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TABLE OF CONTENTS
SECTION 3—CERTIFIED PERSONNEL
3.1—CERTIFIED PERSONNEL SALARY SCHEDULE___________________________________________ 1
3.2—CERTIFIED
PERSONNEL EVALUATIONS________________________________________________3
3.3—EVALUATION OF CERTIFIED PERSONNEL BY RELATIVES_______________________________
4
3.4—CERTIFIED
PERSONNEL REDUCTION IN FORCE_________________________________________5
3.5—CERTIFIED
PERSONNEL CONTRACT — RETURN________________________________________9
3.6—CERTIFIED
PERSONNEL EMPLOYEE TRAINING_________________________________________
10
3.7—CERTIFIED
PERSONNEL DRUG TESTING_______________________________________________
14
3.8—CERTIFIED
PERSONNEL SICK LEAVE__________________________________________________
18
3.9—CERTIFIED
PERSONNEL SICK LEAVE BANK____________________________________________
21
3.10—CERTIFIED
PERSONNEL PLANNING TIME_____________________________________________
23
3.11—CERTIFIED
PERSONNEL PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL LEAVE______________________
24
3.12—CERTIFIED
PERSONNEL RESPONSIBILITIES IN DEALING WITH SEX OFFENDERS ON CAMPUS26
3.13—CERTIFIED
PERSONNEL PUBLIC OFFICE______________________________________________
27
3.14—CERTIFIED
PERSONNEL JURY DUTY__________________________________________________
28
3.15—CERTIFIED
PERSONNEL LEAVE — INJURY FROM ASSAULT____________________________
29
3.16—CERTIFIED
PERSONNEL REIMBURSEMENT FOR PURCHASE OF SUPPLIES______________
30
3.17—INSULT OR ABUSE OF CERTIFIED PERSONNEL________________________________________
31
3.18—CERTIFIED PERSONNEL OUTSIDE EMPLOYMENT______________________________________ 32
3.20—CERTIFIED
PERSONNEL REIMBURSEMENT OF TRAVEL EXPENSES____________________
34
3.21—CERTIFIED
PERSONNEL TOBACCO USE
_______________________________________________
35
3.22—DRESS OF
CERTIFIED EMPLOYEES____________________________________________________
36
3.23—CERTIFIED
PERSONNEL POLITICAL ACTIVITY________________________________________
37
3.24—CERTIFIED
PERSONNEL DEBTS_______________________________________________________
38
3.25—CERTIFIED
PERSONNEL GRIEVANCES________________________________________________
39
3.25F—CERTIFIED
PERSONNEL LEVEL TWO GRIEVANCE FORM_____________________________
42
3.26—CERTIFIED
PERSONNEL SEXUAL HARASSMENT______________________________________
43
3.27—CERTIFIED
PERSONNEL SUPERVISION OF STUDENTS__________________________________
45
3.28—CERTIFIED
PERSONNEL COMPUTER USE POLICY______________________________________
46
3.28F—CERTIFIED
PERSONNEL EMPLOYEE INTERNET USE AGREEMENT_____________________
47
3.29—CERTIFIED
PERSONNEL SCHOOL CALENDAR_________________________________________
49
3.30—PARENT-TEACHER
COMMUNICATION________________________________________________50
3.31—DRUG FREE
WORKPLACE - CERTIFIED PERSONNEL___________________________________
51
3.31F—DRUG FREE
WORKPLACE POLICY ACKNOWLEDGEMENT____________________________
54
3.32—CERTIFIED
PERSONNEL FAMILY MEDICAL LEAVE
___________________________________ 55
3.33—ASSIGNMENT OF
EXTRA DUTIES FOR CERTIFIED PERSONNEL_________________________
66
3.34—CERTIFIED
PERSONNEL CELL PHONE USE____________________________________________
67
3.35—CERTIFIED
PERSONNEL BENEFITS____________________________________________________68
3.36—CERTIFIED
PERSONNEL DISMISSAL AND NON-RENEWAL_____________________________
69
3.37—ASSIGNMENT OF
TEACHER AIDES____________________________________________________70
3.38—CERTIFIED PERSONNEL RESPONSIBILITIES GOVERNING BULLYING__________________ 71
3.40—CERTIFIED
PERSONNEL DUTY TO REPORT CHILD ABUSE, MALTREATMENT OR NEGLECT
75
3.41—CERTIFIED
PERSONNEL VIDEO SURVEILLANCE AND OTHER MONITORING____________
76
3.42—RELEASE OF
STUDENT’S FREE AND REDUCED PRICE MEAL ELIGIBLITY INFORMATION
77
3.43—DUTY OF LICENSED
EMPLOYEES TO MAINTAIN LICENSE IN GOOD STANDING_________
79
3.44—CERTIFIED
PERSONNEL WORKPLACE INJURIES AND WORKERS’ COMPENSATION_____
80
3.45—CERTIFIED
PERSONNEL SOCIAL NETWORKING AND ETHICS__________________________
81
3.46— CERTIFIED
PERSONNEL VacationS_________________________________________________
84
3.47—Depositing collected funds_____________________________________________________ 85
CERTIFIED PERSONNEL
3.1—CERTIFIED PERSONNEL SALARY SCHEDULE
For the purposes of the salary schedule, a teacher will have worked a “year” if he/she works at least 120 days.
A teacher is eligible for placement on the master’s degree salary schedule when he/she has a master’s degree in an area that is considered relevant to the employee’s position. For the purposes of this policy, a master’s degree or higher is considered “relevant to the employee’s position” if it is related to education, guidance counseling, or the teacher’s content area and has been awarded for successful completion of a program at the master’s level or higher.
Teachers who have earned a master’s degree in an area that is considered relevant to the employee’s position as defined in this policy are responsible for reporting and supplying a transcript to the Superintendent’s office. The appropriate salary increase will be reflected in the next paycheck provided it is at least two weeks from the time the notice and documentation is delivered All salary changes will be on a “go forward” basis, and no back pay will be awarded.
Teachers who have earned sufficient college hours toward a degree relevant to the teacher’s employment to warrant a salary change on the district’s salary schedule are responsible for reporting and supplying a transcript to the Superintendent’s office. The appropriate salary increase will be reflected in the next paycheck provided it is at least two weeks from the time the notice and documentation is delivered. All salary changes will be on a “go forward” basis, and no back pay will be awarded.
Alternative
Licensure Program, no prior teaching license
Each employee newly hired by the district to teach under the alternative licensure program (ALP) shall initially be placed on the salary schedule in the category of a bachelor’s degree with no experience, unless the ALP employee has previous teaching experience which requires a different placement on the schedule. Upon receiving his/her teaching license, the employee shall be moved to the position on the salary schedule that corresponds to the level of education degree earned by the employee. Employee’s degrees which are not relevant to the ALP’s position shall not apply when determining his/her placement on the salary schedule. An alternative licensed teacher shall be eligible for step increases with each successive year of employment, just as would a teacher possessing a traditional teaching license.
Licensed
employee, seeking additional area or areas of licensure
Licensed employees who are working on an ALP to gain licensure in an additional area are entitled to placement on the salary schedule commensurate with their current license, level of education degree and years of experience. Degrees which are not relevant to the employee’s position shall not apply when determining his/her placement on the salary schedule.
Step BSE MSE
1 29,244.00 33,630.00
2 29,694.00 34,130.00
3 30,144.00 34,630.00
4 30,594.00 35,130.00
5 31,044.00 35,630.00
6 31,494.00 36,130.00
7 31,944.00 36,630.00
8 32,394.00 37,130.00
9 32,844.00 37,630.00
10 33,294.00 38,130.00
11 33,744.00 38,630.00
12 34,194.00 39,130.00
13 34,644.00 39,630.00
14 35,094.00 40,130.00
15 35,544.00 40,630.00
16 35,994.00 41,130.00
17 36,444.00 41,630.00
18
36,894.00
42,130.00
Legal References: A.C.A. § 6-17-201, 202, 2402, 2403
A.C.A. § 6-18-708
A.C.A. § 6-20-2305(f)(4)
Date Adopted: 5/23/02
Last Revised:
5/20/11
Evaluations of certified personnel shall be undertaken at least annually
Evaluations shall be based on a combination of scheduled
and informal observations. Additional and more frequent informal observations
will be done should it be determined by the administration that the observations
would be helpful in addressing performance problems.
