Show detailed information about district and contract
| District | Athol-Royalston |
| Shared Contract District | |
| Org Code | 6150000 |
| Type of District | Regional K12 |
| Union Affiliation | MTA |
| Most Recent Document | Contract |
| Expiring Year | 2010 |
| Expired Status | |
| Superintendency Union | |
| Regional HS Members | |
| Vocational HS Members | |
| County | Worcester |
| ESE Region | Central |
| Urban | |
| Kind of Community | rural economic centers |
| Number of Schools | 7 |
| Enrollment | 1682 |
| Percent Low Income Students | 49 |
| Grade Start | PK or K |
| Grade End | 12 |
2006-2007
2007-2010
Master Contract
Athol-Royalston Regional
School Committee
Athol Teachers Association
CONTRACT
Pursuant to the provisions of Chapter 150E of the General Laws of
Massachusetts, this contract is made this 29th day of November 2007, by the School
Committee of the Athol-Royalston Regional School District hereinafter sometimes
referred to as the Committee), and the Athol Teachers Association (hereinafter
referred to as the Association).
PREAMBLE
Recognizing that the prime
purpose is to provide education of the highest possible quality for the
children of Athol and
A. Under
the law of
The Committee's exclusive right to determine the levels of educational
services and to establish educational policies includes, without limitation,
the following:
-
creating new positions and abolishing existing positions as a result of
a legitimate reorganization for purposes of economy or efficiency
-
whether or not to fill vacancies
-
levels of expenditures
-
the size and makeup of the workforce
B. The
Superintendent of Schools of the
C. The
teaching staff of the public schools of the
D. Fulfillment
of these respective responsibilities can be facilitated and supported by consultation
and free exchange of views and information between the Committee, the
Superintendent and the teaching staff in the formulation and application of
policies relating to wages, hours, and other conditions of employment for the
teaching staff; and so,
E. To
give affect to these declarations, the follow principles and procedures are
hereby adopted.
ARTICLE I
RECOGNITION
A. For
the purpose of collective bargaining with respect to wages, hours, and other
conditions of employment, the negotiation of collective bargaining agreements,
and any questions arising there under, the Committee recognizes the Association
as the exclusive bargaining agent and representative of all professional
employees of the Committee in Unit A, said Unit comprising all professional employees
(as such employees are defined in Section 1 of Chapter 150E of General Laws of
Massachusetts), excepting assistant superintendents, principals, teaching
principals, school doctor, and substitute teachers, and Unit B employees as
listed in Section B below,
Unit A shall include:
certified teachers
certified guidance counselors
certified psychologists
Certified speech therapists/pathologists
certified librarians
school nurses
athletic director/health coordinator
B. For
the purpose of collective bargaining with respect to wages, hours and other
conditions of employment, the negotiation of collective bargaining agreements,
and any question arising there under, the Committee recognizes the Association
as the exclusive bargaining agent and representative of all professional
employees of the Committee in Unit B, said Unit comprising all professional
employees (as such employees are defined in Section I of Chapter 150E of
General Laws of Massachusetts), excepting assistant superintendents,
principals, teaching principals, school doctor and substitute teachers,
excepting members of Unit A as listed in Section A above.
Unit B shall include:
High School Assistant Principal
Middle School Assistant Principal
K-12 Special Education Evaluation Team Leader
Technology Coordinator
ARTICLE II
EXISTING COMPENSATION AND
OTHER CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT
Subject to the provisions of this Contract (and except as otherwise
provided by Appendix A and Appendix B attached hereto and made a part hereof)
the wages, hours and other conditions of employment applicable on the effective
date of this contract to the employees covered by the Contract shall continue
to be so applicable. The provisions of Appendix A shall be applicable solely to
Unit A and the provisions of Appendix B shall be applicable solely to Unit B.
For purposes of this
Article the term "wages, hours and other conditions of employment
applicable on the effective date of this contract" shall be ("past
practices") defined as those pre-existing terms of employment which are
not covered by the express provisions of this contract and which have been
unequivocal, well recognized and acted upon, consistent, and mutually accepted
over a reasonable period of time.
The parties agree that disputes over the application of this Article to
decisions affecting the best interests of the students, as opposed to decisions
affecting only benefits of bargaining unit employees, shall be resolved in the
following manner:
1. The parties will bargain in good faith for a reasonable period
of time in an attempt to reach agreement or to impasse;
2.
Following the completion of bargaining either party may request
arbitration to resolve the dispute. The parties will agree on a panel of three
arbitrators. Written briefs will be submitted prior to the arbitration hearing.
The arbitrator will issue a full decision within thirty (30) days of the close
of the hearing.
3.
The arbitrator shall consider whether the particular practice at issue
meets the definition of past practice as set forth in this Article.
4.
If the arbitrator determines that any "past practice" as
defined in this Article has been changed then the arbitrator shall consider
whether the Committee negotiated in good faith prior to changing the practice.
If the arbitrator finds that the Committee did not negotiate in good faith then
the arbitrator shall restore the practice to status quo and make the affected
employees whole.
5.
If the arbitrator finds that the Committee did negotiate in good faith
then the arbitrator shall consider the positions of all parties regarding the
changed practice and shall issue a decision based on a reasonableness standard
considering the best interests of the students, the Association and the
Committee.
ARTICLE III
DUES DEDUCTION
The Committee hereby
accepts the provisions of Section 17C of Chapter 180 of the General Laws of
Massachusetts and, in accordance therewith, shall certify to the Treasurer of
the Athol-Royalston Regional School District all payroll deductions for the
payment of dues and MTA Credit Union (Century Bank) deductions duly authorized
by employees covered by this Contract.
ARTICLE IV
GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE
The purpose of the
procedure as set forth hereinafter is to resolve differences concerning the
Contract which from time to time may arise and affect the conditions of
employment of the employees covered by this Contract. The Committee and the
Association desire that such procedure shall always be as informal and
confidential as may be appropriate for the grievance involved at the procedural
level involved; and nothing in this Contract shall prevent any such employee
from individually presenting any grievance of the employee.
For purposes of counting days to advance a grievance, school days are
days when school is in session for students; regular business days are days
when the central administration office is open. The central administration
office is closed on weekends, federal holidays, and state holidays.
The time limits that follow will be considered maxima unless extended by
mutual agreement in writing, which agreement shall not be unreasonably
withheld:
LEVEL ONE: The aggrieved employee shall discuss the grievance with a
member of the Professional Rights and Responsibilities Committee of the
Association.
LEVEL TWO: If not disposed of to the employee’s satisfaction by such discussions, the grievance shall be presented
orally by the employee and a member of the Professional Rights and
Responsibilities committee to the principal/other appropriate immediate
supervisor with the objective of settling the grievance informally. At the
option of the employee, this presentation shall be made within ten (10) school
days or ten (10) regular business days following the occurrence of the
grievance or following the date on which the employee should have reasonably
become aware of the occurrence.
LEVEL THREE: If not disposed of to the employee's satisfaction by such
discussions, the Association shall inform the Principal/other appropriate
immediate supervisor in writing in a letter that shall name the grievant,
generally describe the issue and request a hearing date. The Principal/other
appropriate immediate supervisor shall respond in writing by acknowledging
receipt of the letter and proposing meeting dates, which shall be mutually
agreed upon. The grievance shall then be presented orally by the employee and a
member of the Professional Rights and Responsibilities Committee to the
Principal/other appropriate immediate supervisor. At the option of the
employee, this presentation shall be made within fifteen (15) school days or
fifteen (15) regular business days.
LEVEL FOUR: If at the end of five (5) regular business days next following
such presentation, the grievance shall not have been disposed of to the
employee's satisfaction, the employee may, within five (5) regular business
days thereafter, file with the President of the Association and the Chairman of
its Professional Rights and Responsibilities Committee a written statement of
grievance.
Within five (5) regular business days thereafter, such statement shall
be reviewed with the employee by the said President or Chairman, and if after
such review the employee shall so desire, the grievance shall forthwith be
presented in writing by the employee and the said President or Chairman to the
Superintendent, who shall, within ten (10) regular business days thereafter,
meet with the employee and the said President or Chairman in an effort to
settle the grievance. The Superintendent may include one other person of
his/her choice at the presentation of grievances at level three. Additional
persons may attend the level four grievance presentations upon mutual agreement
of the parties, which agreement shall not be unreasonably withheld. In the
event of an extended absence by the superintendent pursuant to school committee
policy, the assistant superintendent will meet with the employee and the said
President or Chairman.
LEVEL FIVE: If at the end of ten (10) regular business days next
following such presentation, the grievance shall not have been disposed of to
the employee's satisfaction, the employee may, within five (5) regular business
days thereafter, notify the President and Chairman in writing of the employee's
desire to have the grievance presented to the School Committee.
Within five (5) regular business days following receipt of any such
notice, the grievance shall forthwith be presented in writing by the
Association to the School Committee without amendments. The notification of
advancement of a grievance to the School Committee level shall be addressed to
the Chairperson of the School Committee and shall be delivered to the office of
the Superintendent, clearly identified as a grievance on the outside of the
envelope. The Committee shall hear the grievance at its next regularly
scheduled meeting subject to any limitations imposed by the Educational Reform
Act of 1993. The Committee further agrees to receive and hear such grievances
up to and including the day of a regularly scheduled School Committee meeting.
The aggrieved employee shall be at the meeting with the School Committee
except in cases of undue hardship. If a special meeting of the School Committee
must be called in order to hear such a grievance, the School Committee and the
Association will jointly establish the date and time of the meeting. If the grievant
is not present at the meeting, the grievance shall be deemed to be waived
except in cases of illness or emergency involving the grievant, of which the
Committee could not reasonably have been notified in advance.
LEVEL SIX: If at the end of the fifteen (15) regular business days
next following such meeting, the grievance shall not have been disposed of to
the satisfaction of the Professional Rights and Responsibilities Committee of
the Association, and if the grievance shall involve the interpretation or
application of any provision of this Contract, the Association may, after
having consulted with the School Committee Chairperson or designee, and within
fifteen (15) regular business days next following the conclusion of the above
mentioned period of fifteen (15) regular business days, submit the grievance
for mediation to the State Board of Conciliation and Arbitration or the
American Arbitration Association, and if mediation does not result in a
resolution, then submit the grievance for arbitration, both processes to be
carried out in accordance with applicable rules of the State Board of
Conciliation and Arbitration or American Arbitration Association. Written
notice of the advancement of the grievance shall be forwarded to the School
Committee at the same time it is forwarded to the MTA. All expenses for
mediation and arbitration shall be shared equally by the School Committee and
the Association.
Additional provisions relating to grievances:
A. If
two or more named employees believe that they share a similar grievance arising
from the same or similar facts, the grievances presented by these employees may
be processed as a single grievance, following the procedures outlined above.
B. Any
grievance in process shall be deemed to have been waived if the action required
to present it to the next level shall not have been taken within the time
specified at each level of the grievance procedure.
C. If
any employee covered by this Contract shall present any grievance without
representation by the Association, the disposition, if any, of the grievance
shall be consistent with the provisions of this Contract, and if the
Association shall so desire, it shall be permitted to be heard at each level of
the procedure under which the grievance shall be considered.
D. No
written communication, other document, or record relating to any grievance
shall be filed in the personnel file maintained by the School Department of the
E. A grievance may be initiated at the level where the cause of
the grievance first occurred, by mutual agreement.
F. The
grievance should be considered confidential as stated and not published during
the procedure by the Athol Teachers Association or the Committee unless
mutually agreed.
G. The
district recognizes the rights of the Association to file class action or
association grievances on behalf of the bargaining unit.
ARTICLE V
NO STRIKE PROVISION
The Association and all employees in the Units will not engage in,
induce, or encourage any strike, work stoppage, slowdown or withholding of
services.
ARTICLE VI
PREPARATION OF CONTRACT
A. The responsibility for the final preparation of the Contract
for distribution will rest with the Committee. All arrangements for printing,
including such items as the choice of a typist/printer will rest solely with
the Committee.
B. The Association, after receiving the cost per copy, shall
inform the Committee in advance of printing, the number of copies they wish to
receive.
C. The total cost of preparation will be broken down to a
per-copy cost and the Association will reimburse the Committee for the number
of copies they receive.
ARTICLE VII
LEGALITY OF PROVISIONS
If any provision of this
Contract is held to be contrary to law by an appropriate court of law, all
other provisions of the Contract will continue in full force and effect, and
the Committee and the Association will meet for the purpose of amending the
illegal provision to meet the requirements of the law. Any such amendments
mutually agreed upon by the Committee and the Association will be reduced to
writing and added to the Contract as an addendum.
ARTICLE VIII
SCHOOL CALENDAR
A. The Association will be consulted in the preparation of the
annual school calendar.
B. The school calendar effective within the duration of the
contract shall become an addendum to this contract.
ARTICLE IX
PROFESSIONAL CONSULTATIONS
In recognition of the
professional standing of teachers and the fact that teachers' ideas and
opinions systematically and periodically collated and expressed are of
significant value in improving the quality of education in, as well as the
efficient and economical operation in their school system, and in recognition
of the Association's knowledge of the ideas and opinions of teachers, the
Committee agrees that at least once every two months of the school year for the
duration of no longer than two hours (unless mutually extended in time), it or
its delegated subcommittee will upon request of the Association meet at a
reasonable time and place with the Association or the Committee. Such
consultations will be subject to the following stipulations:
A. The Association agrees that at least one week before the date
scheduled for said consultations the Association or Committee will submit to
the other party a written agenda of subjects about which either desires to
consult at the meeting, and that the consultation will be confined to subjects
on that agenda.
B. It is further agreed that the provisions of this Article will
in no way be construed as broadening the scope of other sections of this
Agreement as a whole, nor will these provisions make any matter a grievance
that would not be a grievance in the absence of these provisions, nor make any
matter a mandatory subject of discussion at any time other than at the
consultations described in this section that would not be a mandatory subject
of discussion in the absence of the provisions of this section.
C. Definitive of the subjects that may be discussed in these
consultations are: curriculum development, personnel and material needs,
student problems, and other educational issues exclusive of wages, hours and
conditions of employment.
D. Nothing in this Agreement shall prevent the parties from
arriving at joint understandings through these consultations, and, if mutually
acceptable, reducing said understandings to writing and during the term of this
Contract appending such new items as addenda to this Agreement.
E. Nothing will be placed on the agenda unless it has been discussed
with the appropriate administrative official.
ARTICLE X
PERFORMANCE STANDARDS
Upon mutual agreement, the Committee and the Association shall initiate
the statutory process for changing Performance Standards. This process shall occur no more than one
time during the life of an existing collective bargaining agreement.
ARTICLE XI
CRIMINAL OFFENDER RECORD
INFORMATION
The following applies to
criminal offender record information (CORI) pursuant to Chapter 385 of the Acts
of 2002:
1. CORI checks will be conducted one (1) time during every
three (3) year period for individual employees covered by this agreement.
An additional CORI may be requested within the three (3) year period
based on substantiated evidence that said CORI was necessary.
2.
A copy of the results of any individual employee’s CORI report, regardless of the outcome, will be provided to that
employee within 48 hours of the District’s receipt of said report.
3.
All CORI reports will be maintained in the Central Office in individual
confidential files for each employee. Said files will not be made part of the
employee’s personnel record.
4.
The Superintendent and Administrative Assistant will be the only persons
authorized to request CORI checks and/or access them. Individual employees will
be given access to their own CORI file by no later than 48 hours after making a
written request to the Superintendent.
5.
Any action taken regarding a CORI, will be in accordance with the
agreement, the respective collective bargaining agreements for those employee
groups referenced in provision number one (1) above, and/or the law.
6.
An individual employee will be notified within 48 hours after his/her
CORI report has been requested by the District.
7.
All communications regarding CORI’s will remain confidential,
and will go directly between the individual employee and the persons referenced
in provision number four (4) above at the Central Office.
ARTICLE
XII
DURATION
A. This
agreement will be effective as of September 1, 2007, or the first day of
teacher attendance, whichever comes first, and will continue and remain in full
force until August 31, 2010, or the day before the first day of the school
year, whichever day comes first, and shall thereafter automatically renew
itself for successive terms of one (1) year each unless by no sooner than
September 15 and no later than October 15 of the calendar year preceding the
calendar year in which the Agreement expires, either the Committee or the
Association shall give the other written notice of its desire to modify or
terminate this agreement. Otherwise, the Agreement remains in full force and
effect without change.
B. If
the parties shall have failed to reach an agreement by the March 15th next
following such notice, the Committee and the Association shall jointly petition
the State Board of Conciliation and Arbitration in accordance with Section 9 of
Chapter 150E of the General Laws of
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the
parties agreed to this contract on November 29, 2007 hereunto have set their
hands and seals this 21st day of May 2008.
_____________________________________________________
ATHOL-ROYALSTON
REGIONAL SCHOOL COMMITTEE
____________________________________________
ATHOL
TEACHERS ASSOCIATION
APPENDIX A
ARTICLE I
TEACHING HOURS AND TEACHING
LOAD
A. The teachers’ school year shall be 185
days for the school years 2007-2008, 2008-2009, and 2009-2010. There will be
180 student days and five (5) additional days that will be contiguous to the
school year. Teachers shall report two days prior to the start of school. The first
day shall be designated for professional development. The second day teachers
report shall be designated for building level staff meetings (not to exceed
three hours when necessary) and for teacher classroom preparation.
B. All members of Unit A are required to report not later than
fifteen (15) minutes before the start of the student day.
C. All middle school teachers shall remain in school until 2:40
p.m. Monday through Thursday to provide assistance for students or parents who
have so requested; if no student appears for assistance by 2:10 p.m., said
teacher is free to leave. Middle school office detention will be covered by the
middle school administration.
D. Elementary teachers shall perform after school duties as
determined by the elementary principals. The elementary teacher school day will
not exceed the length of the school day for the year 1999-00.
E. All high school teachers shall begin their workday at 7:25
a.m. The student day shall begin at 7:40 a.m. and end at 1:55 p.m. High school
teachers day ends at 2:10 p.m. Monday through Thursday. However, high school
teachers may be required to remain in school until 2:40 p.m. Monday through
Thursday when students need extra assistance.
The High School Block Schedule shall consist of four (4) periods per
student day, three periods which shall be 80 minutes in duration, and one which
shall be in a range of 79 - 82 minutes. There shall be a homeroom of 14 minutes
in duration and three lunch periods consisting of 20 minutes each. A teachers
duty free lunch period shall be equal in length to that of a students' lunch
period.
High School Teachers shall teach three (3) blocks out of four (4) per
semester with one full block of preparation time per day each semester.
Department chairs shall teach three (3) blocks in one semester and two (2)
blocks in the other semester; having one full block preparation period per day
in one semester and two full block preparations per day in the other.
Changes in the high school schedule will be considered and discussed by
the high school faculty in collaboration with the Association and the high
school administration. The Committee acknowledges its obligation to bargain
with the Association prior to implementing any proposed changes in the high
school schedule which impact on mandatory subjects of bargaining. Any disputes
over proposed changes in the high school schedule will be resolved by using the
expedited arbitration process under Article II Existing Compensation and
Other Conditions of Employment.
F. High school teachers shall not be required to perform lunch
duty, before school duty, and after school duty unless otherwise compensated
under Article XXXV.
G. All middle school teachers will be provided with one
preparation period per day within their regularly assigned daily schedule. All
core subject teachers at the middle school shall receive one (1) period each
day within the regular school day, equal to the length of one (1) student
instructional period, for the purpose of common planning with the other members
of their team. All non-core subject teachers shall receive one (1) period of
common planning time each day. To the extent possible, non-core subject
teachers shall be assigned to common planning time on a core team with whom
they share the same students, otherwise they will be assigned to common
planning time with other non-core subject teachers with whom they share the
same students.
H. 1. When
specialists are absent, substitutes will be provided in the same manner as
substitutes for classroom teachers.
2. All
elementary teachers shall be provided with a minimum of 350 minutes of
preparation time per week allocated in no less than 35 contiguous minutes,
unless otherwise specified below in this section.
a. All
elementary (self-contained) classroom teachers shall be provided 210 minutes
per week for the purpose of classroom preparation while elementary subject
specialists teach their students in 35 to 70 minute blocks. Specialists
subjects include, but are not limited to Art, Music, and Physical Education.
All elementary (self-contained) classroom teachers shall be provided an
additional minimum of 140 minutes of preparation time per week consisting of a
daily 30-minute contiguous preparation period.
b. Said
preparation time elementary teachers shall begin on the first student day of
the teacher’s work year.
3. All
elementary teachers shall receive an additional twenty (20) hours of
preparation time annually through ten (10) half-days, one(1) per month, to be
scheduled on a rotating basis on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. The ten
(10) half-days shall be two hours in length for the purpose of classroom
preparation.
Elementary student dismissal will be completed two and one-half (2.5)
hours prior to the end of the teachers’ workday on the above half
days.
Teachers are expected to remain in their buildings during this prep time
except with the approval of the principal. The principal’s approval shall not be unreasonably withheld.
I. High
School and Middle School Guidance Counselors may be required by their building
principal to work up to an additional ten (10) days (up to 5 days prior to the
start of Unit A work year and up to 5 days after the end of the teachers work
year). Compensation will be prorated per diem based on the counselors’ full annual salary and the length of the teacher's work year.
