Ely school officials have reached a contract agreement with a bargaining unit that represents most of the district’s non-teaching staff. Earlier this week, school board members approved a new two-year deal with AFSCME Local 290, covering both the 2025-26 and 2026-27 school years.
Terms include a $500 stipend for the first year of the deal, prorated based on the number of hours worked per week by each respective member, and a subsequent 0.75 percent increase on the pay scale for 2026-27.
Board members adopted the agreement on a 5-0 vote, with chairperson Rochelle Sjoberg absent. But Sjoberg passed along a message of thanks to the union, for its “understanding of the district’s current financial situation.”
The union represents school secretaries, paraprofessionals, cooks and other food service staff, bus drivers, custodians and maintenance staff, and other office staff.
Starting hourly pay rates range from $18.49 to $26.63 for most of the represented positions, and rising with years of experience. The range is from $20.83 to $29.98 for 10 years of experience, and from $21.66 to $31.19 at 25 years on the scale.
Full-time employees receive paid vacation and health insurance including district contributions of up to $21,000 per year for premium payments, while employees who work 20 hours per week or more are eligible for prorated health benefits.
The deal also includes 12 paid holidays for full-time staff and those who work at least 20 hours per week.
The contract was part of a brief board agenda Monday, during a meeting that concluded in about 20 minutes.
In other business, the board:
• Received the latest enrollment report, showing 491 students enrolled in grades K-12 as of this week. That’s up seven from the start of the school year but down 20 from the end of the 2024-25 term. Currently, Ely has 184 elementary school (K-5) students and 307 in the Memorial (grades 6-12) Building.
• Hired Abby Tweeton and Richard Jopp for paraprofessional positions.
• Hired Nicole Roy for a .4 full time equivalent thirdgrade teaching position.
• Had the first reading on model policies related to service animals in schools, school district curriculum and instructional goals, and religion and religious cultural observances.
• Approved domestic per diem rates for meal reimbursement and lodging for employee travel in 2026.
• Accepted donations including an anonymous gift of $1,950 for special education, $450 from the Ely Kiwanis for ECFE/school readiness, and $385 from the Ely Kiwanis for the National Honor Society.