.
Legal Reference: A.C.A. § 6-17-1504
Date Adopted: 5/23/02
Last Revised:
6/20/07
No person shall be employed in, or assigned to, a position which would require that he be evaluated by any relative, by blood or marriage, including spouse, parent, child, grandparent, grandchild, sibling, aunt, uncle, niece, nephew, or first cousin.
Date Adopted: 5/23/02
Last Revised:
6/20/07
SECTION ONE
The School Board acknowledges its authority to conduct a
reduction in force (
In effecting a reduction in force, the primary goals of the
school district shall be: what is in the best interests of the students; to
maintain accreditation in compliance with the Standards of Accreditation for
If a reduction in force becomes necessary in a licensure area and/or specific grade level(s), the teacher’s length of service in the district shall be the initial determining factor. The teacher with the most years of employment as a licensed teacher in the district as compared to other teachers in the same licensure area and/or specific grade level(s) shall prevail. Length of service in a non-certified position shall not count for the purpose of length of service for a licensed position. Total years of service to the district shall include non-continuous years of service. Working fewer than 120 days in a school year shall not constitute a year.
In the event that two employees subject to a
Points
All certified position years in the district count including non-continuous years.
Service in any position not requiring teacher licensure does not count toward years of service. Working fewer than 120 days in a school year shall not constitute a year.
1 point—Master’s degree
2 points—Master’s degree plus thirty additional hours
3 points—Educational specialist degree
4 points—Doctoral degree
All points awarded must be verified by documents on file with the District by October 1 of the current school year. Each teacher’s points shall be totaled with teachers ranked by the total points from highest to lowest. All teachers shall receive a listing of licensed personnel with corresponding point totals. Upon receipt of the list, each teacher has ten (10) working days within which to appeal his or her assignment of points with the superintendent whose decision shall be final.
A teacher with full licensure in a position shall prevail
over a teacher with greater points but who is lacking full licensure in that
subject area. “Full licensure” means a permanent, non-contingent license to
teach in a subject area or grade level, in contrast with a license that is
provisional, temporary, or conditional on the fulfillment of additional course
work or passing exams or any other requirement of the Arkansas Department of
Education, other than the attainment of professional development training.
Pursuant to any reduction in force brought about by consolidation or annexation and as a part of it, the salaries of all teachers will be brought into compliance, by a partial RIF if necessary, with the receiving district’s salary schedule. Further adjustments will be made if length of contract or job assignments change.3 A Partial RIF may also be conducted in conjunction with any job reassignment whether or not it is conducted in relation to an annexation or consolidation.
Recall:
There shall be no right of recall for any teacher.
SECTION TWO
In the event the district is involved in an annexation or consolidation, teachers from all the districts involved will be ranked according to years of service, licensure, degrees, and training. A year of teaching at an annexed or consolidated district will be counted the same as a year at the receiving or resulting district. No credit for years of service will be given at other public or private schools, or for higher education or Educational Service Cooperative employment.
Legal Reference: A.C.A. § 6-17-2407
Date Adopted: 5/23/02
Last Revised: 5/20/11
3.5—CERTIFIED
PERSONNEL CONTRACT — RETURN
An employee shall have thirty (30) days from the date of the receipt of his contract for the following school year in which to return the contract, signed, to the office of the Superintendent. The date of receipt of the contract shall be presumed to be the date of a cover memo which will be attached to the contract.
Failure of an employee to return the signed contract to the
office of the Superintendent within thirty (30) days of the receipt of the
contract shall operate as a resignation by the employee. No further action on
the part of the employee, the Superintendent, or the School Board shall be
required in order to make the employee’s resignation final.
Legal Reference: A.C.A. § 6-17-1506(c)(1)
Date Adopted: 5/23/02
Last Revised: 5/20/11
3.6—CERTIFIED PERSONNEL EMPLOYEE TRAINING
All employees shall attend all local professional development training sessions as directed by a supervisor.
The District shall develop and implement a plan for the professional development of its certified employees. The district’s plan shall, in part, align district resources to address the professional development activities identified in each school’s ACSIP. The plan shall describe how the district’s categorical funds will be used to address deficiencies in student performance and any identified academic achievement gaps between groups of students. At the end of each school year, the district shall evaluate the professional development activities’ effectiveness in improving student performance and closing achievement gaps.
Each certified employee shall receive a minimum of sixty (60) hours of professional development annually to be fulfilled between June 1 and May 31. Professional development hours earned in excess of sixty (60) in the designated year cannot be carried over to the next year. Certified employees who are prevented from obtaining the required professional development hours due to their illness or the illness of an immediate family member as defined in A.C.A. § 6-17-1202 have until the end of the following school year to make up the deficient hours. Missed hours of professional development shall be made up with professional development that is substantially similar to that which was missed. This time extension does not absolve the employee from also obtaining the following year’s required 60 hours of professional development.
The goal of all professional development activities shall
be improved student achievement and academic performance that results in
individual, school-wide, and system-wide improvement designed to ensure that all
students demonstrate proficiency on the state criterion-referenced assessments.
The district’s professional development plan shall demonstrate scientifically
research-based best practice, and shall be based on student achievement data and
in alignment with applicable ADE Rules and/or
Teachers and administrators shall be involved in the design, implementation, and evaluation of the plan for their own professional development. The results of the evaluation made by the participants in each program shall be used to continuously improve the district’s professional development offerings and to revise the school improvement plan.
Flexible professional development hours (flex hours) are those hours which an employee is allowed to substitute professional development activities, different than those offered by the district, but which still meet criteria of either the employee’s Individual Improvement Plan or the school’s ACSIP, or both. The district shall determine on an annual basis how many, if any, flex hours of professional development it will allow to be substituted for district scheduled professional development offerings. The determination may be made at an individual building, a grade, or by subject basis. The district administration and the building principal have the authority to require attendance at specific professional development activities. Employees must receive advance approval from the building principal for activities they wish to have qualify for flex professional development hours. To the fullest extent possible, professional development activities are to be scheduled and attended such that teachers do not miss their regular teaching assignments. Six (6) approved flex hours credited toward fulfilling the sixty (60) hour requirement shall equal one contract day. Hours of professional development earned by an employee that is not at the request of the district and is in excess of sixty (60) or not pre-approved by the building principal shall not be credited toward fulfilling the required number of contract days for that
employee. Hours earned that count toward the required sixty (60) also count toward the required number of contract days for that employee. Employees shall be paid their daily rate of pay for professional development
hours earned at the request of the district that necessitate the employee work more than the number of days required by their contract.
Teachers and administrators who, for any reason, miss part
or all of any scheduled professional development activity they were required to
attend, must make up the required hours in comparable activities which are to be
pre-approved by the building principal.
To receive credit for his/her professional development activity each employee is responsible for obtaining and submitting documents of attendance, or completion for each professional development activity he/she attends. Documentation is to be submitted to the building principal or designee.
Teachers and administrators are required to obtain sixty (60) hours of approved professional development annually over a five-year period as part of licensure renewal requirements. At least six (6) of the sixty (60) annual hours shall be in the area of educational technology.
Teachers are required to receive at least two hours annually of their sixty (60) required hours of professional development designed to enhance their understanding of effective parental involvement strategies.
Teachers who provide instruction in
Personnel who are likely to use automated external defibrillators shall receive the training required by Rule. Such training shall count toward the required annual hours of professional development.
At least once every three (3) years, persons employed as athletics coaches, shall receive training related to concussions, dehydration, or other health emergencies as well as students’ health and safety issues related to environmental issues and communicable diseases.
All licensed personnel shall receive training related to child maltreatment within twelve (12) months of their initial licensure and/or the renewal of their license. The training curriculum shall be approved by the Arkansas Child Abuse/Rape/Domestic Violence Commission and may be substituted for the required hours of parental involvement on an hour-for-hour basis. For the purposes of this training, licensed personnel includes school social workers, psychologists, and nurses.
All licensed personnel shall receive training related to compliance with the district’s antibullying policies.
Administrators are required to receive at least three hours annually of their sixty (60) required hours of professional development designed to enhance their understanding of effective parental involvement strategies and the importance of administrative leadership in setting expectations and creating a climate conducive to parental participation. Each administrator’s professional development is required to also include training in data disaggregation, instructional leadership and fiscal management.
