‘Preparations, Patience & Perseverance’: Holmdel Teachers Reach New Contract Agreement

HOLMDEL, NJ — Following months of negotiations, the Holmdel Board of Education and Holmdel Township Education Association (HTEA) have reached an agreement on teacher contracts, the board recently announced.

During a school board meeting held on Wednesday night at Holmdel High School, the board approved the contract agreement between the district and the teachers' union, which will set forth new terms from July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2028.

Details on the new contract agreement were not immediately available. Patch has reached out to the board and HTEA for further information.

Prior to the board approving the contract agreement, Superintendent Dr. J. Scott Cascone spoke about the time that the board and HTEA members put into negotiations, adding that there’s “nothing we can’t do and accomplish here when we’re all working together.”

“This was really my first time as a superintendent at the bargaining table from start to finish,” Cascone said of the negotiation process. “...There were a lot of things I could say about it, but one thing that really stands out is the grit, effort and time that both sides put into it.”

“Over the course of the last three or four weeks, it’s been putting together quick meetings, board members finding time amidst their schedules as parents and professionals, and our staff wriggling out of whatever they needed to do to come,” he continued. “Our last two meetings were three hours. So, probably nine hours total over the course of the last three weeks.”

“I just want to thank all the HTEA folks who participated in that. I want to thank our board who participated in that," Cascone said. "...There's nothing that we can't do and accomplish here when we're all working together."

Not only were the board and teachers' union able to reach a contract agreement, but they were also able to resolve a long-standing dispute in the negotiations process: the potential outsourcing of Holmdel’s managerial and custodial staff.

Outsourcing has been a hot topic in the Holmdel school community for months, as the district continues to look for solutions to prevailing finance issues, one of which being a budget deficit for the 2026-27 school year.

In September, the district put out a request for proposals (RFP) seeking bids for custodial and management services.

On Wednesday night, however, the board was able to pass a resolution rejecting all proposals received under the RFP for those services.

“This agreement required compromise on both sides,” said Alison LoPresti, a school board member and one of the leads on labor negotiations alongside Anthony Libecci. “Neither side is fully satisfied, which, in many respects, means the process worked as intended.”

“There is mutual sacrifice, thoughtful prioritization, and a balanced approach that recognizes both the financial and operational needs of the district and the importance of supporting our faculty and staff in their work,” she continued. “Really glad to have this done so we can move forward together and keep this district exceptional.”

During Wednesday night’s meeting, many Holmdel staff members attended wearing “Holmdel Blue,” following months of showing up to meetings in red to display unity amidst the negotiations process.

• READ MORE: Holmdel School Staff Rally At Board Meeting Amidst Impasse In Teacher Contract Negotiations
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Patty Dasaro, the president of the HTEA, thanked members of the teachers' union, Holmdel staff, the superintendent and board members for their work, adding that the contract agreement “reflects the hard work of everyone involved.”

“Since January, both teams have spent countless hours in negotiations, and these meetings required preparations, patience, and perseverance,” Dasaro said. “This agreement happened because people showed up week after week, ready to do the work. And that commitment deserves the recognition that I’m trying to give out tonight.”

“Successful negotiations are not about winning and losing, but about finding solutions that allow us to move forward together in service of our students and our community,” she continued. “And I think we did a really good job with that.”

To see the agenda from Wednesday night’s meeting, you can click here.

To watch a full recording of Wednesday night’s meeting, you can watch here.

Previous Coverage

• Holmdel School Staff Rally At Board Meeting Amidst Impasse In Teacher Contract Negotiations
• Teacher Contract Negotiations At An Impasse In Holmdel School District
• ‘Real Solutions’: Holmdel School Staff, Community Rally At School Board Meeting