J. High
School Computer Coordinator may be required to work up to an additional five
(5) days outside of his/her normal work schedule or work year, and will be paid
on prorated per diem basis for all such time required. The Computer Coordinator’s schedule will be mutually agreed upon between the Principal and the
Computer Coordinator, using a reasonable standard.
K.
Middle School Computer Coordinator may be required to work up to an additional
ten (10) days outside of his/her normal work schedule or work year, and will be
paid on prorated per diem basis for all such time required. The Computer
Coordinator’s schedule will be mutually
agreed upon between the Principal and the Computer Coordinator, using a
reasonable standard.
ARTICLE II
DUTY FREE LUNCH PERIODS
All teachers with self-contained classes shall have a daily duty-free
lunch period of at least thirty (30) minutes. All teachers in departmentalized
programs shall have a daily duty-free lunch period of at least the length of
the student's lunch period. All teachers in the middle school shall have a
daily duty-free lunch period of at least the length of the student's lunch
period. In counting, time spent in escorting students to the cafeteria shall
not be included.
ARTICLE III
STAFF MEETINGS
A. After school staff meetings will be scheduled by
administrators as needed, not to exceed four (4) hours per month, and not to
exceed forty (40) hours per school year per employee. The content of these
staff meetings is solely determined by the School Administration. Coaches will
not be exempt from this requirement.
P.D.P.’s will be granted for those
staff meetings that qualify for P.D.P.’s.
B. One week notice will be provided the staff of any scheduled
meeting (except in the case of an emergency). Teachers will be required to
attend unless excused by the principal or in an emergency.
C. High School and Middle School employees are expected to
attend three (3) regularly scheduled evening meetings (1.5 hours each) annually
for the purpose of increasing school-parent, school-community communications,
unless excused in writing by the building principal.
D. Elementary employees are expected to attend three regularly
scheduled meetings beyond the school day (1.5 hours each) annually. Two meetings
will be held for the purpose of parent-teacher conferences in the fall, one to
take place from 3:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. and the other
from 6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.; and one other
meeting (at the principal’s discretion) for the
purpose of increasing school-parent, school-community communications, unless
excused in writing by the building principal.
ARTICLE IV
EDUCATIONAL TESTING
Teachers may be required by
Administration to perform educational testing of students. A teacher who is
performing educational testing of student(s) will be released from his/her
class while this testing is being performed. No teacher shall be required to
perform educational testing during his/her preparation period(s). Teachers will
be appropriately qualified and trained to perform educational testing.
ARTICLE V
NON-TEACHING DUTIES
The Committee and the Association acknowledge that a teacher's primary
responsibility is to teach and that his energies should, to the extent
possible, be utilized to this end. Therefore, they agree as follows:
A. Teachers
will not be required to perform the following duties:
1.
Milk distribution but teachers will continue to collect money for milk.
2.
Health services, such as administering eye or ear examinations and
weighing and measuring pupils.
3.
Collecting money from students for non-educational purposes. Teachers
may be required to collect and transmit money to be used for educational
purposes. They will not be required to tabulate or account for such money.
4.
Driving pupils to activities which take place away from the school
building. Teachers may do so voluntarily, however, with the advanced approval
in writing of their principal or immediate supervisor.
5.
Elementary teachers will not be required to perform cafeteria duty
during the noon hour. For all elementary schools the services of a noon duty
supervisor will be provided.
Elementary teachers shall not be required to perform lunch recess duty
unless otherwise compensated under Article XXXV. In the school years 2002-04
elementary teachers will not perform lunch recess duty.
6.
To the extent possible, without additional costs, beginning and ending
times of the school day will be adjusted at elementary schools to eliminate bus
duty for elementary teachers. The Committee and Association shall review bus
routes and starting and ending times of the school day annually prior to the
beginning of the school year.
7.
Elementary teachers shall not be required to maintain attendance
registers.
8.
Employees shall not search school buildings during bomb threats.
9.
Breakfast and Lunch Duty
a. Those
elementary teachers electing to perform any form of daily lunch duty will be
paid at a rate of $21 per hour.
b. Elementary
teachers will only perform any type of lunch duty on a voluntary basis.
c. No
type of lunch duty at the elementary level shall exceed thirty (30) minutes in
duration.
d. Breakfast
duty at the elementary schools will not be performed by teachers; those
positions will be filled by paraprofessionals or school support personnel.
ARTICLE VI
IN-SERVICE EDUCATIONAL
CONFERENCE TIME
A. Teachers will be provided with three full days for purposes
of professional staff development in-service programs for the school year in
2007-2008, 2008-2009, and 2009-2010.
B. Teachers at each school building will have input to the
Principal regarding the development of the professional development program at
each site. Teachers will also hold membership on the district-wide Professional
Development Committee.
ARTICLE VII
COMPENSATED LEAVES
Request for Personal Leave,
Bereavement Leave, Jury Duty and Sabbatical Leave shall be applied for and
granted or denied in writing.
A. SICK
LEAVE
1.
Thirteen (13) days sick leave shall be allowed credited at one day per
school month; with four (4) days being credited in September. Teachers with
professional teaching status will be allowed unlimited accumulation. Teachers
without professional teaching status may carry unused days from one year to the
next year. If at the end of the school year a teacher without professional
teaching status has unused sick leave but was docked pay due to
non-accumulation at the time of absence he/she may have such pay restored at
the end of the school year on a one for one basis. When an employee achieves
professional teaching status, he/she will then be allowed to begin unlimited
accumulation of sick leave.
2.
The Superintendent, at his/her discretion, may require the employee to
obtain a doctor's statement during sick leave no sooner than after three (3)
consecutive days of sick leave.
B. SICK LEAVE BANK
3. Concerning employees who have contracted a serious or
contagious disease, the Committee reserves the right to require an employee to
submit to the school physician's personal examination if the information from
the employee's doctor is inadequate to determine the health status of the
employee. Such examination shall be at Committee expense.
Upon the effective date of this Agreement, a Sick Leave Bank for use by
eligible members of Unit A and Unit B covered by this Agreement who have
exhausted their own sick leave time and who have a serious illness shall be
established.
Administration
1.
The Sick Leave Bank shall be administered by a Sick Leave Bank Committee
consisting of four (4) members. Two (2) members shall be designated by the
Superintendent to serve at her/his discretion and two (2) members shall be
designated by the President of the Athol Teachers Association (ATA) to serve at
his/her discretion.
2.
The Sick Leave Bank Committee shall be responsible for the
administration of the Sick Leave Bank, determine eligibility for use of the
bank, and decide the amount of leave to be granted.
3.
All decisions will result from a majority vote of the committee.
4.
The decision of the Sick Leave Bank Committee with respect to
eligibility and entitlement shall be final and binding, and not subject to
appeal through the grievance and arbitration process contained in this
contract.
5.
Once each school year prior to October 1, the ATA will solicit employees
for contributions of sick leave to the Sick Leave Bank and will provide written
notice to the Superintendent of Unit A and Unit B employees' contributions to
the bank.
6.
The Superintendent's office will record the number of those Unit A and
Unit B employees participating in the Sick Leave Bank and each of the employees
contribution(s) to the Sick Leave Bank as well as deduct the contributions from
employees' sick leave balances.
7.
Any sick leave granted under the provisions of this article shall expire
at the end of the applicable school year.
8.
Upon return from extended sick leave during which benefits were received
through the sick leave bank, the recipient shall be entitled to commence a new
accumulation of individual sick leave in accordance with the provisions of the
collective bargaining agreement on the same basis as other teachers.
9.
Days which remain in the Sick Leave Bank at the conclusion of the school
year shall be carried over in the Sick Leave Bank to the successive school
year.
10. When
the number of days in the Sick Leave Bank reaches a level which is critically
low, it may, at the discretion of the Sick Leave Bank Committee, be renewed by
the contribution of one (1) additional day of sick leave by each member of Unit
A and Unit B covered by this Agreement from their accumulated sick leave.
Eligibility
1.
Eligible members shall be Unit A and Unit B employees who have completed
three full years of service in the
2.
Only Unit A and Unit B employees who have exhausted all of their
personal and sick leave, both annual and accumulated, shall be eligible to draw
from the bank.
Application
1.
Application for benefits shall be made in writing to the Sick Leave Bank
Committee accompanied by a doctor's certificate as to the need for, and
anticipated extent of extended recovery time from, the illness.
2.
To expedite benefits, application for benefits may be made prior to an
employee's exhaustion of her\his own personal and sick leave, but drawings upon
the bank will not actually commence until after the employee's own sick days
are exhausted and adequate medical notification has been provided to the Sick
Leave Bank Committee.
Amount of Leave
1.
The initial grant of sick leave by the Sick Leave Bank Committee to an
eligible employee shall not exceed fifteen (15) days.
2.
Upon completion of the initial fifteen (15) day period, the period of
leave may be extended by the Sick Leave Bank Committee, at its discretion, upon
demonstration of need by the applicant. Such extension may be based upon full
or pro rata credit for additional days at the discretion of the committee.
3.
Upon returning from sick leave, a Unit A or Unit B member shall be
eligible to apply to the bank for up to five (5) additional sick days to be
used to cover illness for the duration of that school year. Such application
shall not require a physician's statement.
B. SICK
LEAVE BANK
Criteria Used for Granting Sick Leave
The following criteria shall be used by the Sick Leave Committee in
administering the bank and determining eligibility and the amount of leave:
1.
Adequate medical evidence of the seriousness of the illness;
2.
Prior utilization of eligible sick leave; a pattern of prior misuse of
sick leave (i.e. excessive absences on Fridays and Mondays) will disqualify an
applicant;
3.
Length of service in the
4.
No days may be withdrawn from the Sick Leave Bank for use other than any
illness other than a prolonged illness or accident. Days may not be withdrawn
to permit an employee to stay at home to care for other family members.
C. PERSONAL LEAVE
1. There
will be two (2) calendar days for personal leave in each academic year. The
first one (1) of those days shall not be subtracted from accumulated sick
leave. It is understood that personal leave is not to be utilized for either
personal pleasure or personal business profit, but rather for personal business
that must be conducted during the school day. Personal leave days may not be
taken the day before or the day after a vacation without advance written
permission of the Superintendent.
The written leave request will be submitted to the immediate supervisor
for his or her review and forwarded to the Superintendent for approval at least
48 hours before the leave starts. Personal leave day requests which are
submitted in compliance with the above requirements will be granted unless such
granting would cause a class to be inadequately staffed. Personal leave may be
granted for emergency purposes without the 48 hour requirement.
2. The
Superintendent may grant the Athol Teachers' Association President or his
designee, three (3) leave days during the school year for the purposes of
conducting Association business that must be conducted during the school day.
C. PERSONAL LEAVE The President will notify the Superintendent
in advance of the intent to use the leave day. The Association will reimburse
the
D. BEREAVEMENT LEAVE
1.
Upon the death of an immediate member of the family, an employee shall
be granted three (3) days bereavement leave, which may be extended at the
discretion of the Superintendent.
2.
Bereavement leave shall not be deducted from accumulated sick leave.
3.
Immediate family, as referred to in Section A includes parents,
parents-in-law, brothers, sisters, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, wives,
husbands, children, grandchildren, grandparents, step-parents, and stepchildren
of the employee.
4.
The Superintendent may grant at his/her discretion, bereavement leave
for a person other than "immediate family" as defined in Section C.
In such cases, bereavement leave will be deducted from the employee's
accumulated sick leave.
E. JURY
DUTY The Committee agrees to compensate employees for jury duty in accordance
with the Massachusetts General Laws unless excused by the courts. Employees who
are called to serve as jurors in a federal or state court shall be compensated
by the committee the difference between his/her per diem salary and the
compensation received for such jury service (exclusive of travel or other
allowance) for the first three days of such service.
F. SABBATICAL
LEAVE A Sabbatical leave of absence may be granted according to provisions of
Chapter 71, Section 41A.
G. MILITARY
LEAVE A teacher in the Federal or State Reserve Service called to duty on a
non-voluntary basis within the school year shall receive his/her regular salary
for the period of his/her absence within the statutory limitation. When one's
reserve duty could have been served during a vacation period, but instead was
served during a school period, that teacher shall only receive the difference
between the teacher's pay and the reserve pay.
ARTICLE VIII
UNCOMPENSATED LEAVES
All requests for leaves
will be applied for and granted or denied in writing. The following leaves of absence may be
granted at the discretion of the Committee.
A. ASSOCIATION
ACTIVITY The Committee agrees that up to three (3) employees designated by the
Association will, upon request, be granted a leave of absence for up to two (2)
years without pay for the purpose of engaging in Association (state or
national) activities. Upon return from such leave, an employee will be placed
on the salary schedule at the level he/she held at the start of the leave.
B. PEACE
CORPS-TEACHER CORPS A leave of absence without pay for up to two (2) years will
be granted to any employee who joins the Peace Corps, Vista, Teacher Corps, or
serves in an exchange program and is a full-time participant in any such
program. Upon return from such leave, an employee will be placed on the salary
schedule at the level he/she had achieved before the leave.
C. MILITARY LEAVE Military leave without pay shall be
granted to any teacher or administrator who is recalled, inducted or
enlists in any branch of the armed forces of the
D. FAMILY
CARE A leave of absence without pay or increment of up to one (1) year will be
granted for the purpose of caring for a sick member of the employee's immediate
family. Immediate family includes parents, parents-in-law, brothers, sisters,
brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, wives, husbands, children, grandchildren,
grandparents, step-parents and step-children of the employee.
Employees who have been granted family care leave must notify the
committee of their intentions for September by not later than March 15th of
the same year. If said notification is not given, the employee shall not be
entitled to reemployment.
E. PERSONAL
ILLNESS
1.
Any employee whose personal illness extends beyond the period
compensated will be granted an unpaid leave for such time as is necessary for
complete recovery from such illness.
2.
Any employee who has exhausted his/her compensated leave will not be
required to return until such time as medical evidence has been provided that
the employee is fit to return.
F. CAREER
LEAVE All employees on the 12th step of the salary scale with (10) consecutive
years of service in the
1) a
K-6 position for elementary teachers;
2)
same subject area for secondary teachers;
3)
same specialist position.
Employees who have been granted career leave must notify the committee
of their intentions for September by not later than March 1st of the same year.
If said notification is not given, the employee shall not be entitled to
reemployment.
G. MATERNITY LEAVE
1.
A female employee who has been employed by the school committee for
three consecutive months as a full time staff member will be entitled to no
more than twelve (12) weeks of unpaid maternity leave as required by the birth
or adoption of a child. A 30 calendar day notice is required for departure on
this leave and 30 day notice of intention to return. Notice must be in writing
to the administration of the employee's intention to take maternity leave. Upon
completion of maternity leave, that person will be restored to her previous, or
a similar, position with the same status, pay, length of service credit and
seniority, as were applicable on the date her leave commenced.
2.
The committee shall not be required to restore an employee on maternity
leave to her previous or a similar position if other employees of equal length
of service credit and status in the same or similar position have been laid off
due to economic conditions or other changes in operation conditions affecting
employment during the period of such maternity leave; provided, however, that
such employee on maternity leave shall retain any preferential consideration
for another position to which she may be entitled as of the date of her leave.
3.
Maternity leave shall not be included in any computation of status, pay,
length of service credit and seniority for which she was eligible as of the
date her leave commenced.
4.
The employee on maternity leave shall assume the total cost of any
benefits that are to be continued during the period of maternity leave.
H. CHILD REARING
1. An
employee who has been employed by the Committee for at least three (3)
consecutive months as a full-time employee, may, upon written request to the
school committee, be granted unpaid child rearing leave following the birth or
adoption of a child.
a. Written request for child rearing leave must be submitted at
least thirty (30) days before the intended date the child rearing leave is to
commence.
b. The period of time requested for child rearing leave may not
exceed one (1) school year in addition to the remainder of the school year
which the child rearing leave is to commence.
c. The employee on child rearing leave shall assume the total
cost of any benefits that are to be continued during the period of child
rearing leave.
d. Child rearing leave will begin and end at a marking term
break, whenever possible.
2.
If both the mother and the father of the child are entitled to child
rearing leave under the provisions of this Section, only one (1) may take such
leave in a given work year. The terms and provisions of this section shall not
be changed or enlarged by virtue of both being entitled to such leave.
3.
Upon his/her return, the employee shall be restored to his/her previous,
or a similar position with the same status, pay length or service credit and
seniority as were applicable on the date the child rearing leave commenced.
The Committee shall not be required to restore an employee on child
rearing leave to his/her previous or similar position if other employees of
equal length of service credit and status in the same or similar position have
been laid off due to economic conditions or other changes in operating conditions
affecting employment during the period of such child rearing leave; the
employee on child rearing leave, however, shall be granted preferential
consideration for another position for which he/she is qualified as of the date
the leave commenced.
4. Child
rearing leave shall not be included in any computation of status, pay, length
of service credit and seniority for which he/she was eligible as of the date
his/her leave commenced.
Any employee, who has been a full-time employee for the previous twelve
(12) months, is entitled to the following additional benefits under the Family
and Medical Leave Act of 1993:
A. An
unpaid leave of up to twelve (12) weeks, per twelve (12) month period measured
forward from the date of an employee's first leave, may be taken for any of the
following reasons:
1.
The birth of the employee's child, and in order to care for the newborn
child;
2.
The placement of a child with the employee for adoption for foster care;
3.
The need to care for the employees immediate family as defined in Section
D of this Article, who has a serious health condition;
4.
The employee's own serious health condition that renders the employee
unable to perform the functions of his/her job.
B. During
the twelve (12) weeks of unpaid leave the district will continue to pay its
share of the employee's health insurance.
C. The
employee must pay his/her share of the cost of health insurance by the first of
every month. The district's obligation to maintain coverage for the employee
will cease if the employee's premium is more than thirty (30) days late.
D. Leave
3 and 4 may be taken on an intermittent basis when medically necessary.
E. The
committee may require an employee to provide certification from a health care
provider to substantiate any leave due to the serious health condition of the
employee or the employee's immediate family member. Failure to provide such
certification will result in a denial of the leave request until the employee
provides the requested certification.
F. Any
employee on family or medical leave for the reasons set forth in 1, 2, 3, may
use any accrued sick time while on such leave. An employee who is on medical
leave for the reasons stated in 4 must use any accrued sick time while on such
leave.
G. At the end of a family or medical leave an employee shall be
restored to his/her former position, it available, or to a similar position
elsewhere in the Agency, with the same pay, benefits and working conditions as
of the date of the employee's leave, as economic conditions warrant. The
employee's right to be restored is limited to what the employee's job would
have been if he/she had not taken leave. Prior to restoration, an employee who
takes a medical leave for the reasons set forth in 4 must obtain and present
certification from a health care provider that the employee is able to resume
work. Failure to provide such certification will result in a denial of
restoration until the employee provides the requested certification.
ARTICLE IX
ABSENCE
All employees will make
every effort to call in their absence by 6:30 a.m. All employees are required,
except in an emergency, to notify their principal, or his/her designee, or the
superintendent's secretary of intended absence before seven (7) a.m. of the day
of such absence in the case of secondary employees, and before 7:30 a.m. in the
case of elementary employees; any employee not complying shall forfeit that
day's pay.
ARTICLE X
SUBSTITUTE TEACHERS
When the absence of a
teacher requires a substitute, every reasonable effort will be made to obtain
such substitute.
ARTICLE XI
REDUCTION IN FORCE
A. In
the event it becomes necessary to reduce the number of employees in the
bargaining units defined in Article 1, the Administrators throughout the
district in cooperation with the Superintendent shall take the following steps:
1. Establish
a list of departments/classifications that reflect the programs and personnel
of the district including, but not limited to:
|
Art |
Health |
PreKindergarten |
|
Business Education |
Industrial Technology |
Psychologist |
|
Computer Technology |
Library |
|
|
Elementary: K-3 |
Mathematics |
Science |
|
Elementary: 4-6 |
Middle School (6-8) |
Social Studies |
|
English |
Music |
Speech Therapist |
|
Family and Consumer
Science |
Nursing |
Special Needs |
|
Gifted and Talented |
Performing Arts |
World Language |
|
Guidance |
Physical Education |
Athletic Director Unit B |
2. Establish a priority list based on relative need to maintain
full staffing, partial staffing or not staffing of departments/classifications,
dependent upon the degree of cuts that may be required. Consider graduation requirements
for all areas. Consider graduation requirements and enrollment figures in
elective areas. In the case of Unit B reductions, the Superintendent in
cooperation with the School Committee will determine staff needs.
3. a. Prepare a
list of employees in order of seniority within only one
department/classification. If an employee currently fills positions in more
than one department/classification, the employee will be placed on a seniority
list for the department/classification in which the major portion of employee's
time is spent. If an employed is currently in one department/classification,
but has filled positions in other departments/classifications within the
district since initial employment, the employee will be listed within the
department/classification in which he/she is currently assigned. Only if facing
lay-off will that employee be transferred to another department/classification
listing. This list will also contain all certification areas that each employee
possesses.
