WEST ORANGE, NJ — The West Orange School District released the following statement April 18 from Superintendent of Schools Jeffrey Rutzky: “Based on the tentative agreement for health benefits and salary with the West Orange Education Association, the additional $1.3 million dollars in budget cuts will no longer be needed. Therefore, the library media specialist […]
WEST ORANGE, NJ — According to an April 17 statement from the West Orange School District, the West Orange Board of Education and West Orange Education Association, the teachers’ union, have reached “a tentative agreement with regard to health benefits and salary increases.” A contract has not been in place for nearly two years due […]
Teachers' contract remains unresolved, though both sides hope for an equitable resolution soon
WEST ORANGE, NJ — The West Orange Education Association and the West Orange Board of Education did not agree upon a new contract by April 1, which was the start of the 91-day time period that district insurance provider Horizon has set to roll into the 10/20 plan being offered by the BOE. WOEA President […]
Tight finances, limited state aid force district to make cuts, average homeowner to pay $271 more
WEST ORANGE, NJ — The West Orange Board of Education approved the 2017-18 school year’s preliminary budget, which increases taxes by 4.09 percent and uses all of the school district’s banked cap accumulated during the 2015-16 and 2016-17 school years. The proposed budget, which only Vice President Irv Schwarzbaum voted against during the board’s special […]
WOEA and BOE seem unable to reach contract agreement
WEST ORANGE, NJ — Members of the West Orange Board of Education revealed the details of the latest health care plan presented to the West Orange Education Association, stressing during its special March 22 meeting that the package would prevent costs from increasing by approximately $1.3 million if accepted by Horizon’s April 1 deadline. Irv […]
WEST ORANGE, NJ — Superintendent of Schools Jeffrey Rutzky has come under fire after making reference to the ongoing West Orange Education Association contract negotiations in an email that asked district faculty to keep daily challenges “in perspective” on the fourth anniversary of the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. Rutzky’s Dec. 14 email stated […]
BOE candidates debate the issues — such as taxes and teacher morale — at Oct. 27 forum at Liberty
WEST ORANGE, NJ — The 2016 Board of Education election features six candidates running for two open seats in a year when taxes remain high, teacher morale is cited as being low and communication between the board and its stakeholders continues to frustrate. Incumbents Sandra Mordecai and Mark Robertson and challengers Steven Christiano, Tanya Atterberry, […]
Tenured teachers boycott Back to School Nights, demand new contract with pay raises, respect
WEST ORANGE, NJ — The tenured teachers of the West Orange Education Association are not attending their Back to School Nights in order to raise awareness about the negotiations dispute that has left them working without a contract for more than a year as well as what they feel has been disrespectful treatment on behalf […]
WEST ORANGE, NJ — The following is the condensed form of a statement given to the West Orange Chronicle from the West Orange Education Association, the teachers’ union, regarding the current dispute with the Board of Education: While we are reluctant to engage the BOE in a tit-for-tat exchange, we would be remiss if we did not reply and […]
WEST ORANGE, NJ — The following is a statement submitted to the West Orange Chronicle from the Board of Education regarding the current dispute with the West Orange Education Association, the teachers’ union: The Board of Education and administration absolutely value our staff but need to find a fair and equitable agreement for all parties […]