Memorandum of Agreement

 

AGREEMENT BETWEEN

THE TRI-COUNTY REGIONAL SCHOOL COMMITTEE

AND

THE TRI-COUNTY TEACHERS ASSOCIATION

9/1/2010 - 8/31/2013

 

 

 

 

 

For the 2011-2012 School Year only, amend Salary Schedules

 

See Schedules Attached.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tri-County Regional Vocational                           Tri-County Teachers Association

Technical School District Committee

 

By: ________Robert Rappa_____                                 By: ____Mary Taintor_________

       Robert Rappa, Chairperson                                   Mary Taintor, President    

 

Date: _______6/15/11_________                                    Date: _____6/14/11__________

 

 

SALARY SCHEDULE
2011-2012
EFFECTIVE SEPTEMBER 1, 2011-2%
	B	B+15	M	M+15	M+30
STEP	PreL	ProL	ProL+27	ProL+54	ProL+B
1	40,933	42,837	44,594	47,409	48,509
2	42,242	44,144	45,865	48,830	49,916
3	43,540	45,464	47,152	50,242	51,344
4	45,064	47,009	48,733	51,900	52,988
5	46,587	48,540	50,319	53,543	54,648
6	48,789	50,750	52,635	55,978	57,088
7	51,000	52,966	54,978	58,440	59,557
8	53,227	55,192	57,324	60,923	62,048
9	55,448	57,414	59,689	63,425	64,552
10	57,765	59,729	62,149	66,034	67,165
11	60,246	62,205	64,790	68,823	69,961
12	62,735	64,695	67,443	71,639	72,788
13	65,234	67,175	70,108	74,479	75,615
14	67,750	69,675	72,789	77,350	78,494
15	69,783	71,765	74,972	79,670	80,850
16	71,876	73,917	77,221	82,060	83,275

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SALARY SCHEDULE
2011-2012
EFFECTIVE 14th PAYROLL of the 2011-2012 SCHOOL YEAR - 3%
	B	B+15	M	M+15	M+30
STEP	PreL	ProL	ProL+27	ProL+54	ProL+B
1	41,334	43,257	45,032	47,874	48,984
2	42,656	44,576	46,315	49,309	50,405
3	43,967	45,910	47,615	50,735	51,848
4	45,505	47,470	49,210	52,408	53,507
5	47,044	49,016	50,812	54,068	55,184
6	49,267	51,248	53,151	56,526	57,647
7	51,500	53,485	55,517	59,013	60,140
8	53,749	55,733	57,886	61,520	62,656
9	55,992	57,977	60,274	64,047	65,185
10	58,332	60,315	62,758	66,682	67,823
11	60,837	62,815	65,425	69,498	70,647
12	63,350	65,329	68,105	72,341	73,501
13	65,874	67,833	70,796	75,209	76,357
14	68,414	70,358	73,502	78,108	79,264
15	70,467	72,468	75,707	80,451	81,642
16	72,581	74,642	77,979	82,865	84,091

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

COACHING SALARIES
	2011-2012*
	2%	3%
FOOTBALL
Varsity Head	6,636	6,701
Varsity Assistant	4,681	4,727
Freshman	4,597	4,642
Freshman Assistant	3,974	4,013
SOCCER
Varsity	4,515	4,559
Junior Varsity	2,954	2,983
CROSS COUNTRY
Varsity	3,608	3,643
BASKETBALL
Varsity	5,849	5,906
Junior Varsity	4,242	4,284
Freshman	3,495	3,529
WRESTLING
Varsity	5,107	5,157
Junior Varsity	4,245	4,287
SPRING TRACK
Varsity	4,407	4,451
Assistant Varsity (2)	3,061	3,091
BASEBALL
Varsity	5,107	5,157
Junior Varsity	3,529	3,564
SOFTBALL
Varsity	5,107	5,157
Junior Varsity	3,529	3,564
CHEERLEADING
Fall Season	4,515	4,559
Winter Season	4,515	4,559
JV Cheerleading	2,954	2,983
LACROSSE
Varsity	5,107	5,157
Junior Varsity	3,529	3,564
ATHLETIC TRAINER	12,856	12,982
Floor Hockey	827	835
Weight Lifting	827	835
Golf	827	835
Head Ice Hockey	6,636	6,701
JV Ice Hockey	4,681	4,727
Head Golf	3,608	3,643
VOLLEYBALL
Varsity Volleyball	4,515	4,559
JV Volleyball	2,954	2,983
Club-Any Athletic Activity
Played at Club Level	1,489	1,504
* Total salary for each coaching postion will be calculated by adding 50% of the 2% rate and 50% of the 3% rate.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THIS AGREEMENT made and entered into this 21st day of July, 2010, by and between the             

Tri-County Regional Vocational Technical School District Committee, hereinafter referred to as the “Committee”, and the Tri-County Teachers’ Association, hereinafter referred to as the “Association”.

 

WITNESSETH

 

WHEREAS, the prime purpose of the parties is to provide education of the highest possible quality for the students of Tri-County, we, the undersigned parties to this contract, declare that:

 

1.      Under the laws of Massachusetts, the Committee has final responsibility for establishing the education policies of the Tri-County Regional Vocational Technical School District

 

2.      The School Committee reserves as its own prerogative all the powers and duties conferred on it and vested in it by current Massachusetts statutes.  In the performance of its duty the School Committee shall comply with all laws which relate to the operations of the public schools;

 

3.      The Superintendent-Director has responsibility for carrying out the policies so established; and

 

4.      Each member of the unit has the duty to perform his/her functions to the utmost of his/her ability.

 

ARTICLE I

RECOGNITION

 

For the purpose of collective bargaining with respect to wages, hours, standards of productivity and performance and other terms and conditions of employment, the committee recognizes the Association as the exclusive bargaining agent and representative of all professional employees of the employer including but not limited to all full-time regular teachers, postsecondary day teachers, all part-time regular teachers, all guidance counselors, adjustment counselor, school social worker, speech therapist, media director, nurse, part-time nurse and coaches, excluding the Superintendent-Director, Principal, Business Manager, Immediate Supervisors, Director of Guidance, all managerial and confidential employees, tutors, substitutes, consultants, paraprofessionals and outside consultants.  Unless otherwise specified, part-time teachers, as defined in this Article, shall, subject to the applicable law, be entitled to the benefits and shall share in the responsibilities of this Agreement in direct proportion to the time they work.  Recognized positions not occupied by members of the bargaining unit shall only be eligible for negotiated monetary compensation and shall not be eligible for other benefits contained within this Agreement.

 

ARTICLE II

MANAGEMENT RIGHTS

 

It is understood and recognized that the Committee is a public body established under and with powers provided by the statutes of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and nothing in this contract shall be deemed to derogate from or impair any power, right, or duty conferred upon the Committee by statutes or terms set forth herein, as to every matter not specifically mentioned or provided for in this Contract, the Committee retains all powers, rights and duties that it has by law and may exercise the same at its discretion without such exercise being made the subject of a grievance or arbitration proceeding hereunder. 

ARTICLE III

GENERAL PROVISIONS

 

A.          Where a conflict is found to exist between a specific provision of this Contract and an existing Committee policy, the provisions of this Contract shall apply and control.

 

B.           Failure by the Association and/or the School Committee in one or more instances to enforce any

         provision or provisions of this Agreement shall not be construed as a waiver of said provision or

         provisions.

 

C.           This agreement includes all the agreements reached by the parties respecting matters pertaining

         to wages, hours, standards or productivity and performance, and other conditions of employment

         which either the Committee or the Association proposed or could have proposed as a subject of

         negotiations.

 

During the term of this Agreement neither party shall be required to negotiate concerning any such matter affecting wages, hours, standards of productivity and performance, and other conditions of employment of employees whether or not such matter is covered by this Agreement.

 

D.          No addition to, alteration of, or modification of any of the terms or provisions of Agreement shall be

         valid, binding, or of any force or effect unless it is made in writing and executed by the Committee

         and the Association.

 

 

E.           The School Committee will take appropriate action to see that the terms of this Contract are implemented.

 

F.            The Committee and the Association agree to carry out the express commitments contained herein and give them full force and effect as contractual obligations.

 

G.          If any provision of this Agreement or application of this Agreement to any employee or group of employees shall be finally held to be contrary to state or federal law by the State Supreme Judicial Court or the United States Supreme Court, then such provision or application shall not be deemed valid and subsisting except to the extent permitted by law, but all other provisions or applications will continue in full force and effect for the duration of this Agreement.  It is the intent of the parties that all provisions of this Agreement shall be in accordance with the requirements of the Education Reform Act of 1993 and as amended during the term of this Agreement.

