The School Board has passed and adopted a new teachers salary schedule for 1975-76. The teachers unions have not yet ratified the agreement. Salaries range from $9553 for a first year teacher to $19,918 for a teacher with extra college credits, including an MA.
The Arcadia Teachers Association (ATA) as an affiliate of the California Teachers Association and the NEA was for many years considered the bulwark of professionalism in Arcadia. Now the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) has gained important inroads.
Teachers and parents at Camino Grove and Holly Avenue elementary schools are in communication with the Arcadia Board of Education to restore the School Improvement Program.
Volunteer aides make the Early Childhood Education program work. the State mandated and funded program aims at giving youngsters from pre-school through the 3rd grade better learning experiences. Camino Grove is the only school in the district with the pilot program.
Bruce Polay has been named the new conductor of the Arcadia High School orchestra. The 28 year old teacher had been teaching at Long Beach High School.
The Early Childhood Education program in effect at Camino grove School since last fall has been ranked 19th out of 800 in the State. The program provides funds to expand the program from K through 3rd grade. It is the ultimate goal of California State School Superintendent Wilson Riles that all schools will be able to have ECE.
The California Teachers Association has advised the Arcadia Teachers Association to reopen negotiations on salaries for the current year. The 3-year Arcadia contract has no provision for increases in local teachers' salaries.
For the first time Arcadia has a counselor, Eric Mordin, at the elementary level this year. At the present time he serves only Highland Oaks and Camino Grove schools.
With the passage of the Rodda Bill, teachers must be represented by a single bargaining agent. Undoubtedly, unions will merge. The Rodda Bill allows bargaining on: wages, hours and working conditions which take some jurisdiction from the School Board.
A summary of the first full contract between teachers through their union ATA and the Arcadia Unified School District since the Rodda Act became law in 1975.
With the tax base increase having been approved by the voters on April 15, both Unions representing teachers in Arcadia presented new contract terms to the School Board.
Thirty-two first year teachers and various administrators have received notices that they may not be rehired. If a revenue increase fails in the April 1975 election, Arcadia will be $1 million short.