Teachers required by the superintendent, building principal, or their designee to take approved training related to teaching an advance placement class for a subject covered by the College Board and Educational Testing Service shall receive up to thirty (30) hours of credit toward the sixty (60) hours of professional development required annually.
Certified personnel may earn up to twelve (12) hours of professional development for time they are required to spend in their instructional classroom, office or media center prior to the first day of student/teacher interaction provided the time is spent in accordance with the state law and current ADE rules that deal with professional development. The hours may be earned through online professional development approved by the ADE provided the professional development relates to the district’s ASCIP and the teacher’s professional growth plan.
Teachers are eligible to receive fifteen (15) professional development hours for a college course that meets the criteria identified in law and the applicable ADE rules. The board shall determine if the hours earned apply toward the required sixty (60). A maximum of thirty (30) such hours may be applied toward the sixty (60) hours of professional development required annually.
Employees who do not receive or furnish documentation of the required annual professional development jeopardize the accreditation of their school and academic achievement of their students. Failure of an employee
to receive sixty (60) hours of professional development in any given year, unless due to illness as permitted by law, shall be grounds for disciplinary action up to and including termination.
Approved professional development activities may include conferences, workshops, institutes, individual learning, mentoring, peer coaching, study groups, National Board for Professional Teaching Standards Certification, distance learning, internships, district/school programs, and approved college/university course work. Professional development activities should be consistent with the objectives developed by the National Staff Development Council Standards.
Cross-Reference: Policy 5.4—STAFF DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM
Legal References: Arkansas State Board of Education: Standards of Accreditation 15.04
ADE Rules Governing Professional Development
A.
A.C.A. § 6-15-404(f)(2)
A.C.A. § 6-15-1004(c)
A.C.A. § 6-15-1703
A.C.A. § 6-17-703
A.C.A. § 6-17-704
A.C.A. § 6-17-705
A.C.A. § 6-17-1202
A.C.A. § 6-20-2303 (15)
A.C.A. § 6-61-133
Date Adopted: 6/17/04
Last Revised: 5/20/11
3.7—CERTIFIED PERSONNEL DRUG TESTING
Scope of Policy
Each person hired for a position which allows or requires
that the employee operate any type of motor vehicle which is privately owned and
operated for compensation, or which is owned, leased or otherwise operated by,
or for the benefit of the District, and is operated for the transportation of
children to or from school or school sponsored activity shall undergo a physical
examination, including a drug test.
Each person’s initial employment for a job entailing
a safety sensitive function is conditioned upon the district receiving a
negative drug test result for that employee. The offer of employment is also
conditioned upon the employee’s signing an authorization for the request for
information by the district from the Commercial Driver Alcohol and Drug Testing
Database.
Methods of
Testing
The collection, testing methods and standards shall be determined by the agency or other medical organizations chosen by the School Board to conduct the collection and testing of samples. The drug and alcohol testing is to be conducted by a laboratory certified pursuant to the most recent guidelines issued by the United States Department of Health and Human Services for such facilities. (“Mandatory Guidelines for Federal Workplace Drug Testing Programs”).
Definition
Safety sensitive function includes:
a) All time spent inspecting, servicing, and/or preparing the vehicle;
b) All time spent driving the vehicle;
c) All time spent loading or unloading the vehicle or supervising the loading or unloading of the vehicle; and
d) All time spent repairing, obtaining assistance, or remaining in attendance upon a disabled vehicle.
Requirements
Employees shall be drug and alcohol free from the time the employee is required to be ready to work until the employee is relieved from the responsibility for performing work and/or any time they are performing a safety-sensitive function. In addition to the testing required as an initial condition of employment, employees shall submit to subsequent drug tests as required by law and/or regulation. Subsequent testing includes, and/or is triggered by, but is not limited to:
1. Random tests;
2. Testing in conjunction with an accident;
3. Receiving a citation for a moving traffic violation; and
4. Reasonable suspicion.
Prohibitions
A. No driver shall report for duty or remain on duty requiring the performance of safety-sensitive functions while having an alcohol concentration of 0.04 or greater;
B. No driver shall use alcohol while performing safety-sensitive functions;
C. No driver shall perform safety-sensitive functions within four (4) hours after using alcohol;
D. No driver required to take a post-accident alcohol test under # 2 above shall use alcohol for eight (8) hours following the accident or until he/she undergoes a post-accident alcohol test, whichever occurs first;
E. No driver shall refuse to submit to an alcohol or drug test in conjunction with # 1, 2, and/or 4 above;
F. No driver shall report for duty or remain on duty requiring the performance of safety-sensitive functions when using any controlled substance, except when used pursuant to the instructions of a licensed medical practitioner, knowledgeable of the driver’s job responsibilities, who has advised the driver that the substance will not adversely affect the driver’s ability to safely operate his/her vehicle. It is the employee’s responsibility to inform his/her supervisor of the employee’s use of such medication;
G. No driver shall report for duty, remain on duty, or perform a safety-sensitive function if the driver tests positive or has adulterated or substituted a test specimen for controlled substances.
Violation of any of these prohibitions may lead to disciplinary action being taken against the employee, which could include termination or non-renewal.
Testing for
Cause
Drivers involved in an accident in which there is a loss of another person’s life shall be tested for alcohol and controlled substances as soon as practicable following the accident. Drivers shall also be tested for alcohol within eight (8) hours and for controlled substances within thirty two (32) hours following an accident for which they receive a citation for a moving traffic violation if the accident involved: 1) bodily injury to any person who, as a result of the injury, immediately receives medical treatment away from the scene of the accident, or 2) one or more motor vehicles incurs disabling damage as a result of the accident requiring the motor vehicle to be transported away from the scene by a tow truck or other motor vehicle.
Refusal to
Submit
Refusal to submit to an alcohol or controlled substance test means that the driver
· Failed to appear for any test within a reasonable period of time as determined by the employer consistent with applicable Department of Transportation agency regulation;
· Failed to remain at the testing site until the testing process was completed;
· Failed to provide a urine specimen for any required drug test;
· Failed to provide a sufficient amount of urine without an adequate medical reason for the failure;
· Failed to undergo a medical examination as directed by the Medical Review Officer as part of the verification process for the previous listed reason;
· Failed or declined to submit to a second test that the employer or collector has directed the driver to take;
· Failed to cooperate with any of the testing process; and/or
· Adulterated or substituted a test result as reported by the Medical Review Officer.
Consequences for
Violations
Drivers who engage in any conduct prohibited by this policy, who refuse to take a required drug or alcohol test, refuse to sign the request for information required by law, or who exceed the acceptable limits for the respective tests shall no longer be allowed to perform safety sensitive functions. Actions regarding their continued
employment shall be taken in relation to their inability to
perform these functions and could include termination or non-renewal of their
contract of employment.
Drivers who exhibit signs of violating the prohibitions of this policy relating to alcohol or controlled substances shall not be allowed to perform or continue to perform safety-sensitive functions if they exhibit those signs during, just preceding, or just after the period of the work day that the driver is required to be in compliance with the provisions of this policy. This action shall be based on specific, contemporaneous, articulatable observations concerning the behavior, speech, or body odors of the driver. The Superintendent or his/her designee shall require the driver to submit to “reasonable suspicion” tests for alcohol and controlled substances. The direction to submit to such tests must be made just before, just after, or during the time the driver is performing safety-sensitive functions. If circumstances prohibit the testing of the driver the Superintendent or his/her designee shall remove the driver from reporting for, or remaining on, duty for a minimum of 24 hours from the time the observation was made triggering the driver’s removal from duty.
If the results for an alcohol test administered to a driver is equal to or greater than 0.02, but less than 0.04, the driver shall be prohibited from performing safety-sensitive functions for a period not less than 24 hours from the time the test was administered. Unless the loss of duty time triggers other employment consequence policies, no further other action against the driver is authorized by this policy for test results showing an alcohol concentration of less than 0.04.
Legal Reference: A.C.A. § 6-19-108
A.C.A. § 27-23-201 et seq.
49 C.F.R. § 382-101 – 605
49 C.F.R. § part 40
Arkansas Division of Academic Facilities and Transportation Rules Governing
Maintenance and Operations of Arkansas Public School Buses and Physical
Examinations of School Bus Drivers
Date Adopted: 5/23/02
Last Revised:
6/20/07
Definitions
1. “Employee” is a full-time employee of the District.
