Lets make sure we vote to give teachers a raise next week. There are only handful of teachers on this list, and that's because of the numbers of years they have dedicated to teaching. We must insure we keep the teachers we have to continue the excellence the school district has achieved. Lets not forget part of our home values are calculated based on school district's reputation.

Thanks for the comment, David. There was a lot of support for the new contract at the School District Deliberative Session last month: http://bedford-nh.patch.com/articles/bedford-teachers-one-step-closer-to-salary-raise

The "pay raise" as it is being called is not across the board. The majority of the teachers listed above will not receive anything, the district is simply trying to offer the same salary to it's teachers as other neighboring towns. You failed to mention the larger number of teachers who earn under $50K and how the starting salary for a fully qualified teacher is just $30K, compared with $38K in other towns. We need to keep the teachers we have and attract new teachers to Bedford, but why would they come here for less money?

Marie
In response to your comments. If the teachers don't like the pay scale in Bedford they can always apply for a position in another town. Comparable to a "free agent" in sports, if all there concerned about is money let them apply to other districts and sign on with the high bidder. As Social Security recipients my wife and I had to wait 3 years for a cost of living increase, it has only been 2 years for the teachers. Why should this group be any different? This election there will be 3 NO votes coming from this household, and maybe we will revisit this topic again next year when the teacher's 3 year anniversary is upon us.

eye...if you don't like the taxes, you also can move to another town. This town has great value because of the education system.
Education is about the future of our children...if that is no longer important to you, there are more affordable community options. Just as you feel the teachers can leave, so can you.
I vote for helping teachers get a small raise to help feed their families. All yes votes here and most households in Beford, I suspect! :) If not, I invited you into my daughters' school to look into the eyes of the people you feel don't deserve it.

These folks deserve every penny, $30K starting salary???...eek!
I wouldn't be able to live in Bedford earning anything less than $100K

Dear Debbie etc., etc.
Where in my post did I mention I "don't like the taxes" in Bedford?

8 years ago, we moved to Bedford from a neighboring town with the specific goal to raise our family in this school district. As the parent of a first-grader (and a kindergartener next year), I am fairly new to this issue and this is the first year I have had the opportunity to learn about it and understand all the viewpoints.

I do believe that the strength of a community is underscored by its support for its educational system. If we are to continue to generate interest for people to move to our town in the future, we must support those who educate our children. If we encourage teachers to "jump ship," to find employment elsewhere, I wonder how our educator "talent pool" will look in the years to come.

As a previous poster commented, this pay raise is not for ALL teachers, but for those who fall below their peers in surrounding towns. I want to keep the talent in Bedford....where it belongs.

Eye...why else would you not want to vote for teachers to have a raise? What other reason could there be?
As I reread your statement...it's because you don't get one? You currently are not working, are you? There is a big difference.