 

H.          If any provision of this Agreement requires legislative action by town meeting or by the state legislature to permit indemnification, said provision shall not become effective until the proper legislative body (bodies) have given approval.

 

I.             The Committee will not discriminate against any member of the bargaining unit on the basis of race, creed, color, sex, marital status or age.

 

ARTICLE IV

PAYMENT OF SALARIES AND DEDUCTIONS

 

A.          Payroll checks for employees shall be available anytime after 11:00 a.m. on Thursday through their supervisors.

 

B.           The compensation of all Professional Employees shall be paid in either twenty-six (26) or twenty-one (21) equal installments, at the option of the employee, beginning with the second Thursday after the beginning of the school year.  A Professional Employee who elected twenty-six (26) installments, and who desires to receive the balance of the compensation due him/her for the current school year in his/her salary check covering the period in which the school year ends shall submit his/her written request to the business office no later than May 15^th of said school year.  Paychecks shall be available on payday, between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. at the school business office for those Professional Employees who desire to receive their paychecks during the summer months.  If an employee does not pick up his/her paycheck by 3:30 p.m. on summer paydays, it shall be mailed before 4:00 p.m. on such payday to the employee’s home address or to a summer address if such summer address is provided, in writing, in advance to the business office.

 

C.     The Committee, whenever appropriately authorized by an employee in writing, by October first, agrees to instruct the School Administration to deduct, as permitted by the General Laws of Massachusetts, from the salaries of its employees, dues to the Association in ten consecutive payments.  The specific amount of the current dues of said Association shall be certified to the Committee by the local Association Treasurer on or before October 1 of each school year.

 

         Any employee desiring to discontinue previously authorized deduction dues must give the Committee sixty (60) days’ advance written notice to discontinue dues deductions for Association membership.  The Association agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the School Committee for any costs or judgments arising out of implementation of this Section.

 

 

 

 

D.          Teachers will be eligible to participate in a tax-sheltered annuity plan established pursuant to General Laws, Chapter 71, Section 37B

 

E.           Upon the completion and submittal of the Authorization Agreement for Automatic Deposits by an employee to the Business Office, funds will be transmitted electronically to the financial institution of the employee’s choice each pay period. 

 

F.            The Committee agrees to pay 65% of the cost of individual or family coverage whichever applies in the particular case for the Blue Cross Blue Shield Blue Care Elect PPO plan or plans that are comparable. Retirees are allowed to participate in these plans as outlined in Mass. General Laws Section 9A, 9B and 9D of Chapter 32B.

 

G.          The Committee shall provide 50% payment of the cost of a premium for a $5,000.00 Life Insurance Policy.  In addition, an employee may purchase at his/her own expense insurance up to the amount of his/her annual salary or to the insurance carrier’s limit, whichever is lower.

 

H.          This Committee agrees to provide a dental plan for employees and further agrees to contribute 65% toward the premium of such plan.

 

I.             Members of the bargaining unit will be eligible to participate in a Section 125 program and contribute to Flexible Spending Accounts. Under a Section 125 program, a member may choose to pay qualified benefit premiums before any taxes are deducted from their paycheck. Flexible Spending Accounts lets the member set aside a portion of their paycheck tax free to pay for certain health and dependent care benefits. Both of these programs are administered by Cafeteria Plan Advisors of Braintree MA.

 

J.       All yearly stipends shall be paid in either one payment on the last payday in May or in two equal installments at the option of the employee with the first half of the salary on the first payday in December and the remainder of the stipend on the last payday in May. 

 

ARTICLE V

GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE

 

A.          Definitions

 

1.   Grievance – A “grievance” is a dispute over the meaning, interpretation and/or application of the terms or provisions of the Agreement.

 

2.      Grievant -  A “grievant” may be either an individual employee, a group or class of employees, or the Association.

 

   3.   Days – “Days” shall mean school days except during the summer recess when days shall mean days when the District Office is open.  Grievances that occur between May 15^th and the close of the school year may be suspended over the summer recess by either party.  Notice of intent to suspend the grievance must be made known to the other party by the close of the school year.

 

 

 

 

B.           Level One – Immediate Supervisor

 

         Any employee may present the grievance to his/her Immediate Supervisor within ten (10) days of the incident giving rise to the grievance or from the time when the grievant shall have reasonably acquired knowledge of said incident with the object of resolving the matter informally.  The Immediate Supervisor must within ten (10) days meet with the aggrieved and render a decision, in writing if the grievance is denied.

 

         Level Two – Principal

 

         The grievant may appeal the decision to the Principal within ten (10) days of the receipt of the denial.  The Principal shall meet with the aggrieved to discuss the allegations within ten (10) days of the receipt of the written grievance and render his/her decision in writing within then (10) days of such meeting.

 

         Level Three – Superintendent-Director

 

         If the grievance has not been resolved at Level Two to the satisfaction of the aggrieved, the grievant may appeal such decision to the Superintendent-Director within ten (10) days after receipt of the decision from the Principal.  The Superintendent-Director shall meet with the aggrieved to discuss

         the allegations within ten (10) days of receipt of the written appeal and render his/her decision in writing within ten (10) days of such meeting.

 

         Level Four – School Committee

 

         If the grievance is non-personnel in nature and has not been resolved at Level Three to the satisfaction of the aggrieved, the grievant may appeal such decision to the School Committee within ten (10) days of the receipt of the Level Three decision.  The Committee and the grievant will meet for the purpose of resolving the grievance with ten (10) days of receipt of the grievance at Level Four or at the first regularly scheduled School Committee meeting after receipt of the grievance at this level.  Within ten (10) days of said meeting, a written response will be sent by the School Committee to the grievant.

 

         Level Five – Arbitration

 

         If the non-personnel grievance has not been resolved at Level Four to the satisfaction of the Association, the Association may, by giving written notice to the School Committee and by filing with the A.A.A. within ten (10) days after receipt of the decision at Level Four, a demand for arbitration to the American Arbitration Association for disposition in accordance with their rules.  The request shall contain a statement of the grievance which shall be substantively similar to the written statement of grievance filed with the Committee at Level Four.  The arbitrator’s decision will be final and binding and in writing and will set forth his findings of fact, reasoning and conclusions on the issues as submitted by the parties.  The arbitrator is without authority to render a decision which requires the commission of an act prohibited by law or violative of the terms of this Agreement.

 

               All costs for the services of the arbitrator shall be borne equally by the parties.

 

         The arbitrator shall be without power or authority to render a decision which would alter , add to, detract from or modify the terms of the Agreement or which involves any matter which by law or under the terms of this Agreement is within exclusive authority or direction of the School Committee.

 

         No arbitrator shall have the power or authority to make any award retroactive beyond ten (10) days prior to the date of initial filing of the grievance.

 

C.          Miscellaneous

 

1.   The purpose of the Grievance is to produce prompt and equitable solutions to those problems which from time to time may arise.  The Committee and the Association desire that the stated Grievance Procedure shall always be informal and confidential as may be appropriate for the grievance involved at the procedural level involved.

 

2.      An employee may present the grievance to the employer and have such grievance heard without the intervention of the Association.  However, the Association must be afforded the right to be present at all grievance hearings, and no settlement inconsistent with the terms of the contract may be effected.

 

3.      All grievances, beginning with Level Two, shall specify in writing the nature of the grievance, article or articles violated, and remedy sought.

 

4.      The time limits herein may be extended by mutual agreement of the parties in writing.

 

5.      A grievance which shall affect a group or class of employees may be initiated by the grievant(s) at Level Two.

 

6.      No written document or record related to the processing of a grievance shall be filed in the personnel folder of any employee.

 

7.      The Committee will, upon request, provide the Association with copies of any documents which are available to the Committee which will assist the Association in processing grievance.

 

8.      The decision of the Superintendent-Director /Principal as to the selection, retention or election of any employee to an extra paying position shall not be subject to arbitration.    The decision of the Superintendent-Director/Principal as to the reappointment or non-reappointment of a teacher without professional teacher status shall not be subject to the grievance and arbitration procedure.

 

9.      Any teacher who has been suspended or dismissed and desires to pursue his/her rights must do so consistent with the Educational Reform Act of 1993 and as amended during the term of this agreement.

 

 

ARTICLE VI

ASSOCIATION RIGHTS

 

A.          The Association will be provided with the names and addresses of all professional bargaining unit employees on or before October 1^st of each work year.