2. “Sick Leave” is absence from work due to illness, whether by the employee or a member of the employee’s immediate family, or due to a death in the family. The principal shall determine whether sick leave will be approved on the basis of a death outside the immediate family of the employee.
3. “Current Sick Leave” means those days of sick leave for the current contract year, which leave is granted at the rate of one day of sick leave per contracted month, or major part thereof.
4. “Accumulated Sick Leave” is the total of unused sick leave, up to a maximum of ninety (90) days accrued from previous contract, but not used.
5. “Immediate family” means an employee’s spouse, child, parent, or any other relative provided the other relative lives in the same household as the teacher.
Sick Leave
The principal has the discretion to approve sick leave for an employee to attend the funeral of a person who is not related to the employee, under circumstances deemed appropriate by the principal. Such approved sick leave shall not exceed one-half day.
Employees who are adopting or seeking to adopt a minor child or minor children may use up to 15 sick leave days in any school year for absences relating to the adoption, including time needed for travel, time needed for home visits, time needed for document translation, submission or preparation, time spent with legal or adoption agency representatives, time spent in court and bonding time. Except for bonding time, documentation shall be provided by the employee upon request.
Pay for sick leave shall be at the employee’s daily rate of pay, which is that employee’s total contracted salary, divided by the number of days employed as reflected in the contract. Absences for illness in excess of the employee’s accumulated and current sick leave shall result in a deduction from the employee’s pay at the daily rate as defined above.
At the discretion of the principal (or Superintendent), the District may require a written statement of the employee’s physician. Failure to provide such documentation of illness may result in sick leave not being paid, or in dismissal.
Should a teacher be absent frequently during a school year, and if such a pattern of absences continues, or is reasonably expected to continue, the Superintendent may relieve the teacher of his assignment (with Board approval) and assign the teacher substitute duty at the teacher’s daily rate of pay. Should the teacher fail, or otherwise be unable, to report for substitute duty when called, the teacher will be charged a day of sick leave, if available.
Excessive absenteeism, whatever the cause, to the extent that the employee is not carrying out his assigned duties to an extent that the education of students is substantially adversely affected (at the determination of the principal or Superintendent) may result in dismissal.
Sick Leave and
Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) Leave
When an employee takes sick leave, the district shall determine if the leave qualifies for FMLA leave. The district may request additional information from the employee to help make the applicability determination. If the leave qualifies under the FMLA, the district will notify the employee, either orally or in writing of the decision within two workdays. If the leave is intermittent as defined in this policy and the circumstances of the leave don’t change, the district is only required to notify the employee once of the determination regarding the applicability of sick leave and/or FMLA leave. To the extent the employee has accrued paid leave, any leave taken that qualifies for FMLA leave shall be paid leave and charged against the employee’s accrued leave.
Cross Reference: Policy 3.32—CERTIFIED PERSONNEL FAMILY MEDICAL LEAVE
Legal References: A.C.A. § 6-17-1201 et seq.
29 USC §§ 2601 et seq.
29 CFR 825.100 et seq.
Date Adopted: 5/23/02
A sick leave bank is established
for the purpose of permitting employees, upon approval, to obtain sick leave in
excess of accumulated and current sick leave, when the employee has exhausted
all such leave. Only those employees who contribute to the sick leave bank
during a given contract year shall be eligible to withdraw from the sick leave
bank.
The Superintendent shall appoint
a Sick Leave Bank Committee. That committee shall consist of six (6) members:
five (5) teachers and one (1) principal.
The terms of the committee shall
be for three years with two members being replaced each year.
The Committee shall meet as
necessary for the purpose of reviewing requests for withdrawal from the bank.
The determination of the committee shall be final.
Withdrawals
The Committee may grant sick
leave up to twenty (20) days per contract year for serious personal or family
illness, disabilities or accidents (not including accidents for which the
employee is receiving Workers’ Compensation), which cause the employee to be
absent from work and when the employee has exhausted all accumulated and current
sick leave. “Serious personal or
family illness, disabilities or accidents” means a period of continuous or
intermittent absence, qualifying as sick leave, in which 40 or more days are
missed during a single contract year.
Requests for withdrawal from the
sick leave bank must state the reason(s) for the request and the number of days
requested and must be accompanied by a detailed statement from an attending
physician of the nature of the malady and the expected duration thereof.
If the information provided to
the Committee is deemed by a majority of the Committee to be insufficient, the
Committee may require additional information or deny the employee’s request, at
its discretion.
The Committee shall have the
authority to grant, reduce or deny any request. However, the Committee may grant
no request, or any granted time may be withdrawn, when the employee accepts
retirement; is eligible for Social Security Disability; or other disability
insurance or the employee returns to work.
Spousal Donations
District employees who are
husband and wife are eligible to utilize each other’s sick leave. Written
permission must be received for each day of donated sick leave. If the employees
are paid at different rates of pay, the lesser rate of pay shall be used for the
purpose of the donated sick leave days.
Legal Reference:
A.C.A. § 6-17-1208
Date Adopted: 5/23/02
Last Revised:
6/20/11
A master schedule shall be created by the building level
principal indicating when each teacher’s planning period and scheduled lunch
period will be. Planning time is for the purpose of scheduling conferences,
instructional planning, and preparation. Each teacher will have the ability to
schedule these activities during his/her designated planning time.
Teachers may not leave campus during their planning time without prior
permission from their building level supervisor.
The planning time shall be in increments of not less than forty (40) minutes and shall occur during the student instructional day unless a teacher requests, in writing, to have his/her planning time occur outside of the student instructional day. For the purposes of this policy, the student instructional day means the time that students are required to be present at school.
Legal Reference: ACA
§ 6-17-114 (a)(d)
Date Adopted: 6/17/04
Last Revised: 6/20/07
3.11—CERTIFIED PERSONNEL PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL LEAVE
Personal Leave
For the district to function
efficiently and have the necessary personnel present to effect a high achieving
learning environment, employee absences need to be kept to a minimum. The
district acknowledges that there are times during the school year when employees
have personal business that needs to be addressed during the school day. Each
full-time employee shall receive two (2) days of personal leave per contract
year. The leave may be taken in increments of no less than ½ day.
Employees shall take personal
leave or leave without pay for those absences which are not due to attendance at
school functions which are related to their job duties
and do not qualify for other types of leave (for sick leave see Policy 3.9, for
professional leave see below).
School functions, for the
purposes of this policy, means:
For
employees other than the superintendent, the determination of what activities
meet the definition of a school function shall be made by the employee’s
immediate supervisor or designee. For the superintendent, the school board of
directors shall determine what activities meet the definition of a school
function. In no instance shall paid leave in excess of allotted vacation days
and/or personal days be granted to an employee who is absent from work while
receiving remuneration from another source as compensation for the reason for
their absence.
Any employee desiring to take
personal leave may do so by making a written request to his supervisor at least
twenty-four (24) hours prior to the time of the requested leave. The twenty-four
hour requirement may be waived by the supervisor when the supervisor deems it
appropriate.
Employees who fail to report to
work when their request for a personal day has been denied or who have exhausted
their allotted personal days, shall lose their daily rate of pay for the day(s)
missed (leave without pay). While there are instances where personal
circumstances necessitate an employee’s absence beyond the allotted days of sick
and/or personal leave, any employee who requires leave without pay must receive
advance permission (except in medical emergencies) from their immediate
supervisor. Failure to report to work without having received permission to be
absent is grounds for discipline, up to and including termination.
Personal leave does accumulate
from one contract year to the next up to five (5) days.
Professional Leave
“Professional Leave” is leave
granted for the purpose of enabling an employee to participate in professional
activities (e.g., teacher workshops or serving on professional committees) which
can serve to improve the school district’s instructional program or enhances the
employee’s ability to perform his duties. Professional
leave will also be granted when
a school district employee is subpoenaed for a matter arising out of the
employee’s employment with the school district. Any employee seeking
professional leave must make a written request to his immediate supervisor,
setting forth the information necessary for the supervisor to make an informed
decision. The supervisor’s decision is subject to review and overruling by the
superintendent. Budgeting concerns and the potential benefit for the district’s
students will be taken into consideration in reviewing a request for
professional leave.
Applications for professional
leave should be made as soon as possible following the employee’s discerning a
need for such leave, but, in any case, no less then two (2) weeks before the
requested leave is to begin, if possible.
