiracy theories? Are you really this unintelligent? Most important, why do you lie so much?

Lynn, as hard it may be try to stay on point. This all can be rectified by the union clarifying where they stand. Period. If you think that my asking this question is a personal attack, who really is the paranoid one? There is nothing asking the union how they plan to enforce lane and step changes for experienced teacher hires. Wouldn't you think these experienced teachers want to know what their pay scale would be? Simple.

Hi everyone, as hard as it may be, I would like to encourage you to keep the discussion on point and less personal. There's valuable discussion to be had, but the personal attacks seem unnecessary.

That being said, I just want to clarify something because it's confusing for readers sometimes: this is a comment board, not a blog. I have bloggers who are actually signed up and submit blog posts (under the "Local Voices" section). I know it's technical, but I've had people ask me the difference in the past, so I figured I would take the time to explain. Thanks!

Out of all the comments not ONE even mentions the students and education provided . It's all about unions and who gets what and how much when. I've had many "experienced" teachers with one eye on the clock and the other on the calendar. Would it be so bad to hire someone pursuing teaching for their passion to teach. What is wrong with hiring someone freshly educated and eager to launch their career? New graduates could be the answer to revitalizing the tired same old same old. I've seen quite a few "experienced teachers" whose experience has lead to complacency. Why not interview the new blood and hire the best among them?

New teachers with oversight, small class sizes, and lots of support- heck yes! New teachers with no help in 35+ classrooms and other staff with no free time to help - heck no. A few are ok . 10% of the teaching staff as new teachers-- a disaster waiting to happen. And the kids pay the price.

Experienced teachers= comperehensive evaluation of learning styles+kids's backgrounds and a certain compassion that doesn't come ingrained in a newbie. Equals to total learning. That comes with years of experience. Far more than college methods training will ever provide

The mismanagement and waste that goes on in schools is astounding.I worked many years in the private sector before I was employed at a school.I know what I'm talking about from an operational stand point.It's the blind leading the blind and nobody cares unless a problem arises.There is zero planning,zero thought,unqualified people in positions of importance .There is zero pro-activity and carelessness .Most of what I'm saying is from an operational side.I almost never read news articles when it comes to schools.The folks writing the articles only know a fraction of what is going on.Our property taxes are being wasted.We deserve better.

Ok Lynn Stevenson, The village board was deadlocked on the Aldi issue , with the deciding vote lying with the then mayor Piazza. Who was dead set against Aldi because I quote " it isn't high class enough for this town". I contacted Aldi corp. Who made many concessions to their original plan. Such as including landscaping, building changes , right down to the brick that was used for construction. I spoke to each board member individually trying to explain that people don't shop at Aldi , people buy at Aldi. have you ever been to one? Not one of them has. It is the most successful grocery chain in Europe, and yes they DO own Trader Joe's. At the very last meeting which was to decide it's fate. Jeanette , having visited a store, changed her vote realizing the money making potential, Therefore leaving Piazza , a definite no vote out of the voting, and it passed. It is all in the village records and was video taped. Any more questions?

WRONG kerry. It went down EXACTLY as I stated obviously YOU never attended a meeting. I will not do the work for you it isa matter of public record...look it up! and...Aldi Nord is the parent company of the Trader Joe's niche food stores, while Aldi Süd operates the regular Aldi stores in the country.

You refuse to respond as you know you cant back up anything you say. You are WRONG.

WRONG kerry. It went down EXACTLY as I stated obviously YOU never attended a meeting. I will not do the work for you it is a matter of public record...look it up! and...Aldi Nord is the parent company of the Trader Joe's niche food stores, while Aldi Süd operates the regular Aldi stores in the country.

WRONG Hank . I attended the meetings , all meetings

Hank , you are obviously not in the grocery business. Aldi DOES NOT own Trader Joes. By the way, who was the person you claimed you talked to to get Aldi to come to Lemont? What is the persons location and phone number? What is Aldis marketing plan for the placement of new stores?

I don't remember it was along time ago. I do have a thank you letter somewhere along with a marketing plan , very nicely bound I might add. You seem to have a lot of time on your hands review the village meeting notes you will find it there . What's it been 3, 5, 7 years? I really don't care what you think , you are of zero significance to me. Do your own homework.

Mr Olenick, if you wrote a couple of letters, so what.??? You come across as being obsessed that you are some kind of savior of Lemont regarding Aldi. There is so much more that can be done in town and it sounds like you really had nothing to do with Aldi. From what I have heard about you, you are not a good person and are part of a group that has given Lemont a black eye. I honestly could care less about what you did or did not do regarding the Aldi store. Please stop being a windbag.

How did this comment section turn into a topic of Aldi and Mr. Olenick.....wasn't about School District 113A?

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