 

B.           There will be at least one bulletin board for use by the Association in the Center Core Faculty Lounge.  Such bulletin boards may be used for the posting of announcements, bulletins, and notices pertaining to the administration of the internal business and affairs of the Association.

 

C.           The Association’s president will upon request be sent a copy of the official School Committee’s agenda prior to each Committee meeting and upon request a copy of the minutes of said meeting after their approval by the Committee.

 

D.     The Committee authorizes the use of inter-school mail to distribute Association material.  Students shall not have access to teacher mailboxes.  The Association will be allowed to conduct its meetings on the property of the Tri-County Regional Vocational Technical School District.

                                                                             

E.      The Association shall notify the School Committee of names and addresses of all officers and bargaining unit team members on or before October 1^st of each school year and any subsequent changes throughout the school year.

 

F.      The School Committee will have sufficient copies of the Agreement made for all members of the bargaining unit.  The cost of such copies will be shared equally by the Committee and the Association.  The Association will distribute copies of the Agreement to all members of the bargaining unit.

 

ARTICLE VII

WORKDAY, WORKYEAR, AND WORKLOAD

 

A.          Teachers' first day is the Tuesday after Labor Day.  Students report the following day.  If Labor Day falls on September 6 or 7, teachers may be asked to come in Thursday prior to Labor Day.  Students would then report the Tuesday after Labor Day.  The work year for employees shall consist of one hundred eighty-three (183) days which will include (1) day before school opens.  The remaining two (2) non-teaching days will be utilized within the school calendar at the discretion of the Superintendent-Director.  Part-time teachers will attend the Teacher Orientation Day and any day not specifically designated either “A Day” or “B Day”.  On teaching days, part-time teachers will attend all workshops, conferences and faculty meetings which occur during the time when they are scheduled to work.

 

B.           The workday shall begin at 7:35 A.M. and shall end no later than 2:30 P.M.  One day per week teachers will be assigned for makeup and extra help from 2:15 P.M. t o 3:00 P.M.  This day will be determined in consultation with their coordinator and remain constant for the school year unless there are extenuating circumstances.  Teachers may also, based on student need, be required to remain after school one additional afternoon per week until 3:00 P.M. for extra help sessions.  Office detentions may also be assigned from 2:15 P.M. to 3:00 P.M. on a rotational basis.  The days before vacation teachers will be allowed to leave 10 minutes after students are dismissed.

 

C.           All teachers will have a duty-free lunch period of a length corresponding to the length of the students’ lunch period up to a maximum of thirty (30) minutes.  On half-day professional development days, teachers will be allotted one hour for lunch.  All staff will be expected to stay until 2:30 PM.

 

D.          Academic teachers will not be scheduled for more than thirty (30) teaching periods per week or more than six (6) teaching periods per day except under extenuating circumstances.  If a teacher’s schedule exceeds either of these limits the affected teacher will be consulted in advance and will be so notified prior to August 1^st.  In no case will a teacher have more than sixty (60) teaching periods in a two week cycle.  If a teacher is assigned a schedule which has five (5) teaching periods one week and seven (7) teaching periods on the alternate week, that teacher will not be assigned a duty period.

 

In addition, academic teachers may be assigned up to five (5) administrative duties per two-week cycle and five (5) working periods per two-week cycle.  Every effort will be made to schedule working periods at the same time as other teachers in the same department or with other team teachers.

 

Every effort will be made to limit academic teachers to no more than five (5) course preparations per two-week period and to equitably distribute course levels within departments.  If the number of course preps exceeds five over the two-week period, then that teacher will not be assigned a duty.

 

E.     Special education teacher/consultants will be scheduled for thirty-five (35) teaching/consulting

         periods per week with no duty.  Every effort will be made to limit special education teacher/

         consultants' schedules to no more than two (2) disciplines.  Academic Support is recognized as

         not requiring specific preparation and is therefore not included in the above discipline totals.

 

Team Chairpersons will not be assigned a duty.

 

F.      Shop and Related teachers will not be scheduled for more than thirty-five (35) periods per week.

 

G.     All teachers will be assigned one (1) preparation period per day.  Teachers may be assigned to substitute during their administrative duty.

 

H.     All employees shall be notified in writing the courses they will teach for the ensuing school year prior to the close of school in June.  Said notification is tentative.  Any changes subsequent to the close of school in June must be made by August 15 except in cases of emergency.

 

I.       Professional employees required to work beyond the one hundred eighty-three (183) days as outlined in “A” above shall be paid one/one hundred eighty-third (1/183) of their salary per day of service.  This increase will be effective if such employee has been called upon to provide additional service to the district in any capacity.

 

J.      Professional employees may be required to attend no more than two 45-minute meetings per month

        at 2:15 P.M. including meetings called by the Superintendent-Director and/or Immediate

        Supervisors.  Four additional meetings per year may be called at the discretion of the Superintendent-

        Director.

 

K.   All professional employees shall be expected to attend four (4) evening meetings per year.

 

       Academic teachers will attend one parent-teacher meeting, two parent orientation/curriculum

       meetings and the 8^th grade parent open house.

 

       Vocational-technical teachers will attend one parent-teacher meeting and two advisory committee

       meetings.  Vocational-technical teachers will attend one additional evening meeting of either an 8^th  

       grade parent open house or the 9^th grade parent night (shop selection).  Coverage must be provided

       for both of these evening meetings.

 

 Guidance personnel will be expected to provide coverage for the following evening meetings: one

 parent-teacher night, one parent orientation/curriculum meeting, and two of the following: grade 9

 

 

   shop selection evening, grade 8 parent open house, or a college planning session.  The Director of

   Guidance, after consultation with the guidance personnel, will determine the appropriate coverage

   for these meetings.  All Guidance professional employees shall be informed concerning coverage for

   the evening meetings no later than two weeks from the start of the school year.

 

L.      Early release days for curriculum planning and/or in service education may be held at the discretion of the Superintendent-Director.

 

M.     Each year the Superintendent-Director will provide the Association with a copy of the tentative calendar for the following school year as well as any changes to the faculty and/or student handbooks.  The Superintendent-Director will consider written suggestions by the Association before these documents are adopted.

 

N.     No meeting shall be scheduled after regular school hours on the day before a holiday, vacation period, or weekend.  Open House will not be scheduled on any Sunday which is adjacent to a holiday or vacation period.

 

O.     The day before Thanksgiving Day shall be a half-day for bargaining unit members.  When the day before Christmas falls on a week day, it shall be a day on which bargaining unit members shall not report to work.  The day of the Junior/Senior Prom shall be a half day for bargaining unit members.

 

P.      The Association President will not be assigned any non-teaching duties.  He/she may use any non-assigned time available to conduct Association business as long as it does not interfere with other teachers’ assigned responsibilities.  The President will have the right to move within the school building during the school day, provided that his/her immediate supervisor knows his/her approximate location.

 

Q.     The work year for Guidance Counselors may consist of 187 days.  The additional days will be delineated at the discretion of the Director of Guidance, after consultation with the guidance personnel, by the close of school in June.  The additional days will be compensated as delineated in Article VII, Section I.  If the needs of the district are not met through volunteers, the Director of Guidance shall assign Guidance Counselors to fill the needs based on inverse seniority.

 

R.     A professional employee may request that his/her employment for the ensuing school year be on a part-time basis.  This request must be in writing and presented to the Superintendent-Director no later than May 1^st of the year preceding the requested part-time employment.  This request may be granted by the Superintendent-Director if the needs of the school district and students so permit.  His/her decision will be rendered no later than July 15 and will be final and non-grievable.  A request for part-time status must be renewed each year no later than May 1^st, and the fact that a teacher is granted such status in one year is no guarantee that she/he will be granted such status the following year. 

 

         A professional employee working on a part-time basis, either as a result of his/her request or as a result of administrative action, will be paid in proportion to the number of periods available per day over a two-week cycle, based on an eight period day (16), with the after school time expected of full-time teachers being expected of part-time teachers.  The employee will be responsible for all other duties and responsibilities as delineated in the contract, including but not limited to evening meetings as modified by the following paragraph.  Teachers who have requested part-time status, but not teachers who have been involuntarily assigned to part-time status, may be scheduled for a

 

 

         full teaching load as defined in Article VII, provided that said teacher is scheduled for a least one preparation period per day.

 

Contractual duties and responsibilities, both day and evening, will be fulfilled on a proportional basis by all part-time employees based on time as defined above.  However, all part-time teachers must attend at a minimum two parent/teacher meetings per year.

 

Part-time teachers will accumulate seniority credit on a percentage basis proportional to the time worked, as defined above.

