The Springboro school board has scheduled a special meeting on Wednesday on the status of negotiations with the district’s teachers and staff.
The most recent three-year contracts expired on June 30, and the parties have turned to a mediator to help them come to an agreement.
Today the Springboro board sent out a notice on the special executive session, meaning the board would be meeting behind closed doors “for the consideration of preparing for, conducting, or reviewing negotiations or bargaining sessions with public employees concerning their compensation or other terms and conditions of their employment.”
The special meeting is to begin at 8 a.m. Wednesday.
“The status of the district’s negotiations with our teachers’ and staff unions has not changed at this point. We are still currently in negotiations,” Scott Marshall, the district communications coordinator said in an email response to questions.
Marshall then confirmed the board and unions were in mediation.
Last week, board member Lisa Babb said part of her reason for not voting for a new three-year contract with Superintendent Dan Schroer was the lack of notice she was given of the district and teachers going to mediation due to an impasse in negotiations.
“We do not have a contract for our teachers or staff, and the unions have been given permission by their members to give a 10-day strike notice required if they feel that’s the only option to an agreement is a strike,” Babb said in a statement she read at the July 17 board meeting.
“The only substantive update that we received was provided to us by Mr. Schroer less than 24 hours before negotiations went to federal mediation,” Babb added.
“I cannot help but wonder if we could have resolved more concerns had the board been involved and informed at an earlier point in the negotiations.”
The union’s representative could not be immediately reached.