If the employee does not receive
or does not accept remuneration for their participation in the professional
leave activity and a substitute is needed for the employee, the district shall
pay the full cost of the substitute. If the employee receives and accepts
remuneration for their participation in the professional leave activity (e.g.
scholastic audits or praxis assessments), the employee shall forfeit his/her
daily rate of pay from the district for the time the employee misses. The cost
of a substitute, if one is needed, shall be paid by the district.
Legal Reference:
A.C.A. § 6-17-211
Date Adopted: 5/23/02
Last Revised:
6/12/08
3.12—CERTIFIED PERSONNEL
RESPONSIBILITIES IN DEALING WITH SEX OFFENDERS ON CAMPUS
Individuals who have been
convicted of certain sex crimes must register with law enforcement as sex
offenders. Arkansas law places restrictions on sex offenders with a Level 1 sex
offender having the least restrictions (lowest likelihood of committing another
sex crime), and Level 4 sex offenders having the most restrictions (highest
likelihood of committing another sex crime).
While Levels 1 and 2 place no
restrictions prohibiting the individual’s presence on a school campus, Levels 3
and 4 have specific prohibitions. These are specified in Policy 6.10—SEX
OFFENDERS ON CAMPUS (MEGAN’S LAW) and it is the responsibility of district staff
to know and understand the policy and, to the extent requested, aid school
administrators in enforcing the restrictions placed on campus access to Level 3
and Level 4 sex offenders.
It is the intention of the board
of directors that district staff not stigmatize students whose parents or
guardians are sex offenders while taking necessary steps to safeguard the school
community and comply with state law. Each school’s administration should
establish procedures so attention is not drawn to the accommodations necessary
for registered sex offender parents or guardians.
Cross Reference:
6.10—SEX OFFENDERS ON CAMPUS (MEGAN’S
LAW)
Legal Reference:
A.C.A. § 12-12-913 (g) (2)
Arkansas Department of Education Guidelines for “Megan’s Law”
A.C.A. § 5-14-132
Date Adopted: 6/20/07
Last Revised:
6/12/08
An employee of the District who is elected to the Arkansas General Assembly or any elective or appointive public office (not legally constitutionally inconsistent with employment by a public school district) shall not be discharged or demoted as a result of such service.
No paid leave will be granted for the employee’s participation in such public office. The employee may receive pay for personal leave or vacation (if applicable), if approved in advance by the Superintendent, during his absence.
Prior to taking leave, and as soon as possible after the need for such leave is discerned by the employee, he must make written request for leave to the Superintendent, setting out, to the degree possible, the dates such leave is needed.
An employee who fraudulently requests sick leave for the purpose of taking leave to serve in public office may be subject to nonrenewal or termination of his employment contract.
Legal Reference: A.C.A. § 6-17-115
Date Adopted: 5/23/02
Last Revised:
6/20/07
Employees are not subject to discharge, loss of sick leave, loss of vacation time or any other penalty due to absence from work for jury duty, upon giving reasonable notice to the District through the employee’s immediate supervisor.
The employee must present the original (not a copy) of the summons to jury duty to his supervisor in order to confirm the reason for the requested absence.
Legal Reference: A.C.A. § 16-31-106
Date Adopted: 5/23/02
Last Revised:
5/28/10
Any teacher who, while in the course of their employment, is injured by an assault or other violent act; while intervening in a student fight; while restraining a student; or while protecting a student from harm, shall be granted a leave of absence for up to one (1) year from the date of the injury, with full pay.
A leave of absence granted under this policy shall not be charged to the teacher’s sick leave.
In order to obtain leave under this policy, the teacher must present documentation of the injury from a physician, with an estimate for time of recovery sufficient to enable the teacher to return to work, and written statements from witnesses (or other documentation as appropriate to a given incident) to prove that the incident occurred in the course of the teacher’s employment.
Legal Reference: A.C.A. § 6-17-1209
Date Adopted: 5/23/02
Last Revised:
6/20/07
Prekindergarten through sixth grade teachers shall be allotted the amount required by law per student enrolled in the teacher’s class to be used for the purchase of classroom supplies and class activities. The amount shall be credited to an account from which the teacher shall be reimbursed for his/her covered purchases to the extent funds are available in the account. For the purposes of this policy, pre-kindergarten through sixth grade teachers shall be eligible for the allotted supply reimbursement for those students enrolled in the teacher’s class for more than 50% of the school day at the end of the first three months of the school year.
Teachers may purchase supplies and supplementary materials from the district at the district’s cost to take advantage of the school’s bulk buying power. To do so, teachers shall complete and have approved by principal or designee a purchase order for supplies which will then be purchased on the teacher’s behalf by the school and subtracted from the teacher’s total supply and material allocation. Teachers may also purchase materials and supplies using their own funds and apply for reimbursement by submitting itemized receipts. Receipts totaling less than $49.99 will be held until total receipts are equal to or greater than $50.00. Supplies and materials purchased with school funds, or for which the teacher is reimbursed with school funds, are school property, and should remain on school property.
Unused allotments shall not be carried over from one fiscal year to the next.
Legal Reference: A.C.A. § 6-21-303(b)(1)
Date Adopted: 6/17/04
Last Revised:
6/20/07
Employees are protected from abusive language and conduct by state law. An employee may report to the police any language which is calculated to:
1. Cause a breach of the peace;
2. Materially and substantially interfere with the operation of the school; and/or
3. Arouse the person to whom the language is addressed to anger, to the extent likely to cause imminent retaliation.
Legal Reference: A.C.A. § 6-17-106
Date Adopted: 5/23/02
Last Revised:
6/20/07
An employee of the District may not be employed in any other capacity during regular working hours.
An employee may not accept employment outside of his district employment which will interfere, or otherwise be incompatible with the District employment, including normal duties outside the regular work day; nor shall an employee accept other employment which is inappropriate for an employee of a public school.
The Superintendent, or his designee(s), shall be responsible for determining whether outside employment is incompatible, conflicting or inappropriate.
Legal Reference: A.C.A. § 6-24-106, 107, 111
Date Adopted: 5/23/02
Last Revised:
6/20/07
All prospective employees must fill out an application form provided by the District, in addition to any resume provided, all of which information is to be placed in the personnel file of those employed.
If the employee provides false or misleading information, or if he withholds information to the same effect, it may be grounds for dismissal.
The Nevada School District is an equal opportunity employer and shall not discriminate on the grounds of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, or disability.
Date Adopted: 5/23/02
Last Revised:
6/20/07
3.20—CERTIFIED PERSONNEL REIMBURSEMENT OF TRAVEL EXPENSES
Employees shall be reimbursed
for personal and/or travel expenses incurred while performing duties or
attending workshops or other employment-related functions, provided that prior
written approval for the activity for which the employee seeks reimbursement has
been received from the Superintendent, principal (or other immediate supervision
with the authority to make school approvals), or the appropriate designee of the
Superintendent and that the teacher’s attendance/travel was at the request of
the district.
It is the responsibility of the
employee to determine the appropriate supervisor from which he must obtain
approval.
Reimbursement claims must be
made on forms provided by the District and must be supported by appropriate,
original receipts. Copies of receipts or other documentation are not acceptable,
except in extraordinary circumstances. Maximum meal allowances will be:
breakfast $5.00, lunch $7.00, and dinner $15.00.
Personal auto mileage
reimbursement will be $.38 cents per mile. Parking fees shall be reimbursed with
attached receipts. Mileage shall be determined from Rosston, AR.
Cross Reference: Policy
7.12—EXPENSE REIMBURSEMENT
Date Adopted: 5/23/02
Last Revised:
5/20/11
Smoking or the use of tobacco, or products containing tobacco in any form, in or on any property owned or leased by the district, including buses or other school vehicles, is prohibited.
Legal Reference: A.C.A. § 6-21-609
Date Adopted: 5/23/02
Last Revised:
6/20/07
Employees shall ensure that their dress and appearance are professional and appropriate to their positions.
Date Adopted: 5/23/02
Last Revised:
6/20/07
Employees are free to engage in political activity outside of work hours to the extent that it does not affect the performance of their duties or adversely affect important working relationships.
