The United Township High School District's Board of Education voted to approve a contract with its employee union.

The vote was held at a regularly scheduled board meeting and was unanimous with all members of the board present.

The original two-year contract expired July 31.

UT Superintendent Jay Morrow said the United Township Education Association approved the deal last week and the new contract will affect about 180 employees, including teachers, support staff such as cooks and janitors and the staff who handle extracurricular activities such as coaching. The new contract will cover the 2012-13 and 2013-14 school years.

For teachers, the contract includes changes to the raises teachers receive based on the number of years they stay with the district, he said. The range of years it takes for a teacher to max out the bonus was broadened, meaning it will take teachers longer to reach the ceiling, and the yearly increases overall will be smaller, making the program more sustainable for the district.

Those who have reached the maximum increase will receive a 1 percent pay raise instead, he said.

Support staff, who have a similar system, will receive a 1.5 percent increase once they have reached the maximum pay raise within the time-bases system.

Coaches and other staff who handle extracurricular activities will receive a 1 percent yearly increase to their stipends for the duration of the contract.

The contract also includes a decrease in a series of raises teachers traditionally receive leading up to retirement. Previously, they received 6 percent raises each of the last four years before retirement. That rate has been lowered to 5 percent for the final four years.

Teachers also will have an additional day they are required to work, bringing the total to 181 days, Mr. Morrow said. The extra day will be used to help get freshmen acclimated to their new surroundings.