A pay freeze on teacher salaries will help the East Holmes School District control its budget.

The East Holmes board of education officially accepted an agreement Monday, April 18, with faculty that freezes their pay at 2010 levels. The freeze helps to keep the budget from escalating, Treasurer Marsha Clark said.

“For every one percent in salary increases we give, it equals approximately $100,000,” Clark said. “Freezing wages saves on expenditures. We’re saving in future years.”

The freeze is part of a two-year agreement. If the district’s 3.82 mill levy passes in May, a one percent increase will be considered for next year, Superintendent Joe Wengerd said.

“That puts a wrap on our look ahead next year,” Wengerd said. “It will be looked at again” in the 2012-2013 school year.

Administrators also agreed to a wage freeze in February.

The board and the teacher’s association usually conduct salary agreements every three years. Because of uncertainties with the economy and state and federal funding, “no one is looking out that far,” Clark said.

In another money-saving measure, the board further eliminated a bus route that transported two handicapped students to Walnut Creek Elementary.

In a bit of good news, Clark informed the board that the district’s real estate tax collections came in $100,000 above last year.

“I don’t know what’s behind the increase,” Clark said.

In other business, the board moved forward the last day of school to May 25 from May 27. The change in the school schedule reflects Ohio House Bill 36, which extended the number of calamity days schools can claim from three to five.

“We were hoping for action (on the bill) a little sooner,” Wengerd said. “Like so many school districts, we’ve decided to move the last day of school back. We’re going to have a lot of happy students.”

The district made up five calamity days for the 2010-2011 school year, four during spring break and one on Presidents Day.

The next meeting of the East Holmes board of education will be held May 16.