Most teachers in the Wiscasset School Department will get an average raise of about two percent a year for the next three years, Superintendent of Schools Heather Wilmot said late Friday.

The Wiscasset Education Association passed the contract 21-0 Aug. 9, Wilmot said. One day earlier, the School Committee authorized Chairman Michael Dunn to sign it. Wilmot emailed the contract at the Wiscasset Newspaper’s request and took questions in a phone interview.

The $68,000 to $70,000 increase in pay for 2017-18 was part of the budget voters passed in June, along with dental and health insurance increases, Wilmot said. The prior contract had salary lanes for a bachelor’s degree, bachelor’s plus 15 credits, master’s and multi-master degrees. The new one keeps those and adds lanes for master’s plus 15 credits, master’s plus 30 credits and a certificate of advanced study, Wilmot said. A teacher’s lanes and years of experience, which form “steps,” determine pay, she explained.

WEA President and chief negotiator Tricia Bursey, a technology coordinator-teacher at Wiscasset Middle High School, said the association is pleased with the contract for 2017-20. In an email response to a request for comment, Bursey said the additional salary lanes the contract provides are a positive change for teachers who continue their education. 

Wilmot also praised the new lanes, and another contract change – allowing reimbursement for study toward national board certification in lieu of graduate course reimbursement. Both changes support the department’s values of professional development and having teachers engaged in rigorous, high quality learning, Wilmot said. She reiterated her and Dunn’s recent descriptions of the contract as strong, and the negotiations, collaborative.