ARTICLE VIII

CLASS SIZE

 

It is agreed that the academic size not exceed twenty-eight (28) except for extenuating circumstances.  Physical Education and Health classes shall not exceed twenty-eight (28). Computer classes shall not exceed available workstations.  Science labs shall not exceed twenty-four students.  The above class limits may be exceeded for extenuating circumstances.   Shop classes shall not exceed twenty (20) except for extenuating circumstances.  Related classes shall not exceed the size of its corresponding shop class. 

 

ARTICLE IX

NON-TEACHING DUTIES

 

The Committee and the Association acknowledge that a teacher’s primary responsibility is to teach and that his/her energies should, to the extent possible, be utilized to this end.

 

However, the Committee and the Association also acknowledge that certain non-teaching duties exist; therefore, they agree as follows:

 

1.      Employees may be assigned to the following duties:

 

                  Cafeteria Duty

                  Office Detention

                  Corridor Duty

                  Holding Room

                  Locker Room

        

                        Said assignments shall be made on an equitable basis.

 

2.      Employees shall not be required to perform the following tasks:

 

a.             Collecting money from students except for insurance.

b.            Driving pupils to activities which take place away from the school building.  Employees may do so voluntarily, however, with the advance approval of the Superintendent-Director or immediate supervisor.  In such event, the teachers will be relieved of all personal liability for any accident which may occur in connection with said trip.

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE X

TEACHER FACILITIES

 

Where the building and facilities furnished by the Tri-County Regional Vocational Technical School District make it practical to do so, the Committee shall:

 

a.    Provide each teacher with the following:

 

(i)                 Space for teachers to store instructional materials and supplies

(ii)               An appropriately furnished room to be reserved for the exclusive use of teachers as a faculty lounge which will include 2 computers with workstations and 1 printer and scanner

(iii)             Well-lighted and clean rest rooms

(iv)             A serviceable desk, chair, and file cabinet for each teacher

(v)               A computer, printer, and telephone

 

b.   Teachers will lock their classrooms when not in use, where practical.

 

c.    The school will be equipped with a telephone in addition to and separate from those in the administrative or other offices for the use of teachers to carry out school business.  Said telephone will be located in such a place so as to ensure privacy.

 

d.        The school district will provide lab coats, uniforms and/or safety glasses for those teachers who require such.

ARTICLE XI

SALARIES

 

1.      Effective September 1, 2010 and subject to the provisions of this Agreement, the compensation of  each Professional Employee for his  work year shall be determined in accordance with and shall conform to the salary schedules, and other rates of compensation and the schedule of supplementary compensation set forth in Appendix A, which is attached hereto and made a part hereof.

 

2.      The Superintendent-Director shall determine in accordance with the provisions of this Article and the salary schedules and other rates of compensation set forth in Appendix A the rate of compensation of each Professional Employee.

 

3.      Each such Professional Employee shall as of the beginning of each work year in September receive step increments successively to the next higher step within his/her salary schedule subject to the following conditions:

 

a.       That he/she has worked at least ninety (90) school days during the preceding school year in the Tri-County Regional Vocational Technical School District;

b.      That his/her work performance for the preceding school year shall have been evaluated as  

      being satisfactory.

 

4.      Each Academic Professional Employee who completes education beyond the Bachelor’s Degree or each Vocational Professional Employee who completes education beyond vocational licensure who becomes eligible for lateral movement on the salary schedule can move to another

 

 

         column either in September or February provided satisfactory evidence of the completion of

      such education is presented by the employee to the Superintendent-Director by September 1 or   

      February 1.

 

5.     The daily rate of compensation for each Professional Employee for the purpose of determining the deduction to be made in his compensation for each day he is in a non-pay status and for determining the amount of compensation to be paid to a Professional Employee who leaves the employ of the Committee prior to the end of his work year shall be equal to his annual rate of compensation divided by 183 days.  A Professional Employee who leaves the employ of the Committee prior to the end of his work year shall be entitled to receive as his total compensation for such year the amount of such daily rate of compensation multiplied by the number of days he has been in a pay status in such year.

 

6.     Whenever an employee is absent from school as a result of personal injury caused by an accident or an assault occurring in the course of his employment and said accident or assault is compensable under the provisions of the Massachusetts Worker’s Compensation Act, said employee shall upon written request to the Administration, receive as a charge against his accrued sick leave the difference between his current salary and the amount received as Worker’s Compensation.

 

7.     An employee appointed with prior public, parochial, or accredited post-secondary teaching experience and/or with equivalent experience in employment in a field related to his teaching assignment may be credited with all years of such teaching experience and with such number of years of said equivalent employment experience as the Superintendent-Director shall determine, and shall be placed at the proper step on the Teachers’ Salary Schedule in accordance with the total number of his said creditable years of experience.

 

From time to time exceptional circumstances may arise which would allow the Superintendent-Director to deviate from the standard set above.

 

ARTICLE XII

LEAVES WITH PAY

 

A.    Professional employees shall be entitled to fifteen (15) sick days per year.  Employee’s sick leave accumulation shall match the school year.  First year teachers will accrue sick days at the rate of one and a half (1 ½) days per month.  A medical certificate may be required by the Superintendent-Director after three (3) full consecutive work days.

 

Bargaining unit members who have the maximum number of sick days accumulated as of September 1 of each school year shall receive fifteen (15) sick days at the beginning of the school year.  Such days are not cumulative.  Each eligible teacher can contribute one day per

year for a combined total of a maximum of 35 days per year into the Sick Leave Bank.

 

Written notice of accumulated sick leave will be given to each professional employee by October 1 of each year.

 

Sick leave may be used for illness in the immediate family as defined in Article XII, Section C.  The Superintendent-Director may request a medical certificate of this use.

 

 

 

 

B.     Sick Leave Bank

 

1.                  Teachers not currently members wishing to join the sick leave bank will voluntarily contribute one (1) day of their annual leave to the bank on or before November 1 of the current school year.

 

2.                  Sick leave bank shall only be available after a member of the sick bank has exhausted his/her entire personal sick leave, both annual and accumulated, and has supplied valid medical evidence.

 

3.                  No days may be withdrawn from the sick leave bank for use for any illness other than prolonged illness or accident of the member of the unit.  Days may not be withdrawn to permit an individual to stay home to care for a member of the family, and in no instances may days be withdrawn for purpose of maternity, except as specifically required by law.

 

4.                  The sick leave bank shall be administered by a Sick Leave Bank Committee comprised of two members designated by the association and three members designated by the School Committee.  The Sick Leave Bank Committee shall determine the eligibility for members requesting leave from the bank and the amount of leave granted.

 

5.                  The initial grant of sick leave bank days shall not exceed fifteen (15) days, after which such member may reapply for additional days.

 

6.                  In cases where the sick leave bank policies herein and the collective bargaining agreement between the parties are in conflict, the provisions of the Agreement shall prevail.

 

7.                  The decision of the Sick Leave Bank Committee with respect to eligibility and entitlement shall be final and binding and not subject to grievance or appeal.

 

8.                  Present contractual and/or extra-contractual arrangements will continue, except that any end of year balance in the bank may be carried forward, and members will be assessed an additional day when bank is depleted to twenty (20) days.

 

C.     Employees will be granted four (4) consecutive days at any one time commencing with the date of death of the employee’s spouse, child, parent, sibling, in-law, domestic partner living in the same household, or other relative living in the immediate household.  Employees will be granted up to two (2) consecutive days at any time in the event of death of the employee’s grandfather,

      grandmother, uncle, aunt, niece or nephew unless said relative is a member of the immediate

      household in which event the employee will be entitled to the aforesaid four (4) days.  Part-time

               teachers will be eligible for bereavement leave, providing the days occur in a week when they

               are scheduled to work.  The Superintendent can use discretion to waive above mentioned  

               requirements and his/her decision is final.

 

 

Up to two additional days of bereavement leave may be granted at the discretion of the Superintendent-Director for unusual circumstances.  Said approval shall not be unreasonably withheld.

 

One official designee of the Association shall be allowed to attend the funeral of any member, or his/her immediate family member (which includes an employee's spouse, child, parent, sibling, in-law, domestic partner living in the same household, or other relative living in the same household), or retired member of the bargaining unit/district without loss of pay.  This leave shall not exceed one (1) day.

 

In the event of the death of a student, if the funeral falls on a work day, the Superintendent may designate up to three faculty members including at least one teacher from the student’s vocational/technical area to attend the funeral without loss of pay.  This leave shall not exceed one day.