3. b. The
committee shall provide the Association with a copy of this list within five
(5) school days after its preparation and the Association will have ten (10)
school days to challenge in writing the accuracy of any information appearing
on the list. Within ten (10) school days following receipt of such a challenge,
the Superintendent shall meet with a representative of the Association in an
effort to resolve the challenge. If the parties are unable to resolve the
challenge, the matter shall immediately be submitted to a joint committee of
three (3) School Committee and three (3) Association members for a decision. A
majority vote will decide the matter.
4.
Lay-offs will first occur in order of seniority within
departments/classifications provided there are employees within that same
department/classification who are without professional teaching status.
5.
In cases where reduction in force requires teachers with professional
teaching status to be laid-off, the teacher with professional teaching status
facing lay-off may cross over from one department/classification to another
department/classification, providing the employee facing lay-off possesses
certification in an area beyond the department/classification to which he/she
is assigned. Seniority will determine which teachers with professional teaching
status face lay-offs.
6.
Teachers without professional teaching status facing lay-off may also
cross over from one department/classification to another in accordance with the
provisions for professional status teachers in Section 5. However, professional
status employees crossover rights will take precedence over teachers without
professional teaching status crossover rights.
7.
Reduction of full-time positions to part-time positions only be
considered as a measure of last resort if all other remedies to maintain the
integrity of full-time positions become fiscally impracticable.
8.
Positions left vacant by retirement or leaves of absence will be filled
in accordance with priority determinations established in Section 2. In all
such cases, employees facing lay-offs will fill such positions before such
positions are advertised, providing said employees facing lay-offs possess
appropriate certification.
9.
Teachers who have not taught in a given discipline in the past five
years may be required by the Superintendent or his designee to take a course in
said discipline within the next calendar year.
B. For purposes of this article seniority means an employee's
length of service in years, months, and days as calculated from the employee's
initial date of employment by the Committee. Employees shall be credited for
seniority purposes with all time a spent on any paid leave, family care leave,
maternity leave or child rearing leave.
C. In cases involving employees who have identical seniority,
preference for retention or recall shall be given to the employee who has
achieved the highest level of training, and performance evaluations within the
last five (5) years.
D. Employees who are to be affected by reduction in staff must
be notified in writing no later than June 15th of the school year preceding the
year in which the reduction will take effect. Said notice shall include the
specific reason for the lay-off.
E. Employees who have been laid-off shall be entitled to recall
rights for a period of two years from the effective date of their respective
lay-offs. During the recall period, employees shall be notified by certified
mail to their last address of record, and given preference for positions as
they develop in the inverse order of their respective lay-off and all benefits
to which an employee was entitled to at the time of lay-off shall be restored
in full upon reemployment
within the recall period. During the recall period, employees who have
been laid-off shall be given preference on the substitute list if they so
desire. Failure on the part of any employee to accept a position for which
he/she is certified while on recall shall automatically remove that employee
from the recall benefit.
F. Laid-off employees may continue group insurance coverages
during the recall period as provided by the Committee to members of the
bargaining units by reimbursing the regional school district for the premium
cost. Failure to forward premium payments to the regional school district or
refusal to return to employment upon recall will terminate this option.
G. While members of
the bargaining units continue on lay-off, the committee agrees not to hire any
new employees unless,
1.
no employee on lay-off is certified to fill that position, or
2.
all certified employees on lay-off declined in writing an offer to fill
the vacancy.
H. Prior
to laying-off any professional teaching status employees, the School Committee
shall meet with representatives of the ATA in order to determine whether those
jobs can be saved by an agreed upon postponement of any scheduled wage or
benefit adjustment.
ARTICLE XII
TEACHER ASSIGNMENTS
A. An attempt will be made to notify teachers in writing by
August 1 of their programs for the coming school year, including building
assignment, grades/subjects that they will teach, the number of academic
classes per week for secondary teachers, and any special or unusual classes
they will have. Such notification will be rendered teachers by August 15 at the
latest, however, except those teachers who have been hired after August 15.
B. If a teacher receives notice of his/her assignment on or
before June 1st, and the employee disputes such teaching assignment, then the
teacher will present the reasons for his/her dispute in writing to the
Principal by the last day teachers are required to be present. This shall not
be considered a grievance.
C. In order to insure that pupils are being taught by teachers
working within their areas of competence, teachers will not be assigned, except
temporarily and for good cause, outside the scope of their teaching
certificate/their major or minor fields of study.
D. To the extent possible, changes in building and grade
assignments in the elementary schools, and in building subject assignments in
the secondary schools will be made with teacher's concurrence. The ultimate
authority rests with the School Committee.
E. If a teacher must be relieved of his/her regular teaching
duties during the school day and no substitute is available, a teacher may be
requested to cover a class by the principal.
ARTICLE XIII
TRANSFERS, VACANCIES, AND
NEW POSITIONS
A. A transfer is a change of position between school buildings,
discipline, or elementary grade levels, but not a change of assignment within a
discipline in a given level.
B. A vacancy is an opening in an existing position that occurs
because an employee leaves during or at the end of the school year.
C. A new position is one that has been created and has not been
filled before.
D. In making transfers or in filling vacancies or new positions,
an employee's area of competence, major and minor fields of study, willingness
to be transferred, and length of service in the
E. Employees desiring transfers will submit a written request
to the Superintendent stating the desired assignment. Such request will be
submitted between September 1 and April 1 of each school year to take effect
the following school year. Requests must be renewed each year, and all requests
will be acknowledged in writing. Every effort will be made to give preference
to employees who have submitted a request for a transfer.
F. An involuntary transfer will be made only after a meeting
between the employee involved and the administrators recommending the transfer;
at this meeting, the employee will be notified of the reasons for the transfer.
In the event that the employee objects to the transfer at this meeting, the
employee may notify the Association, and the Superintendent will meet with the
employee and a representative of the Association to discuss the transfer. This
meeting will not be considered a grievance at Level III. Notice of all such
transfers will be given to employees as soon as possible; under normal
circumstances, this notice will not be later than at the end of the school
year.
G. Notice of all vacancies and new positions for a new school
year shall be posted by the end of the preceding school year in each school,
clearly setting forth the qualifications, duties and salary ranges. Such
qualifications, duties and salary ranges shall not be changed without a new
posting. Such posting shall be in each building at least fourteen (14) days
before the deadline for submitting applications and shall contain the date of
posting. Employees who desire to apply for such positions shall submit their
applications in writing to the Superintendent or his/her designee within the
time limits specified in the notice.
H. Whenever
a vacancy or a new position occurs during the school year, it will be
adequately publicized by the Superintendent by means of a notice placed on a
bulletin board in every school building as far in advance of the appointment as
possible.
I. In
case of a vacancy or new position during the summer, the Superintendent or
his/her designee will immediately notify the President of the ATA of such
vacancy. Notice will appear in the local paper.
ARTICLE XIV
TEACHER EVALUATION
A. Teachers will be given a copy of any evaluation report by
their superior and will have the right to discuss such report with their
superiors.
B. Teachers will have the right, upon forty-eight (48) hour
written request (exclusive of vacations, holidays, and weekends) to review the
contents of their personnel file. A teacher will be entitled to have a
representative of the Association accompany him/her during such review.
It is the teacher's responsibility to review the personnel file. If, in
the teacher's view, material placed in his/her file is derogatory to his/her
conduct, service, character, or personality, he/she may submit a written answer
to such material and his/her answer will be reviewed by the Superintendent and
the teacher's answer will be attached to the original material. Upon reviewing
the personnel folder, the teacher shall signify he/she has had an opportunity
to review the enclosed material by affixing his/her signature and the date of
review to each document contained in the folder with the express understanding
that such signature in no way indicates agreement with the contents thereof.
C. Any complaints regarding a teacher made to any member of the
administration by any parent, student, or other person will be promptly called
to the attention of a teacher. When a complaint relates to any incident which
took place in the course of the teacher's professional duties, the teacher will
promptly be advised of the identity of the complainant and the date of
complaint.
It is understood that any complaints brought under the district's Sexual
Harassment or Parental Complaint policies against any employee covered by the
terms of this agreement shall be limited to those complaints which arise only
from those behaviors which occur within the scope of an employee's professional
duties. It is also understood that no employee shall be disciplined or rebuked
in any manner by any supervisor for making any report (including a report of a
violation of the application of the foregoing policies), or for filing a
complaint under these policies.
When a complaint is made by a parent, student or other person against an
employee, the employee shall:
1.
be notified of the charge or charges made against him/her, and the
identity of the complainant or complainants within 48 hours of the filing of
any complaint.
2.
have the right to access, receive copies of, and respond to all
documents and/or charges related to the complaint.
3.
be notified in writing of, and have the right to attend any and all
meetings and/or hearings relative to the complaint.
4.
have the right to appeal any disciplinary or other adverse employment
action taken against him/her.
D. The Association recognizes the authority and responsibility
of the principal for disciplining or reprimanding a teacher for delinquency of
professional performance.
E. The evaluation form agreed upon mutually by the Committee
and the Association shall be appended to this contract.
F. The Evaluation Philosophy and Procedures is appended to this
contract.
ARTICLE XV
ADMINISTRATIVE DECISIONS
All decisions made on an administrative level that affect the teaching
staff directly will be put into writing and posted on faculty bulletins as soon
as practicable after the decision has been made.
ARTICLE XVI
FINAL DAY OF SCHOOL
A. Teachers will be checked-out as soon as they have completed
the prescribed check-out procedures which will be specified in writing at least
one week in advance of the final day by individual school principals.
B. A reasonable time limit for check-out procedures on the
final day at the end of the school day will be established in advance by the
school principal. If the teacher does not check-out within the specified time
limit, he/she will not be considered checked-out that day. Principals will make
the decision when books/instructional materials will be collected prior to the
last day.
ARTICLE XVII
TEACHER FACILITIES
To the extent feasible in existing buildings and provided that no
substantial capital investment is necessary, and in designing new buildings and
rehabilitating existing buildings, the Committee will provide in each school
building:
1. Space
in each classroom in which teachers may safely store instructional materials
and supplies.
2.
A teacher workroom containing adequate equipment and supplies to aid in
the preparation of instructional materials.
3.
An appropriately furnished room to be used as a lounge.
4.
Well-lighted and clean teachers' rest rooms with functional facilities.
5.
A system whereby teachers can effectively and expeditiously communicate
with the principal or main office in event of an emergency.
ARTICLE XVIII
SPECIALIST FACILITIES
To the extent feasible in
existing buildings and in designing new buildings and rehabilitating existing
buildings, the Committee will provide:
1.
For each specialist, a suitable office, containing lockable filing
cabinet for confidential materials and adequate storage space for materials,
and ensuring privacy for counseling and therapy.
2.
A suitable room in each school to be used as a classroom for specialists
if such space is available.
ARTICLE XIX
USE OF SCHOOL FACILITIES
A. The Association will have the right to use school buildings
at reasonable times for meetings, subject to availability. The principal of the
building in question will be notified in advance of the time and place of all
such meetings. All necessary custodial and cafeteria help fees will be paid by
the Association. Reasonable notice of Association events and meetings which
utilize school facilities will be given to the building principal.
B. There will be bulletin board space available in each school
building in the faculty lounge, for the purpose of displaying notices,
circulars, and other Association materials.
ARTICLE XX
TEXTBOOKS
All teachers involved will
be included in the selection and adoption of textbooks.
ARTICLE XXI
CLASS RANK BOOKS
A. Class rank books will remain in the teacher's possession at
all times during the school year, and throughout the summer.
B. At the close of school in June, the teacher will submit
final grades on appropriate forms as part of check-out procedure.
C. In any case where a question arises regarding a student's
grade during the summer, the principal will contact the teacher either by
telephone or by registered letter, return receipt requested, to arrange an
appointment for the teacher, the parent, guardian/student to discuss the grade
in question.
D. The administration has authority to review rank books.
ARTICLE XXII
FACULTY HANDBOOKS
A. No provisions will be added to faculty handbooks that are in
conflict with existing provisions in the current Contract.
B. If provisions do exist in faculty handbooks that are in
conflict with existing provisions in the Contract, the Contract language will
prevail.
ARTICLE XXIII
INSURANCE
A. The Association agrees that as of January 1, 2008, the Master
Health Plus will no longer be available to its members. Both parties agree that
effective July 1, 2008, the present health insurance plans will be eliminated
and replaced by the Massachusetts State Group Insurance Commission Health Plan
(GIC). This health plan will be in effect for three (3) years, starting July 1,
2008, through June 30, 2011. Continuation in this plan will be subject to
negotiation. The parties agree that the Committee will pay 80% of the plan and
the employee shall pay 20% of the plan.
B. The Committee will pay fifty percent (50%) of the cost of a
ten thousand dollar ($10,000) group life insurance policy.
C. The Committee shall continue to provide dental coverage
comparable to the current dental plan and at the same contribution rate (80%
paid by the Committee, 20% paid by the employee) effective on or before July 1,
2008.
D. Pursuant
to the provision of Chapter 697 of the Acts of 1987, the committee agrees to
have the employees contributions to group health insurance, dental insurance,
and life insurance paid with pre-tax earnings.
ARTICLE XXIV
LONG TERM DISABILITY
Not later than 30 days following the execution of this Agreement a joint
committee consisting of two Association representatives and two District
representatives shall meet to select a carrier for an employee funded long term
disability plan. The plan shall be implemented no later than July 1, 2005.
ARTICLE XXV
PERSONAL INJURY
Whenever an employee is
absent from school as a result of personal injury caused by an assault
occurring in the course of his/her employment, he/she will be paid his/her full
salary, less any amount of Workers' Compensation award, for the period of such
absence, and such absence will not be deducted from sick leave. Employees will
immediately report all cases of assault suffered by them in connection with
their employment to their Principal and the Superintendent of Schools in
writing.
ARTICLE XXVI
HEALTH AND SAFETY
A. All regulations and procedures affecting the safety of
students, teachers, and school facilities will be posted on faculty bulletins
as soon as practicable after the decision has been made.
B. A health and safety committee will be formed comprised of
two (2) ATA representatives, designated by the President, and two (2) Committee
representatives, to access safety information and make recommendations to the
Committee.
ARTICLE XXVII
CONTINUING EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENTS AND REGULATIONS
GOVERNING COURSE
APPROVAL
A. Salary Schedule Educational Requirements
1. To advance on the Bachelor's Scale, the employee needs the
following number of credits, or the equivalent thereof:
Step 3 to 4: 3
Step 5 to 6: 3 additional, to total 6
Step 7 to 8: 3 additional, to total 9
Step 9 to 10: 3
additional, to total 12
Step 11 to 12: 3
additional, to total 15
Step 12 to 13: 3
additional, to total 18
2.
Once the employee has obtained a Master's degree, he/she is required to
obtain three (3) approved credits, or the equivalent thereof, by the end of
every three (3) year period in order to receive a step increase/increase
resulting from a negotiated raise, and to be employed in a stipendiary position
pursuant to Article XXXIV (B).
3.
Once the employee has reached the top step on the Salary schedule,
he/she is required to obtain three (3) approved credits, or the equivalent
thereof, by the end of every three (3) year period in order to receive an
increase resulting from a negotiated raise, and to be employed in a stipendiary
position pursuant to Article XXXIV (B). Courses taken to meet this requirement
shall be reasonably related to the teacher's professional assignment or to the
attainment of certification in an additional area.
B. Advanced Degree Requirements
1. Employees
hired after April 1, 1987, who are not already enrolled in an educational
program accredited by the NEASC or its regional counterparts, leading to a
graduate degree in an area related to their professional assignment, are
required to become enrolled in such a degree program by no later than the first
semester of their third year of employment by the committee. Other accredited
graduate degree programs not included above will be determined by the
Superintendent or designee on a case by case basis. An employee failing to
become enrolled as described in this section will not receive a step
increase/increase resulting from a negotiated raise and will not be eligible to
be employed in a stipendiary position pursuant to Article XXXV (B).
2.
(Employees hired after April 1, 1987, are required to obtain a graduate
degree by the end of the second semester of their seventh year of employment.
An employee failing to obtain a degree as described in this section will not
receive a step increase/increase resulting from a negotiated raise and will not
be eligible to be employed in a stipendiary position pursuant to Article XXXIV
(B).
3.
When the new state certification regulations that include a graduate
degree for permanent certification becomes effective Section B.1. and B.2 above
will only apply to those employees who are not subject to the new certification
regulations, and who were hired after April 1, 1987.
Employees who are subject to the new certification regulations will
obtain advanced degrees in accordance with those regulations.
4. Employee applicants will be required to sign a statement
that they have read and agree with the provisions of Section B of this article
prior to signing a contract.
C. Course Approval
l. Employees
will receive credit for salary purposes for individual courses that meet any of
the following requirements upon satisfactory completion of said courses:
a. Courses
that are creditable toward an advanced degree in education or related to the
employee's professional assignment, provided the employee has received approval
of the degree program from the Superintendent or designee. A newly hired
employee who is working on an advanced degree at the time of employment is
required to notify and receive approval from the Superintendent or designee of
his/her degree program within thirty (30) school days of employment.
b. Individual courses, approved by the Superintendent or
designee, that are awarded credit by a college or university accredited by the
NEASC or its regional counterparts. Requests for other individual courses from
other accredited institutions not included above will be determined by the
Superintendent or designee on a case by case basis.
Such courses shall be reasonably related to the teacher's professional
assignment, or to the attainment of certification in an additional area.
Employees are required to notify the Superintendent or designee of their
intentions to enroll in a course in advance or within seven days after
enrollment at the latest.
c. An
employee seeking a change in his/her educational assignment may apply for
approval of an advanced degree program in the area of his or her interest. The
Superintendent or designee will approve such a program, if deemed to be within
the field of education.
d. For
all courses described in Subsections a., b., and c., the employee will submit a
transcript or other official record from the institution attended to the
Superintendent or designee upon successful completion of the course(s) taken.
Payment for courses completed during the spring/summer sessions will
commence at a time during the subsequent school year as soon as such records of
completion of the courses are received by the Superintendent or designee. Such
records must be received by the Superintendent or designee prior to October 1.
Payment for courses successfully completed during the fall semester will
commence as soon as records of completion of the courses are received by the
Superintendent or designee. Such records must be received by the Superintendent
or designee prior to March 1.
2. Any
employee who attains a Master's degree will be placed on the Master's step of
the salary schedule once he or she has presented evidence to the Superintendent
or designee that he or she has successfully completed all requirements for that
degree.
3. Reimbursement for Course Credit
a. The
committee agrees to reimburse each employee up to the amount of $525 every
other year beginning in 2002-2003, upon evidence of the completion of an
accredited graduate level course with a passing grade.
b. The number of employees to be reimbursed annually is not to
exceed 50% of the total number of employees covered under this agreement.
c. Employees who are required to fulfill the continuing educational
requirements for any given year will be given first preference for
reimbursement. Other employees wishing to be reimbursed for courses in
accordance with the above will be processed on a first come, first serve basis.
4. Each employee will be entitled to one self-directed floating
professional day annually at no expense to the district. The activity on this
day must be reasonably related to the employee’s
IPDP. The committee agrees to provide substitute coverage for the employee when
necessary. Employee requests, including a proposed plan, will be made to
his/her building principal, in writing, 14 days in advance. Employees will
submit a written report to his/her building principal summarizing the
activities which took place on that day.
ARTICLE XXVIII
SCHOOL COUNCILS
1.
Councils in each school shall be called "school councils" and
shall meet all requirements established under the Education Reform Act.
2.
Teachers in each building shall establish procedures for the election of
teachers to school councils.
3.
Terms for all council members will be established at the individual
sites.
4.
Continuing Education Requirements will be held in abeyance for each year
that a teacher serves on a school council, subject to the following conditions:
A. This
section does not affect the hours of approved credit required to move on step
as provided in Article XXVI.
B. This
section does not affect the requirement that teachers hired after April 1,
1987, be enrolled in a Master's Degree Program by the first semester of their
third year as provided in Article XXVII.
ARTICLE XXIX
LEGISLATED SALARY
In the event that the state legal minimum exceeds the minimum indicated
in the Contract, than the state minimum shall prevail and the ratio schedule
shall remain in full force during the Contract period.
ARTICLE XXX
DOCTORATE SALARY
Any employee with a Doctorate will receive an additional increment of
nine hundred dollars ($900) beyond Master's +36.
ARTICLE XXXI
SALARY ASSISTANT TEACHING
PRINCIPAL
A. Effective September 1, 1993, assistant teaching principals
shall be compensated a ratio of 1.025 to their base salary.
B. Effective September 1, 1993, in addition to the base amount,
assistant teaching principals will receive an additional fifty dollars ($50.00)
per classroom.
ARTICLE XXXII
SALARY FOR LEAD TEACHER
A. Lead Teachers shall be compensated a ratio of 1.025 to their
base salary.
B. Effective September 1, 1993, in addition to the base amount,
lead teachers will receive an additional fifty dollars ($50.00) per classroom.
ARTICLE XXXIII
SALARY FOR DEPARTMENT
CHAIRS
A. Effective September 1, 1996, department chairs shall be
compensated a base amount of 6.5% of their amount on the current salary
schedule.
B. Effective September 1, 1996, in addition to the base amount,
department chairs receive an additional two hundred dollars ($200.00) per
teacher under his/her supervision.
ARTICLE XXXIV
A. Effective September 1, 2004, middle school team leaders will
be paid an amount of $1606.
