Lindbergh Schools teachers have outlined the parameters of their decision to work to contract, including “no unpaid tutoring/study sessions.”

Lindbergh National Education Association President Kim Scronce recently told the Board of Education that teachers will immediately withhold volunteer services and work to the letter of their contract until they see “significant progress” on a series of demands the union has made.

In an email sent to Board of Education members and building principals, Scronce wrote, “… As we reported at the school board meeting, the Lindbergh teachers have voted to withdraw their voluntary services/work to contract beginning now and continuing through the start of the school year. Ninety-three percent of elementary teachers, 90 percent of middle school teachers, and 99 percent of high school teachers are willing to take action.

“I am writing to inform you what you can expect from the teachers in your building. We know that this creates a challenge for you as building leaders, but hopefully, by sharing specific information, you will be able to find alternative solutions.”

Besides “no unpaid tutoring/study sessions,” Lindbergh teachers will not work in their classrooms until Aug. 15. The school year begins Aug. 18.

Teachers at all grade levels will not sponsor non-stipend clubs, associations, sports or activities. Also, parent/student/teacher communication should be conducted only during contracted hours.

Under the work-to-contract parameters, elementary school teachers will have a united arrival at 8:20 a.m., enter the buildings at 8:25 a.m. and depart at 3:45 p.m.

“Ice Cream Social/Meet the Teacher will need to be held during contracted hours,” the parameters state.

Middle school teachers will have a united arrival at 7:30 a.m. and depart at 2:50 p.m., according to the parameters.

Regarding middle school open houses, “Instead of an evening meeting, team presentation and elective class info should be placed on website, log or hard copy for parents and students.”

Elementary and middle school teachers also will have a “kid-free, duty-free lunchtime.”

Under the parameters, high school teachers will have a united arrival at 7:10 a.m. and depart at 2:35 p.m. Classroom doors will open at 7:15 a.m. High school teachers also will not attend the Aug. 25 open house and will not attend Curriculum Night.

In addition, high school teachers will not volunteer for Boonanza, programs, awards nights, assemblies, Kids Vote or freshman finals cram, will not attend outside-of-school-day competitions for students or serve as unpaid chaperones at dances.

Among the demands made by the LNEA is the immediate formation of a salary schedule committee that would include teachers, administrators and community members, creating and adopting of a policy regarding district reserves, providing teachers with contracts with salary amounts before the May 15 deadline and polling the community about a possible tax-rate increase.

The school board recently voted unanimously to approve a salary schedule that provides an average raise of 1.25 percent for teachers for the 2016-2017 school year.

Teachers will not advance a step on the salary schedule for having another year of experience. To provide for step increases, an average 3-percent pay raise is needed to fund the pay schedule.

Under the salary schedule, teacher pay for the coming school year ranges from $39,234 to $87,834. Potential stipends available to teachers include an additional $2,500 per year for earning National Board Certification and an additional $3,000 per year for earning a doctorate degree.

For a starting teacher who is paid $39,234, the total compensation — insurance, retirement contribution and Medicare tax — is $54,864.14. For a teacher at the top of the pay schedule who earns $87,834 — without potential stipends — the total compensation is $111,215.84.

Teachers, on average, have received raises totaling 9.75 percent over the past three years.

Asked about the impact of the teachers’ decision to work to contract, Super-intendent Jim Simpson told the Call, “It doesn’t really stop education in any way because that’s the contracted day … It’s a declaration of hostilities and making children the bargaining chip.”

Simpson noted that he and board President Kathy Kienstra have been the focus of “endless personal attacks” by teachers and their supporters at board meetings and on social media.

“Our board president is one of the nicest and most-dedicated ladies you could want. They’ve certainly piled on her in every way, and she’s an educator, too, and they have been merciless toward her also …,” Simpson said, adding, “This is a one-sided battle. The board and the administration, as anybody knows, we don’t fight back. So we don’t do anything but put out facts and try to calm the situation.

“Now on their side, there’s a plethora of the most personal attacks. You’ve got to point out people to do that because you do need symbols, and so having the board president title by your name — it doesn’t matter who you are — you are that symbol and, of course, the superintendent. Having that title, it makes you a symbol. There’s been endless personal attacks on social media against Kathy and myself. It’s been going on for months. I’m not speaking for Kathy, but after you’ve been attacked like that for months, you sort of get used to it.”

Those attacks were not lost on Crestwood resident Robert Miller, who was the last of 12 speakers at the July 12 board meeting.

“This is really nasty … I’m not going to come back very soon,” he said, telling the board, “… You people have a fiduciary responsibility. I’m sure you all know what that means, and everyone behind me knows what that means, too. And I’m sure that if you felt there was money and resources for teachers, you would be tickled to death to give it. Then you wouldn’t have to be going through this.”

He also cited the impact that the granting of tax incentives for the redevelopment of the Crestwood mall will have on Lindbergh and the mall owner’s successful appeal of the mall property’s assessed value that will result in the district receiving $95,000 less annually going forward.

“… If you come to me as a senior citizen living here in Crestwood for 40 years, I’ll move out if you tell me you’re going for a tax increase …,” Miller said.