Schools

Geneva Talks Continue As Evergreen Park Teachers Strike, Other Districts Show Intent

The 1,800 students of Evergreen Park School District 124 will not have class today, while Highland Park and Prairie Grove have authorized walkouts. The situations have similarities and contrasts to ongoing talks in Geneva School District 304.

Evergreen Park District 124 students will not have school again today. Teachers decided to strike after Monday night negotiations failed to result in a contract agreement. 

Strikes also are being considered in Highland Park and Crystal Lake, according to a report by the Chicago Tribune.

The scenarios playing out in Evergreen Park and other suburban school districts have some similarities and many contrasts with teacher contract negotiations in Geneva School District 304.

Find out what's happening in Genevawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Teachers in North Shore School District 112 in Highland Park notified the district Friday on their intent to strike and could walk out as soon as Oct. 12. Prairie Grove Consolidated District 46 teachers in Crystal Lake have authorized a strike but have not set a strike date.

Geneva teachers have been working with pay and benefits since the previous three-year contract expired in August. 

Find out what's happening in Genevawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The North Shore Education Association and school board began talks in April, and teachers there have worked without a contract since Aug. 21.

The only issue publicly discussed in Geneva so far is a "salary freeze" mentioned by members of the Geneva Education Association at School Board meetings.

In Lake Forest High School District 115, the district proposed salary increases over the next three years of 2.6 percent, 3.4 percent and 3.4 percent, the Chicago Tribune reported. By comparison, the teachers have asked for raises of 5.6, 6.5 and 5.6 percent, the newspaper reported. The newspaper reported that the district also asked teachers to begin paying for a percentage of their insurance.

In Evergreen Park, teachers rejected a four-year contract offer that would have increased their share of health insurance costs while decreasing their retirement benefits, the Tribune reported.

The district has posted a list of learning resources that parents can use to keep children academically active while off from school.  

Read Patch Coverage of the Evergreen Park Contract Negotiations:

  • Last Chance for EP Teachers and D124 to Avoid Strike
  • Scenes of a Protest: EP Teachers Stage Noisy Rally on 95th Street
  • Threat of EP Teachers Strike Looms
  • EP Teachers Set Oct. 2 Strike Date
  • No Agreement In D124 Contract Talks

Read Patch Coverage of the Lake Forest High School District 115, District 45 and Prairie Grove Negotiations:

  • D-46 Teachers Union Files Impasse in Contract Negotiations
  • Prairie Grove Teachers Disappointed with Monday Negotiations Session
  • Cary Teacher Explains Impact of Imposed Contract
  • Progress Reported in Prairie Grove District 46 Teachers Negotiations
  • Poll: What Do You Think of the Lake Forest Teachers Strike?

Read Patch Coverage of the Highland Park School District 112 Negotiations:

  • Readers React to Strained District 112 Negotiations
  • Getting Immersed in District 112 Teachers' Contract Negotiations
  • District 112 Teachers Take First Step Towards Strike
  • District 112 Teachers Rally Before Board Meeting
  • District 112 Teachers File Intent to Strike
  • District 112 Teachers Explain Intent to Strike

Other Sources


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