Two separate four-year contacts with approximately 50 Northampton Area School District custodians and maintenance persons have been approved.

The collective bargaining agreement between NASD and the Northampton Area Maintenance Association and the Northampton Area Custodial Association calls for 2.3 percent wage hikes in each year of the contract, July 1 through June 30, 2018.

The previous contracts, which ran 2007-11, were also for four years.

During the past two years, there were memorandums of understanding whereby the workers took lower salary increases as part of give-backs along the lines of what other NASD employees agreed to do.

"Everyone of our groups gave back to district," said NASD Superintendent Joseph Kovalchik in a recent phone interview with The Press.

The NASD school board approved the contracts unanimously 9 -0 at the May 5 meeting.

There are approximately 40 custodians and 14 maintenance workers.

Under the new contract, there are significant changes in health-care plans for the workers, whereby deductibles increase each year.

At the April 28 board meeting, school directors had voted 9-0 to approve the following items.

· The board accepted the resignation of Ian Chlebove as assistant wrestling coach.

Amanda Rogers was approved as a TPE art teacher at borough elementary schools, effective Aug. 18, at a salary of $49,294, with benefits, based on a bachelor's +15 degree and Step 5, per the collective bargaining agreement between NASD and NAEA.

· Pamela Hayford was hired as an LTS special education teacher at Northampton Area High School, effective Aug. 18 for the 2014-15 school year at a salary of $46,050, with benefits, based on a bachelor's degree and Step 1, per the collective bargaining agreement.

· Cullen Mentzell was hired as a TPE mathematics teacher at Washington's Crossing School, effective Aug. 18 at a salary of $46,050, with benefits, based on a bachelor's degree and Step 1, per the collective bargaining agreement.

· An unpaid FMLA childbearing-childrearing leave, with benefits, per federal government regulations, for the period beginning on or about June 18 through on or about Sept. 10 was approved for Janel Stohl.

· Carol Cunningham was approved as acting principal of Lehigh Elementary School, retroactively effective on or before Feb. 26 through April 29, with a stipend of $2,500.

· A rate adjustment was approved for Amanda Roberts to level I short term substitute teacher status, with an hourly rate of $18.02, without benefits, with salary adjustments to be made retroactive to February through April 29.

· The following revised extra-curricular staff members and stipends were also approved: Suzanne Ott, head teacher, Siegfried Elementary, $867; Carol Cunningham, head teacher, Siegfried Elementary, Jan. 27 through Feb. 13 and April 30 through June 6, $663.

· Staff member Craig Mogel was approved as intramural basketball coach at Siegfried Elementary for the 2013-14 school year at a rate of $11.50 per hour.

· A voluntary transfer of Anthony Frantz from floating custodian to day shift custodian at Washington's Crossing School was approved, effective May 20.

· Dr. Kathleen E. Ott, Ms. Melissa Monteith, and Deidre Vachier were approved to attend the Pennsylvania Literacy Conference, State College, June 17-19 at a cost of no more than $571.20.

· Student summer help was approved at $7.25 per hour, pending receipt of acceptable clearances.

· An agreement with Capital Area Intermediate Unit 15 to provide off-site backup and disaster recovery services was approved at a cost of $3,600 per year for three years.

· A three-year service agreement with Physio-Control, Mid-Atlantic District, to provide inspections, reports and replacement batteries and electrodes as needed for the district's 18 defibrillators was approved at an annual cost of $6,141.

· The board awarded a bid for a used 2011 Crawler 60 to CSI Material Handling, Bethlehem, for $74,230 which includes delivery, training and a one-year warranty.