Submitted by Westfield Washington Schools
At the Nov. 11 meeting of the Board of School Trustees, Westfield Washington Schools (WWS) officially approved the 2025-26 Master Contract with the Westfield Classroom Teachers Association (WCTA). The newly ratified agreement represents another significant step forward in supporting, valuing, and retaining outstanding educators across the district.
The one-year agreement maintains the current salary schedule and ensures that all teachers will advance one level on the pay scale in accordance with their years of experience. The district continues using a 2.7 percent pay increment, with placement determined by total years of service. This approach reinforces WWS’s commitment to honoring educators’ professional growth and longevity.
The contract also introduces a transition from the previous sick/personal leave model to a more flexible paid time off (PTO) system. Under the new structure:
- Teachers will receive 15 PTO days per school year.
- Any unused PTO days at year-end will roll into each teacher’s accrued sick day balance.
This change streamlines leave processes while maintaining strong support for teacher well-being.
A commitment to collaboration
Throughout the negotiation process, WWS and WCTA worked closely and constructively to ensure the resulting contract reflects both the district’s ongoing commitment to educators and its fiscal responsibilities.
“We are so thankful for everything our teachers are doing for our students. Westfield Washington Schools’ track record of academic excellence is a direct result of hiring and retaining amazing classroom teachers who do everything possible to see their students learn, grow, and succeed,” said Dr. Chris Baldwin, Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources. “Teachers have been and continue to be faced with unique and unexpected challenges, so we want our current teachers, as well as teachers considering Westfield, to know that we value them as professionals and as individuals.”
In response, WCTA President Chris Sluder highlighted the significance of the agreement amid broader financial challenges for schools statewide.
“Most school districts across the state are currently feeling great financial stress due to actions by the Indiana legislature over the past few years. But in spite of that, we were able to negotiate a contract with some notable wins for our teachers,” Sluder said. “Our 2023 settlement finally restored pay recognition for all years of service for our teachers and the new 2025 settlement is all about preserving and building upon that. WCTA and WWS have a shared goal of attracting and retaining the best teachers to be part of our amazing Westfield learning community. WCTA would like to thank the WWS Admin and Board for engaging in this process with us in a spirit of full transparency and collaboration.”
Dr. Baldwin also emphasized the value of the partnership between the district and WCTA:
“This settlement reflects the strong, collaborative relationship we share with the Westfield Classroom Teachers Association. We are grateful for their partnership, professionalism, and commitment to doing what’s best for students. We achieved an agreement that supports our educators and positions our district for continued success.”
WWS extends its sincere appreciation to the WCTA for its constructive engagement, collaborative spirit, and steadfast dedication to the students and educators of Westfield.