It is specifically forbidden for employees to engage in political activities on the school grounds or during work hours. The following activities are forbidden on school property:
1. Using students for preparation or dissemination of campaign materials;
2. Distributing political materials;
3. Distributing or otherwise seeking signatures on petitions of any kind;
4. Posting political materials; and
5. Discussing political matters with students, in the classroom, in other than circumstances appropriate to the Frameworks and/or the curricular goals and objectives of the class.
Date Adopted: 5/23/02
Last Revised:
6/20/07
All employees are expected to meet their financial obligations. If an employee writes “hot” checks or has his income garnished, dismissal may result.
An employee will not be dismissed for having been the subject of one (1) garnishment. However, a second or third garnishment may result in dismissal.
At the discretion of the Superintendent, he or his designee may meet with an employee who has received a second garnishment for the purpose of warning the employee that a third garnishment will result in a recommendation of dismissal to the School Board.
At the discretion of the Superintendent, a second garnishment may be used as a basis for a recommended dismissal. The Superintendent may take into consideration other factors in deciding whether to recommend dismissal based on a second garnishment. Those factors may include, but are not limited to, the amount of the debt, the time between the first and the second garnishment, and other financial problems which come to the attention of the District.
Date Adopted: 5/23/02
Last Revised:
6/20/07
3.25—CERTIFIED PERSONNEL GRIEVANCES
The purpose of this policy is to provide an orderly process for employees to resolve, at the lowest possible level, their concerns related to the personnel policies or salary payments of this district.
Definitions
Grievance: a claim or concern related to the interpretation, application, or claimed violation of the personnel policies, including salary schedules, federal or state laws and regulations, or terms or conditions of employment, raised by an individual employee of this school district. Other matters for which the means of resolution are provided or foreclosed by statute or administrative procedures shall not be considered grievances. Specifically, no grievance may be entertained against a supervisor for directing, instructing, reprimanding, or “writing up” an employee under his/her supervision. A group of employees who have the same grievance may file a group grievance.
Group Grievance: A grievance may be filed as a group grievance if it meets the following criteria: (meeting the criteria does not ensure that the subject of the grievance is, in fact, grievable)
1. More than one individual has interest in the matter; and
2. The group has a well-defined common interest in the facts and/or circumstances of the grievance; and
3. The group has designated an employee spokesperson to meet with administration and/or the board; and
4. All individuals within the group are requesting the same relief.
Employee: any person employed under a written contract by this school district.
Immediate Supervisor: the person immediately superior to an employee who directs and supervises the work of that employee.
Working day: Any weekday other than a holiday whether or not the employee under the provisions of their contract is scheduled to work or whether they are currently under contract.
Process
Level One: An employee who believes that he/she has a grievance shall inform that employee’s immediate supervisor that the employee has a potential grievance and discuss the matter with the supervisor within five working days of the occurrence of the grievance. The supervisor shall offer the employee an opportunity to have a witness or representative who is not a member of the employee’s immediate family present at their conference. (The five-day requirement does not apply to grievances concerning back pay.) If the grievance is not advanced to Level Two within five working days following the conference, the matter will be considered resolved and the employee shall have no further right with respect to said grievance.
If the grievance cannot be resolved by the immediate supervisor, the employee can advance the grievance to Level Two. To do this, the employee must complete the top half of the Level Two Grievance Form within five working days of the discussion with the immediate supervisor, citing the manner in which the specific personnel policy was violated that has given rise to the grievance, and submit the Grievance Form to his/her immediate supervisor. The supervisor will have ten working days to respond to the grievance using the bottom half of the Level Two Grievance Form which he/she will submit to the building principal or, in the event that the employee’s immediate supervisor is the building principal, the superintendent.
Level Two (when appeal is to the building principal): Upon receipt of a Level Two Grievance Form, the building principal will have ten working days to schedule a conference with the employee filing the grievance. The principal shall offer the employee an opportunity to have a witness or representative who is not a member of the employee’s immediate family present at their conference. After the conference, the principal will have ten working days in which to deliver a written response to the grievance to the employee. If the grievance is not advanced to Level Three within five working days the matter will be considered resolved and the employee shall have no further right with respect to said grievance.
Level Two (when appeal is to the superintendent): Upon receipt of a Level Two Grievance Form, the superintendent will have ten working days to schedule a conference with the employee filing the grievance. The superintendent shall offer the employee an opportunity to have a witness or representative who is not a member of the employee’s immediate family present at their conference. After the conference, the superintendent will have ten working days in which to deliver a written response to the grievance to the employee.
Level Three: If the proper recipient of the Level Two Grievance was the building principal, and the employee remains unsatisfied with the written response to the grievance, the employee may advance the grievance to the superintendent by submitting a copy of the Level Two Grievance Form and the principal’s reply to the superintendent within five working days of his/her receipt of the principal’s reply. The superintendent will have ten working days to schedule a conference with the employee filing the grievance. The superintendent shall offer the employee an opportunity to have a witness or representative who is not a member of the employee’s immediate family present at their conference. After the conference, the superintendent will have ten working days in which to deliver a written response to the grievance to the employee.
Appeal to the Board of Directors: An employee who remains unsatisfied by the written response of the superintendent may appeal the superintendent’s decision to the Board of Education within five working days of his/her receipt of the Superintendent’s written response by submitting a written request for a board hearing to the superintendent. If the grievance is not appealed to the Board of Directors within five working days of his/her receipt of the superintendent’s response, the matter will be considered resolved and the employee shall have no further right with respect to said grievance.
The school board will address the grievance at the next regular meeting of the school board, unless the employee agrees in writing to an alternate date for the hearing. After reviewing the Level Two Grievance Form and the superintendent’s reply, the board will decide if the grievance, on its face, is grievable under district policy. If the grievance is presented as a “group grievance,” the Board shall first determine if the composition of the group meets the definition of a “group grievance.” If the Board determines that it is a group grievance, the Board shall then determine whether the matter raised is grievable. If the Board rules the composition of the group does not meet the definition of a group grievance, or the grievance, whether group or individual, is not grievable, the matter shall be considered closed. (Individuals within the disallowed group may choose to subsequently refile their grievance as an individual grievance beginning with Level One of the process.) If the Board rules the grievance to be grievable, they shall immediately commence a hearing on the grievance. All parties have the right to representation by a person of their own choosing who is not a member of the employee’s immediate family at the appeal hearing before the Board of Directors. The employee shall have no less than 90 minutes to present his/her grievance, unless a shorter period is agreed to by the employee, and both parties shall have the opportunity to present and question witnesses. The hearing shall be open to the public unless the employee requests a private hearing. If the hearing is open, the parent or guardian of any student
under the age of eighteen years who gives testimony may elect to have the student’s testimony given in closed session. At the conclusion of the hearing, if the hearing was closed, the Board of Directors may excuse all parties except board members and deliberate, by themselves, on the hearing. At the conclusion of an open hearing, board deliberations shall also be in open session unless the board is deliberating the employment, appointment, promotion, demotion, disciplining, or resignation of the employee. A decision on the grievance shall be announced no later than the next regular board meeting.
Records
Records related to grievances will be filed separately and will not be kept in, or made part of, the personnel file of any employee.
Reprisals
No reprisals of any kind will be taken or tolerated against any employee because he/she has filed or advanced a grievance under this policy.
Legal Reference: A.C.A. § 6-17-208, 210
Date Adopted: 5/23/02
Last Revised: 6/20/07
3.25F—CERTIFIED PERSONNEL LEVEL TWO GRIEVANCE FORM
Name:
_______________________________________________
Date submitted to supervisor:
____________
Personnel Policy grievance is based
upon:
_________________________________________________________________________________
Grievance (be specific):
__________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
What would resolve your grievance?
_______________________________________________________
Supervisor’s Response
Date submitted to recipient:
____________
Date Adopted: 5/23/02
Last Revised:
6/20/07
3.26—CERTIFIED PERSONNEL SEXUAL HARASSMENT
The Nevada School District is committed to having an academic and work environment in which all students and employees are treated with respect and dignity. Student achievement and amicable working relationships are best attained in an atmosphere of equal educational and employment opportunity that is free of discrimination. Sexual harassment is a form of discrimination that undermines the integrity of the educational environment and will not be tolerated.
Believing that prevention is the best policy, the district will periodically inform students and employees about the nature of sexual harassment, the procedures for registering a complaint, and the possible redress that is available. The information will stress that the district does not tolerate sexual harassment and that students and employees can report inappropriate behavior of a sexual nature without fear of adverse consequences.
