Monday night, the Portage Township school board approved a two-year teacher's contract that will give veteran teachers, on average, a $2,000 raise per year.
The agreement, retroactive to July 1, also includes an additional increase of $200 for educators who earn the state's early literacy endorsement.
The minimum salary would go up to $52,550 this school year, and $53,600 the next year, while the maximum salary will increase to $84,650 this year and $86,650 the next.
Board Vice President Wilma Vazquez praised the deal, saying "everyone benefits" as both sides came to an agreement.
The school board also approved an energy-saving plan, and as part of the energy savings plan, the board approved two contracts totaling over $2 million for Performance Services and Stratelign.
The plan will generate nearly $9 million in energy savings over the next 20 years, which would also include over $20,000 in rebates from NIPSCO and over $200,000 in savings during the first year.
Energy monitoring systems will be installed in each building in the district that will track energy consumption; LED lighting will be replaced at Fegely Middle School; and the option to install solar panels at Central, Kyle and Myers Elementary schools.