 

D.    Employees will be entitled to up to three (3) days’ leave of absence for observance of religious holy days.  Part-time teachers will be eligible for up to three (3) days of religious leave, providing the days occur in a week when they are scheduled to work.

 

E.     Personal Days

Teachers will be entitled to two (2) days of leave with pay each school year for personal business which require absence during school hours.  Applications for personal leave will be made at least 48 (forty-eight) hours before taking such leave (except in the case of emergencies).  Personal leave days can be used to extend a holiday or vacation for the first five (5) teachers who apply for the same date(s) if approved by the Superintendent-Director whose decision is final.

 

F.      Employees will be granted leave with pay for the time necessary for appearances in any legal proceeding connected with the teacher’s employment or with the school system.  Said leave will not be allowed in situations where the teacher has engaged in a negligent or grossly negligent act.

 

ARTICLE XIII

EDUCATIONAL LEAVE

 

A.          Any employee who has worked in the Tri-County Regional Vocational Technical School District for at least seven (7) years may apply for an educational leave for the purpose of study and/or research.  Said application must be submitted on or before the January 1^st immediately next prior to the commencement of said leave.

 

B.           Educational leave shall not exceed a school year.

 

C.           An employee on educational leave shall be paid 50%of his/her salary while on said leave and shall be considered actively employed in the school system, and all benefits to which he is entitled including but not limited to 50% compensation, salary step increases, and accumulated sick leave shall be credited and available to him/her.

 

D.          At the end of an educational leave the employee will be assigned to the same position or to a position similar to the one held prior to the educational leave.

 

E.           Upon completion of an educational leave, the employee involved will return to work in the Tri-County Regional Vocational Technical School District for a period of time equal to twice the length of such leave and, if in default of completing such service, will refund to the Committee an amount equal to such proportion of salary received while on leave as the amount of service not actually rendered as agreed bears to the whole amount  of service agreed to be rendered, provided, however, that in the event of disability or death the employee or his estate will not be considered liable in any way.

 

ARTICLE XIV

MATERNITY LEAVE-SICK LEAVE

 

A.          The illness or disability resulting from pregnancy will be handled as it pertains to sick pay in the same manner as any other illness or disability; that is:

 

1.                  The teacher must be in a paid teaching status at the time of her illness or disability in order to qualify for sick pay.

2.                  The length of time that a teacher can collect sick pay is restricted to her accumulated sick days.

3.                  Sick pay shall be allowed only for days teachers would normally be teaching during the regular school year.

4.                  As in all long-term illness, the teacher must present a medical certificate from a regularly licensed and practicing physician to the Superintendent-Director indicating the specific diagnosis of the medical condition which prevents the teacher from continuing her duties, and the date on which this illness or disability began, or will begin.

5.                  As in all cases of absences because of illness, the Superintendent-Director may require the teacher to produce a medical certificate of disability from a regularly licensed and practicing physician when circumstances warrant suspected abuse.

                       

As guidelines for illness or disability from pregnancy, the Superintendent-Director would    normally expect the teacher to leave her job because of illness due to pregnancy no sooner than one (1) week before the date of the delivery of her child and to be disabled not more than six (6) weeks after the birth of the child.  If the disability does not fall within these parameters, then the Superintendent-Director may require the physician’s disability certificate to be updated weekly, and/or examination and diagnosis by a second regularly licensed and practicing physician.

 

6.                  A teacher who becomes pregnant shall notify the Principal as soon as possible in order that appropriate replacement arrangements may be made.  The Principal or Superintendent-Director may require medical proof of fitness from the teacher in order to be sure she is physically able to teach.  When the teacher leaves her employment for reason of pregnancy or fails to produce the medical certificate, said teacher will be considered to be on leave of absence without pay.  In any event, the leave of absence shall not exceed one year.

 

7.                  Teachers desirous of returning after pregnancy shall give written notice to the School Committee before leaving and shall indicate, before leaving, the anticipated time of return.  A teacher may return from an unpaid maternity leave only on the following return to duty dates:

 

a.                   within eight week leave;

b.                  at the beginning of a school year

c.                   at the beginning of a marking period which is either the next or next subsequent marking period from the marking period in which she left;

d.                  at another time mutually agreed to, in writing, by the teacher taking leave and the Superintendent-Director.

 

If a teacher returns within the same school year, or at the beginning of the next school year, she shall be assigned to the same position, at the beginning of the next school year, she had at the time said leave commenced, provided the position has not been eliminated, or, if so, to a substantially equivalent position, if available.

                       

Appropriate medical evidence shall be required prior to return from pregnancy.  A teacher who does not return prior to April 1, or within sixty (60) days from termination of pregnancy, shall not be allowed to return until the beginning of the next school year.

 

8.                  If said teacher returns within one (1) year she shall be placed on the same step of the salary schedule she was on when she left, except if she left after ninety (90) elapsed school days in that year, she shall be placed on the next step of the salary schedule.  All accrued benefits at the time the teacher commenced her leave including unused accumulated sick leave, shall be restored to her.

 

B.           As a matter of clarification, if a teacher begins a leave without pay, maternity or otherwise, prior to the date of the teacher’s illness or disability, then the teacher would not be entitled to sick pay when she does, in fact, become ill or disabled during this leave without pay.  Also, leave without pay because of illness or accident, maternity or otherwise, will commence no later than the first day the teacher is unable to teach.

 

ARTICLE XV

LEAVES OF ABSENCE WITHOUT PAY

 

A.    A leave of absence without pay of up to two (2) years will be granted to any teacher with professional status who joins the Peace Corps, or serves as an exchange teacher, and is a full-time participant in any such program.  Upon return from such leave a teacher will be considered as if he were actively employed by the Committee during the leave and will be placed on the salary schedule at the level he would have achieved if he had not been absent.

 

B.     Military leave without pay will be granted for term of induction or original enlistment to any teacher inducted or enlists in any branch of the armed forces of the United States.  Upon return from such leave, a teacher will be placed on the salary schedule at the level which he would have achieved had he remained actively employed in the system during the period of his absence up to a maximum of four (4) years.  If such person voluntarily re-enlists or extends his tour of duty, such action shall be considered a resignation from his position.

 

C.     A leave of absence without pay or increment of up to one (1) year may be granted to a Professional Employee for the purpose of caring for a sick member of the teacher’s immediate family.  That is, spouse, child or parents/legal guardians.

 

D.    Other leaves of absence without pay or increment may be granted by the Superintendent-Director upon written request of the Professional Employee.

 

E.     All requests for leaves, extensions, or renewals of leaves will be made and responded to in writing.

 

F.      Teachers on leave of absence will give written notice to the Superintendent-Director by March 15^th of their intent to return the following September.  Otherwise, such lack of notice will be considered a resignation by the Committee.

 

G.    All benefits to which a teacher was entitled at the time the leave of absence commenced including unused accumulated sick leave will be restored to the employee upon return, and the employee, where feasible, will be assigned to the same or a similar position as was held at the time the leave  commenced.

ARTICLE XVI

PERSONNEL RECORDS

 

A.    Each Professional Employee shall have the right to review the contents of his/her personnel folders, cards, files, and records in accordance with Chapter 71, Section 42C, within twenty-four (24) hours of receipt of the written request by the office of the Superintendent-Director.  A teacher may have a representative of the Association accompany him/her during such a review.  These shall be only one official record, that maintained by the Committee or its designee.

 

B.     No non-evaluative material which is any way derogatory of any employee’s conduct, service, character or personality shall be placed in the employees’ personnel file before he/she has had the opportunity to review such material and reply thereto.  The employee shall have one work day to review such material and shall acknowledge that he/she has reviewed such material by affixing his/her signature to the copy to be filed with the express understanding that such signature in no way indicates agreement with the contents thereof.  The employee will also have the right to submit a written answer to such material, and the answer shall be reviewed by the Superintendent-Director and attached to the file copy.

 

C.     Any written complaints regarding an employee made to any member of the School Committee or Administration by a parent, student, or other person will be called to the attention of the employee before any action is taken.

 

ARTICLE XVII

TEACHER EVALUATION

 

A.    Evaluation and observation of personnel shall be the responsibility of the Administration and may be conducted by them at any time after the teacher has been informed of the general criteria at the beginning of the school year.  The creation and updating of the Evaluation Tool shall be done by a committee consisting of, but not limited to two (2) administrators and two (2) TCTA members.  These two (2) TCTA members will be appointed by the E-board.  Only one vote will be allowed from both the administration and the TCTA members of this sub-committee.