It shall be a violation of this policy for any student or employee to be subjected to or to subject another person to, sexual harassment as defined in this policy. Any employee found, after an investigation, to have engaged in sexual harassment will be subject to disciplinary action up to, and including, termination.
Sexual harassment refers to unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, or other personally offensive verbal, visual, or physical conduct of a sexual nature made by someone under any of the following conditions:
1. Submission to the conduct is made, either explicitly or implicitly, a term or condition of an individual’s education or employment;
2. Submission to, or rejection of, such conduct by an individual is used as the basis for academic or employment decisions affecting that individual; and/or
3. Such conduct has the purpose or effect of substantially interfering with an individual’s academic or work performance or creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive academic or work environment.
The terms “intimidating,” “hostile,” and “offensive” include conduct of a sexual nature which has the effect of humiliation or embarrassment and is sufficiently severe, persistent, or pervasive that it limits the student’s or employee’s ability to participate in, or benefit from, an educational program or activity or their employment environment.
Within the educational or work environment, sexual harassment is prohibited between any of the following: students; employees and students; non-employees and students; employees; employees and non-employees.
Actionable sexual harassment is generally established when an individual is exposed to a pattern of objectionable behaviors or when a single, serious act is committed. What is, or is not, sexual harassment will depend upon all of the surrounding circumstances. Depending upon such circumstances, examples of sexual harassment include, but are not are not limited to: unwelcome touching; crude jokes or pictures; discussions of sexual experiences; pressure for sexual activity; intimidation by words, actions, insults, or name calling; teasing related to sexual characteristics or the belief or perception that an individual is not conforming to expected gender roles or conduct or is homosexual, regardless of whether or not the individual self-identifies as homosexual; and spreading rumors related to a person’s alleged sexual activities.
Employees who believe they have been subjected to sexual harassment are encouraged to file a complaint by contacting their immediate supervisor, administrator, or Title IX coordinator who will assist them in the complaint process. Under no circumstances shall an employee be required to first report allegations of sexual harassment to a school contact person if that person is the individual who is accused of the harassment. To the extent possible, complaints will be treated in a confidential manner. Limited disclosure may be necessary in order to complete a thorough investigation.
Employees who file a complaint of sexual harassment will not be subject to retaliation or reprisal in any form.
Employees who knowingly fabricate allegations of sexual harassment shall be subject to disciplinary action up to and including termination.
Individuals who withhold information, purposely provide inaccurate facts, or otherwise hinder an investigation of sexual harassment shall be subject to disciplinary action up to and including termination.
Legal References: Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, 20 USC 1681, et seq.
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, 42 USC 2000-e, et seq.
A.C.A. § 6-15-1005 (b) (1)
Date Adopted: 5/23/02
Last Revised:
5/20/11
3.27—CERTIFIED PERSONNEL SUPERVISION OF STUDENTS
All District personnel are expected to conscientiously execute their responsibilities to promote the health, safety, and welfare of the District’s students under their care. The Superintendent shall direct all principals to establish regulations ensuring faculty supervision of students throughout the school day and at extracurricular activities.
Date Adopted: 5/23/02
Last Revised:
6/20/07
3.28—CERTIFIED PERSONNEL COMPUTER USE
POLICY
The Nevada School
District provides computers and/or computer Internet access for all employees,
to assist employees in performing work related tasks. Employees are advised that
they enjoy no expectation of privacy in any aspect of their computer use,
including email, and that under Arkansas law, both email and computer use
records maintained by the district are subject to disclosure under the Freedom
of Information Act. It is all staff members’ responsibility to educate students
about appropriate online behavior, including interactions with other individuals
on social networking sites/chat rooms, and cyber bullying awareness and
response.
Passwords or
security procedures are to be used as assigned, and confidentiality of student
records is to be maintained at all times. Employees must not disable or bypass
security procedures, compromise, attempt to compromise, or defeat the district’s
technology network security, alter data without authorization, disclose
passwords to other staff members or students, or grant students access to any
computer not designated for student use. It is the policy of this school
district to equip each computer with Internet filtering software designed to
prevent users from accessing material that is harmful to minors. The designated
District Technology Administrator or designee may authorize the disabling of the
filter to enable access by an adult for a bona fide research or other lawful
purpose.
Employees who
misuse district-owned computers in any way, including excessive personal use,
using computers for personal use during instructional time, using computers to
violate any other policy, knowingly or negligently allowing unauthorized access,
or using the computers to access or create sexually explicit or pornographic
text or graphics, will face disciplinary action, up to and including termination
or non-renewal of the employment contract.
Legal References:
20 USC 6801 et seq. (Children’s Internet Protection Act; PL 106-554)
A.C.A. § 6-21-107
A.C.A. § 6-21-111
Date Adopted:
5/23/02
Last Revised: 6/28/10
3.28F—CERTIFIED PERSONNEL EMPLOYEE INTERNET USE AGREEMENT
Name (Please Print)________________________________________________________________
School____________________________________________________________Date____________
The
1. Conditional Privilege: The Employee’s use of the district’s access to the Internet is a privilege conditioned on the Employee’s abiding by this agreement.
2. Acceptable Use: The Employee agrees that in using the District’s Internet access he/she will obey all federal and state laws and regulations. Internet access is provided as an aid to employees to enable them to better perform their job responsibilities. Under no circumstances shall an Employee’s use of the District’s Internet access interfere with, or detract from, the performance of his/her job-related duties.
3. Penalties for Improper Use: If the Employee
violates this agreement and misuses the Internet, the Employee shall be subject
to disciplinary action up to and including termination.
4. “Misuse of the District’s access to the Internet” includes, but is not limited to, the following:
a. using the Internet for any activities deemed lewd, obscene, vulgar, or pornographic as defined by prevailing community standards;
b. using abusive or profane language in private messages on the system; or using the system to harass, insult, or verbally attack others;
c. posting anonymous messages on the system;
d. using encryption software;
e. wasteful use of limited resources provided by the school including paper;
f. causing congestion of the network through lengthy downloads of files;
g. vandalizing data of another user;
h. obtaining or sending information which could be used to make destructive devices such as guns, weapons, bombs, explosives, or fireworks;
i. gaining or attempting to gain unauthorized access to resources or files;
j. identifying oneself with another person’s name or password or using an account or password of another user without proper authorization;
k. using the network for financial or commercial gain without district permission;
l. theft or vandalism of data, equipment, or intellectual property;
m. invading the privacy of individuals;
n. using the Internet for any illegal activity, including computer hacking and copyright or intellectual property law violations;
o. introducing a virus to, or otherwise improperly tampering with, the system;
p. degrading or disrupting equipment or system performance;
q. creating a web page or associating a web page with the school or school district without proper authorization;
r. attempting to gain access or gaining access to student records, grades, or files of students not under their jurisdiction;
s. providing access to the District’s Internet Access to unauthorized individuals; or
t. taking part in any activity related to Internet use which creates a clear and present danger of the substantial disruption of the orderly operation of the district or any of its schools;
u. making unauthorized copies of computer software;
v. personal use of computers during instructional time; or
w. Installing software on district computers without prior approval of technology director or his/her designee.
5. Liability for debts: Staff shall be liable for any and all costs (debts) incurred through their use of the District’s computers or the Internet including penalties for copyright violations.
6. No Expectation of Privacy: The Employee signing below agrees that in using the Internet through the District’s access, he/she waives any right to privacy the Employee may have for such use. The Employee agrees that the district may monitor the Employee’s use of the District’s Internet Access and may also examine all system activities the Employee participates in, including but not limited to e-mail, voice, and video transmissions, to ensure proper use of the system.
7. Signature: The Employee, who has signed below, has read this agreement and agrees to be bound by its terms and conditions.
Employee’s Signature:
_______________________________________________Date _________
Date Adopted:
5/23/02
Last Revised:
5/20/11
3.29—CERTIFIED PERSONNEL SCHOOL CALENDAR
The superintendent shall present to the PPC a school calendar which the board has adopted as a proposal. The superintendent, in developing the calendar, shall accept and consider recommendations from any staff member or group wishing to make calendar proposals. The PPC shall have the time prescribed by law and/or policy in which to make any suggested changes before the board may vote to adopt the calendar.
The Nevada School District shall operate by the following calendar.