ARTICLE XXXV
AVAILABILITY AND
COMPENSATION FOR SPECIFIED SERVICES
A. All teachers shall be available on a voluntary basis for
extracurricular activities as part of their contractual duties. This will be
made a part of the formal contract agreed to by individual teachers upon their
employment in the school system.
B. Teachers electing to assume extra-curricular activities as
advisors will be compensated in accordance with the schedule listed below. In
order for teachers to assume these activities they shall have completed their
continuing education requirements pursuant to Article XXVII.
|
Advisors |
Compensation |
|
Freshman Class (2) |
$500 |
|
Sophomore Class (2) |
$500 |
|
Junior Class (2) |
$700 |
|
Senior Class (2) |
$800 |
|
Student Council |
$900 |
|
National Honor Society |
$600 |
|
Model United Nations |
$300 |
|
Drama Club |
$500 |
|
Video Club |
$500 |
|
Peer Educators |
$500 |
|
S.A.D.D. |
$500 |
|
Art Club |
$500 |
|
Writing Club (2) |
$500 |
|
Peer Mediator |
$500 |
|
Computer Club |
$500 |
|
Varsity Math Teach Coach |
$1,000 |
|
Freshman Math Team Coach |
$400 |
|
Attendance Committee (4) |
$400 |
|
School Accounts |
$2,500 |
|
|
$80 per session |
|
Tech Prep Coordinator |
$1,500 |
|
Cafeteria Monitors |
$1,250 |
|
High School after school
detention monitor |
$2500 2:00 p.m.- 2:30
p.m. |
|
High School before school
monitor (3) |
$1250 7:15 a.m.- 7:30
a.m. |
|
High School after school
monitor (3) |
$1250 2:00 p.m.-2:15 p.m. |
|
High School Science Fair |
$500 |
|
High School Environmental
Club |
$500 |
|
High School - School
Store |
$500 |
|
Middle School Student
Council |
$500 |
|
Middle School |
$800 |
|
Middle School Science
Fair |
$500 |
|
Middle School Peer
Educators |
$400 |
|
Middle School S.A.D.D. |
$400 |
|
Middle School Drama |
$500 |
|
Middle School Yearbook
Coordinator |
$500 |
|
(Split stipend of $250
each if two staff members) |
|
|
Elementary Student
Council (4,5,6-RCS) |
$200 |
|
Elementary School Peer
Educators/Mediators (4,5,6-RCS) $300 |
|
|
Elementary Lunch Recess
Monitors |
$10.50 30 min. |
|
|
$ 7.00 20 min. |
|
|
$ 5.25 15 min. |
|
Middle School Music
Director |
$400 |
|
|
$500 |
|
High School Color Guard |
$400 |
|
Elementary Bus Duty (5
Schools) |
$500 |
|
Nature’s Classroom |
$800 |
1.
The above are senior high positions (except where listed). In the event
that any of those positions are added to the educational program of a school
other than the high school, the same compensation will be paid, provided the
responsibilities are similar. If the responsibilities differ, the Committee and
the Association shall negotiate appropriate compensation for the particular
position involved.
2.
The number in parentheses indicates the number to be employed in this
capacity for one school year.
C. Other special services will be compensated as listed below:
1. Secondary School Music Director will be paid an additional
stipend of $1556. In addition, he shall receive $200 per teacher for teachers
supervised in grades K-8.
2.
High School Computer Coordinator will be paid an additional stipend of
$3000.
3.
Middle School Computer Coordinator will be paid an amount of $5,000.
4.
High School Network Administrator will be paid an amount of $1,556.
5.
Reading First Coordinator will be paid an amount of $1,556. Five
additional days at per diem rate if necessary as authorized by Sanders Street
School Principal.
6. High
School teachers who provide instruction in the high school MCAS Acceleration
Program during a portion of his/her preparation period totally forty (40)
minutes on every fourth day for one (1) semester, shall receive compensation in
the amount of one sixty-fourth (1/64) of his/her annual salary, due in full
upon the completion of the semester in which he/she provided said instruction.
ARTICLE XXXVI
LONGEVITY
After teaching 15, 20, 25,
and 30 years in the District, the teacher will be granted an additional
increment of:
|
Year |
Years |
Increased Longevity |
|
8-Jul |
15 years |
$200.00 |
|
|
20 years |
$650.00 |
|
|
25 years |
$1,300.00 |
|
|
30 years |
$2,500.00 |
|
9-Aug |
15 years |
$200.00 |
|
|
20 years |
$650.00 |
|
|
25 years |
$2,500.00 |
|
|
30 years |
$3,000.00 |
|
10-Sep |
15 years |
$200.00 |
|
|
20 years |
$1,000.00 |
|
|
25 years |
$2,500.00 |
|
|
30 years |
$3,500.00 |
ARTICLE XXXVII
ENHANCED LONGEVITY PLAN
1.
Teachers with twenty (20) years of service in the
2.
Notice of intent to exercise this option shall be provided, in writing,
to the Superintendent of Schools not later than the December 31 prior to the
fiscal year in which the longevity payments are to begin.
3.
If a teacher does not receive all of the above prior to separation from
employment, he/she shall not be entitled to any further payment (i.e. 1 year =
$3,900, 2 years = $7,800 ). In the 2004-2005 school year the maximum number of
participants will be 9 employees. In the 2005-2006 school year the maximum
number of participants shall be 5 new members and thereafter up to 5 new
members each following year. Seniority shall govern which teachers shall be
eligible for the longevity benefit.
Since the December 31 deadline has passed for participation in the plan
for the 2004-2005 school year, a one time special sign up deadline of December
31, 2004 will be set.
4.
This provision of the Agreement shall become effective upon the signing
date of this Agreement.
5.
As of the signing date of this Agreement, Article X of the prior
Agreement shall become null and void.
6.
Nothing contained in the enhanced longevity provision shall prohibit the
School Committee from approving more than five (5) new participants in a given
year. The parties acknowledge that such an action shall in no way establish any
practice or precedent and will have no impact on the number of slots in
succeeding years.
7.
The
8.
The
9.
The current enhanced longevity article Article XXXVII 1-6 above will be
eliminated from the Agreement at the end of FY ’09.
10. The
number of members in the Enhanced Longevity Plan will be 15 in 06-07, 10 in
07-08, and 5 in 08-09.
ARTICLE XXXVIII
KINDERGARTEN TEACHERS
Kindergarten teachers
teaching one (1) session shall be paid at the rate of 4/7 of the general salary
schedule.
ARTICLE XXXVIX
MIDDLE SCHOOL INTRAMURAL PROGRAM
1. Persons employed to perform extracurricular activities as
advisors will be compensated in accordance with the schedule below: Middle
School Intramural Volleyball Program Advisor $270
Middle School Intramural
Basketball Program Advisor $480
Middle School Intramural Floor Hockey
Program Advisor $450
2.
A written evaluation of the middle school intramural sports program and
the middle school intramural sports program advisors will be carried out
annually by the principal or assistant principal.
3.
Positions will be posted in accordance with the collective bargaining
agreement.
4.
The building principal should recommend, interview and select the
candidate to be recommended to the Superintendent. Whenever possible, first
preference should be given to faculty personnel in building where position is
open.
ARTICLE XL
PAYMENT OF TEACHERS'
SALARIES
A. The salary provided teachers protected by this Contract is
deemed by the Committee and the Association to be fully earned at the close of
schools in June of any given year, and proportionately during the school year.
In the event of termination of service for any reason at the end of or at any
time during the school year, the amount of salary earned, but withheld to date
of termination shall be payable to the teacher, or in the event of death, to
his/her estate.
B. Teachers may elect to receive their salary in twenty-one
(21) equal bimonthly payments beginning in September and ending in June, or
twenty-six (26) equal payments throughout the year. A teacher who elects the
twenty-six payment plan may receive July and August checks along with the June
check on the closing day of school in June provided that written notice of such
election is given to the Superintendent on or before June 1.
C. All monies earned but withheld during the school year will
be paid in full on the closing day of school in June.
ARTICLE XLI
TEACHERS' CONTRACTS
A. Contracts
issued to all teachers with non-professional teaching status should be signed
and returned to the Superintendents Office no later than two (2) weeks after
issuance. Contracts not signed or returned by teachers with non-professional
teaching status within that time may be considered as null and void at the
discretion of the Committee, All teachers with professional teaching status not
returning their contracts within two (2) weeks must submit a letter of
explanation to the chairman of the school committee at that time.
B. Any
teacher who signs a contract with the
ARTICLE XLII
JOB DESCRIPTIONS
A. The
Committee shall provide the Association with copies of job descriptions that
are current as of September 1, 1995, of all positions in Units A and B.
B. The
Committee will further provide the Association with copies of revised job
descriptions of all positions within Units A and B within one week after said
revisions are made.
ARTICLE XLIII
SCREENING AND INTERVIEWING
FOR ADMINISTRATIVE POSITIONS
Two (2) ATA members designated by the ATA President shall have the right
to serve as non-voting members during the interview process on any committee
whose role it is to interview candidates for Superintendent, Assistant
Superintendent, and Unit B positions. Said members shall not participate in
executive sessions. The views of the ATA members will be considered in the
final recommendations made to the full school committee.
ARTICLE XLIV
SCHOOL COMMITTEE AGENDA
The Superintendent of Schools shall provide the President of the Athol
Teachers' Association with an agenda of all Committee meetings at the same time
they are made available to the Committee. Upon approval by the Committee, the
minutes of each Committee meeting shall be forwarded to the Association
excepting the minutes of Executive Session while such minutes remain
privileged.
NURSES ADDENDUM
ARTICLE II
DUTY FREE LUNCH PERIODS
Each nurse will be given a 30 minute duty free lunch period to be taken
other than during the student lunch.
ARTICLE III
STAFF MEETINGS
B. Notice
will be provided the staff of any scheduled meeting. Teachers/nurses will be
required to attend unless excused by the principal or in an emergency.
ARTICLE XII
TEACHER ASSIGNMENTS
G. The
nurses are to update school health procedures following notification by the
Massachusetts Department of Public Health and refer through policy sub
committee/health handbook as appropriate. Nurses will be expected to teach
various health and safety units during the year.
For school nurses without a bachelor's degree, Continuing Education
Contact Hours may be used to advance on the salary schedule as follows:
1. All
nurses start on Step I of the salary schedule the first year of employment
regardless of previous Continuing Education Contact hours or
undergraduate/graduate credits.
ARTICLE VI
COMPENSATED LEAVES
A. SICK
LEAVE (Nurses) 1a. Thirteen (13) days sick leave shall be allowed in academic
year 2001-2002 credited at one day per school month; with four (4) days being
credited in September. If at the end of the school year a nurse has unused sick
leave but was docked pay due to non-accumulation at the time of absence he/she
may have such pay restored at the end of the school year on a one for one
basis. Following the third year of nurses' employment, they will be allowed
unlimited accumulation.
ARTICLE XVIII
CONTINUING EDUCATIONAL
REQUIREMENTS AND RECERTIFICATION
2. In order to advance from step 3 to step 4 nurses must
attain:
a total of 45 Continuing Education Contact Hours or 3 additional college
credits acquired after date of initial employment
step 5 to 6: 45 additional Continuing Education
Contact Hours or 3 additional college credits
step 7 to 8: 45 additional Continuing Education
Contact Hours or 3 additional college credits
step 9 to 10: 45 additional Continuing Education Contact
Hours or 3 additional college credits
step 11 to 12: 45 additional Continuing Education
Contact Hours or 3 additional college credits
step 12 to 13: 45 additional Continuing Education
Contact Hours or 3 additional college credits
When a nurse attains a
bachelor's degree, he/she will be placed on the same step of the bachelor's
salary scale as he/she was previously placed on the RN scale. To advance
further on the Bachelor's scale, the nurses need to attain the same total
number of graduate credits that a teacher would need to progress from that
point.
Registered nurses are required to take a minimum of fifteen (15)
continuing education contact hours every two years for Massachusetts RN license
renewal or according to state standards or regulations. Copies of current
license to be on file at the Superintendent's Office.
B5. BI-B4 are inapplicable
to nurses.
C lb. For nurses this requirement can be waived by taking, individual
courses approved for certification/recertification credit in accordance with
State Regulations.
PROFESSIONAL
GROWTH
AND
PERFORMANCE
PLAN
ADDENDUM
UNIT A
The District
The
Opportunities for success
will be provided for all students by:
Creating and maintaining a
supportive environment for the acquisition of knowledge
Insuring the acquisition
and application of essential skills
Encouraging the development
of student self-esteem
Recognizing individual and
developmental differences
Seeking parental
understanding and support
Promoting respect for the
local, national and global community
The purpose of the Professional Growth and Performance Plan of the
The Purposes of the
Professional Growth and Performance Plan
This evaluation system will
promote the development of all teachers. Although one purpose of the evaluation
system is accountability, an equally important purpose of this system is the
improvement of instruction.
These evaluation procedures have been
established to:
Promote instructional improvement
Ensure accountability
Provide support for teachers
Uphold the law
Protect teachers’ rights
Ensure adherence to district policies
Note: For the purposes of
this document, the term “teachers” refers to Unit A employees. This evaluation tool is designed to be
inclusive with regards to classroom performance and goal setting.
For the purposes of this
document, the term “administrator” and “evaluator” refers to appropriate building level principals, assistant principals,
department chairs, and Central Office administrators. The specific
administrator(s) fulfilling the role of evaluator for individual teachers will
be defined at the beginning of each school year.
PRINCIPLES OF EFFECTIVE
TEACHING
I. CURRENCY IN THE CURRICULUM
The teacher is up-to-date regarding curriculum content
II. EFFECTIVE PLANNING AND ASSESSMENT OF CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION
The teacher plans instruction effectively
The teacher plans assessment of student learning effectively
The teacher monitors students’ understanding of the
curriculum effectively and
adjusts instruction, materials, or assessments when appropriate
III. EFFECTIVE MANAGEMENT OF CLASSROOM ENVIRONMENT
The teacher creates an environment that is positive for student learning
and involvement
The teacher maintains appropriate standards of behavior, mutual respect
and safety
IV. EFFECTIVE INSTRUCTION
The teacher makes learning goals clear to students
The teacher uses appropriate instructional techniques
The teacher uses appropriate questioning techniques
The teacher evaluates, tries innovative approaches, and refines
instructional strategies, including the effective use of technologies, to
increase student learning and confidence to learn
V. PROMOTION OF HIGH STANDARDS AND EXPECTATIONS FOR STUDENT
ACHIEVEMENT
The teacher communicates learning goals and high standards and
expectations to students The teacher promotes confidence and perseverance in
the student that stimulate increased personal student responsibility for
achieving the goals of the curriculum
VI. PROMOTION OF EQUITY AND APPRECIATION OF
DIVERSITY
The teacher strives to ensure equitable opportunities for student
learning The teacher demonstrates appreciation for and sensitivity to the
diversity among individuals
VII. FULFILLMENT OF PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES
The teacher is constructive and cooperative in interactions with parents
and receptive to their contributions
The teacher shares responsibility for accomplishing the goals and
priorities of his/her grade/team/department, building and school district.
The teacher is a reflective and continuous learner
Professional Growth and
Performance Plan
|
Stage B |
Stage A |
Stage C |
|
Goal Setting Goal Setting Plan Conference
Post-Conference Written Summary Report Performance Standards Checklist |
Classroom Observations Pre-Conference Minimum 3
observations first year Minimum 2 observations following year(s)
Post-Conference Written Summary Report Performance Standards checklist |
Improvement Plan
Notification Improvement Plan Review Conference |
Stage A: Observation stage
Teachers new to the profession will be placed at this State for at least 3 years.
They will be required to complete a teacher induction program.
Teachers new to the district will be placed at this Stage for a minimum of 1
year or until professional status is granted. The earliest that professional
status will be granted is one year from the date of employment. Teachers will
be required to complete an ARRSD induction program.
Teachers with professional status assigned to Stage A will remain at this Stage
until sufficient progress, based on the Principles of Effective Teacher, has
been made.
The administrators will provide an induction program at the beginning of
the school year for all new staff. This program will include an overview of the
following:
·
District and building mission/goals
·
Principals of Effective Teachers
·
Professional Development Program and Recertification Plan
·
Professional Performance Plan
Time Line:
A. First-year Stage A teachers will be observed a minimum of
three times.
1. The first observation will be completed by the second week of
October (or the 6th week of employment).
2. The second observation will be completed by the second week of
November (or the 11th week of employment).
3. The third observation will be completed by the third week of
February (or by the 20th week of employment).
B. After completing the first year on Stage A, teachers will be
observed a minimum of twice during the school year, once by the first week in
December (or the 13th week of employment).
C. Teachers on Stage A, but not in their first year with the
district, will be observed a minimum of twice during the school year, once by
the first week in December (or the 13th week of employment).
Within the first 90 calendar days of the school year, a teacher new to
the district may be dismissed according to Chapter 71, Section 42 of the State
Laws.
Pre-Observation
1.
Each observation will have a pre-observation conference.
2.
One purpose of a pre-observation conference is to provide the
administrator with information regarding the objectives of the lesson to be
observed, relevant background information, the activities or methods to be used
to meet the stated objectives, and/or any notable characteristics of the
learning environment.
3.
The teacher and the evaluator should identify any conditions that may
have an adverse impact upon learning.
4.
Another purpose of the pre-observation conference is to provide the
teacher with an understanding of the evaluation criteria and administrative
expectations, and to ask questions about the specific process to be used.
Observation
1.
Observations refer to the process of observing the performance of a
staff member as related to the principals of effective teaching.
2.
An observation is a minimum of 20 consecutive minutes and results in a
written Observation Report.
3.
The primary purpose of classroom observation is to record what is
occurring during the observer’s presence in the
classroom.
4.
It is understood that if a teacher teaches more than one subject, an
attempt will be made to observe the teacher handling difference subjects.
5.
When the teacher teaches in more than one building, an attempt will be
made to have the observations done by more than one administrator.
6.
Within 5 (five) school days following the observation, the teacher will
receive a copy of the Observation Report.
7.
This does not preclude an administrator from informal classroom
visitations at any time.
Post-Observation
1.
The post-observation conference will focus on discussion of the
Observation Report.
2.
The administrator will hold the post-observation conference within 10
school days following the completion of the observation.
3.
Strengths and weaknesses will be discussed and recommendations for
growth and/or improvement will be formulated.
4.
An Observation Report may be amended by mutual agreement prior to it
becoming part of the teacher’s formal record.
5.
The administrator will note the post-conference date and topics of
discussion on the final Observation Report, which will be signed by the
administration and given to the teacher within three school days.
6.
The teacher is entitled to respond in writing. This written response
will be attached to the observation. The response must be filed within ten
school days of receipt of the final Observation Report.
7.
The teacher may, in writing, request help or extra resources. The
administrator should offer assistance in a timely manner.
Written Summary Report
1.
The administrator will submit to the teacher a Written Summer Report by
May 1st, before this report is sent to the Central Office.
2.
This report will be based on the documentation from the Observation
Reports, conferences, and other written documentation related to the job
performance provided the teacher has received copies at the appropriate
point(s) in the process.
3.
The teacher is entitled to respond in writing to the Written Summary
Report within ten school days of receiving it.
4.
This written response and documentation will be attached to the packet
and sent to the Superintendent and placed in the personnel file.
The final Observation
Report is kept on file with the principal until the Written Summary Report is
completed. A packet, which includes all final Observation Reports, the Written
Summary Report, the Performance Standards checklist, and written response by
the teacher, is sent to the Superintendent and placed in the official file by
June 15th.
At any time, the teacher has the right to a conference with the
evaluator to discuss Principles of Effective Teaching, their evaluation, and
the evaluation process.
Stage B: Goal Setting Stage
Stage B provides individual teachers the opportunity to concentrate on
areas of special interest and encourages professional growth. Teachers on this
stage will complete its requirements every other year. It is the responsibility
of the teacher to develop goals with the assistance of the administrator. The
goals will be mutually acceptable. It is important that these goals reflect the
teacher’s needs and interests and be related
to district and school goals.
Classroom observations will
not be required in Stage B; however, a classroom observation may be requested
by either the administrator or teacher. This
does not preclude an administrator from informal classroom visitations at any
time. When an observation is requested, the procedure outlined in Stage
A will be followed (i.e. pre-observation conference, observation,
post-observation conference, and Observation Record to be kept by the evaluator
and teacher).
The intent of this Stage is
to allow for flexibility. Some goals may take longer than others to be completed.
It is reasonable to expect that some goals will not be accomplished. Goals may
be mutually modified. The teacher’s goals will be recorded on
the Stage B Goal Setting Plan Form. Copies of the goals will be kept by the
teacher and evaluator.
At any time, the teacher has the right to a conference with the
evaluator to discuss Principles of Effective Teaching, their evaluation, and
evaluation process.
Placement of Teachers On
Stage B
During the first year of implementation of this professional growth and performance
plan, all non professional status teachers and any professional status teacher
on an improvement plan will be placed on Stage A. All other teachers will be
placed on Stage B. If a teacher who qualifies for Stage B would prefer to
remain on Stage A for the first year, s/he may request this in writing. At each
building, those teachers who will be on Stage B will have their names placed
into a “hat” and drawn for placement in
year one (50%) or year two (50%).
