Here's an interesting item that was sent to residents in the Sycamore Schools district:

"Last year, more than 2,650 teachers applied for positions in Sycamore Community Schools. There were 40 openings.''

That says it all. Sycamore is the Procter & Gamble of public schools. Everyone wants to work there. And no wonder.

Sycamore teachers' salaries are about $12,000 a year above the state average and $5,359 higher than wealthy districts such as Dublin and Indian Hill.

The contract requires 7 1/2 hours a day for 185 days - minus 15 sick days and four personal days. For nonteaching wage slaves, that translates to almost four months off for holidays, sick time and vacations.

Dream job

Many teachers arrive early, work late and take papers home to grade.

But so do many of the rest of us. America would grind to a stop if everyone worked only the hours they were paid to work.

If Sycamore teachers "accept'' the raises they are being offered by the school board, coupled with automatic step raises, the increases over three years range from about 12.5 percent to 31.74 percent, or about 4 percent to 10.5 percent per year.

That pushes salaries to $36,000 a year at the low end and $84,000 a year at the high end, school officials say.

That's nearly $26 an hour for beginning teachers and more than $60 an hour for veterans at the top of the pay scale - almost as much as consultants at City Hall.

I think a single good teacher is worth a whole limo-load of consultants. But the point is, they are making some good jack in Sycamore Schools.

Great benefits

They also have more teachers' helpers than most districts, and the raw material is not as challenging as the students in some inner-city schools, where schools have to offer combat pay to attract good teachers.

It looks like Sycamore teachers are doing a great job. And the district is paying them very well.

But the teachers union has looked over all those numbers on the chalkboard, and they say it might spell S-T-R-I-K-E.

"I didn't go into teaching to make money, but if I'm in a district that has the money, we should be sending a message that teachers are valued,'' said Bryan Jones, a Sycamore Junior High biology and chemistry teacher quoted in an Enquirer story.

He's talking about a $35 million "surplus'' the district has set aside. Teachers want to get their hands on it. But the district reports a 7 percent deficit this year, and the "cushion'' is needed to delay another tax hike request until 2004.

The teachers union also gripes about benefits.

Yet the district donates a generous 7 percent of salary for retirement each year. And their health insurance requires only a $10 co-pay for office visits. The district says their teachers pay $758 less than the average family for health insurance.

Not too shabby. And they're talking strike?

I can think of about 2,610 eager job applicants who are in favor of that. "Go ahead, strike,'' they're saying. "I want your job.''

E-mail pbronson@enquirer.com or call 768-8301.