Little white signs are showing up in yards around Niles. Signs that read “Niles Teachers Care” enclosed in a red apple, with the words “We Support Niles Teachers” across the bottom.

Niles District Education Association President Katherine Elsner said Niles teachers through the teachers’ union came up with the idea for the signs in an effort to combat the negative portrayal of teachers at the state level, largely through legislation.

“They (the signs) are a way for teachers to show support for each other and a way to show that teachers care about our schools and the community,” Elsner said. “We’ve had a really positive reaction to the signs.”

The placing of the signs comes as the teachers’ union and the school corporation continue to negotiate a new collective bargaining agreement.

Niles Community Schools Board President Jeff Curry said he believes the signs are an effort by the union to solicit emotional support from the public.

“I understand why they are doing it, but we can only work with the money we get from the state,” Curry said.

A budget projection summary provided by Supt. Richard Weigel shows the district is spending more than what is coming in by about $2.9 million for the 2011-12 school year.  If the current situation remains unchanged and if state allowances to school districts stay the same, the district would have a $3.5 million deficit in the 2012-13 school year and an $8.8 million deficit in 2013-14.

Niles school officials said last month they were looking into the possibility of cutting teachers salaries across the board.

Weigel said he and the school board support teachers.

“We have great teachers and I think they will continue to do a fabulous job with our students,” he said. “I also support a balanced budget. It is a simple concept that you cannot have expenditures exceed revenue.”

Neither side would comment on what issues are holding up negotiations, although Weigel said collective bargaining agreement issues generally revolve around salaries and benefits.

Elsner said the teachers union is looking for a “fair and equitable contract” — one that is best for the teachers, students and the community.

Curry does not see an agreement coming anytime soon.

“The difficult nature of the financial situation right now is we have shrinking revenue and rising cost,” he said. “It is a whole new world. Normally we are negotiating what the raise will be, but now we are actually negotiating what the cuts will be.

“I would love to see it come to an end amicably for everybody. Unfortunately it sounds like it is going to go into next summer.”

Niles resident Carrie Peltz, who has a sign in her yard and two children in Niles schools, will be waiting to see what happens.

“I’ll be watching it closely because it could affect my boys’ education,” she said.

PAY CUT FOR NILES ADMINISTRATORS

Administrators in the Niles Community Schools are not going to see any raises this year.

In fact, they are about to take a significant reduction in salary, according to Supt. Richard Weigel.

“All administrators, and that includes principals, central office administrators and the superintendent, are putting a package together right now for an 8 percent salary reduction,” Weigel said. “Also, we are going to go with a hard cap on insurance and we are going to move to a different insurance carrier within probably at least the next month.”

Weigel said the cuts would save the district roughly $110,000. He said the changes would take place “as soon as we can get it together. By November or December as soon as we can get it in place.”