Time Line:
Prior to October 1 of each
year
·
The teacher and administrator will meet to set no more than three goals.
·
At this time, a corresponding plan of action and assessment criteria
will be outlined.
·
Goal setting may coincide with the teacher’s
recertification plan.
By January 15th
·
Each teacher on Stage B will submit a short written summary of progress
made. By January 31st
·
Administrators will have made an informal contact with each teacher
regarding the progress.
By April 15th
·
The teacher and administrator will meet to review the progress made.
·
This annual review of progress will be based on the Stage B Goal Setting
Plan form.
·
When goals have not been accomplished, assessment will be based on the
progress to date.
·
The teacher and administrator will also complete Performance Standards
checklist.
Written Summary Report
1.
A meeting will be held between the department head and principal to
develop the written summary report and to complete the checklist. The written
summary report will be drafted by the building principal in collaboration with
department head and the final report signed by both.
2.
The administrator will submit to the teacher a Written Summary Report by
May 1st
3.
This report will be based on the documentation from the goal review,
conferences, Performance Standards Checklist and other written documentation
related to job performance provided the teacher has received copies.
4.
The teacher is entitled to respond in writing to the Written Summary
Report within ten school days of receiving it. This written response and
documentation will be attached to the packet and sent to the Superintendent and
placed in the personnel file.
A packet, which includes all final Observation Reports, the Written
Summary Report, and the Performance Standards checklist, written response by
the teacher, is sent to the Superintendent and placed in the official file by
June 15th.
Procedure for Intervention
on Stage B
If there are sufficient educational reasons, the evaluator may move a
staff member from Stage B to Stage A at any time during the school year. The
principal will inform both the Superintendent and the ATA President of this
move.
If the Written Summary Report does not support continuation on Stage B,
this will be noted on the form and the teacher will be notified at that time
that s/he will be placed on Stage A for the upcoming school year.
Stage C: Improvement Plan
If the Evaluator has
written documentation that repeated inadequacies based on the Principles of
Effective Teaching exist over a reasonable period of time, the evaluator will
provide written notice of inadequacies to the teacher. A copy of the notice
(stamped confidential) will be sent to the Superintendent and the ATA
President. The evaluator will meet with the teacher to discuss areas of
inadequacy and to design a plan of improvement.
At any time during the process, the teacher has the right to be
accompanied by an association representative to any and all meeting relative to
the teacher’s improvement plan.
The purposes of the
Improvement Plan are to identify and remedy areas of inadequacy. This Improvement
Plan is jointly developed by the teacher and administrator, during a series of
conferences, the first of which must be held within five working days of the
teacher’s receipt of the notice of inadequacy. The
administrator will be responsible for writing the plan after it has been
jointly developed.
The plan will include:
·
A set of written expectations, stated as objectives, which related to
the Principles of Effective Teaching
·
A plan to address these objectives which includes supporting resources,
assistance (including personnel other than the administration), and specific
activities
·
A time line for implementation, including observations, conferences, and
a specific date for a final review conference
·
A set of established, observable outcomes, noting achievement of
objectives
·
The signature of the teacher and evaluator
Following completion of the
plan, a final review conference will be held. The purpose of this conference is
to mutually discuss outcomes of the improvement plan:
·
If satisfactory improvements have been made, the teacher is returned to
Stage A.
·
If a new Stage C plans needs to be established with revised or new goals
and a new time line, the teacher will begin the Stage C process again.
·
If the evaluator believes the teacher has failed to satisfy the teacher
performance standards, then the process for dismissal as stated in General
Laws, Chapter 71, Section 42 will be followed if the teacher is to be
dismissed. This process shall not be started unless the teacher has been on an
improvement plan for a minimum of 9 school weeks for non professional status
teachers and 18 school weeks for professional status teachers.
Within three working days
of the final review conference, the teacher, ATA President, and Superintendent
will receive written notification confirming the results of the conference.
This notice shall be received no later than June 15th.
Stage A
Pre-Observation Report
(to be completed by teacher and brought to Pre-Observation conference)
NAME
_____________________________________ SCHOOL
__________________
OBSERVATION DATE
______________ SUBJECT/CLASS
________________
PERIOD/TIME
_______________________________________
1.
Description of lesson being taught
2.
Goal(s) of Lesson
3.
Context of lesson, including preceding lessons and those to follow
4.
Information about students being observed
5.
Other relevant information
Teachers must sign and
return this evaluation. Signatures indicate that the parties are familiar with
the content of the evaluation. Teachers may respond in writing to this
evaluation.
________________________________ _______________________
Teacher’s Signature Evaluator’s Signature
Stage A
Observation Report
NAME _____________________ SCHOOL
_____________________
OBSERVATION DATE
_______________ SUBJECT/CLASS
__________________
PERIOD/TIME _____________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
Description of Lesson
Commendations/Recommendations
Additional Remarks
Teachers must sign and return this evaluation. Signatures indicate that
the parties are familiar with the content of the evaluation. Teachers may
respond in writing to this evaluation.
_______________________________ _____________________
Teacher’s Signature Evaluator’s Signature
cc: teacher, evaluator
(attached Written Summary Report in Spring – sent to Superintendent and
file)
Stage A
Written Summary Report
Performance Standards
Checklist and Observation Reports should be attached to this report
NAME _____________________ SCHOOL
_____________________
OBSERVATION DATE
___________________ SUBJECT/CLASS
________________
PERIOD/TIME
_____________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
Commendations
Recommendations
Post Conference Date
_____________________
Progress being made toward
Stage B, remain on Stage A Move to Stage B Move to Stage C
Teachers must sign and
return this evaluation. Signatures indicate that the parties are familiar with
the content of the evaluation. Teachers may respond in writing to this
evaluation.
_______________________________ _____________________
Teacher’s Signature Evaluator’s Signature
Cc: teacher, evaluators,
Superintendent, file
Stage B
Goal Setting Plan
One goal per page
NAME _____________________ SCHOOL _____________________
DATE _____________________ EVALUATOR _____________________
_______________________________________________________________
Goal
Plan of Action
Assessment Criteria
______________________________ _____________________
Teacher’s Signature Evaluator’s Signature
cc: teacher, evaluators
Stage B
Written Summary Report
Performance Standards
Checklist should be attached to this report
NAME _____________________ SCHOOL _____________________
DATE _____________________ EVALUATOR
_____________________
_______________________________________________________________
Goals
Outcomes
Commendations and
Recommendations
Post Conference Date
_____________________
Remain on Stage B – Next evaluation year _____________________
Move to Stage A
Teachers must sign and
return this evaluation. Signatures indicate that the parties are familiar with
the content of the evaluation. Teachers may respond in writing to this
evaluation.
_________________________________ _____________________
Teacher’s Signature Evaluator’s Signature
Cc: teacher, evaluators,
Superintendent, file
Stage C
Improvement Plan
To be completed jointly by
teacher and evaluator
NAME _____________________ SCHOOL _____________________
DATE _____________________ EVALUATOR
_____________________
_______________________________________________________________
Expectation (Objective(s) related to Principles of Effective Teaching)
____________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
|
Activity(s) |
Resources |
Time line |
Observable Outcome |
|
|
|
|
|
Expectation (Objective(s)
related to Principles of Effective Teacher)
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
|
Activity(s) |
Resources |
Time line |
Observable Outcome |
|
|
|
|
|
Date for Final Review
Conference _______________________
_______________________ _______________________
Teacher’s Signature Evaluator’s Signature
Cc: teacher, evaluator, ATA
President, Superintendent, file
Stage C
Summary of Final Review Conference
NAME
_______________________ SCHOOL
_______________________
DATE
_______________________ EVALUATOR
_______________________
_____________________________________________________________________
Improvements Made
Areas of Concern
Progress being made toward
Stage A, remain on Stage C
Move to Stage A
Has not satisfied teacher
performance standards
Teachers must sign and
return this evaluation. Signatures indicate that the parties are familiar with
the content of the evaluation. Teachers may respond in writing to this
evaluation.
_______________________ _______________________
Teacher’s Signature Evaluator’s Signature
cc: teacher, evaluator, ATA
President, Superintendent, file
Name
_______________________
PERFORMANCE STANDARDS CHECKLIST
1
= Exceptional Achievement
2
= Commendable Achievement
3
= Adequate Achievement
4
= Some Evidence of Achievement
5
= Little Evidence of Achievement
I. CURRENCY IN THE CURRICULUM
|
Teacher |
Admin |
|
|
|
|
The teacher is up to date
regarding curriculum content |
II. EFFECTIVE
PLANNING AND ASSESSMENT OF CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION
|
Teacher |
Admin |
|
|
|
|
The teacher plans
instruction effectively |
|
Teacher |
Admin |
|
|
|
|
The teacher plans
assessment of student learning effectively |
|
Teacher |
Admin |
|
|
|
|
The teacher
monitors students’ understanding of
the curriculum effectively and adjusts instruction, materials, or
assessments when appropriate |
III. EFFECTIVE MANAGEMENT OF CLASSROOM ENVIRONMENT
|
Teacher |
Admin |
|
|
|
|
The teacher creates an
environment that is positive for student learning and involvement |
|
Teacher |
Admin |
|
|
|
|
The teacher maintains
appropriate standards of behavior, mutual respect and safety |
IV. EFFECTIVE INSTRUCTION
|
Teacher |
Admin |
|
|
Teacher |
Admin |
The teacher makes
learning goals clear to students |
|
Teacher |
Admin |
The teacher uses
appropriate instructional techniques |
|
Teacher |
Admin |
The teacher uses
appropriate questioning techniques |
|
|
|
The teacher evaluates,
tries innovative approaches, and refines instructional strategies, including
the effective use of technologies, to increase student learning and
confidence to learn |
V. PROMOTION
OF HIGH STANDARDS AND EXPECTATIONS FOR STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT
|
Teacher |
Admin |
|
|
|
|
The teacher communicates
learning goals and high standards and
expectations to students |
|
Teacher |
Admin |
|
|
|
|
The teacher promotes
confidence and perseverance in the student that stimulate increased personal
student responsibility for achieving the goals of the curriculum |
VI. FULFILLMENT OF PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES
|
Teacher |
Admin |
|
|
|
|
The teacher is
constructive and cooperative in interactions with parents and receptive to
their contributions |
|
Teacher |
Admin |
|
|
|
|
The teacher shares
responsibility for accomplishing the goals and priorities of his/her
grade/team/department, building and school district |
|
Teacher |
Admin |
|
|
|
|
The teacher is a
reflective and continuous learner |
VII. PROMOTION OF EQUITY AND APPRECIATION OF DIVERSITY
|
Teacher |
Admin |
|
|
|
|
The teacher strives to
ensure equitable opportunities for student learning |
|
Teacher |
Admin |
|
|
|
|
The teacher demonstrates
appreciation for and sensitivity to the diversity among individuals |
Teacher’s Signature
______________________________
Date ______________________________
Evaluator’s Signature ______________________________
Date ______________________________
Teachers must sign and
return this checklist. Signatures indicate that the parties are familiar with
the content of this portion of the evaluation. Teachers may respond in writing
to this checklist.
TEACHER
MENTOR/INDUCTION
ADDENDUM
Regulations:
The Massachusetts Education Reform Act of 1993 calls for the
establishment of district-based induction programs to support, supervise, and
evaluate beginning teachers. As of September, 1997, every district in the
Standards for DOE Approval
of Teacher Induction Program:
A. Every beginning teacher shall be provided a mentor teacher.
Teachers new to the district, but with professional teacher status from another
district, will be exempt from this standard but may elect to participate in the
program.
B. The mentor shall be selected through an open and equitable
process and shall have completed state-approved mentor training. The district
shall compensate the mentor for his or her services. A mentor shall not be
responsible for more than one mentee within any academic year.
C. Before assuming teaching responsibilities, the District
shall provide the new teacher an orientation to the school and District,
including:
1.
Evaluation process, and
2.
Resources in the building.
D. At the beginning of the regular teacher's work year, the new
teacher shall meet with the school principal, the mentor, and other support
team members to discuss their roles and responsibilities. The building
administrator shall:
1.
Allot the beginning teacher and the mentor a reasonable amount of
released time for professional development activities; and
2.
Provide for regular opportunities throughout the year for the beginning
teacher and mentor to observe each other teach,
Our mission is to provide support and training in order to assist
beginning teachers to develop and use quality instructional techniques,
maintain high levels of content acquisition, and appreciate and adapt to the
community's, district's and school's culture.
Confidentiality Statement:
A. MENTORS
WILL NOT DISCUSS THEIR MENTEE'S TEACHING PERFORMANCE WITH ANYONE, INCLUDING
SCHOOL AND DISTRICT ADMINISTRATORS, EXCEPT UNDER THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS:
1.
Mentors, with their mentee's advance knowledge, may discuss the mentee's
teaching performance with resource professionals whose job it is to help
teachers.
2.
A
3.
If in the mentor's professional judgment, the academic growth and
development, social well-being or physical safety of students is at risk, the
mentor may discuss the mentee's teaching performance with the mentee's
knowledge with the appropriate administrator.
Timelines Applicants for positions as
Mentor Teachers will complete a mentor training program.
A. Application attached will be followed using the following
criteria.
1.
Be an experienced teacher, having taught a minimum of five years, whose
teaching reflects the Principles of Effective Teaching;
2.
Be a friendly and energetic person;
3.
Be open-minded and appreciative of different learning styles;
4.
Be willing and able to invest time to develop mentoring skills and
otherwise participate in the program;
5.
Be able to maintain a confidential relationship;
6.
Be knowledgeable about resources in the school and district;
7.
Teach at approximately the same grade, subject, and certification area;
and
8.
Be located in the same building as the new teacher.
B. Selection Committee meets to select applicants to participate
in mentor training program.
C. Principals may seek a waiver of this process. If there are
sufficient mentors available, there will be no waivers. In the event that there
are no appropriate mentors in a specific building, the principal may seek a
waiver of the mentor course requirement from the committee.
D. For
consideration as a mentor teacher, the application of the teacher must be
supported by a minimum of one letter of recommendation.
The Teacher Induction Program for all new teachers entering the District
will include:
A. A
Welcome Packet which will include --- names and telephone numbers of
administrators, building directory, evaluation instrument, school and teacher
handbooks, information about Athol-Royalston and its schools, policies, union
materials for new teachers, a teacher contract, where to go for answers to
questions often asked by first-year teachers, School Committee information, a
bibliography of reading materials useful to a beginning teacher, and other
information as necessary.
B. Participation
in the teacher induction course to be held in-district. The course will meet
for a total of forty-five hours evenly distributed throughout the first two
years of a teacher's employment. Participants will be awarded three increment
credits and 45 PDPs. There will be no charge to the teacher, unless the
individual selects to receive graduate credit for participating in the course.
C. Prior
to the first day of school, new staff will attend an orientation day with their
principal, which will include a tour of the school, introduction to other new
staff, and a review of procedures.
SCHEDULE:
Fall
Mentors will meet regularly with their mentees. A suggested schedule
might include at a minimum:
a. A
maximum of two released days for each mentor and beginning teacher to pursue
professional development activities together (including workshops, in-district
activities, and other options);
b. One biweekly visitation and meeting during the first month
of teaching;
c. Once
monthly visitation and meeting during the remainder of the first semester of
teaching;
Winter and Spring Continuation of mentoring
as follows:
a. Visitations as necessary
and appropriate during the second semester.
Mentor Selection
Applications for mentor positions will be submitted to the Superintendent or
designee for curriculum and planning. A committee consisting of the
Superintendent or designee for curriculum and planning, one administrator at
the appropriate grade level, one ATA representative, and one mentor teacher
will meet to select candidates. An interview with the selection committee may
be included in the process.
Teacher Resource Centers The District will begin the
first steps toward development of Teacher Resource Centers in individual
buildings by purchasing teacher materials appropriate for beginning teachers
and making them available for loan in each building.
Compensation for Positions
Mentor Training Course
(Summer): 45 PDPs and
3 increment credits
Teacher Induction Course: 45 PDPs and 3 increment
credits
(2-year program)
Mentor Teachers (Beginning
7/1997): $500.00 stipend (for mentoring
one teacher).
Coverage for teachers to
visit each other and to meet to discuss observations will be provided.
Supervision and Evaluation
Building administrators,
the Title I Supervisor, Department Heads, the Director of Pupil Services, and
the Superintendent (or his/her designee) are responsible for staff evaluations.
The following
responsibilities are in relationship to the Mentor Training Program:
A. Responsibilities of the Mentee:
1.
To seek out help. This includes a willingness to approach support team
members (administrators, mentor, peers) with questions and classroom concerns
and remaining open to feedback;
2.
To observe experienced teachers at work;
3.
To meet with other beginning teachers; and
4.
To make rational decisions based upon teacher's own judgment with
consideration to mentor suggestions.
B. Responsibilities of the
1.
To provide instructional support through visitations, offering
suggestions for improvement, modeling good teaching practices, and assisting in
lesson preparation;
2.
To provide professional support about school policies and procedures,
handling relations with school and district administrators, parents, and
members of the community, and working with students;
3.
To provide personal support through frequent praise and reassurance;
4.
To maintain a confidential relationship;
5.
To ensure a strong start to the year by making certain that the mentee
has needed materials and resources according to the mentee's decisions as well
as mentor's suggestions; and
6.
To maintain a journal of mentoring activities.
C. Responsibilities of Department Heads:
1.
To formally evaluate the new teacher, using the District's evaluation
instruments;
2.
To provide subject specific assistance;
3.
To review content of those courses for which those teachers will be
responsible; and
4.
To regularly check in with the new teacher and mentor teacher.
D. Responsibilities of the Building Administrator:
1.
To formally evaluate the mentee, using the District's evaluation instruments;
2.
To ensure reasonable working conditions by attempting to provide a
moderate teaching load;
3.
To facilitate the mentor-mentee relationship by ascertaining that the
two meet regularly and work well together; and
4. To
organize building-level orientation activities including:
a. Thorough introduction to the building, faculty, and
administration;
b. Explanation
of the school's policies and procedures;
c. Overview of the school's mission, history, and student
population.
5. To
resolve differences between mentors and mentees.
E. Responsibilities of the Superintendent or designee:
1.
To arrange the District's new teacher/administrator orientation program;
2.
To provide curriculum information to new teachers;
3.
To provide ongoing professional development in areas related to the
Curriculum Frameworks and Effective Teaching Practices;
4.
To discuss recertification options with new teachers;
5.
To provide budgetary
assistance and support
in funding substitutes,
supplies, and mentor time;
6.
To visit classrooms;
7.
To inform the community, school board, and school councils about the
program;
8.
To approve assignment of mentors and mentees, based on principal's
recommendation;
9.
To assess the impact of the program;
10.
To coordinate the selection process for mentors (application, etc.); and
11.
To serve as a resource person to building principals, mentors and
mentees.
Name:
________________________________ Total Years Teaching: _________________
Present Teaching Assignment
(school, grade, subject):
Areas of certification:
Please respond to the
following questions on a separate sheet of paper.
1.
What skills do you possess or special training have you completed that
would be beneficial in your role as a mentor?
2.
Describe your teaching style.
3.
Confidentiality is of major importance in our District. How would you
maintain this with your mentee?
4.
Discuss you degree of familiarity with the Principles of Effective
Teaching, Curriculum Frameworks, multiple intelligences, and learning styles.
Please attach a minimum of one letter of support of your candidacy.
APPENDIX B
APPENDIX B
ARTICLE I
COMPENSATED LEAVES
Request for Personal Leave, Bereavement Leave, Jury Duty and Sabbatical
Leave shall be applied for and granted or denied in writing.
A. SICK LEAVE
1.
Thirteen (13) days sick leave shall be allowed each academic year
credited at one day per school month. Professional teaching status employees
will be allowed unlimited accumulation. Employees without professional teaching
status may carry unused days from one year to the next year. If at the end of
the school year an employee without professional teaching status has unused
sick leave but was docked pay due to non-accumulation at the time of absence
he/she may have such pay restored at the end of the school year on a one for
one basis. When an employee achieves professional teaching status, he/she will
then be allowed to begin unlimited accumulation of sick leave.
2.
The Superintendent, at his/her discretion, may require the employee to
obtain a doctor's statement during sick leave no sooner than after three (3)
consecutive days of sick leave.
3.
Concerning employees who have contracted a serious or contagious
disease, the Committee reserves the right to require an employee to submit to
the school physician's personal examination if the information from the
employee's doctor is inadequate to determine the health status of the employee.
Such examination shall be at Committee expense.
B. SICK
LEAVE BANK Upon the effective date of this Agreement, a Sick Leave Bank for use
by eligible members of Unit A and Unit B covered by this Agreement who have
exhausted their own sick leave time and who have a serious illness shall be
established.
Administration
1. The
Sick Leave Bank shall be administered by a Sick Leave Bank Committee consisting
of four (4) members. Two (2) members shall be designated by the Superintendent
to serve at her/his discretion and two (2) members shall be designated by the
President of the Athol Teachers Association (ATA) to serve at his/her discretion.
2.
The Sick Leave Bank Committee shall be responsible for the
administration of the Sick Leave Bank, determine eligibility for use of the
bank, and decide the amount of leave to be granted.
3.
