Norwich – The Board of Education has reached three-year contract agreements with both the Norwich Teachers’ League, covering about 300 teachers, and with the administrators’ union, which represents 17 employees.

The board voted 8-1 late Tuesday to approve the new three-year agreement with the Norwich Teachers’ League running from July 1, 2018, through June 30, 2021, with Republican Dennis Slopak casting the lone vote against the proposed contract.

The plan calls for only annual step increases with no other salary increases for all teachers below the top step in the first two years of the agreement. Teachers on the top step will receive a salary increase of 0.8 percent in the first year and 0.5 percent in the second year. The total cost of these increases are 2.94 percent in the first year and 2.95 percent in the second year.

In the third year, the 2020-21 school year, there will be no step increases for any teachers, and all will receive a salary increase of 1.4 percent for those below the top step and 2.36 percent for teachers on the top step. The total cost increase for these increases is 1.94 percent.

Teachers agreed to increase their work day by five minutes per day starting in 2018-19 — 2.5 work days per year — and another five minutes, 2.5 work days per year, in 2019-20.

In addition to the salary and step provisions, the contract increases the employees’ cost share for health insurance, eliminates two insurance plans that had been offered, and calls for a 1 percent cost share discount for teachers who obtain the recommended series of preventive health services.

The school district also agreed to increase tuition reimbursement for courses teachers take from $500 for two courses to $750 for two courses.

Union President William Priest, a teacher at Kelly Middle School, said the union ratified the agreement in November, and he was pleased the school board followed suit on Tuesday. Priest said “everyone worked hard” in the negotiations. This was his third contract negotiation process.

“We thought the deal was fair and was in line with state averages,” Priest said of the main provisions in the contract.

He said the extended work day also matches averages statewide for length of day and said “most teachers stay longer anyway.”

In November, the previous school board voted 7-1, with former Republican member Margaret Becotte voting against and former Republican member Angelo Yeitz absent, to approve a three-year contract with the school administrators’ union. That contract also will run from July 1, 2018, through June 30, 2021.

Raises in that contract will rise by 0.63 percent in the first year, 0.74 percent in the second year and 1 percent in the third year. School officials said the contract includes some language changes, increases in cost shares for health insurance, and includes some “significant design changes” to one offered health insurance plan.

The district also agreed to change life insurance benefit language from $100,000 to “two times the administrator’s salary." The plan also removes retirees from insurance language, with an agreement to grandfather in the one person who is still eligible for coverage.

Superintendent Abby Dolliver said both unions kept the interests of students and the district's tight finances in mind during negotiations.

"Both groups worked well together to come up with fair contracts in order to meet student, family and community needs," she said, "while being sensitive to challenging times."

c.bessette@theday.com