Parkway teacher talks to continue

ROCKFORD - Parkway Local Schools board of education members, after exiting an hour-long executive session on Wednesday, hired a varsity wrestling coach but took no action related to ongoing teacher negotiations.

The closed door session was held during a special school board meeting. It was called to discuss personnel and ongoing teacher contract negotiations.

After the executive session, board members approved several personnel items, including the hiring of Jeff Farmer as varsity wrestling head coach for the 2021-2022 school year. Farmer was one of two coaches who earlier this year had been reassigned from his position days before the sectional tournament.

Superintendent Jeanne Osterfeld on Wednesday said the 3-year contract the district has with teachers expired on June 30. The raises during the contract years were 2.5%, 2% and 1%, respectively.

Osterfeld said teachers continue to operate under the terms of the contract as negotiations continue and until a new contract is approved.

Negotiations between the district and the teachers union, Parkway Education Association, began in April or May, Osterfeld said. Members of the school board and Parkway Education Association have met approximately five times during ongoing negotiations.

Osterfeld was hesitant to speak toward any areas of disagreement the two parties are working through, but said both sides are "working through their differences" and that negotiations have been going well overall. She was unsure when the next negotiating session between the teachers union and school board would be held.

Parkway Education Association president Anita Morton on Wednesday said the PEA had no comment other than they are looking forward to meeting with the school board's negotiating team in the near future.

Community members earlier this year expressed frustration and confusion after Farmer and fellow varsity wrestling head coach Jeremy Joseph were reassigned from their positions days before the sectional tournament.

The school board had let Farmer's previous contract as varsity wrestling head coach expire on June 30.

About 60 people attended a March 8 school board meeting at which two community members alleged Farmer and Joseph had been removed from their positions without approval from the school board.

Then board member Kristin Hamrick was the only member to discuss the coaches's reassignment at the March meeting, shortly before she resigned.

Hamrick, who had served on the board for about a year, had said she decided to resign because she was unhappy with how board members and the superintendent had responded to the coaching situation and based on community input.

Osterfeld has said the coaches were not fired or terminated, but said their contracts were up for renewal and that they had been reassigned. Administrators have not said to where the coaches had been reassigned.

Farmer at the March 8 school board meeting said if he had been reassigned, he wasn't sure to where. Farmer had said he and Joseph were called to the school two days before the sectional tournament and told they were not needed at practice.

The coaches' reassignments have been repeatedly brought up by community members at subsequent school board meetings. Osterfeld on Wednesday said board members decided to renew Farmer's contract without further comment.

In addition, board members on Wednesday approved a 3% increase in salary for all classified administrative staff members, including Osterfeld, treasurer Debra Pierce, high school principal Brian Fortkamp, middle school principal Brian Woods, athletic director Matt Triplett, maintenance supervisor Mike Jones, special education director Mike Gause and technology director Sam Gudorf.

A one-time $1,000 stipend will be paid to members of this group who work four or more hours per day, and a one-time $500 stipend will be paid to individuals working less than four hours per day. Classified staff members who are also on a certified contract will not receive a stipend.

The next school board meeting is 6:30 p.m. Sept. 13 in the community room.