CHERRY TWP — A new contract for 53 support personnel of the Moniteau School District was approved Monday night by the school board.

The new five-year contract begins July 1 and continues through June 2021. The current contract expires June 30.

Employees included in the contract will receive a 3 percent raise each of the five years. This covers six secretaries, one computer technician, 15 paraprofessionals, 14 cleaning and custodial workers and 17 food service department full-time and part-time employees.

“Everyone was pleased with negotiating of our contract,” said Kerry McKinnis, a learning support paraprofessional and president of The Moniteau Educational Support Personnel Association.

Health care coverage and employee contributions to health care benefits will not change.

“We added a mentoring program, and we added unpaid leave,” said board member Trixie Heck.

“Everything was pretty much the same,” said board President Kathy McBride.