Compensation agreement reached for affected Amherst educators and staff

AMHERST — Teachers and professional staff in Amherst’s elementary schools and middle school affected by restructuring of buildings in advance of the 2026-2027 school year will receiving additional compensation.

In advance of bringing the new Amethyst Brook Elementary School online, closing Fort River and Wildwood schools and having all Amherst sixth graders educated at the middle school, the Amherst and Regional school committees Tuesday unanimously approved a memorandum of agreement with the Amherst Pelham Education Association. The votes came after a 20-minute executive session.

“This transition impacts a significant number of staff members who will be required to organize, label and pack classroom materials,” the agreement states. “This MOA acknowledges the magnitude of this work and provides appropriate compensation and support for staff engaged in this process.”

Specifically, the agreement applies to elementary educators who are changing school locations and middle school educators who are required to relocate classrooms to accommodate what will be known as the Chestnut Street Academy.

For the elementary school transition, three additional work days are allocated to teachers so they can accomplish the moves. One of those days will be prior to June 30, 2026, while the other two days will be between Aug. 17 and Aug. 21, 2026, for those moving between elementary schools, and between Aug. 10 and Aug. 21, 2026, for those at the middle school.

Under the agreement, teachers will be compensated $41.67 per hour for up to 21 hours, meaning a maximum of $875.07 in additional pay.

In a statement, APEA, the union representing teachers, paraeducators and clerical staff, said that it advocated for the agreement on behalf of staff so “those involved in this huge endeavor would be fairly compensated and that the move could be made effectively.”

“The APEA is looking forward to continuing the conversation with district leadership about the issues around moving so many students and classrooms to new facilities.”

Superintendent E. Xiomara Herman is also being given the OK to schedule additional early release days that would be used solely for the purpose of organizing, labeling and packing classroom materials.

The agreement allows for appropriating enough money to fund up to 30 paraeducators, in Unit C, to support the organization, labeling and packing work associated with the restructuring, as well as other tasks associated with the transition.

Unit C staff who participate will get paid at a $30 hourly rate for up to 21 hours. This means they would receive up to $630 in additional pay.

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