THE JOURNAL & TOPICS NEWSPAPERS | WEDNESDAY, MARCH 19, 2008

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Dist. 62 Preparing For Contract Negotiations

Contract negotiations between Des Plaines Elementary School Dist. 62 and the Des Plaines Teacher Assistant Association will begin Wednesday, Mar. 19.

Supt. Jane Westerhold said the two groups will have an introductory night Wednesday, to lay the groundwork.

"At this first meeting, there are introductions and setting calendars and ground rules," she said. "We are putting together the agenda now."

The current contract will expire June 30 and covers the approximate 100 teaching assistants for the district.

Westerhold said she does not know at this time how long the next contract will run. Teachers in Dist. 62 are under a three-year agreement, which ends in 2010 and district custodians are under a five-year agreement, ending in 2011.

"A lot of things depend on the desires of both parties," Westerhold said. "We'll have a better idea after the first meeting."