Windber Area School District has reached an eight-year deal to keep its teachers under contract through the 2019-2020 school year.

Teachers in the district had been working under a series of extensions since their last contract expired in 2011.

Superintendent Rick Huffman said the length of the new contract gives the district "the unprecedented ability to make long-term budget projections during shifting economic times."

Under the deal, newly hired teachers will see the biggest pay increases. Annual pay for new teachers will increase from $35,000 to $44,000 over the life of the contract.

Top-scale teachers who now make $70,000 will see that increase to $72,000 in 2017-18, and remain steady for the rest of the contract.