Compensation
Appendix B Increase 2024 25 — $2.25 per hour increase for Appendix B in 2024-25
For 2024-2025 school year Appendix B Educational Support Personnel shall receive $2.25 an hour increase
Compensation
Appendix B Transition 2025 26 — Appendix B staff moved to Appendix A in 2025-2026 with new rates for Custodian, Bus Driver, Librarian, Bus/Handicapped/Playground Aide
For 2025-2026 school year Educational Support Personnel shall be moved from Appendix B to Appendix A with new rates being established
Grievance
Arbitration Binding — Binding arbitration under American Arbitration Association (AAA) rules
Within thirty (30) school days after receiving the decision of the Superintendent or designee, the Union may submit the grievance to binding arbitration under the Voluntary Labor Arbitration Rules of the American Arbitration Association (AAA).
Compensation
Ba Max Salary — $66,643
Year 34 BS lane 2024-25: $66,643
Compensation
Ba Min Salary — $41,693
Year 1 BS lane 2024-25: $41,693
Compensation
Base Salary Increase Yr1 — 4% hourly increase for Appendix A staff in 2024-25
For 2024-25 school year Appendix A Educational Support Personnel shall receive hourly increase of 4%
Compensation
Base Salary Increase Yr2 — 3% hourly increase for Appendix A staff in 2025-26
For 2025-26 school year Appendix A Educational Support Personnel shall receive hourly increase of 3%
Compensation
Base Salary Increase Yr3 — 3% hourly increase for Appendix A staff in 2026-27
For 2026-27 school year Appendix A Educational Support Personnel shall receive hourly increase of 3%
Leave
Bereavement Days — Sick leave covers death/serious illness in immediate family
Sick leave shall be defined as an absence with pay from assigned regular or usual duties which are to be performed in the course of one's employment in and for the District as a result of personal illness, quarantine at home, death or serious illness in one's immediate family or birth, adoption or placement of adoption.
Workday
Contract Days Teacher — Cooks work all student attendance days plus (1) day prior and (1) after; Bus drivers work all student attendance days; Teacher aides work all student attendance days plus (1) day prior and (1) after
Cooks -- all student attendance days plus (1) day prior and (1) after; Bus Drivers -- all student attendance days; Teacher aides -- all student attendance days plus (1) day prior and (1) after
Compensation
Cook 2024 25 — $20.62 per hour
Cook 2024-25: $20.62 hourly rate
Compensation
Custodian Appendix B 2024 25 — $18.35 per hour (Hired after 2015)
Custodian 2024-25 Appendix B (Hired after 2015): $18.35
Compensation
Custodian Maintenance 2024 25 — $23.85 per hour
Custodian/Maintenance 2024-25: $23.85 hourly rate
Compensation
Custodian Maintenance Appendix B 2024 25 — $21.22 per hour (Hired after 2015)
Custodian/Maintenance 2024-25 Appendix B (Hired after 2015): $21.22
Insurance
Dental Coverage — Employees entitled to coverage for 9 month and 12 month full-time and 10 month 40 hours per week certified employees
Employees who have double coverage of health insurance will have the opportunity to choose $1,100.00 per year stipend for the duration of this contract, in lieu of district provided health insurance.
Other
Direct Deposit Requirement — All employees hired after June 30, 2024 shall receive pay through direct deposit
All employees hired after June 30, 2024 shall receive their pay through direct deposit.
Evaluation
Evaluation Cycle Years — Tenured teachers with excellent or proficient rating evaluated every 3 years
A tenured teacher whose most recent performance rating is either 'excellent' or 'proficient' shall be formally evaluated at least once every three years, provided that the teacher is informally observed at least once in the course of the two (2) school years after receipt of the rating.
Other
Extended Contract Agriculture Teacher — High School Agriculture teacher on 12-month extended contract
High School Agriculture teacher shall be placed on extended 12-month contract. When possible, 1.5 months paid through state grants and 1.5 months by District.
Other
Extended Contract Counselor — Counselor on 20-day extended contract
Counselor shall be placed on 20-day extended contract. Additional days paid as extension of individual's base salary.
Grievance
Grievance Steps — Grievance procedure has Step One (Principal) and Step Two (Superintendent), with option to by-pass to next level by agreement
If the grievant and/or Union and the Principal (at Step One) or the Superintendent (at Step Two), as the case may be, agree, any level of the grievance procedure may be by-passed and the grievance brought directly to the next level.
