ADAMS TWP — A one-year contract between Mars School District’s 200 teachers and administration will likely be in place by the end of the month.

District solicitor Tom King announced at Tuesday evening’s school board meeting that the two sides met a few hours earlier for a negotiation session.

King said teachers at the session offered a one-year contract that is essentially an extension of the 2010-11 contract, which expired June 30.

That means no salary increases, step-ups in pay level, hourly employee increases, or stipend increases for coaches.

The only possibility for a salary increase would be if a teacher earned a masters or doctorate or some higher educational level.

The starting salary for a teacher with a bachelor’s degree at Mars is $37,532. The average salary is $55,445, and the highest paid teacher in the district, who has a master’s degree and is at the top of the salary schedule, makes $72,712.