An open letter to the RSU 13 School Board: As you are aware, teachers and Educational Support Staff of RSU 13 are working without contracts, year one for teachers, year two for ESPs. The membership of the Seacoast Education Association believes it is important for you to know what we do above and beyond our school days in order to help the children of our district have a successful and balanced education.

We understand our profession is one that expects we will work beyond contractual hours without monetary compensation in doing what is best for the students. We understand that most view us as public servants. We also understand we entered this profession knowing we were not going to have overflowing bank accounts, but that our reward would be overflowing hearts as we watch our students develop into young adults, who become productive members of society, our next civic leaders, doctors, fishermen, artists, and, yes, teachers.

What we do not understand is that the very people who lead our district do not support us in the most basic way – providing us with a contract that provides reasonable working conditions, salaries and benefits.

Below are a list of activities and services provided by those who work for you that far exceed our contractual day. And please note: we continue to do these without contracts. We ask that you carefully read this list, then come to our schools and classrooms and see what we do. By our nature as teachers we will continue to give and give no matter what, and this leaves us at a disadvantage. Contract or no contract, our students must and will always come first. But what are our students learning when they hear their teachers are working without new contracts? What does this teach them about integrity and fairness? Our nation is in the midst of a teacher crisis…our students see what is going on, why would they want to enter this profession?

We ask that you settle the contracts for all of the employees in RSU 13 so that these services and activities will continue for the betterment of our student population. Finally, we ask you to consider how many professionals take their work home at night, on weekends and over vacations to assure those in their charge receive what they need to make our future great.

Attached you will find a list of activities teachers have reported participating in beyond their work day. Take a moment as you read this list to understand only 34 teachers responded to the survey we sent out. Imagine how long this list would be if all of your teachers had responded. Teachers are giving their time, their money, their unlimited energy to this district. In return, we ask that our contracts be settled, and settled quickly.

Lorrie Callaway is president of the Seacoast Education Association