Partial pay freeze for Great Neck teachers

Great Neck school district teachers will see a partial pay freeze for the second time in three school years -- taking their place among peers in at least 20 other local districts who have agreed to salary freezes in recent years.

Under a new four-year contract ratified last month, teachers will get no salary bump this school year. After that, they will receive an average 1.25 percent increase annually, according to a statement from the district.

The deal does provide a one-time $2,000 payment this school year for teachers whose step increases have been frozen, according to the statement. It is not clear how many teachers are affected by that provision.

The new contract needed to be "fair" to teachers and "responsive to changing economic conditions," Great Neck school board president Barbara Berkowitz said in a statement. She added that it "will enable us to present a school budget that stays within the tax cap limit."

Berkowitz declined to comment further on the negotiations or to clarify details of the contract, saying all public statements must come from Superintendent Thomas Dolan. Dolan also declined to comment.

Last spring, Newsday found that teacher unions in at least 20 districts had agreed to partial or total pay freezes for at least a year. School officials said they planned to cut 1,200 teachers in this school year, according to a Newsday survey at that time.

To help slow growing district expenses, Great Neck offered a retirement incentive in which it will pay teachers for unused sick days at a rate of two-for-four if they announce their retirement by Jan. 27. Alternatively, a retiree can receive $1,500 for each year of employment instead of getting paid for the sick days, according to the district's statement.

Great Neck Teachers Association president Nancy Chauvin did not respond to emails and phone calls seeking comment. In the district statement, she said the union believes that "the agreement we've reached is fair."

The contract also addressed the growing emphasis on teacher performance and evaluation. The district will offer a yearly $1,300 stipend for those who achieve National Teacher Board certification, which requires additional training. And any teacher who appeals a performance review under the state's new regulations can meet with Dolan, who will make the final decision, according to the statement.