School Board Approves GCTA Contract
By Stephanie Mariel Petrellese

The Garden City Board of Education approved a memorandum of agreement with the Garden City Teachers' Association, essentially ending a protracted contract dispute which began in March of last year. Even though the contract still has to be formally executed, the memorandum, which dictates the terms, has now been signed by both parties.

School Board President Kenneth Monaghan announced at Monday evening's Board of Education meeting that the contract will run from July 1, 2006 to June 30, 2010. There will be a three percent increase in the first year, followed by percentage increases of 3.25, 3.3 and 3.5 in the following years.

The percentage of health care costs that will be paid by GCTA members will increase over the term of the contract by five percentage points for both single and family coverage. By the end of the agreement the district's contribution should be 85 percent for individual coverage and 75 percent for family.

"From what we have been able to see from other districts on Long Island, that's pretty much at the head of the curve in terms of what other people are expected to contribute," he said.

Monaghan said the district got most of what it was looking for in terms of extra teacher time and contact time between teachers and students.

GCTA President Carlo Rebolini had no comment. On April 26th, the GCTA voted 291 to 39 to approve the terms of a new contract.