 

B.     The evaluation procedure shall include, but not be limited to, observation of classroom performance.  The professional staff shall be advised by the Administration of the general criteria used in evaluating professional competence.  Closed circuit TV and audio monitors shall not be used for observations.

 

C.     The teacher will acknowledge that he/she has had the opportunity to review his/her evaluation report by signing the copy to be filed with the understanding that such signature in no way indicates agreement with the contents thereof.  The teacher, upon request, may review such evaluation with the Superintendent-Director or his/her designee.  The teacher will also have the right to submit a written answer to such material and his/her answer will be attached to the file copy.

 

D.    Formal Evaluation.

 

1.            A teacher who has attained professional teacher status will be formally evaluated at least once every two years in his/her area of licensure by the appropriate supervisor.

                                                  

2.            A first year teacher’s classroom performance shall be formally observed at least once         during each of the first three (3) student marking periods in his/her area of licensure by the    appropriate supervisor.

 

3.            A second year teacher’s classroom performance shall be formally observed at least twice   prior to May 1.  Each of these will be at least sixty (60) calendar days apart.

 

4.            All other teachers who have not yet attained professional teacher status will have their      classroom performance formally observed at least once during the school year prior to

         May 1.

 

5.            All formal observations and evaluations shall be for at least 20 minutes in duration.            Whenever possible, the evaluator should stay for an entire lesson.

 

6.            Twenty-four hours notice shall be given of a formal observation.  For teachers who are in their first two years of employment, one formal evaluation may be conducted without said            notice during each of these two years.

 

7.            Formal classroom observation shall be:

 

a.       conducted openly and with the employee’s full knowledge that an observation is in progress.

b.      for different classes and subjects if this is possible or applicable.

c.       reduced to writing and presented to the teacher within five (5) school days of the observation

d.      followed by a conference with the observer within five (5) school days of the receipt of the report.

 

8.            In the process of conducting an evaluation it shall be incumbent upon an evaluator to        comment upon areas ranked as “Working Towards Standard, Does Not Meet Standard”    and to offer suggestions for the teacher to follow in order to show improvement.

  

E.     Informal Observations

 

From time to time, the administration may make informal observation of classroom and related performance.  Any negative observations so made will be reduced to writing and shall be brought to the attention of the employee within three (3) working days.  It shall then be incumbent upon the observer to meet with the employee and to offer specific suggestions for improvement within a period of five (5) school days.

 

The teacher will acknowledge that he/she has had the opportunity to review such observation reports by affixing his/her signature to the copy to be filed with the express understanding that such signature in no way indicates agreement with the contents thereof.  The teacher will also have the right to submit a written answer to such material and his/her answer shall be attached to the file copy.

 

 

ARTICLE XVIII

JUST CAUSE

 

No employee who has been teaching for more than ninety (90) school days will be disciplined, reprimanded, reduced in rank or compensation, or dismissed without just cause.  No employee shall be reprimanded in writing without just cause.

 

Nothing in this Agreement shall affect the decision of the Superintendent-Director/Principal to renew or not renew a contract of employment for teachers without professional teacher status or for other extra-paying positions.

 

Any teacher who has been suspended or dismissed and desires to pursue his rights must do so in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Educational Reform Act of 1993 and as amended during the term of this Agreement.

 

ARTICLE XIX

VACANCIES AND PROMOTIONS

 

A.     If a vacancy occurs due to a leave of absence or any time after the beginning of the school year, a permanent substitute may be hired to fill the vacant position.  The position shall be declared vacant for the following school year.  The provisions of this clause shall apply for filling the vacancy.

 

B.     Notice of all vacancies in any new or existing professional position in the school will be posted for at least ten (10) school days on a bulletin board in the school building and in all faculty lounges and electronically through district e-mail. 

 

C.     If vacancies occur during summer recess, notices will be sent to all employees who have notified the Superintendent-Director in writing at the close of each work year of their interest in vacancies in the school, provided the employee possesses certification and/or licensure for such position, and has left a self-addressed, stamped envelope for such purpose.

 

D.     Such notices shall include the job title, required licensure(s) and/or certification(s), preferred educational qualifications, salary range and the closing date for applications.  No member shall be required to obtain additional licensure or certification for the position for which he/she was hired in response to this posting unless Massachusetts General Laws require it to be so.  If such a change were to be mandated by the State, a reasonable time period would be allowed to accomplish licensure/certification and the existing course reimbursement offering would apply.

 

E.      In filling vacant bargaining unit positions, the Superintendent-Director will give primary consideration to the qualifications of all applicants.  When the only applicants are from within the school and the qualifications are substantially equal, the position will be filled on the basis of seniority within the school system.

 

When the applicants include personnel outside the system, and the qualifications of all applicants are substantially equal, experience in the bargaining unit will be given due weight.

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE XX

TRANSFERS

 

A.     The Superintendent-Director will transfer teachers between grades and subjects if certified and/or licensed or qualified only when the administration feels that a situation exists which necessitates the transfer.

 

B.     In case of involuntary transfer, the Department(s) involved shall be canvassed for a qualified volunteer before any directed transfer is made.

 

C.     An involuntary transfer will only be made after a meeting between the employee involved and the Superintendent-Director, at which time the employee will be notified of the reasons for the transfer.

 

D.     Where more than one member requests or volunteers for a transfer to an open position, seniority within the system will be given due weight as one of the elements governing such transfers.

 

ARTICLE XXI

SUMMER AND CONTINUING EDUCATION POSITIONS

 

A.     All openings for summer and Continuing Education positions will be adequately publicized by the Superintendent-Director in the school building as early as practical, and teachers who have applied for such positions will be notified of the action taken regarding their applications as early as practical.

 

B.     Appointments to the Summer School and Continuing Education as well as facilitator positions shall be on an annual basis and said appointments shall be within the sole and exclusive discretion of the Superintendent-Director.  Said positions are non-bargaining unit positions.

 

C.     Preference will be given to qualified bargaining unit members when filling positions in the summer and Continuing Education.  When two or more unit members are judged by the school administration substantially equal, preference will be given to the more senior applicant.

 

ARTICLE XXII

REDUCTION IN FORCE (LAYOFF)

 

The School Committee retains the right to determine the number of professional positions which are needed in the school system.  In the event that financial limitations, pupil enrollments, curriculum changes, or similar considerations cause the Committee to eliminate any positions covered by this Agreement, the following layoff procedure shall apply:

 

SECTION 1.   The Administration shall make every effort to accomplish said reductions by attrition.

`                      

SECTION 2.   A teacher with professional teacher status shall not be laid off if there is a teacher without professional teacher status whose position the teacher with professional teacher status is qualified to fill.

 

SECTION 3.   In case of a layoff within specific areas of certification/licensure the least senior certified/licensed teachers shall be laid off first, except that the Superintendent-Director may retain a less senior teacher where such teacher is demonstrably superior in performance and/or qualifications, or when the demonstrated needs of the system so require.  When performance, qualifications, and the demonstrated needs of the system are substantially equal with respect to more than one teacher, the least senior teacher shall be laid off first.  An arbitrator shall allow for reasonable judgments by the Superintendent-Director under this section.

 

SECTION 4.   Teachers who receive a new assignment as a result of a layoff may be required at their own expense to take three credits of course work to update skills where such action is deemed appropriate by the Superintendent-Director.  Notification will be made by the Superintendent-Director by December 15^th and the course will be completed by the following September 1^st.

 

SECTION 5.   “Licensure” shall mean that the employee has on file with the Office of the Superintendent-Director evidence that he/she possesses licensure from the State Department of Education.  Such evidence must be on file by April 1^st of each year.

 

“SENIORITY” shall mean the Professional Employee’s length of continuous service in years, months, and days in the Tri-County Regional Vocational Technical School District (date of assumption of duties).  In cases of identical date of entry into the bargaining unit, seniority shall be determined by the drawing of lots by such employees or their designees.  Employees shall be credited for seniority purposes up to a maximum of one (1) year for time spend on any leave of absence provided in this Agreement.  Any time spent beyond one (1) year on leave(s) of absences by any employee shall be construed to be non-active service and will not be included in determining the total length of service.  However, such leaves shall not be construed to break active service; and seniority will mean the total number of years, months, and days preceding the leave, added to the total number of years, months, and days after resuming active duty after such leave(s) of absence.

 

SECTION 6.   Employees to be laid off shall be notified in writing by June 1^st of the school year preceding the school year in which the layoff will take effect.

 

SECTION 7.   Employees who have been laid off shall be entitled to recall rights for a period of two (2) years from the effective date of their respective layoffs.  During the recall period, employees shall have preference for any vacancy or new position for which they are qualified in the inverse order of their lay-off subject to the same criteria as set forth in Section 3 herein of lay-off.

