FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -- December 19, 2001
NAPERVILLE COMMUNITY UNIT SCHOOL DISTRICT 203
203 W. Hillside Road, Naperville, Illinois 60540-6589 FAX 630-420-1066
Contact: Melea Smith, Communications Coordinator / Phone 630-420-6412

Naperville District 203 reaches tentative contract agreement with NUEA

Following an aggressive schedule of negotiations, and one final marathon session on Tuesday, Dec. 18, Naperville School District 203 and the Naperville Unit Education Association (NUEA) have met the goal of reaching a tentative economic agreement on a new 3-year salary and benefits contract.

The contract must now be ratified by NUEA's 1243 members, who will receive the proposed terms at a meeting set for this evening, Dec. 19. This meeting will be open to Association officials and members only.

NUEA's membership will vote by secret ballot at their respective school sites on Friday, Dec. 21. The tally of that vote will be presented to Superintendent Dr. Don Weber late Friday afternoon.

The District 203 Board of Education has scheduled a special meeting for 4 pm Friday, Dec. 21, in anticipation of a favorable majority ratification by the NUEA. At that meeting, the Board will vote on the tentative agreement.

Details of the contract will be made public upon ratification by both sides. Should that take place on Friday, a press conference will be held immediately following the Board meeting.

"After reading the report of the 21^st Century Committee, the Association understood the need to have a contract in place prior to the Board's vote on a referendum. We also understand the importance of this referendum to the future of the school district and, ultimately, this community. We have tried to work with the Board and administration to reach an agreement in a timely manner," said NUEA team spokesman Ed Rosenthal.

Board team spokesman and Associate Superintendent Russ Bryan said, "We have all been mindful of the Education for the 21^st Century Committee's strong recommendation to have contract figures in hand prior to moving forward with any referendum plans.

"We thank the community for its patience and support. This is a visionary process. Very few districts have even attempted to forge an agreement this far in advance of the expiration of a current contract. We are optimistic that both sides will ratify this agreement on Friday," he concluded.

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