John Mason of The Register-Star reports on ongoing contract negotiations in the Taconic Hills School District. Taconic Hills teachers have been working under an expired contract for three-and-a-half years, since June 2008. Taconic Hills outgoing Superintendent Mark Sposato told the paper the teachers were asking for too much. “They want more money every year,” he said. “... Even though we’re going broke, they want a $35,000 retirement incentive." According to Sposato’s email, the teachers were seeking raises of five percent per year for the next seven years. Mason also reports that Taconic Hills is dropping some popular "manual arts" or "shop" electives, following the retirement of two veteran teachers. Shop class at Taconic Hills Central School featured a section on house construction where students learned how to build a model frame strong enough to hold their weight without collapsing. Sandra Gardner, the school's Director of Instruction and Staff Development, told the paper the district is trying to be reflective of the changing realities of the job market. “We’re going to more of a pre-engineering curriculum,” Gardner said, citing a new computer lab. Gardner said high school students wishing to take shop classes can go to Questar III. Read that story in the Register-Star.