 

SECTION 8.   Employees laid off under this paragraph shall be given priority on the substitute list during said recall period if they so indicate, in writing, to the Superintendent-Director.

 

SECTION 9.   Employees laid off under this paragraph may continue group health and life insurance coverage during said recall period at their own expense.  Failure to timely forward full premium payments to the Business Manager shall terminate this option.

 

SECTION 10. Employees on recall shall be notified by the Superintendent-Director by certified mail of any open positions within their area of licensure in the school.  Failure to apply for an open, full-time, permanent position within his/her area of licensure(s) within fifteen (15) workdays following such notification by the Superintendent-Director shall terminate all rights under this Article.

 

 

SECTION 11. All benefits, including salary and tenure, to which an employee was entitled at the time of layoff shall be restored in full upon re-employment within the recall period.

 

SECTION 12. A list specifying the seniority of each member of the bargaining unit shall be prepared by the Administration and forwarded to the President of the Association as soon as possible but in no case later than thirty (30) days following execution of this Agreement.  An updated list will be supplied by October 25^th each year thereafter.  If no challenge to the list is made by the Association within thirty (30) days of receipt of the list, the list stands as written.

 

ARTICLE XXIII

AGENCY FEE

 

The Committee agrees to require as a condition of employment that all non-members pay an agency service fee in accordance with Mass. G.L. c.150E, s.12, provided that the Committee is indemnified and held harmless in any legal action filed as a result of this article and provided further that any legal fees incurred by the Committee as a result of this article are paid in full by the Association.

 

ARTICLE XXIV

LONGEVITY

 

Commencing with the seventeenth (17) year, bargaining unit members in the system will receive an annual longevity stipend in the sum of $500 payable on or before December 1.

 

Commencing with the twentieth (20) year, bargaining unit members will receive an annual longevity stipend in the sum payable on or before December 1^st of $1,000.

 

Commencing with the twenty-fifth year (25), bargaining unit members will receive an annual longevity stipend in the sum payable on or before December 1^st of $2,000.

 

Any bargaining unit member receiving longevity under the previous Agreement will continue to receive longevity at the $500 rate.  Upon completion of the seventeenth year, such members will begin receiving under the current agreement.

   

For purposes of this article only, in computing years of service, a bargaining unit member must have commenced employment on or before December 1 of his/her first year in order to get longevity credit for that year; otherwise, that first year will not count as credit toward longevity.

 

ARTICLE XXV

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT REIMBURSEMENT

 

Teachers who have obtained prior approval in writing from the Superintendent-Director will be eligible to receive up to $1,400 (FY '11), $1,400 (FY '12), and $1,400 (FY '13) per year for coursework in a degree-granting program or in courses/seminars in the area of their trade or discipline.  Reimbursement will also be provided for professional license renewal and recertification and/or relicensure fees in the teacher’s area of primary licensure.                                     

 

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE XXVI

OUTSIDE PROJECT STIPEND

 

Outside Project teachers shall receive a yearly stipend of Three Hundred dollars ($300) for major construction or renovation projects conducted in the district.  To receive the stipend a teacher must be on site for at least twenty (20) days.

 

ARTICLE XXVII

THIRD PARTY CREDENTIALS

 

Teachers who work on state designated third party credentials will be paid the Continuing Education hourly pay rate then in effect for any work done outside the normal teaching day.  The schedule and conditions of such will be mutually agreed upon by the teacher and the immediate supervisor or the principal.  Such positions shall be posted in accordance with the agreement.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE XXVIII

DURATION

 

This Agreement shall be in effect from September 1, 2010, to and including August 31, 2013.  Either party by November 15^th prior to the expiration of the contract year involved may give the other party written notice of its desire to modify or terminate the Agreement.  If the aforementioned notice is not given, the Agreement shall automatically renew itself to a successive term of one year.

 

IN WITNESS THEREOF, The Committee has caused this Agreement to be signed in its name and behalf by its Chairman, hereto duly authorized, and the Association has caused this Agreement to be signed in its name and behalf by its President, hereto duly authorized, on the day and year first above written.

 

 

 

 

 

TRI-COUNTY REGIONAL VOCATIONAL                     TRI-COUNTY TEACHERS ASSOCIATION

TECHNICAL SCHOOL DISTRICT COMMITTEE

 

 

 

By:  ________________________________________         By: ____________________________­­­­­__­___

        Chairman                                                                                 President

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

APPENDIX A

PART I

 

A.     To be placed on Column I, a professional employee shall have attained a Bachelors Degree from an accredited college or university or a preliminary vocational technical license from the Department of Education Career and Vocational Technical Division.  To move beyond Column I, an academic

         teacher must hold any level of licensure in his/her subject area.

 

B.     1.    A professional employee to be placed on Column II must attain fifteen (15) credits beyond a            

                Bachelors Degree from an accredited college or university.  These credits may be graduate

                or in-service credits.

         2.    A non-degree professional employee to be placed on Column II must attain a professional   

                vocational technical teacher license.

         3.    Any teacher with an Associate's Degree teaching in a full Chapter 74 approved program will

                be hired on Column 2 of the salary schedule.  Upon acquisition of professional licensure, the

                employee will advance to Column 3 of the salary schedule.

         4.    Any teacher with a Bachelor's Degree teaching in a full Chapter 74 approved program will

                be hired on Column 2 of the salary schedule.  Upon acquisition of professional licensure, the

                employee will advance to Column 5 of the salary schedule.

 

C.     1.    A professional employee to be placed on Column III must attain a Masters Degree from an

                accredited college or university.

         2.    A non-degree professional employee with a vocational technical license to be placed on

 Column III must attain twenty-seven (27) credit hours in college-level courses beyond the

 professional vocational technical teacher license.  These credits may be undergraduate or in-

 service credits.

 

D.     1.   A professional employee to be placed on Column IV must attain fifteen (15) credit hours in

               2000-01 from an accredited college or university earned after the attainment of a Masters

               Degree.  These credits may be graduate or in-service credits

         2.   A non-degree professional employee with a professional vocational technical teacher license

to be placed on Column IV must attain fifty-four (54) credit hours in college-level courses

beyond the vocational license.  These credits may be undergraduate or in-service credits.

 

E.      1.   A professional employee to be placed on Column V must attain thirty (30) credit hours in

               2000-01 from an accredited college or university earned after the attainment of a Masters

               Degree.  These credits may be graduate or in-service credits.

         2.   A non-degree professional employee with a professional vocational technical teacher license

to be place on Column V must attain a Bachelors Degree.

 

F.      All courses must meet with prior approval of the Superintendent-Director to insure credit.  Courses within a Bachelors, Masters, CAGS, or Doctoral program, either in education or in a subject matter related to a teacher’s field of employment, shall be deemed sufficient for credit towards salary advancement.  The Superintendent-Director may approve special programs.

 

G.     FY'11, the nurses' top step shall be Step 10; FY'12, the nurses' top step shall be Step 11; FY'13,

         the nurses' top step shall be Step 12.

APPENDIX A (1)
SALARY SCHEDULE
2010 - 2011
	B	B+15	M	M+15	M+30
STEP	PreL*	ProL	ProL+27	ProL+54	ProL+B
1	40,130	41,997	43,720	46,479	47,558
2	42,686	44,572	46,228	49,257	50,338
3	45,674	47,588	49,332	52,494	53,576
4	47,832	49,755	51,603	54,880	55,968
5	50,000	51,927	53,900	57,294	58,389
6	52,183	54,110	56,200	59,728	60,831
7	54,361	56,289	58,519	62,182	63,286
8	56,633	58,558	60,930	64,740	65,848
9	59,065	60,985	63,519	67,474	68,589
10	61,505	63,426	66,121	70,234	71,361
11	63,955	65,858	68,734	73,018	74,133
12	66,421	68,309	71,362	75,833	76,955
13	68,415	70,357	73,502	78,108	79,264
14	70,467	72,468	75,707	80,451	81,642
PreL: Preliminary License
ProL: Professional License = 39 credits
* Grandfather existing employees at their current column
APPENDIX A (2)
SALARY SCHEDULE
2011-2012*
*To Be Negotiated on or around January 2, 2011
APPENDIX A (3)
SALARY SCHEDULE
2012-2013*
*To Be Negotiated on or around January 2, 2012

 

 

