Fountain Valley school board OKs 5.5% pay raise

Marissa Espino

FOUNTAIN VALLEY -- Unlike their neighbors, the Ocean View and Huntington

Beach City school districts, which battled over teacher contracts for

several months, Fountain Valley School District officials had an easier

time in their contract negotiations.

“Our employee associations decided many years ago to work with the

district on mutual gain bargaining,” said Carl Dane, assistant

superintendent of personnel. “When you have successful bargaining, there

tends to be a development of trust.”

The board of trustees approved a 5.5% raise for the 1999-2000 school year

Thursday for teachers and district staff, including secretaries, food

service employees, custodians and librarians.

Both contracts were also amended, offering early retirement benefits that

give employees the choice to retire at age 55. They can also receive

medical, dental and vision benefits until the first month after reaching

age 65, but no longer than seven years.

Helen Outcault, president of the Chapter 358 California School Employee’s

Association, said the negotiating process has run very smoothly for the

past several years.

“We have an interest-based negotiation process that is very clear-cut,

very amicable,” Outcault said. “Both sides are willing to go through the

process. As chapter president, we are very pleased with the offer. It was

a unanimous vote to accept it.”

In other board business Thursday, the board approved a resolution to

participate in a state-funded class size reduction program. The district

will apply for the funding, which will help pay for operation costs to

maintain a student/teacher ratio of 20:1 in kindergarten through third

grade.