The Panther Valley School Board last week approved a three-year teachers contract with the teachers union.

The pact with the Panther Valley Education Association provides a 4.5% increase for each of the three years, Superintendent Dave McAndrew said.

“We’re proud to have reached an agreement with the Panther Valley Education Association,” Dan Matika, school board president, said after approving the contract.

“I want to thank our teachers for all they do each day for our students,” he said. “This contract reflects a fair and responsible balance, supporting our staff while remaining mindful of our taxpayers.”

The contract, which runs from August 2026 to August 2029, also provides for health care concessions, McAndrew said.

The union did agree to concessions, including raising the deductible and the addition of a spousal fee, which were minimal, Matika said.

Teachers did receive $1,500 across the board to bring up salaries, which have been lower than surrounding districts, he said.

“We gave them a good raise,” Matika said, noting that it was well deserved. “We have some of the best teachers in the area. We’re trying to get them up to where all the other local schools around us are.

“It’s taken us a while, but we’re getting there slowly,” he said. “It was a fair deal for both sides.”

The district needed to move forward with the salary increases with the ongoing teacher shortage in the state, which has made it harder for low-paying districts to get and keep teachers, McAndrew said.

“Our teachers have been heroically underpaid,” the superintendent said. “We need to be able to attract and retain our teachers.”