COACHING SALARIES
			2010-2011			2011-2012*		2012-2013**
FOOTBALL
Varsity Head			6,506
Varsity Assistant			4,589
Freshman			4,507
Freshman Assistant			3,896
SOCCER
Varsity			4,426
Junior Varsity			2,896
CROSS COUNTRY
Varsity			3,537
BASKETBALL
Varsity			5,734
Junior Varsity			4,159
Freshman			3,426
WRESTLING
Varsity			5,007
Junior Varsity			4,162
SPRING TRACK
Varsity			4,321
Assistant Varsity (2)			3,001
BASEBALL
Varsity			5,007
Junior Varsity			3,460
SOFTBALL
Varsity			5,007
Junior Varsity			3,460
COACHING SALARIES (continued)
				2010-2011	2011-2012*		2012-2013**
CHEERLEADING
Fall Season				4,426
Winter Season				4,426
JV Cheerleading				2,896
LACROSSE
Varsity				5,007
Junior Varsity				3,460
ATHLETIC TRAINER				12,604
Floor Hockey				811
Weight Lifting				811
Golf				811
Head Ice Hockey				6,506
JV Ice Hockey				4,589
Head Golf				3,537
VOLLEYBALL
Varsity Volleyball				4,426
JV Volleyball				2,896
Club-Any Athletic Activity
Played at Club Level				1,460

 

* To Be Negotiated on or around January 2, 2011

**To Be Negotiated on or around January 2, 2012

ADVISOR SALARIES
		2010-2011	2011-2012*	2012-1013**
ACADEMIC FACILITATORS		1,280
AM. TECH. HONOR SOCIETY		704
ASSISTANT AUCTION ADVISOR		2,066
AUCTION ADVISOR		3,055
PAWS COORD		704
CHESS CLUB		704
CHORUS		1,033
DIVERSITY COORD		704
DRAMA CLUB		2,408
DRAMA CLUB ASSISTANT		551
GAME CLUB		704
GRADE 10		865
GRADE 11		1,163
GRADE 12		1,311
GRADE 9		657
HSTW TEAM LEADER		1,377
MATH TEAM		2,066
MUSIC CLUB ADVISOR		704
NAT. HONOR SOCIETY		1,038
NON-TRADITIONAL GROUP		704
ROBOTICS		3,198
SADD		633
SKI CLUB		704
SKILLS USA (3)		3,198
SPANISH CLUB		657
SR. PROJECT COORD		1,064
STUDENT COUNCIL (2)		1,038
TC DETAILS		965
TEACHER MENTORS		1,308
TRI-TIMES		965
VOCATIONAL BUDGET   LIAISONS		500
YEARBOOK***		3,055
YEARBOOK ASSISTANT		2,066

* To Be Negotiated on or around January 2, 2011    **To Be Negotiated on or around January 2, 2012

***The Yearbook Advisor will be consulted and advised of specs prior to signing a new contract.

APPENDIX B

 

 

Appendix B, Definitions

 

 

1. Teaching Periods – Those periods in which the teacher, academic or vocational, is actively involved with students in regularly scheduled instruction or supervision (not to include substitute teaching) or pupil activities in accordance with the teacher’s daily instructional plan.

 

2. Preparation Periods – Those periods equal in length to a single teaching period, during which the teacher is not assigned to a regular programmed responsibility, but is engaged in work relating to his/her teaching assignment.  (i.e. Planning instruction, grading papers, etc.)

 

3. Administrative Periods – Those periods equal in length to a single teaching period, during which the teacher is scheduled for a regular activity other than teaching.

 

4. Course Preparation – A different subject or the same subject with a different course number.

 

5. Working Periods – Those periods used for the purpose of curriculum development, curriculum integration, common planning time for team teachers, or mentoring, which administrators or facilitators may initiate.  They are exclusive of preparation periods, administrative periods, and duty assignments.

APPENDIX C

 

Post Secondary Day Teachers Agreement

between the

Tri-County Regional Vocational Technical School Committee

and the

Tri-County Regional Vocational Technical Teachers

 Association

 

 

 

Post Secondary Day Teachers shall be subject to the Agreement between the Tri-County Regional Vocational Technical School Committee and the Tri-County Teachers’ Association as modified under the following sections.

 

Article VII – Workday, Workyear, and Workload

 

            Paragraph B:   The school day shall consist of approximately seven hours.  When

            appropriate it may be necessary to shift the schedule to evenings.  This shall be         

            done with the knowledge of the Director of Continuing Education and the school

            day shall consist of seven hours.  Post Secondary Day Teachers shall be available

            for assignments/extra help after school once per week. 

 

            Post Secondary Day Teachers do not work on any day that Tri-County Regional 

Vocational Technical High School is not in session except that flexibility is provided for the purpose of scheduling clinical make-up days on weekends and/or evenings.

 

            Paragraph D:  Post Secondary Day Teachers will be exempt from duties.

 

Paragraph G:  Post Secondary Day Teachers will be assigned (1) preparation period per day or an equivalent basis to be utilized over the school year.

 

Paragraph J:  Post Secondary Day Teachers shall attend the faculty meetings on the first day of the school year, as well as any other meetings deemed appropriate by the Director of Continuing Education.  Example of such meeting would include those dealing with school safety and policy issues.

 

Paragraph K:  Post Secondary Day Teachers shall be expected to attend four evening meetings per year and other evening meetings as may be required by their program’s licensing agency.  Post Secondary Day Teachers shall be expected to conduct at least two Advisory Committee meetings per year, one open house and one other evening as deemed appropriate by the Director of Continuing Education.

           

Post Secondary Advisory Committees shall meet a minimum of two times during the year.  They shall keep formal minutes of said meetings which must be submitted to the Director of Continuing Education.  These Advisory Committee meetings may or may not coincide with the secondary Advisory Committee meetings.

 

Paragraph L:  On half day professional development days, post secondary instructors should attend, unless it interferes with another post-secondary professional development and/or the completion of their program.

 

Paragraph S: For short term absences, Post Secondary Day teachers will cover for one another within their specific program.  No substitute is called.  For long term absence, a substitute teacher may be called for coverage.

 

Article XVII – Teacher Evaluations

 

            Paragraph D:  Formal Evaluations

Formal teacher evaluations shall be performed by the Director of Continuing Education as required by the Agreement.  When Clinical evaluations are required, they shall be conducted in accordance with the Agreement and the regulations of the program’s licensing agency.

APPENDIX D

 

ACADEMIC FACILITATORS AND VOCATIONAL BUDGET LIAISONS

 

Academic Facilitators:

 

            1 – English/Spanish

            1 – Math

            1 – Science/Physical Education

            1 – Social Studies/Business

            1 – Special Education

 

Vocational Budget Liaisons:

 

            1 – Carpentry

            1 – Electrical

            1 – HVAC

            1 – Plumbing

            1 – Dental Assisting

            1 – Early Childhood Careers

            1 – Culinary Arts

            1 – Cosmetology

            1 – Medical Careers

            1 – Electronics (FY'11 only)

            1 – Computer Information Systems

            1 – Graphic Design

            1 – Auto Tech

            1 – Auto Body

            1 – Facilities Management

            1 – Engineering Technology

            1 – Construction Craft Laborers

            1 – Post-Secondary Cosmetology

            1 – Metal Fabrication and Joining Technologies

 

Qualifications:

 

1.      Candidate must be fully licensed in the area or one of the area for which he/she will serve as Facilitator or Budget Liaison.

2.      Candidate must have five years experience, three in the system as a teacher in the area or one of the areas for which he/she will serve as Facilitator or Budget Liaison.

3.      Candidate must have demonstrated ability to work cooperatively and effectively with others.

 

Reports to: Respective administrative supervisor

 

Performance Responsibilities:

 

1.      To compile departmental budget and submit to the Administrative Supervisor

2.      To assist in ordering and receiving materials and supplies and to monitor inventory for the department(s).

3.      To serve as liaison between Administrative Supervisor and the department(s).

4.      Facilitators and Budget Coordinators will assist the Administrative Supervisor in preparation of local, state and federal reports

 

Terms of Employment:

 

            Annual.  Academic Facilitators and Vocational Budget Liaisons will serve in their positions from July 1 to June 30 and will be appointed and assigned annually by the Principal.  Academic Facilitators will be compensated at the following rate: The base compensation will be in accordance with the salary schedule plus $100 per teacher over four, excluding self.  Academic Facilitators will be responsible for working a full contractual year plus additional days not to exceed two.  Vocational Budget Liaisons will be compensated at the following rate: The base compensation will be $500.  Vocational Budget Liaisons will be responsible for working a full contractual year plus additional days not to exceed one.