The Philomath School Board unanimously approved a new contract for licensed staff at its Sept. 11 meeting with a negotiated agreement that addresses recent inflation.
Licensed staff will receive a 4.5% cost-of-living adjustment for the 2025-26 school year and a 4% COLA for 2026-27. Under the new agreement, annual salaries for the 2025-26 fiscal year will range from $46,307 to $94,632, depending on where staff members fall on the district’s salary schedule, which factors in both experience and education.
Board member Tom Klipfel acknowledged the significance of the increases while cautioning about future sustainability.
“I will make the observation that there’s a 4-1/2% COLA this year and a 4% COLA next year, which you know is attempting to catch up from some obviously significant inflation the last several years,” Klipfel said. “But those can’t be seen as the new normal and the new threshold because we will not be able to afford that type of thing in the future — next year alone is going to be very hard to cover that.”
Klipfel noted that the increases become part of the salary base going forward, which permanently raises compensation levels across the district.
Both sides expressed satisfaction with the bargaining process. Mallory Crane, representing the Philomath Education Association, praised the district’s approach.
“We the members are happy with the contract that was just bargained and we are very thankful for the district team for working with us to get that settled quickly,” Crane said.
The collective bargaining agreement also addresses compensation for extracurricular activities. Co-curricular salaries for 2025-26 range from $1,979 for middle school athletic supervisors to $5,849 for coaches with more than 10 years of experience. The athletic director will earn between $7,798 and $11,140, with experience determining placement on the scale.
Other activity stipends range from $1,894 for elementary music positions with four years or less experience up to $3,900 for high school or middle school play production and high school instrumental music positions with 10-plus years of experience.
School Board Chair Erin Gudge praised the collaborative nature of the negotiations.
“We had a very productive and robust set of bargaining sessions with our licensed union,” Gudge said. “I hope everyone felt heard … that was really important to everyone on both sides of the table, so to speak.”
Board member Sandi Hering commended the process before making the motion to approve the contract.
“I think the bargaining from both sides was done in good faith and I was pleased that things got resolved as quickly as they did — even though it didn’t seem quickly at the time week after week,” Hering laughed. “But I thought the process went very well.”
The contract passed on a 5-0 vote.
Board member Erin McMullen expressed gratitude for the effort involved in reaching the agreement.
“I know that was a lot of effort, a lot of time and a lot of energy that was put into it,” McMullen said, adding that she was grateful all parties were able to reach a resolution.
