GARDEN GROVE

Tentative agreements between Garden Grove Unified School District and its employee associations were approved Tuesday by school board members.

The agreements, which include salary increases of 9.75%, are with the Garden Grove Education and Pupil Personnel Services associations, and the School District Supervisory Unit.

“You have to keep your salaries competitive,” board member Lynn Hamtil said. “Everyone’s vying for teachers, administrators, custodial people.”

A recommendation to raise the wages of certificated, substitute teachers from $19 to $23 per hour will be discussed during the next meeting.

Negotiations started in the summer and pay increases are retroactive to as early as July.

“Both sides have always tried to be fair,” Hamtil said.

Other business during the meeting included the expulsion of an intermediate student from the district.

The male student allegedly brandished a loaded pellet gun and verbally threatened another student in front of the Alamitos Intermediate School campus in June.

The incident occurred before a previous recommendation to expel that student was taken to final approval by board members. The student will not be allowed back into the district for the rest of the school year, if the second expulsion is approved.