Area school boards OK teacher contracts

Area school boards OK teacher contracts
Alex Malm
Staff Writer
Both the Hayfield and Kasson-Mantorville school boards have approved two-year contracts with their teacher unions.
“We are proud of the positive and collaborative relationship we have with our teachers and are pleased to report that negotiations were conducted in a respectful and common-sense manner by all parties involved,” Hayfield Superintendent Gregg Slaathaug wrote in an email.
For both years of the deal, Hayfield will increase the salary schedule by 1.75%, which results in a 3.3% increase in year one and 3.9% in year two when factoring in steps and lanes.
An additional $500 per year was added to the district’s Family Health Insurance contribution in both years, Slaathaug said.
“In addition to salary and insurance changes, the state-mandated Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) program will begin on January 1, 2026, impacting future compensation planning,” Slaathaug wrote.
He explained that “when combining all adjustments, including salary, health insurance contributions, and mandated benefits, our teachers are receiving an overall compensation increase of 3.8% in Year 1 and 4.2% in Year 2.”
“We greatly value our teachers and the vital role they play in our students’ success,” Slaathaug wrote. “This agreement reflects our shared commitment to supporting and retaining high-quality educators in the Hayfield community.”
For year one of the deal, the increase will amount to $186,796, and year two will be an increase of $219,106, for a total increase of $405,902.
Over in Kasson-Mantorville, the union and district reached a deal, with the School Board ratifying the contract last Monday.
As part of the deal, the salary schedule was increased by 2.073% in year one, and 3% in year two.
An extra $125 a month was added to family insurance, $25 a month was added on single insurance plans, and $300 was added for family insurance for teachers, with a maximum of one per family unit.
“Our insurance for the district went up 15.78% so unfortunately many won’t see an increase for these two (years),” Superintendent Beth Giese wrote.
Giese previously told the DCI she would recommend against deficit spending, which Business Manager Bob Hasz explained as “staying within the budget that the Board has adopted,” while taking numerous factors into account, including enrollment, breakage, and even the fund balance.
Giese said the district did not deficit spend to reach a deal.
“The settlement was less than the last settlement, and unfortunately, the teachers take a hit because insurance went up so much,” Giese wrote.
The total package, which includes step and lane changes, will cost an additional $629,491 in year one, which is a 4.5347% compensation increase, and an additional $718,143 in year two, which is a 4.9583% increase, for a total of $1,347,634 increase, or a 9.5020% budget hike over two years.