All decisions will result from a majority vote of the committee.
4.
The decision of the Sick Leave Bank Committee with respect to
eligibility and entitlement shall be final and binding, and not subject to
appeal through the grievance and arbitration process contained in this
contract.
5.
Once each school year prior to October 1, the ATA will solicit employees
for contributions of sick leave to the Sick Leave Bank and will provide written
notice to the Superintendent of Unit A and Unit B employees' contributions to
the bank.
6.
The Superintendent's office will record the number of those Unit A and
Unit B employees participating in the Sick Leave Bank and each of the employees
contribution(s) to the Sick Leave Bank as well as deduct the contributions from
employees' sick leave balances.
7.
Any sick leave granted under the provisions of this article shall expire
at the end of the applicable school year.
8.
Upon return from extended sick leave during which benefits were received
through the sick leave bank, the recipient shall be entitled to commence a new
accumulation of individual sick leave in accordance with the provisions of the
collective bargaining agreement on the same basis as other teachers.
9.
Days which remain in the Sick Leave Bank at the conclusion of the school
year shall be carried over in the Sick Leave Bank to the successive school
year.
10.
When the number of days in the Sick Leave Bank reaches a level which is
critically low, it may, at the discretion of the Sick Leave Bank Committee, be
renewed by the contribution of one (1) additional day of sick leave by each
member of Unit A and Unit B covered by this Agreement from their accumulated
sick leave.
Eligibility
1.
Eligible members shall be Unit A and Unit B employees who have completed
three full years of service in the
2.
Only Unit A and Unit B employees who have exhausted all of their
personal and sick leave, both annual and accumulated, shall be eligible to draw
from the bank.
Application
1.
Application for benefits shall be made in writing to the Sick Leave Bank
Committee accompanied by a doctor's certificate as to the need for, and
anticipated extent of extended recovery time from, the illness.
2.
To expedite benefits, application for benefits may be made prior to an
employee's exhaustion of her\his own personal and sick leave ,but drawings upon
the bank will not actually commence until after the employee's own sick days
are exhausted and adequate medical notification has been provided to the Sick
Leave Bank Committee.
Amount of Leave
1.
The initial grant of sick leave by the Sick Leave Bank Committee to an
eligible employee shall not exceed fifteen (15) days.
2.
Upon completion of the initial fifteen (15) day period, the period of
leave may be extended by the Sick Leave Bank Committee, at its discretion, upon
demonstration of need by the applicant. Such extension may be based upon full
or pro rata credit for additional days at the discretion of the committee.
3.
Upon returning from sick leave, a Unit A or Unit B member shall be
eligible to apply to the bank for up to five (5) additional sick days to be used
to cover illness for the duration of that school year. Such application shall
not require a physician's statement.
Criteria Used for Granting
Sick Leave
The following criteria
shall be used by the Sick Leave Committee in administering the bank and determining
eligibility and the amount of leave:
1.
Adequate medical evidence of the seriousness of the illness;
2.
Prior utilization of eligible sick leave; a pattern of prior misuse of
sick leave (i.e. excessive absences on Fridays and Mondays) will disqualify an
applicant;
3.
Length of service in the
4.
No days may be withdrawn from the Sick Leave Bank for use other than any
illness other than a prolonged illness or accident. Days may not be withdrawn
to permit an employee to stay at home to care for other family members.
C. PERSONAL LEAVE
1. There
will be three (3) calendar days for personal leave in each academic year. One
(1) of those days shall not be subtracted from accumulated sick leave. It is
understood that personal leave is not to be utilized for either personal
pleasure or personal business profit, but rather for personal business that
must be conducted during the school day. Personal leave days may not be taken
the day before or the day after a vacation without advance written permission
of the Superintendent.
Individuals requesting personal leave must indicate the general nature
of the personal business to be conducted. The written leave request with a one
or two word reason will be submitted to the immediate supervisor for his or her
review and forwarded to the Superintendent for approval at least five days
before the leave starts. Personal leave day requests which are submitted in
compliance with the above requirements will be granted unless such granting
would cause a class to be inadequately staffed. Personal leave may be granted
for emergency purposes without the five day requirement.
2. Superintendent
may grant the Athol Teachers' Association President or his designee, three (3)
leave days during the school year for the purposes of conducting Association
business that must be conducted during the school day. The President will
notify the Superintendent in advance of the intent to use the leave day. The
Association will reimburse the
D. BEREAVEMENT LEAVE
1.
Upon the death of an immediate member of the family, an employee shall
be granted three (3) days bereavement leave, which may be extended at the
discretion of the Superintendent.
2.
Bereavement leave shall not be deducted from accumulated sick leave.
3.
Immediate family, as referred to in Section 1 includes, parents,
parents-in-law, brothers, sisters, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, wives,
husbands, children, grandchildren, grandparents, step-parents, and step
children of the employee.
4.
he Superintendent may grant at his/her discretion, bereavement leave for
a person other than "immediate family" as defined in Section 3. In
such cases, bereavement leave will be deducted from the employee's accumulated
sick leave.
E. JURY
DUTY The Committee agrees to compensate employees for jury duty in accordance
with the Massachusetts General Laws unless excused by the courts. Employees who
are called to serve as jurors in a federal or state court shall be compensated
by the committee the difference between his/her per diem salary and the
compensation received for such jury service (exclusive of travel or other
allowance) for the first three days of such service.
F. SABBATICAL
LEAVE A Sabbatical leave of absence may be granted according to provisions of
Chapter 71, Section 41A.
G. MILITARY
LEAVE An administrator in the Federal or State Reserve Service called to duty
on a non-voluntary basis within the school year shall receive his/her regular salary
for the period of his/her absence within the statutory limitation. When one's
reserve duty could have been served during a vacation period, but instead was
served during a school period, that administrator shall only receive the
difference between the administrator's pay and the reserve pay.
ARTICLE II
UNCOMPENSATED LEAVES
All requests for leaves
will be applied for and granted or denied in writing. The following leaves of absence may be
granted at the discretion of the Committee.
A. ASSOCIATION
ACTIVITY The Committee agrees that up to three (3) employees designated by the
Association will, upon request, be granted a leave of absence for up to two (2)
years without pay for the purpose of engaging in Association (state or
national) activities. Upon return from such leave, an employee will be placed
on the salary schedule at the level he/she held at the start of the leave.
B. PEACE
CORPS-TEACHER CORPS A leave of absence without pay for up to two (2) years will
be granted to any employee who joins the Peace Corps, Vista, Teacher Corps, or
serves in an exchange program and is a full-time participant in any such
program. Upon return from such leave, an employee will be placed on the salary
schedule at the level he/she had achieved before the leave.
C. MILITARY
LEAVE Military leave without pay shall be granted to any administrator who is
recalled, inducted or enlists in any branch of the armed forces of the
D. FAMILY
CARE A leave of absence without pay or increment of up to one (1) year will be
granted for the purpose of caring for a sick member of the employee's immediate
family. Immediate family includes parents, parents-in-law, brothers, sisters,
brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, wives, husbands, children, grandchildren,
grandparents, step-parents and step-children of the employee.
Employees who have been granted career leave must notify the committee
of their intentions for September by not later than March 15th of
the same year. If said notification is not given, the employee shall not be
entitled to reemployment.
E. PERSONAL ILLNESS
1.
Any employee whose personal illness extends beyond the period
compensated will be granted an unpaid leave for such time as is necessary for
complete recovery from such illness.
2.
Any employee who has exhausted his/her compensated leave will not be
required to return until such time as medical evidence has been provided that
the employee is fit to return.
F. CAREER LEAVE All employees on the 12th step of the salary
scale with (10) consecutive years of service in the
1)
a K-6 position for elementary teachers;
2)
same subject area for secondary teachers;
3)
same specialist position.
Employees who have been granted career leave must notify the committee
of their intentions for September by not later than March 1st of the same year.
If said notification is not given, the employee shall not be entitled to
reemployment.
G. MATERNITY LEAVE
1.
A female employee who has been employed by the school committee for
three consecutive months as a full time staff member will be entitled to no
more than twelve (12) weeks of unpaid maternity leave as required by the birth
or adoption of a child. A 30 calendar day notice is required for departure on
this leave and 30 day notice of intention to return. Notice must be in writing
to the administration of the employee's intention to take maternity leave. Upon
completion of maternity leave, that person will be restored to her previous, or
a similar, position with the same status, pay, length of service credit and
seniority, as were applicable on the date her leave commenced.
2.
The committee shall not be required to restore an employee on maternity
leave to her previous or a similar position if other employees of equal length
of service credit and status in the same or similar position have been laid off
due to economic conditions or other changes in operation conditions affecting
employment during the period of such maternity leave; provided, however, that
such employee on maternity leave shall retain any preferential consideration
for another position to which she may be entitled as of the date of her leave.
3.
Maternity leave shall not be included in any computation of status, pay,
length of service credit and seniority for which she was eligible as of the
date her leave commenced.
4.
The employee on maternity leave shall assume the total cost of any
benefits that are to be continued during the period of maternity leave.
H. CHILD REARING
1. An
employee who has been employed by the Committee for at least three (3)
consecutive months as a full-time employee, may, upon written request to the
school committee, be granted unpaid child rearing leave following the birth or
adoption of a child.
a. Written request for child rearing leave must be submitted at
least thirty (30) days before the intended date the child rearing leave is to
commence.
b. The period of time requested for child rearing leave may not
exceed one (1) school year in addition to the remainder of the school year
which the child rearing leave is to commence.
c. The employee on child rearing leave shall assume the total
cost of any benefits that are to be continued during the period of child
rearing leave.
d. Child rearing leave will begin and end at a marking term
break, whenever possible.
2.
If both the mother and the father of the child are entitled to child
rearing leave under the provisions of this Section, only one (1) may take such
leave in a given work year. The terms and provisions of this section shall not
be changed or enlarged by virtue of both being entitled to such leave.
3.
Upon his/her return, the employee shall be restored to his/her previous,
or a similar position with the same status, pay length or service credit and
seniority as were applicable on the date the child rearing leave commenced.
The Committee shall not be required to restore an employee on child
rearing leave to his/her previous or similar position if other employees of
equal length of service credit and status in the same or similar position have
been laid off due to economic conditions or other changes in operating conditions
affecting employment during the period of such child rearing leave; the
employee on child rearing leave, however, shall be granted preferential
consideration for another position for which he/she is qualified as of the date
the leave commenced.
4. Child
rearing leave shall not be included in any computation of status, pay, length
of service credit and seniority for which he/she was eligible as of the date
his/her leave commenced.
I. FAMILY
AND MEDICAL LEAVE Any employee, who has been a full-time employee for the
previous twelve (12) months, is entitled to the following additional benefits
under the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993:
A. An
unpaid leave of up to twelve (12) weeks, per twelve (12) month period measured
forward from the date of an employee's first leave, may be taken for any of the
following reasons:
1.
The birth of the employee's child, and in order to care for the newborn
child;
2.
The placement of a child with the employee for adoption for foster care;
3.
The need to care for the employees immediate family as defined in
Section D of this Article, who has a serious health condition;
4.
The employee's own serious health condition that renders the employee
unable to perform the functions of his or her job.
B. During
the twelve (12) weeks of unpaid leave the district will continue to pay its
share of the employee's health insurance.
C. The
employee must pay his/her share of the cost of health insurance by the first of
every month. The district's obligation to maintain coverage for the employee
will cease if the employee's premium is more than thirty (30) days late.
D. Leave
3 and 4 may be taken on an intermittent basis when medically necessary.
E. The
committee may require an employee to provide certification from a health care
provider to substantiate any leave due to the serious health condition of the
employee or the employee's immediate family member. Failure to provide such
certification will result in a denial of the leave request until the employee
provides the requested certification.
F. Any employee on family or medical leave for the reasons set
forth in 1, 2, 3, may use any accrued sick time while on such leave. An
employee who is on medical leave for the reasons stated in 4 must use any
accrued sick time while on such leave.
G. At the end of a family or medical leave an employee shall be
restored to his/her former position, it available, or to a similar position
elsewhere in the Agency, with the same pay, benefits and working conditions as
of the date of the employee's leave, as economic conditions warrant. The
employee's right to be restored is limited to what the employee's job would
have been if he/she had not taken leave. Prior to restoration, an employee who
takes a medical leave for the reasons set forth in 4 must obtain and present
certification from a health care provider that the employee is able to resume
work. Failure to provide such certification will result in a denial of
restoration until the employee provides the requested certification.
ARTICLE III
ABSENCE
All employees will make
every effort to call in their absence by 6:30 a.m. All employees are required,
except in an emergency, to notify their principal, or his/her designee, or the
superintendent's secretary of intended absence before seven (7) a.m. of the day
of such absence in the case of secondary employees and before 7:30 a.m. in the
case of elementary employees; any employee not complying shall forfeit that
day's pay.
ARTICLE IV REDUCTION IN
FORCE
A. In
the event it becomes necessary to reduce the number of employees in the bargaining
units defined in Article 1, the Administrators throughout the district in
cooperation with the Superintendent shall take the following steps:
1. Establish
a list of departments/classifications that reflect the programs and personnel
of the district including, but not limited to:
2.
|
Art |
Health |
PreKindergarten |
|
Business Education |
Industrial Technology |
Psychologist |
|
Computer Technology |
Library |
|
|
Elementary: K-3 |
Mathematics |
Science |
|
Elementary: 4-6 |
Middle School (6-8) |
Social Studies |
|
English |
Music |
Speech Therapist |
|
Family and Consumer Science |
Nursing |
Special Needs |
|
Gifted and Talented |
Performing Arts |
World Language |
|
Guidance |
Physical Education |
Athletic Director Unit B |
2.
Establish a priority list based on relative need to maintain full
staffing, partial staffing or not staffing of departments/classifications,
dependent upon the degree of cuts that may be required. Consider graduation
requirements for all areas. Consider graduation requirements and enrollment
figures in elective areas. In the case of Unit B reductions, the Superintendent
in cooperation with the School Committee will determine staff needs.
3.
Prepare a list of employees in order of seniority within only one
department/classification. If an employee currently fills positions in more
than one department/classification, the employee will be placed on a seniority
list for the department/classification in which the major portion of employee's
time is spent. If an employed is currently in one department/classification,
but has filled positions in other department/classifications within the
district since initial employment, the employee will be listed within the
department/classification in which he/she is currently assigned. Only if facing
lay-off will that employee be transferred to another department/classification
listing. This list will also contain all certification areas that each employee
possesses.
The committee shall provide the Association with a copy of this list
within five (5) school days after its preparation and the Association will have
ten (10) school days to challenge in writing the accuracy of any information
appearing on the list. Within ten (10) school days following receipt of such a
challenge, the Superintendent shall meet with a representative of the
Association in an effort to resolve the challenge. If the parties are unable to
resolve the challenge, the matter shall immediately be submitted to a joint
committee of three (3) School Committee and three (3) Association members for a
decision. A majority vote will decide the matter.
4.
Lay-offs will first occur in order of seniority within
departments/classifications provided there are employees within that same
department/classification who are without professional teaching status.
5.
In cases where reduction in force requires professional teaching status
employees to be laid-off, the professional teaching status employee facing
lay-off may cross over from one department/classification to another
department/classification, providing the employee facing lay-off possesses
certification in an area beyond the department/classification to which he/she
is assigned. Seniority will determine which professional teaching status
employees face lay-offs.
6.
Employees without professional teaching status facing lay-off may also
cross over from one department/classification to another in accordance with the
provisions for professional status teachers in Section 5. However, professional
status employees crossover rights will take precedence over employees without
professional teaching status crossover rights.
7.
Reduction of full-time positions to part-time positions only be
considered as a measure of last resort If all other remedies to maintain the
integrity of full-time positions become fiscally impracticable.
8.
Positions left vacant by retirement or leaves of absence will be filled
in accordance with priority determinations established in Section 2. In all
such cases, employees facing lay-offs will fill such positions before such
positions are advertised, providing said employees facing lay-offs possess appropriate
certification.
9. Employees
who have not taught in a given discipline in the past five years may be
required by the Superintendent or his designee to take a course in said
discipline within the next calendar year.
B. For purposes of this article seniority means an employee's
length of service in years, months, and days as calculated from the employee's
initial date of employment by the Committee. Employees shall be credited for
seniority purposes with all time a spent on any paid leave, family care leave,
maternity leave or child rearing leave.
C. In cases involving employees who have identical seniority,
preference for retention or recall shall be given to the employee who has
achieved the highest level of training, and performance evaluations within the
last five (5) years.
D. Employees who are to be affected by reduction in staff must
be notified in writing no later than June 15th of the school year preceding the
year in which the reduction will take effect. Said notice shall include the
specific reason for the lay-off.
E. Employees who have been laid-off shall be entitled to recall
rights for a period of two years from the effective data of their respective
lay-offs. During the recall period, employees shall be notified by certified
mail to their last address of record, and given preference for positions as
they develop in the inverse order of their respective lay-off and all benefits
to which an employee was entitled to at the time of lay-off shall be restored
in full upon reemployment within the recall period. During the recall period,
employees who have been laid-off shall be given preference on the substitute
list if they so desire. Failure on the part of any employee to accept a
position for which he/she Is certified while on recall shall automatically
remove that employee from the recall benefit.
F. Laid-off employees may continue group insurance coverages
during the recall period as provided by the Committee to members of the
bargaining units by reimbursing the regional school district for the premium
cost. Failure to forward premium payments to the regional school district or
refusal to return to employment upon recall will terminate this option.
G. While members of
the bargaining units continue on lay-off, the committee agrees not to hire any
new employees unless,
1.
no employee on lay-off is certified to fill that position, or
2.
all certified employees on lay-off declined in writing an offer to fill
the vacancy.
H. Prior
to laying-off any professional teaching status employees, the School Committee shall
meet with representatives of the ATA in order to determine whether those jobs
can be saved by an agreed upon postponement of any scheduled wage or benefit
adjustment.
ARTICLE V
TRANSFERS, VACANCIES AND
NEW POSITIONS
A. A transfer is a change of position between school buildings,
discipline, or elementary grade levels, but not a change of assignment within a
discipline in a given level.
B. A vacancy is an opening in an existing position that occurs
because an employee leaves during or at the end of the school year.
C. A new position is one that has been created and has not been
filled before.
D. In making transfers or in filling vacancies or new positions,
an employee's area of competence, major and minor fields of study, willingness
to be transferred, and length of service in the
E. Employees desiring transfers will submit a written request
to the superintendent stating the desired assignment. Such request will be
submitted between September 1 and April 1 of each school year to take effect
the following school year. Requests must be renewed each year, and all requests
will be acknowledged in writing. Every effort will be made to give preference
to employees who have submitted a request for a transfer.
F. An involuntary transfer will be made only after a meeting
between the employee involved and the administrators recommending the transfer;
at this meeting, the employee will be notified of the reasons for the transfer.
In the event that the employee objects to the transfer at this meeting, the
employee may notify the Association, and the Superintendent will meet with the
employee and a representative of the Association to discuss the transfer. This
meeting will not be considered a grievance at Level III. Notice of all such
transfers will be given to employees as soon as possible; under normal
circumstances, this notice will not be later than at the end of the school
year.
G. Notice
of all vacancies and new positions for a new school year shall be posted by the
end of the preceding school year in each school, clearly setting forth the
qualifications, duties and salary ranges. Such qualifications, duties and
salary ranges shall not be changed without a new posting. Such posting shall be
in each building at least fourteen (14) days before the deadline for submitting
applications and shall contain the date of posting. Employees who desire to
apply for such positions shall submit their applications in writing to the
Superintendent or his designee within the time limits specified in the notice.
H. Whenever
a vacancy or a new position occurs during the school year, it will be
adequately publicized by the Superintendent by means of a notice placed on a
bulletin board in every school building as far in advance of the appointment as
possible.
I. In
case of a vacancy or new position during the summer, the Superintendent or
his/her designee will immediately notify the President of the ATA of such
vacancy. Notice will appear in the local paper.
ARTICLE VI
ADMINISTRATOR EVALUATION
A. Administrators will be given a copy of any evaluation report
by their superior and will have the right to discuss such report with their
superiors.
B. Administrators will have the right, upon forty-eight (48)
hour written request (exclusive of vacations, holidays, and weekends) to review
the contents of their personnel file. A administrator will be entitled to have
a representative of the Association accompany him/her during such review.
It is the administrator's responsibility to review the personnel file.
If, in the administrator's view, material placed in his/her file is derogatory
to his/her conduct, service, character, or personality, he/she may submit a
written answer to such material and his/her answer will be reviewed by the
Superintendent and the administrator's answer will be attached to the original
material. Upon reviewing the personnel folder, the administrator shall signify
he/she has had an opportunity to review the enclosed material by affixing
his/her signature and the date of review to each document contained in the
folder with the express understanding that such signature in no way indicates
agreement with the contents thereof.
C. Any complaints regarding an administrator made to any member
of the administration by any parent, student, or other person will be promptly
called to the attention of a administrator. When a complaint relates to any
incident which took place in the course of the administrator's professional
duties, the administrator will promptly be advised of the identity of the
complainant and the date of complaint.
