Paraprofessional contract negotiations remain undecided

After months of negotiations between the Wareham Education Association and Wareham School Committee, committee members voted down paraprofessional contract negotiations 2 to 3 at the Thursday, Aug. 21 committee meeting. 

Unit C negotiations, or paraprofessional contract negotiations, have been in the process of renewal since January 29, 2025. 

Paraprofessionals are typically staff who assist students with disabilities, provides classroom support for teachers and work one-on-one with students. 

Secretary of the committee, Joyce Bacchiocchi, said in the Aug. 21 meeting that she could not support the negotiations due to the two-year contract clause. 

"Traditionally their contracts are three years and points were made that it would be more efficient that we'd see some dollar savings by going to a two-year contract," she said. "I'm still not convinced that going to a two-year versus a three-year contract is right at this point." 

Vice Chair Kevin Brogioli said he believed the contracts were heading in the right direction but also had reservations about the length.

"I think we will be right back to negotiating again at the end of next year," he said.

President of the Wareham Education Association, Deanna Semple said that the association wanted to do a two-year contract to align with other school units contracts. She said that having all of them combined would save money in the long run.

A big part of the contracts was an increase in pay for the paraprofessionals. Semple said the lower paying job has resulted in many of the staff leaving for higher salaries in other districts. 

"It's hard to keep the continuity for the students," she said. "They're trying to build relationships and we have this huge turnover."

Paraprofessional Marilyn Ramsey wrote in an email to Wareham Week that the denial to match up with other district employee contracts makes the paraprofessionals feel ostracized and undervalued.

"We’re back at work unfortunately still without a contract. The committee refused to sign because we want a two-year contract so that we can align with the rest of our colleagues going forward," she said.  

Semple attended the Thursday, Sept. 4 Wareham School Committee meeting and has plans with a petition to try to have a re-vote.

"Not only was this decision a slap to the face to our hard working paraprofessionals, this also threatens to cost the district thousands in legal fees by forcing both sides back to the table," she said at the Sept. 4 meeting. "I am asking that this committee reconsider and revote to approve this contract."

Ramsey said that she wants stability, fairness and respect and highlighted the mentally and physically demanding jobs the paraprofessionals face in the classrooms.

"The reality is, when we negotiate alone after everyone else, we’re forced to ask for money that has already been spent on everyone else, leaving us with little to nothing. We don’t want to take away from our colleagues — we just want the district to plan responsibly and pay fairly for the work we do," she said. "If the district continues to treat us as an afterthought, it leads to high turnover, instability and a revolving door of staff for our kids."