Compensation
Head Cook 2024 25 — $21.18 per hour
Head Cook 2024-25: $21.18 hourly rate
Insurance
Health Coverage — THIS (health insurance) - full percentage paid by Board for certified employees
Board agrees to pay full percentage amount to TRS for THIS (health insurance) costs on behalf of certified employees
Insurance
Health Single Premium — $775.00 maximum per month for 2024-2025 school year
The Board shall pay up to $775.00 maximum per month for the 2024-2025 school year, $800.00 maximum per month for the 2025-2026 school year, and $825.00 maximum per month for the 2026-2027 school year, per full-time employees for the cost of the health/major medical insurance
Workday
Instructional Minutes Day — Duty free lunch period minimum
Teachers whose duties require attendance at school for four (4) or more clock hours in any school day shall be entitled to and be allowed a duty free lunch period equal to the regular local school lunch period but not less than thirty (30) minutes in each school day.
Compensation
Lane Advancement Allowed — College credit from accredited institution counts for horizontal advancement on salary schedule; Master's +16 column means hours earned in addition to Master's degree
College credit from an accredited institution shall count for horizontal advancement on the salary schedule. There will be no horizontal advancement on the salary schedule during the course of a school term. Master's +16 column means hours earned in addition to receiving a Master's degree.
Compensation
Ma Max Salary — $70,068
Year 34 MS lane 2024-25: $70,068
Compensation
Ma Min Salary — $43,668
Year 1 MS lane 2024-25: $43,668
Other
Monthly Pay Schedule — Checks on 15th and 30th of each month
Employees shall receive checks on the 15th and 30th of each month. This constitutes first pay day for two checks and pay day for one check.
Compensation
Off Schedule Bonus Yr1 — 5% increase in TRS creditable earnings for year of retirement under retirement incentive
In exchange for the teacher's binding, irrevocable resignation on a date certain, the District agrees to remove the teacher from the salary schedule and for the year of eligibility the teacher's TRS creditable earnings will be increased by five (5%)
Compensation
Off Schedule Bonus Yr2 — Girls Assistant Basketball JH/HS position salary 2026-27
Girls Assistant Basketball 1 $3,247 7.2%
Leave
Personal Days Annual — Release time for Union President and Officers
The Union President shall have four (4) days release time each year and the remaining Union Officers shall have two (2) days release time each year without loss of pay to attend conventions, workshops, deal with grievances, for negotiation purposes, or Union meetings.
Retirement
Retirement Pickup Pct — TRS system for teachers referenced; IMRF for ESP staff
Every employee who is participating in the group health/major medical insurance plan provided by the Board shall be provided life insurance in the amount of Twenty-Five Thousand Dollars ($25,000) at no cost to the employee
Retirement
Retirement System — Illinois Municipal Retirement System (IMRF)
Educational Support Personnel who have been employed in the Cowden-Herrick CUSD 3A school district for at least ten (10) years and who are eligible to retire on provisions of the Illinois Municipal Retirement System
Rif
Rif Recall Years — Recall rights for 1 calendar year from beginning of following school term
Employees who are honorably dismissed shall have recall rights for one (1) calendar year from the beginning of the following school term for any vacancy, so far as they are qualified to hold such position.
Compensation
Salary Lanes Count — BS, BS+16, MS, MS+16
Teacher Salary Schedule for 2024-25: BS, BS+16, MS, MS+16 lanes with 34 experience steps
Compensation
Salary Steps Count — Secretaries work ten (10) months, all teacher days plus two (2) weeks before and after school term; or ten and one-half (10 ½) months, all teacher days plus three (3) weeks before and after school term
Secretaries -- ten (10) months -- all teacher days, plus two (2) weeks before and two (2) weeks after the school term. Secretaries -- ten and one-half (10 ½) months -- all teacher days, plus three (3) weeks before and three (3) weeks after the school term.
Compensation
Secretaries 2024 25 — $21.26 per hour
Secretaries 2024-25: $21.26 hourly rate
Compensation
Secretaries Appendix B 2024 25 — $18.45 per hour (Hired after 2015)
Secretaries 2024-25 Appendix B (Hired after 2015): $18.45
Leave
Sick Days Annual — All employees shall receive fifteen (15) days annually, which may accumulate to three hundred sixty (360) days
All employees shall receive fifteen (15) days annually, which may accumulate to three hundred sixty (360) days. A doctor's note will be required in any instance that 3 consecutive sick days are taken within the school year at the employee's expense.
Leave
Sick Leave Max Days — Maximum accumulation of unused vacation days for educational support personnel
If full time educational support personnel employed on a 12-month basis do not use all of their allotted vacation days for any school year, they shall be allowed to accumulate a maximum of ten (10) of these unused days.
Compensation
Step Increase — All certified employees shall receive a step movement each year in Appendix C, D, and E
all certified employees shall receive a step movement each year in Appendix C, D, and E.
Other
Ten Or Twelve Month Pay Option — Teachers may choose 10 or 12 month pay schedule; insurance-holding employees must be paid over 12 months
Teachers and Educational Support Personnel shall have option of ten or twelve month schedule. Insurance with-holding must receive pay over 12 months.