Message from the President

Unpaid Days

As many of you know, the District has recently begun enforcing policies related to unpaid absences more strictly, particularly when employees are not on an approved leave such as FMLA or another contractual leave.

The current expectation is as follows: if you have exhausted your sick days and need to take time off due to your own illness or that of an immediate family member, the District may require a doctor’s note. This documentation will likely need to be submitted to your principal or Human Resources in order to avoid potential progressive discipline.

Human Resources has also begun sending reminder letters to employees who take unpaid days after exhausting their accrued leave. These letters are intended to notify you that you are out of available days and that documentation may be required for the absence. While the tone of these letters may initially seem disciplinary, they are not formal reprimands.

To be clear, a formal reprimand has to be signed by your principal or supervisor, or it is not disciplinary. If you are unclear about a letter you received, please reach out to one of your building representatives for assistance.

Scholarship Deadline Reminder

The NTU Scholarship deadlines are fast approaching. Please mail your applications by May 5, 2026. Here's the info:

Scholarship Applications

Tentative Agreement on Clerical Contract: Ratification Meeting Scheduled

I am pleased to announce that we have reached a tentative agreement on a new contract for our secretaries. I also would like to thank the Secretaries’ Negotiating Team for their hard work and professionalism throughout this process, which helped make this agreement possible:

Cherie Gaudette, Nashua High School South
Kendra Mansfield, Birch Hill Elementary
Allison Lynn, Nashua High School North
Terri Donovan, AFT-NH Attorney
Gary Hoffman, NTU President

Over the next few weeks, both negotiating teams will review the contract to ensure the language is accurate and free of errors. On May 12, 2026, the NTU Board of Directors will receive an overview of the agreement, and I will ask for their recommendation.

The contract ratification meeting for secretaries will be held on May 26, 2026, at the Nashua High School North auditorium. Doors will open at 3:45 pm, and the meeting will begin at 4:15 pm. This schedule allows time to verify member credentials, as only NTU members in the clerical unit are eligible to vote.

If the secretaries vote to approve the agreement, the next step will be a vote by the Board of Education, which is scheduled to meet later that same evening at Nashua High School North. Following Board approval, the contract will be submitted to the Board of Aldermen for final approval, a process that typically takes about one month.

I plan to share additional details about the tentative agreement with the clerical unit prior to the ratification vote. In the meantime, please see the press release below for an overview of the new contract.

Press Release on Tentative Secretaries' Contract

Recalls

The involuntary transfer process was completed the Friday before break. If you were involuntarily transferred, and you have to move buildings, you will be paid. Under Article 9:7D of the Teachers’ Contract, eligible teachers may receive up to seven hours of moving pay at $35 per hour. To receive this benefit, submit a special payroll request through your payroll secretary.

Now that the involuntary transfer process is over, the district may be able to recall some teachers who were laid off. If you were pink slipped this year, and a job opens up that you are certified for, you will be recalled in order of seniority. You actually remain on the list for three years, so check the mail in the summer because you might get a job offer via certified mail. You have 15 calendar days to accept the position; if you refuse, you will be removed from the recall list permanently.  
 
City Budget Process

As I previously shared, I am hopeful that the City of Nashua will approve the Board of Education’s proposed budget. If that occurs, some of the positions currently slated for reduction could be restored, and some laid off teachers may be recalled.

The School Department will present its budget to the Board of Aldermen on May 5, 2026, at City Hall at 7:00 pm. I will be in attendance, but I am not asking members to come to this meeting, although you are obviously more than welcome to do so. The next key date is the Public Hearing on the FY 2027 City Budget, which will take place on June 8, 2026, at Nashua High School North at 7:00 p.m. This hearing is an important opportunity to provide feedback to the Board of Aldermen, and I strongly encourage members to attend.

The Board of Aldermen is expected to hold its final vote on the City Budget on June 23, 2026. Depending on how the process unfolds, I may ask members to attend that meeting as well. At this time, however, the only meeting I am asking people to go to is the Public Hearing on June 8.

Here is the full budget meeting calendar from the City:

Nashua Budget Meeting Calendar

Questions? Comments? Need Assistance?  Contact a member of the Executive Board

Trying to email Gary? Make sure to use president@nashuatu.org