It is understood that any complaints brought under the district's Sexual
Harassment or Parental Complaint policies against any employee covered by the
terms of this agreement shall be limited to those complaints which arise only
from those behaviors which occur within the scope of an employee's professional
duties. It is also understood that no employee shall be disciplined or rebuked
in any manner by any supervisor for making any report (including a report of. a
violation of the application of the foregoing policies), or for filing a
complaint under these policies.
When a complaint is made by a parent, student or
other person against an employee, the employee shall:
1.
be notified of the charge or charges made against him/her, and the
identity of the complainant or complainants within 48 hours of the filing of
any complaint.
2.
have the right to access, receive copies of, and respond to all
documents and/or charges related to the complaint.
3.
be notified in writing of, and have the right to attend any and all
meetings and/or hearings relative to the complaint.
4.
have the right to appeal any disciplinary or other adverse employment
action taken against him/her.
D. The Association recognizes the authority and responsibility
of the principal for disciplining or reprimanding a teacher for delinquency of
professional performance.
E. The evaluation form agreed upon mutually by the Committee
and the Association shall be appended to this contract.
F. The Evaluation Philosophy and Procedures is appended to this
contract.
ARTICLE VII
TEXTBOOKS
All administrators involved will be included in the selection and
adoption of textbooks.
ARTICLE VIII
INSURANCE
A. The Association agrees that as of January 1, 2008, the Master
Health Plus will no longer be available to its members. Both parties agree that
effective July 1, 2008, the present health insurance plans will be eliminated
and replaced by the Massachusetts State Group Insurance Commission Health Plan
(GIC). This health plan will be in effect for three (3) years, starting July 1,
2008 through June 30, 2011. Continuation in this plan will be subject to
negotiation. The parties agree that the Committee will pay 80% of the plan and
the employee shall pay 20% of the plan.
B. The Committee will pay fifty percent (50%) of the cost of a
ten thousand dollar ($10,000) group life insurance policy.
C. The Committee shall continue to provide dental coverage
comparable to the current dental plan and as the same contribution rate ( 80%
paid by the Committee, 20% paid by the employee) effective on or before July 1,
2008.
D. Pursuant to the provision of Chapter 697 of the Acts of 1987,
the committee agrees to have the employees contributions to group health
insurance, dental insurance, and life insurance paid with pre-tax earnings.
ARTICLE IX
LONG TERM DISABILITY
Not later than 30 days following the execution of this Agreement a joint
committee consisting of two Association representatives and two District
representatives shall meet to select a carrier for an employee funded long term
disability plan. The plan shall be implemented no later than July 1, 2005.
ARTICLE X
PERSONAL INJURY
Whenever an employee is
absent from school as a result of personal injury caused by an assault
occurring in the course of his/her employment, he/she will be paid his/her full
salary, less any amount of Workers' Compensation award, for the period of such
absence, and such absence will not be deducted from sick leave. Employees will
immediately report all cases of assault suffered by them in connection with
their employment to their Principal and the Superintendent of Schools in
writing.
ARTICLE XI
CONTINUING EDUCATIONAL
REQUIREMENTS AND REGULATIONS GOVERNING COURSE
APPROVAL
A. Salary Schedule Educational Requirements
1. To advance on the Bachelor's Scale, the employee needs the
following number of credits, or the equivalent thereof:
Step 3 to 4: 3
Step 5 to 6: 3 additional, to total 6
Step 7 to 8: 3 additional, to total 9
Step 9 to 10: 3 additional, to total 12
Step 11 to 12: 3
additional, to total 15
Step 12 to 13: 3
additional, to total 18
2.
Once the employee has obtained a Master's degree, he/she is required to
obtain three (3) approved credits, or the equivalent thereof, by the end of
every three (3) year period in order to receive a step increase/increase
resulting from a negotiated raise
3.
Once the employee has reached the top step on the Salary schedule, he/she
is required to obtain three (3) approved credits, or the equivalent thereof, by
the end of every three (3) year period in order to receive an increase
resulting from a negotiated raise. Courses taken to meet this requirement shall
be reasonably related to the teacher's professional assignment or to the
attainment of certification in an additional area.
B. Advanced Degree Requirements
1. Employees hired after April 1, 1987, who are not already
enrolled in an educational program accredited by the NEASC or its regional
counterparts, leading to a graduate degree in an area related to their
professional assignment, are required to become enrolled in such a degree
program by no later than the first semester of their third year of employment
by the committee. Other accredited graduate degree programs not included above
will be determined by the Superintendent or designee on a case by case basis.
An employee failing to become enrolled as described in this section will not
receive a step increase/increase resulting from a negotiated raise.
5. Employees
hired after April 1, 1987, are required to obtain a graduate degree by the end
of the second semester of their seventh year of employment. An employee failing
to obtain a degree as described in this section will not receive a step
increase/increase resulting from a negotiated raise.
6. When the new state certification regulations that include a
graduate degree for permanent certification becomes effective Section B.1. and
B.2 above will only apply to those employees who are not subject to the new
certification regulations, and who were hired after April 1, 1987.
Employees who are subject to the new certification regulations will
obtain advanced degrees in accordance with those regulations.
7. Employee applicants will be required to sign a statement
that they have read and agree with the provisions of Section B of this article
prior to signing a contract.
C. Course Approval
l. Employees
will receive credit for salary purposes for individual courses that meet any of
the following requirements upon satisfactory completion of said courses:
a. Courses that are creditable toward an advanced degree in
education or related to the employee's professional assignment provided the
employee has received approval of the degree program from the Superintendent or
designee. A newly hired employee who is working on an advanced degree at the
time of employment is required to notify and receive approval from the
Superintendent or designee of his/her degree program within thirty (30) school
days of employment.
b. Individual courses, approved by the Superintendent or
designee, that are awarded credit by a college or university accredited by the
NEASC or its regional counterparts. Requests for other individual courses from
other accredited institutions not included above will be determined by the
Superintendent or designee on a case by case basis.
Such courses shall be reasonably related to the teacher's professional
assignment, or to the attainment of certification in an additional area. Employees
are required to notify the Superintendent or designee of their intentions to
enroll in a course in advance or within seven days after enrollment at the
latest.
c. An employee seeking a change in his/her educational
assignment may apply for approval of an advanced degree program in the area of
his or her interest. The Superintendent or designee will approve such a
program, if deemed to be within the field of education.
d. For all courses described in Subsections a., b., and c., the
employee will submit a transcript or other official record from the institution
attended to the Superintendent or designee upon successful completion of the
course(s) taken.
Payment for courses completed during the spring/summer sessions will
commence at a time during the subsequent school year as soon as such records of
completion of the courses are received by the Superintendent or designee. Such
records must be received by the Superintendent or designee prior to October 1.
Payment for courses successfully completed during the fall semester will
commence as soon as records of completion of the courses are received by the
Superintendent or designee. Such records must be received by the Superintendent
or designee prior to March 1.
2. Any
employee who attains a Master's degree will be placed on the Master's step of
the salary schedule once he or she has presented evidence to the Superintendent
or designee that he or she has successfully completed all requirements for that
degree.
5. Reimbursement
for Course Credit
a. The
committee agrees to reimburse each employee up to the amount of $525 every
other year beginning in 2002-2003, upon evidence of the completion of an
accredited graduate level course with a passing grade.
b. The
number of employees to be reimbursed annually is not to exceed 50% of the total
number of employees covered under this agreement.
c. Employees who are required to fulfill the continuing educational
requirements for any given year will be given first preference for
reimbursement. Other employees wishing to be reimbursed for courses in
accordance with the above will be processed on a first come, first serve basis.
6. Each
employee will be entitled to one self-directed floating professional day
annually at no expense to the district. The activity on this day must be
reasonably related to the employee’s IPDP. The committee
agrees to provide substitute coverage for the employee when necessary. Employee
requests, including a proposed plan, will be made to his/her building
principal, in writing, 14 days in advance. Employees will submit a written
report to his/her building principal summarizing the activities which took
place on that day.
ARTICLE XII
DOCTORATE SALARY
Any employee with a
Doctorate will receive an additional increment of fourteen hundred dollars
($1400) beyond Master's +36.
ARTICLE XIII
JOB DESCRIPTIONS
A. The Committee shall provide the Association with copies of
job descriptions that are current as of September 1, 1995, of all positions in
Units A and B.
B. The Committee will further provide the Association with
copies of revised job descriptions of all positions within Units A and B within
one week after said revisions are made.
ARTICLE XIV
SCREENING AND INTERVIEWING
FOR ADMINISTRATIVE POSITIONS
Two (2) ATA members
designated by the ATA President shall have the right to serve as non-voting
members during the interview process on any committee whose role it is to
interview candidates for Superintendent, Assistant Superintendent, and Unit B
positions. Said members shall not participate in executive sessions. The views
of the ATA members will be considered in the final recommendations made to the
full school committee.
ARTICLE XV
MILEAGE
Unit B members will be
reimbursed for mileage at the rate of $.205 per mile for out-of-town travel of
school business.
ARTICLE XVI
LONGEVITY
After teaching 15, 20, 25,
and 30 years in the District, the teacher will be granted an additional
increment of:
|
Year |
Years |
Increased Longevity |
|
07-08 |
15 years |
$200.00 |
|
|
20 years |
$650.00 |
|
|
25 years |
$1300.00 |
|
|
30 years |
$2500.00 |
|
08-09 |
15 years |
$200.00 |
|
|
20 years |
$650.00 |
|
|
25 years |
$2,500.00 |
|
|
30 years |
$3,000.00 |
|
09-10 |
15 years |
$200.00 |
|
|
20 years |
$1,000.00 |
|
|
25 years |
$2,500.00 |
|
|
30 years |
$3,500.00 |
ARTICLE XVII
ENHANCED LONGEVITY PLAN
1. Teachers
with twenty (20) years of service in the
2. Notice of intent to exercise this option shall be provided, in
writing, to the Superintendent of Schools not later than the December 31 prior
to the fiscal year in which the longevity payments are to begin.
3. If a teacher does not receive all of the above prior to
separation from employment, he/she shall not be entitled to any further payment
(i.e. 1 year = $3,900, 2 years = $7,800 ). In the 2004-2005 school year the
maximum number of participants will be 9 employees. In the 2005-2006 school
year the maximum number of participants shall be 5 new members and thereafter
up to 5 new members each following year. Seniority shall govern which teachers
shall be eligible for the longevity benefit.
Since the December 31 deadline has passed for participation in the plan
for the 2004-2005 school year, a one time special sign up deadline of December
31, 2004 will be set.
4.
This provision of the Agreement shall become effective upon the signing
date of this Agreement.
5.
As of the signing date of this Agreement, Article X of the prior
Agreement shall become null and void.
6.
Nothing contained in the enhanced longevity provision shall prohibit the
School Committee from approving more than five (5) new participants in a given
year. The parties acknowledge that such an action shall in no way establish any
practice or precedent and will have no impact on the number of slots in
succeeding years.
7.
The
8. The
9.
The current enhanced longevity article Article XXXVII 1-6 above will be
eliminated from the Agreement at the end of FY ’09.
10.
The number of members in the Enhanced Longevity Plan will be 15 in
06-07, 10 in 07-08, and 5 in 08-09.
PROFESSIONAL
GROWTH AND
PERFORMANCE
PLAN
ADDENDUM
UNIT B
PRINCIPLES OF EFFECTIVE
ADMINISTRATIVE LEADERSHIP AND EXAMPLES
OF DESCRIPTIONS
I. EFFECTIVE
INSTRUCTIONAL LEADERSHIP
The effective administrator works with others to create learning
environments that address the needs of students.
A. The
administrator facilitates the development of a shared mission and vision.
·
Demonstrates an understanding of the importance of mission and vision,
based on a well-developed philosophy and develops a collaborative vision that
provides for the school or district.
·
Recognizes that student learning must be the focus of all school
programs and activities.
B. The
administrator encourages and uses a variety of strategies to assess student
performance accurately.
·
Encourages teachers to view learning and assessment as linked.
·
Uses a variety of valid, reliable, and unbiased instruments to assess
the achievement of learner goals.
·
Uses a cyclical, ongoing process to review and evaluate the goals,
methods, and resources of programs and makes modifications as needed.
C. The
administrator applies current principles, practices, and research to foster
effective teaching.
·
Demonstrates knowledge of the instructional process and teaching
methodologies.
·
Assists teachers to develop inquiry-based teaching practices.
·
Assists and inspires teachers to make significant changes in practice as
changes are dictated in the field.
D. The
administrator leads the renewal of curriculum and instructional programs.
·
Assures that the school’s/district’s curriculum and its implementation reflect the principles of the state’s Common Core of Learning and Curriculum Frameworks.
·
Encourages and assists staff to be knowledgeable in subject areas and
also to identify connections between disciplines.
·
Assists staff to distinguish between what is central and what is
peripheral in the subject area when analyzing, planning, and supervising units,
courses, and programs so that instruction time on central concepts, skills, and
understanding are protected.
·
Uses broad and current knowledge of instructional trends to involve
staff in curriculum planning and program improvement, based on the vision,
goals, and needs of school, district, and community.
E. The
administrator promotes and models the effective use of appropriate instruction
technologies.
·
Integrates the appropriate use of video, computers, telecommunications,
and other technologies into the curriculum.
·
Allocates fiscal and human resources for incorporating technology in the
instructional process, accessing information and resources through electronic
networks, e.g. Internet and improving communication (e.g., e-mail, homework
hotlines).
F. The
administrator holds teachers accountable for having high standards and positive
expectations that all students can perform at high levels.
·
Enlists teachers in creating and communicating to students positive
dispositions toward learning.
·
Works with teachers to establish high standards and expectations for
student work.
·
Assists teachers to make their expectations and how to make them clear
to students.
·
Promotes activities that honor academic excellence.
G. The
administrator works with teachers and other staff to supervise and evaluate
their performance, using performance standards, and to identify areas for
growth.
·
Understands and communicates performance
standards for teachers, using
the state’s baseline standards as a foundation.
·
Communicates consistent expectations that all teachers can meet
standards and perform at high levels.
·
Employs current supervision and evaluation models and practices to
assess the performance of teachers and encourage growth.
·
Encourages staff to improve practice through collegial activities such
as modeling and peer mentoring.
·
Evaluates classroom instruction in terms of teacher objectives and
student performance; follows effective practices for improving teacher
performance.
·
Supports individuality of teacher approaches to classroom organization,
management, and teaching styles.
·
Monitors the assessment of performance to ensure that staff reach the
levels set by the system.
H. The
administrator supports ongoing professional development.
·
Provides opportunities for all staff to engage in professional
development that enhances curriculum renewal, staff performance, and student
learning.
·
Applies research on adult learning and development to design and provide
for effective professional development
·
Fosters effective professional development based on research and models
of desired practice including time for reflection; planning; problem solving
and collaboration; repeated practice and feedback; and respect for individual
adaptations.
·
Encourages collegial approaches to professional development including
mentoring, peer coaching, study groups, and group planning and problem solving.
·
Involves staff in identifying professional development needs.
·
Monitors, documents, and assesses staff professional development
activities.
·
Supports staff sense of self-worth; recognizes and encourages teacher
initiatives; celebrates individual and collective achievements.
·
Ensures that growth of staff results in student learning and
development.
II. EFFECTIVE ORGANIZATIONAL
LEADERSHIP
The effective administrator creates a self-renewing organizational
environment that consistently focuses on enabling all students to achieve at
high levels.
A. The
administrator applies research and organizational leadership skills.
·
Applies concepts of organizational behavior and organizational
development in daily life.
·
Analyzes the environment in which decisions are made and predicts the
impact of those decisions on organizations accurately.
·
Stimulates the development of new programs in areas where changing
conditions or new professional insights encourage new approaches.
·
Identifies opportunities to improve the organization’s performance.
B. The
administrator demonstrates communication skills that are clear, direct, and
responsive.
·
Communicates the school’s vision, goals, needs, and
accomplishments to students, school personnel, families, and the community.
·
Facilitates communication that yields results through teamwork,
consensus, and inquiry.
·
Makes use of reliable and professional sources of data, information and
analysis, including the use of technologies, to understand relevant
professional issues.
·
Demonstrates understanding of a speaker’s
point of view, opinions, and ideas even if they are different, new, or
oppositional.
·
Presents ideas clearly and concisely in writing. Adapts form and
language to the audience (e.g. students, teachers, parents).
·
Presents facts and ideas orally in individual and group situations; uses
language that is clear, concise, and appropriate to the person or group.
·
Presents facts and ideas clearly and concisely using visual and symbolic
representations.
·
Presents facts and ideas clearly and concisely using appropriate
technologies.
·
Communicates so that language and nonverbal cues are consistent, not
conflicting.
C. The
administrator creates a positive, informed climate for collegial teaching and
learning.
·
Understands the elements of a strong school culture for adults and is
committed and prepared to strengthen them.
·
Applies theories of human development, adult learning, and motivation to
develop a community of learners.
·
Provides an environment and culture where creative exchange of ideas,
responsible risk-taking, and experimentation are shared, valued, and practiced.
·
Builds a culture within the study body and staff that promotes learning
·
Creates a school climate that gives a sense of well-being and safety.
·
Inspires in others a desire for growth and development.
D. The
administrator facilitates constructive change.
·
Uses approaches to organizational change, including processes for
school-based management and school restructuring.
·
Exhibits openness to new ideas from others; demonstrates originality in
developing policies and procedures.
·
Is receptive to new ideas and change, yet understands the need for
stability in schools and society.
E. The
administrator plans for, models, and encourages collaboration and shared
decision-making.
·
Develops, participates in, and maintains systems of shared
decision-making with department and/or school colleagues and the large school community.
·
Involves others in setting and accomplishing goals; recognizes when a
group requires direction and uses appropriate intervention styles.
·
Provides appropriate time and resources for collaborative planning.
F. The
administrator applies strategic planning techniques that foster systemic
approaches and result in sound decisions.
·
Applies knowledge of human development, organizational development, and
pedagogy to decision making in the allocation of resources, such as personnel,
time, space, materials, and budget.
·
Develops and implements long and short-term plans for educational
program improvement, professional development, resource allocation,
enrollments, and facilities consistent with the school and district mission.
·
Assesses current reality, considers implications of solutions, and acts
in the best interest of students.
·
Makes use of reliable sources of data, information, and analysis to
expand and deepen perspective on goals, objectives, and planning needs.
III. EFFECTIVE ADMINISTRATION AND MANAGEMENT
The effective administrator acts within legal and ethical guidelines to
accomplish educational purposes and improve student learning.
A. The
administrator carries out personnel selection, supervision, evaluation, and
management functions for the school or district effectively.
·
Applies current principles and techniques of staffing, selection,
orientation/induction, assignment, supervision, evaluation, motivation, and
termination of personnel.
·
Applies sound human resources knowledge and practices in personnel
management and labor relations including conflict resolution, mediation and
negotiation.
·
Develops and implements procedures for evaluating personnel using
B. The
administrator applies current knowledge of policy formation and legal
requirements within the scope of his/her responsibility.
·
Applies knowledge of how teachers, the school, the district, and the
community interact to create a school community.
·
Applies knowledge of how policy and decisions are made through the
legislative process, the local electoral process, and administratively.
·
Understands and implements federal, state, and municipal laws,
regulations, policies, and procedures including the implications of liability
and requirements of due process.
C. The
administrator applies current knowledge of fiscal management policy and
practices within the scope of his/her responsibility.
·
Applies principles of financial planning, including analyzing and
evaluating the financial resources for school or system operation and
translating program needs into cost requirements.
·
Employs sound fiscal management procedures, methods, and techniques to
prepare, revise, and monitor the school or district budget.
·
Applies techniques for resource allocation and asset management.
D. The
administrator applies current knowledge of auxiliary programs (such as
transportation, food services, pupil personnel services, maintenance, and
facilities management) within the scope of his/her responsibility.
·
Knows the availability of community services and how to coordinate those
services for students.
·
Makes decisions concerning facilities and equipment management and needs
to support school/district goals and objectives.
·
Applies regulations regarding school facilities to ensure a barrier-free
environment for students and staff.
E. The
administrator uses appropriate technologies to administer his/her
responsibilities.
·
Applies technology management tools (e.g. databases, spreadsheets) to
analyze information (e.g. school finances, student and staff record keeping,
on-line school profiles) and make decisions.
IV. PROMOTION OF EQUITY
AND APPRECIATION OF DIVERSITY
The effective administrator strives to
ensure equity for all students and values diversity in the school environment.
A.
The administrator strives to ensure equity among programs and learning
opportunities for staff, students, and parents.
·
Provides opportunities to include all staff, students, and parents in
the full range of school and district programs and activities.
·
Addresses the needs of diverse educational personnel and student
populations by applying and adapting constitutional and statutory laws, state
regulations, and Board of Education policies and guidelines.
B. The
administrator demonstrates appreciation for sensitivity to the diversity among
individuals.
·
Demonstrates sensitivity to differences in abilities, modes of
contribution, and social and cultural backgrounds.
·
Develops and implements educational, political, and organizational
strategies that are effective in meeting the needs of a diverse student body.
·
Functions effectively in a multi-lingual, multi-cultural, and
economically diverse society.
V. EFFECTIVE
RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE COMMUNITY
The effective administrator interacts with the community responsibly to
address the needs of students.
A. The
administrator assesses the needs of parents and community members and involves
them in decision-making.
