Hopatcong Settles School Aides' Contract

The Board of Education expects to approve at its June 24 meeting a new contract with the Hopatcong Education Association unit that represents teacher aides, custodians and cafeteria workers.

Board president Clifford Lundin said Monday that an agreement has been reached, but that the contract language was being reconciled. No details about the agreement were released.

In February the board accepted the findings of the state mediator brought in to settle the contract.

The two sides reached an agreement in principal in April after more than three years of bitter negotiations.

Lundin said the contract has been ratified by the members, now called paraprofessionals, but it is being reviewed by the state School Boards Association.

The HEA unit represents 80 aides and 40 custodians and cafeteria staff.

Lundin said the agreement would run till the end of 2014, bringing it in line with the end of the district’s other teacher contracts.