Neshaminy teachers 'work to contract' on school's first day

It was another hectic first day of school at Neshaminy High School, as students lingered at their lockers and shuffled to homeroom before the 7:16 a.m. bell.

But Tuesday, most of the 220 teachers gathered first at the flagpole in front of the building, many wearing Neshaminy Federation of Teachers shirts, and filed in together at 7 o'clock to start their fourth school year without a contract.

"This is our way of staying strong and representing the union," said James Kelly, a ninth-grade social studies teacher. "We're in this together."

It was all part of the union's new "work to contract" job action, which calls for the district's 700 teachers and staffers to report to work 15 minutes before the first bell, leave 15 minutes after the last bell, and not take work home.

Superintendent Louis Muenker said there were no disruptions at any of the district's 12 schools, which enroll 8,600 students.

"It won't affect teaching," Kelly said. "We've come here to do our job. We'll do everything necessary to give kids a good education."

Not taking work home means teachers "need to be more creative with time management" during the school day, said Kelly Tonia, who teaches five special-education science classes and supervises a lunch period. Her remaining two periods - totaling one hour and 40 minutes - are filled with covering other teachers' classes, team meetings, paperwork, lesson planning, and grading, she said.

"You can adjust, but you must use every minute of every day."

Tonia, starting her 12th year, including seven at the high school, said the contract impasse had been difficult because there had been no raises in base pay, for years of service, or for educational credits.

The Neshaminy labor dispute is the longest current school deadlock in the state, but 145 other districts are starting the year without contracts, said Steve Robinson, a spokesman with the Pennsylvania School Boards Association.

In the Philadelphia area, teachers in the Pennsbury, Spring-Ford, Cheltenham, Phoenixville, Downingtown, and Garnet Valley districts are working without contracts. On Friday, the Unionville-Chadds Ford School District announced a tentative agreement with the Unionville Chadds Ford Education Association.

The Neshaminy job action is being taken because of what union president Louise Boyd has called the school board's "refusal to negotiate or to see compromise."

Negotiators for both sides have met three times, with little progress, since Boyd called the district's July 18 offer "an insult" to teachers.

School board president Richie Webb has said he wants to reach an agreement but added, "We only have so much money. We have to live within our means. In some ways, only they can settle it."

Outside the high school Tuesday morning, many teachers declined to comment about the labor issue. Jerry Devine, a ninth-grade learning-support teacher, said: "I'm just excited to be back with the kids and to do my job."

In the hallways, principal Robert McGee said that it was a normal first day and that he had not noticed the teachers filing in.

"I've been busy helping kids find their way," he said with a smile. "We had a good faculty meeting" Monday. "There's a spirit of cooperation. We're ready to go."

Senior Nick Noel was not so upbeat. "This is not the best time" for a possible strike, he said. "I wish it would happen next year, when I'm out. I've got transcripts to get out."