The Readington Township Board of Education is proud to announce the ratification of a new contract with the Readington Township Education Association. The new agreement covers five years, commencing in July of 2023 through June of 2028, providing a harmonious and stable environment for staff to help educate students moving forward. The culmination of efforts of numerous individuals over several months allowed for this achievement before the expiration of the existing contract in June 2023. Thank you to everyone who helped attain this feat!

Embedded in the new agreement is various efforts to move forward recommendations from the Recruitment Task Force established in 2022 to assist with attracting the most talented individuals in the area to teach the students of Readington Township, and retain staff to provide a cohesive learning atmosphere while students grow into young adulthood. Some of the major factors reached through the amicable negotiations include:

• Strong, market-based raises for staff reflective of an inflationary pressure in the broader economy; and
• Competitive overtime rates for staff to help provide students with supplemental programs enhancing their education; and
• Restructure athletics and clubs to provide flexibility in design and application to reflect student interests in an ever-changing world; and
• Remove certain barriers for staff to attend to their personal needs to enhance work-life balance; and
• Save taxpayers by capping the accumulation of vacation days to be paid upon retirement or resignation; and
• Provide incentives for staff that go above-and-beyond to help students with their individual needs to gain an appropriate and fair education; and
• Develop mechanisms for growth of individual staff through professional development including a path for paraprofessionals to achieve teacher certification collaborating with nearby colleges and universities; and
• Lock-in health benefits for teaching assistants to deliver a solid foundation for their personal well-being; and
• Maintain uninterrupted individual planning time to prepare thorough, strong lessons for students to enrich their education; and
• Permits the revision of student scheduling to allow for significant increases in direct student instruction during the course of the school day and year, which should in the long-term allow for acceleration in student learning achievement.

The above and more could only be accomplished through the powerful collaboration between the Readington Township Board of Education and Readington Township Education Association. This mutually beneficial partnership is steadfast in its focus on supporting staff members holistically to afford the best student learning environment to the children of Readington Township to ensure their success.

The district is delighted to share this tremendous news with the community, highlighting the dedication of everyone in fostering the best for students and staff. Congratulations!