·
Creates and environment for encouraging recommendations from parents,
students, and community members to determine how the school/district can meet
their needs.
·
Involves parents and community members in developing the vision, goals,
improvement plans, and programs for the school/district.
·
Engages parents, students, and community members in improving student
learning.
B. The
administrator promotes partnerships among staff, parents, business, and the
community.
·
Communicates and interacts with parents, community groups and related
service agencies in culturally appropriate ways and involves them in the
education of students.
·
Enlists volunteers to support instructional needs.
C. The
administrator interprets, articulates, and promotes the vision, mission,
programs, activities, and services of the school/district.
·
Communicates the school’s vision, goals, needs, and
accomplishments to students, school personnel, parents, and the community.
·
Deals with the media effectively to communicate to the public.
·
Provides information to parents and the community through handbooks, brochures,
fact sheets and other handouts available at the school or office.
·
Meets with appropriate community groups in the attainment of objectives.
VI. FULFILLMENT
OF PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES
The effective administrator models professional behaviors that
contribute to addressing the needs of students.
A. The
administrator demonstrates enthusiasm for his/her own learning.
·
Demonstrates that life-long learning and professional development are
necessary for self and others.
·
Keeps abreast of current educational research and exemplary practices in
the area of expertise.
·
Considers input from others as a basis for deciding to improve his/her
practice and demonstrates a willingness to grow.
·
Develops and implements a professional development plan based upon self
and external evaluation.
B. The
administrator demonstrates and promotes an atmosphere of respect for self and
others.
·
Demonstrates tolerance for alternative perspectives and encourages
contributions from groups that challenge traditional thinking.
·
Demonstrates sensitivity to differences in learning needs, modes of
expression, and social and cultural backgrounds.
C. The
administrator models ethical behavior.
·
Interacts with others in a professional manner consistent with his/her
role.
·
Accepts responsibility for his/her own actions.
UNIT B PROFESSIONAL GROWTH AND PERFORMANCE PLAN
The
|
Stage A |
- |
Administrators with fewer than three year’s experience in the position within the District |
|
Stage B |
- |
Administrators employed more than three years at ARRSD |
|
Stage C |
- |
Administrators in need of assistance |
|
STAGE B |
STAGE A |
STAGE C |
|
Goal-Setting |
Performance Objectives |
Improvement Plan |
|
Every two years |
Twice per year |
As needed |
|
Goal Setting Plan |
Guidelines |
Notification |
|
Goals and Objectives |
Pre-Evaluation Conference |
Improvement Plan |
|
Action Plan |
Conference |
Review Conference |
|
Conferencing |
Post-Evaluation Conference |
|
|
Standards Checklist |
Written Summary Report |
|
|
Completion Date: May 15 |
Standards Checklist
Completion Dates: December 15; April 1 |
|
Stage A:
PERFORMANCE EVALUATION CYCLE
Administrators new to the
profession will be placed on this cycle for at least 3 years.
Administrators new to the
District will be placed at this Stage for a minimum of 1 year.
First year Stage A
administrators will be evaluated a minimum of two times by their immediate
supervisor. The first evaluation will be completed by December 15 and the
second by April 1.
Second and third year Stage
A administrators will be evaluated a minimum of once, no later than April 1.
Each evaluation will be
preceded by a pre-evaluation conference. The purpose of the pre-evaluation
conference will be to provide the evaluator with information regarding the
goals and objectives of the administrator, relevant background information,
methods being used to meet stated objectives, and discussion of standards upon
which the administrator will be evaluated.
Following the evaluation, a
post-evaluative conference will be scheduled. The conference will focus on
discussion of the evaluation. Strengths and/or weaknesses will be discussed and
recommendations for growth and/or improvement will be formulated.
The evaluator will note the
post-evaluation date and topics of discussion on the Conference Record, which
will be given to the administrator within five working days. The administrator
is entitled to respond in writing. The response must be filed within ten school
days of receipt of the Conference Record. This record will not be maintained in
the administrator’s personnel file but will
be kept by the administrator and evaluator to serve as a data source for the
Written Summary Report.
The administrator may, at
any time, request help or extra resources.
A final Written Summary
Report will be completed by the evaluator by May 1. The report will be in
narrative form and based on documentation from the Conference Records,
conferences, Standards Checklist, and other written documentation related to
job performance. The administrator is entitled to respond in writing to the
Written Summary Report within ten school days of receiving it.
STAGE B. GOAL-SETTING
Stage B provides individual
administrators the opportunity to concentrate on areas of special interest and
encourages professional growth. Administrators on this cycle will complete its
requirements every other year. It is the responsibility of the administrator to
develop goals with the assistance of the immediate supervisor and/or
Superintendent of Schools or his/her designee. It is important that these goals
reflect the administrator’s needs and interests and
be related to the District and school goals.
Goal-setting may coincide
with the administrator’s recertification plan.
Prior to October 1 of each year, the administrator and Superintendents (or
designee) will meet to set no more than five goals. At this time, a corresponding
action plan and assessment criteria will be outlined.
The intent of this cycle is
to allow for flexibility. Some goals may take longer than others to be
completed. It is reasonable to expect that some goals will not be accomplished.
Goals may be mutually modified. The administrator’s
goals will be recorded on the Cycle B Goal Setting Plan Form. Copies of the
goals will be kept by the administrator, evaluator and Superintendent. The form
will address the following:
GOALS will:
Be based on the desire to
increase knowledge and improve administrative skills;
Focus on methods in which
the school and/or school environment may be improved; and
Focus on areas of
professional interest or challenge related to district and school goals.
SAMPLE GOALS are:
·
To create a plan for block scheduling.
·
To upgrade computer technology in the main office.
PLAN OF ACTION:
The purpose of the Plan of
Action is to outline methods for accomplishing goals. The Plan of Action could
include some of the following activities:
·
Assisting teachers in developing recertification portfolios;
·
Evaluating applicable software for administrative use;
·
College study;
·
Presentation of a program at a conference;
·
Independent readings/research;
·
Peer observations (Optional);
·
School Improvement Plans
ASSESSMENT:
Assessment criteria will be
related to the goals and Standards as approved by the Massachusetts Department
of Education. Methods for assessment, in a portfolio format, may include but
are not limited to:
·
Documentation of course work
·
Professional Development Summary sheets
·
Workshop materials
·
Narratives
·
Observations and feedback
·
Progress of School Improvement Plans
By April 15th,
the administrator and evaluator will meet to review the progress made. The
evaluation instrument will include review of the administrator’s portfolio to date. This annual review of progress will be based on the
Cycle B Goal Setting Plan. When goals have not been accomplished, assessment
will be based on the progress to date.
Every other year, the
evaluator will submit a Written Summary Report by May 1st. This
report will be based on the documentation from the annual review, conferences,
Standards Checklist, and other written documentation related to job
performance. The administrator is entitled to respond in writing to the Written
Summary Report within ten school days of receiving it. The summary report will
be placed in the administrator’s personnel file. The
administrator’s signature indicates
review of, not necessarily agreement with, the content of the report.
At any time, the administrator has the right to request a conference and
or assistance and resources.
Procedure for Intervention
on Stage B
If there are sufficient educational reasons, the evaluator may move an
administrator from Stage B to Stage A, at any time during the school year. The
evaluator will inform both the Superintendent and ATA President of this move.
If the Written Summary Report does not support continuation on Stage B,
this will be noted on the form and the administrator will be notified at that
time that s/he will be placed on Stage A for the upcoming school year.
STAGE C: IMPROVEMENT PLAN
If the evaluator has written documentation that repeated inadequacies on
the Standards Checklist exist over a reasonable period of time, the evaluator
will provide written notice of inadequacies to the administrator. A copy of the
notice (stamped confidential) will be sent to the Superintendent and ATA
President. The evaluator will meet with the administrator to discuss areas of
inadequacy and to design a plan of improvement.
At any time during the
process, the administrator has the right to be accompanied by an association
representative to any and all meetings relative to the administrator’s Improvement Plan.
The purposes of the Improvement Plan are to develop and remedy areas of
inadequacy. This Improvement Plan is jointly developed by the administrator and
evaluator, during a series of conferences, the first of which must be held
within five working days of the administrator’s
receipt of the notice of inadequacy. The evaluator will be responsible for
writing the plan, after it has been jointly developed.
The plan will include:
·
A set of written expectations, stated as objectives, which relate to the
Standards Checklist;
·
A plan to address these objectives which includes supporting resources,
assistance, and specific activities;
·
A time line
for implementation, including
documentation, conferences, and a specific date for a final review
conference;
·
A set of established, observable outcomes, noting achievement of
objectives;
·
The signature of the administrator and evaluator
Following the completion of
the plan, a final review conference will be held. The purpose of this
conference is to mutually discuss outcomes of the Improvement Plan:
a. That
the satisfactory improvements have been made, and the administrator is returned
to Stage A;
b. That
a new Stage C plan is to be established with revised or new goals and a new
time line, the administrator will begin the Stage C process again; or
c. If the evaluator believes the administrator has failed to
satisfy the administrator performance standards, then the process for dismissal
as stated in General Laws, Chapter 71, Section 42 will be followed if the
administrator is to be dismissed. This process shall not be started unless the
administrator has been on an Improvement Plan for a minimum of 18 school weeks.
Within three working days
of the final review conference, the administrator, ATA President, and
Superintendent will receive written notification confirming the results of the
conference. This notice shall be received no later than June 15th.
STAGE A
PRE-CONFERENCE FORM
(to be completed by
administrator)
NAME ____________________ POSITION/SCHOOL
____________________
CONFERENCE DATE
____________________ TIME
____________________
1.
STANDARDS, GOALS AND OBJECTIVES PRESENTLY BEING WORKED ON
2.
ACCOMPLISHMENTS TO DATE
3.
CONCERNS RELATED TO ACCOMPLISHMENT OF STANDARDS/GOALS/ OBJECTIVES
4.
OTHER RELEVANT INFORMATION
STAGE A
CONFERENCE RECORD
NAME ____________________ POSITION/SCHOOL ____________________
CONFERENCE DATE
____________________ TIME
____________________
1.
GOALS AND STANDARDS DISCUSSED
2.
COMMENDATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
3.
ADDITIONAL REMARKS
Administrators must sign and return this report. Signatures indicate
that the parties are familiar with the content of the evaluation.
Administrators may respond in writing to the evaluation.
_________________________________ ____________________
Administrator’s Signature Evaluator’s Signature
cc: administrator, evaluator (attached to Written Summary Report in
Spring – sent to Superintendent and file)
STAGE A WRITTEN SUMMARY REPORT
NAME ____________________ DATE ____________________
COMMENDATIONS:
RECOMMENDATIONS:
Post
Conference Date ____________________
Progress being made toward
Cycle B, remain on Cycle A Move to Cycle B Move to Cycle C
Administrators must sign
and return this report. Signatures indicate that the parties are familiar with
the content of the evaluation. Administrators may respond in writing to the
evaluation.
____________________ ____________________
Administrator’s Signature Evaluator’s Signature
cc: administrator, evaluator, Superintendent, file
STAGE B GOAL SETTING PLAN
(to
be completed by administrator)
One
Goal per sheet
NAME ____________________ DATE ____________________
SCHOOL ____________________ EVALUATOR ____________________
GOAL:
Plan of Action:
Assessment Criteria:
____________________ ____________________
Administrator’s Signature Evaluator’s Signature
cc: administrator,
evaluator
STAGE B WRITTEN SUMMARY
REPORT
Performance
Standards Checklist should be attached to this report
NAME ____________________ DATE
____________________
SCHOOL ____________________ EVALUATOR
____________________
GOALS:
OUTCOMES:
COMMENDATIONS AND
RECOMMENDATIONS
Post Conference Date
____________________
Remain on Cycle B – Next evaluation year
Move to Cycle A
Administrators must sign
and return this report. Signatures indicate that the parties are familiar with
the content of the evaluation. Administrators may respond in writing to the
evaluation.
Administrator’s Signature Evaluator’s Signature
cc: administrator, evaluator, Superintendent, file
STAGE C
IMPROVEMENT PLAN
(to be completed jointly by
administrator and evaluator)
NAME ____________________ DATE
____________________
SCHOOL ____________________ EVALUATOR
____________________
Expectation (Objective(s) related to Standards of Effective
Administration)
________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
|
Activity |
Resources |
Time Line |
Observable Outcome |
|
|
|
|
|
Additional pages may be used for further expectations/objectives.
Date of Final Review Conference ____________________
____________________ ____________________
Administrator’s
Signature Evaluator’s Signature
cc: administrator, evaluator,
ATA President, Superintendent, file
STAGE C
Summary of Final Review
Conference
NAME ____________________ DATE
____________________
SCHOOL ____________________ EVALUATOR
____________________
Improvements Made:
Areas of Concern:
Progress being made toward
Stage A, remain on Stage C
Move to Stage A
Has not satisfied
administrative performance standards
Administrators must sign
and return this report. Signatures indicate that the parties are familiar with
the content of the evaluation. Administrators may respond in writing to the
evaluation.
____________________ ____________________
Administrator’s Signature Evaluator’s Signature
cc: administrator, evaluator, ATA President, Superintendent, file
COACHES
ADDENDUM
COACHING
PREAMBLE
All coaching positions in
the
PURPOSE
A. To attract capable coaches in the district.
B. To maintain stability in the coaching staff by encouraging
capable coaches to remain in the district.
C. To aid the committee in planning their annual budgets.
STRUCTURE
A. The athletic director is considered to be management
personnel charged with the responsibility of recommending employment to the
principal of the school, the evaluations of all coaching positions, arrangement
of athletic events, and the performance of all the duties generally associated
with the position. A mutually agreed upon number of the teaching periods will
be determined by the athletic director, principal, superintendent of schools
and school committee. The athletic director will also be provided with office
space and telephone.
In coordination with the principal of the school, the athletic director
will evaluate every sport annually and report before budget presentation
whether a sport should be continued or not for the following year. The athletic
director and principal will recommend in writing the termination of the sport
and state the reason.
B. Each coach must have or agree to obtain a current Red Cross
first aid course that will meet the certification requirements of the American
Red Cross. Annually the
C. If a suitable and qualified head coach cannot be employed to
handle a certain sport, the program will be held in abeyance until such a coach
can be located and employed.
D. If an assistant coaching position is not filled, the
remaining members of that varsity or middle school coaching staff equally share
the Step I salary of that position.
E. There will be four (4) steps in the coaches’ salary schedule to be determined as follows:
1.
Every coach will be given one step for every two (2) years of experience
as a coach of the activity in question.
2.
When a coach moves from assistant coach to head coach in a sport, he/she
will be given one step for every two (2) years experience as an assistant in
that sport.
F. Varsity coaches may be given a three year contract after
their first full year in that position. The school committee reserves the right
to make appointments on a one-year basis, notifying fall and winter coaches by
April 15th and spring coaches by July 15th.
GROUP I
HEAD VARSITY FOOTBALL
|
YEAR |
STEP I |
STEP II |
STEP III |
STEP IV |
|
2004-05 |
3669 |
4075 |
4484 |
4890 |
|
2005-06 |
3780 |
4199 |
4620 |
5038 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FY06-2 |
3817 |
4240 |
4665 |
5088 |
GROUP II
HEAD VARSITY BOYS AND GIRLS
BASKETBALL
VARSITY BOYS WRESTLING
|
YEAR |
STEP I |
STEP II |
STEP III |
STEP IV |
|
2004-05 |
2872 |
3260 |
3669 |
4075 |
|
2005-06 |
2959 |
3359 |
3780 |
4199 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FY 06-2 |
2988 |
3392 |
3817 |
4240 |
GROUP III
HEAD VARSITY BASEBALL
HEAD VARSITY BOYS
TRACK
HEAD VARSITY GIRLS
TRACK
HEAD VARSITY SOCCER
HEAD VARSITY BOYS
INDOOR TRACK
HEAD VARSITY GIRLS
INDOOR TRACK
HEAD VARSITY FIELD
HOCKEY
THREE (3) VARSITY FOOTBALL
ASSISTANTS
HEAD VARSITY SOFTBALL
GIRLS VARSITY SOCCER
|
YEAR |
STEP I |
STEP II |
STEP III |
STEP IV |
|
2004-05 |
2028 |
2436 |
2806 |
3178 |
|
2005-06 |
2090 |
2510 |
2891 |
3275 |
|
FY06-1 |
2069 |
2485 |
2862 |
3242 |
|
FY06-2 |
2110 |
2535 |
2919 |
3307 |
GROUP IV
HEAD FRESHMAN
FOOTBALL
HEAD MIDDLE
SCHOOL FOOTBALL
HEAD VARSITY
BOYS CROSS COUNTRY
HEAD VARSITY
GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY
HEAD VARSITY
GIRLS VOLLEYBALL
HEAD VARSITY
BOYS VOLLEYBALL
VARSITY BOYS BASKETBALL
ASSISTANT
VARSITY GIRLS BASKETBALL
ASSISTANT
ONE (1) FRESHMAN FOOTBALL
ASSISTANT
|
YEAR |
STEP I |
STEP II |
STEP III |
STEP IV |
|
2004-05 |
1932 |
2263 |
2576 |
2907 |
|
2005-06 |
1991 |
2331 |
2655 |
2995 |
|
FY06-1 |
1971 |
2308 |
2628 |
2965 |
|
FY06-2 |
2010 |
2354 |
2681 |
3024 |
GROUP V
|
VARSITY BASEBALL ASSISTANT |
HEAD MIDDLE SCHOOL BASEBALL |
|
ONE (1) VARSITY BOYS TRACK ASSISTANT |
ASSISTANT MIDDLE SCHOOL FOOTBALL |
|
ONE (1) VARSITY GIRLS TRACK ASSISTANT |
HEAD FRESHMAN BOYS BASKETBALL |
|
|
VARSITY FIELD HOCKEY ASSISTANT |
|
|
|
|
VARSITY SOFTBALL ASSISTANT |
|
|
HEAD MIDDLE SCHOOL SOCCER |
|
|
HEAD MIDDLE SCHOOL SOFTBALL |
|
|
HEAD VARSITY GOLF |
|
|
VARSITY ASSISTANT BOYS VOLLEYBALL |
|
|
VARSITY ASSISTANT GIRLS VOLLEYBALL |
|
|
MIDDLE SCHOOL CHEERLEADER ADVISOR |
|
|
VARSITY SOCCER ASSISTANT |
|
|
MIDDLE SCHOOL FIELD HOCKEY |
|
|
FOOTBALL CHEERLEADER ADVISOR |
|
|
BASKETBALL CHEERLEADER ADVISOR |
|
|
GIRLS VARSITY SOCCER ASSISTANT |
|
|
HEAD MIDDLE SCHOOL TRACK COACH |
|
|
|
|
|
YEAR |
STEP I |
STEP 11 |
STEP III |
STEP IV |
|
2004-05 |
1285 |
1620 |
1932 |
2263 |
|
2005-06 |
1324 |
1669 |
1991 |
2331 |
|
FY06-1 |
1311 |
1652 |
1971 |
2308 |
|
FY06-2 |
1337 |
1685 |
2010 |
2354 |
UNIT B RATIOS
PROFESSIONAL IMPROVEMENT
INDEX
2006-2010 SALARY SCHEDULE
NURSES SALARY SCHEDULE
APPENDIX B SALARIES
EFFECTIVE SEPTEMBER 1, 1996
The salaries of the
positions within the scope of Unit B shall be determined by multiplying the
salary of the administrator on the appropriate position on the teacher's salary
schedule by the following ratios:
|
1. |
Assist.
High School Principal |
1.25 |
1.30 |
1.35 |
1.40 |
|
2. |
Assist.
Middle School Principal 210 days |
1.145 |
1.195 |
1.245 |
1.295 |
|
3. |
K-12
Sped Evaluation Team Leader 195 days |
1.10 |
1.15 |
1.20 |
1.25 |
|
4. |
Technology
Coordinator 205 days |
1.05 |
1.075 |
1.10 |
1.125 |
a. All
new administrators go on Step No. 1
b. Administrators go on Step No. 2 at the beginning of the third
year of employment
c. Administrators go on Step No. 3 at the beginning of the fourth
year of employment
d. Administrators go on Step No. 4 at the beginning of the fifth
year of employment.
All moves upon
recommendation of Superintendent and vote of the School Committee. If an
administrator is not to be recommended, he will be notified in writing of the
reasons at least one month before the recommendation of the Superintendent to
Committee.
*Reduction in contract from
230 to 224 days based on the following: after the first fifteen nights, for
every three nights spent supervising student activities at the high school, for
a minimum of three hours each night, will be counted as one day of compensatory
time, not to exceed six days in any school year.
PROFESSIONAL
IMPROVEMENT INDEX 2007-2010
|
Step |
B |
B+6 |
B+12 |
B+18 |
B+24 |
B+30 |
M |
|
1 |
1 |
1.02 |
1.04 |
1.06 |
1.08 |
1.095 |
1.11 |
|
2 |
1,04 |
1.06 |
1.08 |
1.1 |
1.12 |
1.135 |
1.15 |
|
3 |
1.08 |
1.1 |
1.12 |
1.14 |
1.16 |
1.175 |
1.19 |
|
4 |
1.17 |
1.19 |
1.21 |
1.23 |