Teachers upset in White Twp. No contract, dwindling patience. They let feelings be known at school board meeting. Tuesday, January 23, 2007 • BY LYNN OLANOFF • The Express-Times WHITE TWP. | Teachers filled the school board meeting room Monday to show their displeasure with contract negotiations. Those talks are at impasse after nearly a year of sessions. The district's 46 teachers, aides, custodians and cafeteria workers have been working without a contract since June. White Township Education Association and school board members are scheduled for their first session with a state-appointed mediator Feb. 7. Association President Henry Skirbst said the two groups are at odds on salaries and benefits. He declined to release specifics on the negotiations. About 25 association members wearing red "settle now" buttons attended Monday's board meeting. Only Skirbst spoke, reading from a two-page statement. White Township Consolidated School has a strong reputation in the state and its standardized test scores match that reputation, he said. The retention rate is high among the school's teachers, most of whom have master's degrees. But many are getting near retirement age and attracting future outstanding teachers is at risk, Skirbst said. The district has one of the lowest starting salaries in Warren County and it takes 37 years to reach the top of the salary guide. The district's "excellent" benefits are in jeopardy, he said. "The value you place on your child's education is reflected by the value you place on those who educate them," he said. "I hope the current impasse does not speak to how valuable we are to you." Board President Gary Meddaugh said he has empathy for the teachers and is willing to negotiate again before the state meeting. "Our committee is willing to meet to see if we can get beyond where we are now," he said. "We are probably as frustrated as you are that we have yet to get to the point where we can reach agreement." Skirbst's statement won the support of Parent Teacher Organization Vice President Jeanne Heidel. She said she had been unaware of the unsuccessful negotiations and would get other parents involved to help the teachers. "It's very frustrating to see they're having a problem," she said. "I want my child and everyone else's child not to be affected by this." Reporter Lynn Olanoff can be reached at 908-475-8044 or by e-mail at lolanoff@express-times.com. © 2006 The Express-Times. Used by NJ.com with permission.