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Legal Reference: A.C.A. § 6-17-201
Date Adopted: 4/24/08
Last Revised:
5/20/11
3.30—PARENT-TEACHER
COMMUNICATION
The district recognizes the importance of communication between teachers and parents/legal guardians. To help promote positive communication, parent/teacher conferences shall be held once each semester. Parent-teacher conferences are encouraged and may be requested by parents or guardians when they feel they need to discuss their child’s progress with his/her teacher.
Teachers are required to communicate during the school year with the parent(s) or legal guardian(s) of each of their students to discuss their academic progress. More frequent communication is required with the parent(s) or legal guardian(s) of students who are performing below grade level.
All parent/teacher conferences shall be scheduled at a time and place to best accommodate those participating in the conference. Each teacher shall document the participation or non-participation of parent(s)/legal guardian(s) for each scheduled conference.
If a student is to be retained at any grade level, notice of, and the reasons for retention shall be communicated promptly in a personal conference.
Legal Reference: State Board of Education Standards of Accreditation 12.04.1, 12.04.2, and 12.04.3
A.C.A. § 6-15-1701(b)(3)(C)
Date Adopted: 5/23/02
Last Revised:
5/20/11
3.31—DRUG FREE WORKPLACE -
CERTIFIED PERSONNEL
The conduct of district staff plays a vital role in the social and behavioral development of our students. It is equally important that the staff have a safe, healthful, and professional environment in which to work. To help promote both interests, the district shall have a drug free workplace. It is, therefore, the district’s policy that district employees are prohibited from the unlawful manufacture, distribution, dispensation, possession, or use of controlled substances, illegal drugs, inhalants, alcohol, as well as inappropriate or illegal use of prescription drugs. Such actions are prohibited both while at work or in the performance of official duties while off district property; violations of this policy will subject the employee to discipline, up to and including termination.
To help promote a drug free workplace, the district shall establish a drug-free awareness program to inform employees about the dangers of drug abuse in the workplace, the district's policy of maintaining a drug-free workplace, any available drug counseling, rehabilitation, and employee assistance abuse programs, and the penalties that may be imposed upon employees for drug abuse violations.
Should any employee be found to have been under the
influence of, or in illegal possession of, any illegal drug or controlled
substance, whether or not engaged in any school or school-related activity, and
the behavior of the employee, if under the influence, is such that it is
inappropriate for a school employee in the opinion of the superintendent, the
employee may be subject to discipline, up to and including termination.
This policy also applies to those employees who are
under the influence of alcohol while on campus or at school-sponsored functions,
including athletic events.
An employee living on campus or on school owned property is permitted to possess alcohol in his/her residence. The employee is bound by the restrictions stated in this policy while at work or performing his/her official duties.
Possession, use or distribution of drug paraphernalia by any employee, whether or not engaged in school or school-related activities, may subject the employee to discipline, up to and including termination. Possession in one’s vehicle or in an area subject to the employee’s control will be considered to be possession as though the substance were on the employee’s person.
It shall not be necessary for an employee to test at a level demonstrating intoxication by any substance in order to be subject to the terms of this policy. Any physical manifestation of being under the influence of a substance may subject an employee to the terms of this policy. Those physical manifestations include, but are not limited to: unsteadiness; slurred speech; dilated or constricted pupils; incoherent and/or irrational speech; or the presence of an odor associated with a prohibited substance on one’s breath or clothing.
Should an employee desire to provide the District with the results of a blood, breath or urine analysis, such results will be taken into account by the District only if the sample is provided within a time range that could provide meaningful results and only by a testing agency chosen or approved by the District. The District shall not request that the employee be tested, and the expense for such voluntary testing shall be borne by the employee.
Any employee who is charged with a violation of any state or federal law relating to the possession, use or distribution of illegal drugs, other controlled substances or alcohol, or of drug paraphernalia, must notify his immediate supervisor within five (5) week days (i.e., Monday through Friday, inclusive, excluding holidays) of being so charged. The supervisor who is notified of such a charge shall notify the Superintendent immediately.
If the supervisor is not available to the employee, the employee shall notify the Superintendent within the five (5) day period.
Any employee so charged is subject to discipline, up to and including termination. However, the failure of an employee to notify his supervisor or the Superintendent of having been so charged shall result in that employee being recommended for termination by the Superintendent.
Any employee convicted of any criminal drug statute violation for an offense that occurred while at work or in the performance of official duties while off district property shall report the conviction within 5 calendar days to the superintendent. Within 10 days of receiving such notification, whether from the employee or any other source, the district shall notify federal granting agencies from which it receives funds of the conviction. Compliance with these requirements and prohibitions is mandatory and is a condition of employment.
Any employee convicted of any state or federal law relating to the possession, use or distribution of illegal drugs, other controlled substances, or of drug paraphernalia, shall be recommended for termination.
Any employee who must take prescription medication at the
direction of the employee’s physician, and who is impaired by the prescription
medication such that he cannot properly perform his duties shall not report for
duty. Any employee who reports for duty and is so impaired, as determined by his
supervisor, will be sent home. The employee shall be given sick leave, if owed
any. The District or employee will provide transportation for the employee, and
the employee may not leave campus while operating any vehicle. It is the
responsibility of the employee to contact his physician in order to adjust the
medication, if possible, so that the employee may return to his job unimpaired.
Should the employee attempt to return to work while impaired by prescription
medications, for which the employee has a prescription, he will, again, be sent
home and given sick leave, if owed any,.
Should the employee attempt to return to work while impaired by prescription
medication a third time the employee may be subject to discipline, up to and
including a recommendation of termination.
Any employee who possesses, uses, distributes or is under the influence of a prescription medication obtained by a means other than his own current prescription shall be treated as though he was in possession, possession with intent to deliver, or under the influence, etc. of an illegal substance. An illegal drug or other substance is one which is (a) not legally obtainable; or (b) one which is legally obtainable, but which has been obtained illegally. The District may require an employee to provide proof from his physician and/or pharmacist that the employee is lawfully able to receive such medication. Failure to provide such proof, to the satisfaction of the Superintendent, may result in discipline, up to and including a recommendation of termination.
Legal References: 41 USC § 702, 703, and 706
Date Adopted: 6/20/07
Last Revised: 5/28/10
3.31F—DRUG FREE WORKPLACE
POLICY ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
CERTIFICATION
I, hereby certify that I have been presented with a copy of the Nevada District’s drug-free workplace policy, that I have read the statement, and that I will abide by its terms as a condition of my employment with District.
Signature _________________________________________________
Date __________________
3.32—CERTIFIED PERSONNEL FAMILY MEDICAL LEAVE *
Definitions:
Covered active duty means
(A) in the case of a member of a regular component of the Armed Forces, duty during deployment of the member with the armed forces to a foreign country; and
(B) in the case of a member of a reserve component of the Armed Forces, duty during deployment of the member with the armed forces to a foreign country under a call to order to active duty under a provision of law referred to in section 101(a)(13)(B) of title 10, United States Code.
Covered Service Member:
is
(A)
a member of the Armed Forces, including a member of the
National Guard or Reserves, who is a undergoing medical treatment, recuperation,
or therapy, is otherwise in outpatient status, or is otherwise on the temporary
disability retired list, for a serious injury or illness.; or
(B) a veteran who is undergoing medical treatment, recuperation, or therapy, for a serious injury or illness and who was a member of the Armed Forces (including a member of the National Guard or Reserves) at any time during the period of five (5) years preceding the date on which the veteran undergoes that medical treatment, recuperation, or therapy.
Eligible Employee: is an employee who has been employed by the district for at least twelve (12) months and for 1250 hours of service during the twelve (12) month period immediately preceding the commencement of the leave. Full time, licensed teachers are considered to have met the 1250 hour requirement for eligibility.
Health Care Provider: is a doctor of medicine or osteopathy who is authorized to practice medicine or surgery (as appropriate) by the state in which the doctor practices. It also includes any other person determined by the U.S. Secretary of Labor to be capable of providing health care services.
Instructional Employee: is a teacher whose principal
function is to teach and instruct students in a class, a small group, or an
individual setting and includes, athletic coaches, driving instructors,
and special education assistants such as signers for the hearing impaired. The
term does not include administrators, counselors, librarians, psychologists, or
curriculum specialists who are included under the broader definition of
“eligible employee” (to the extent the employee has been employed for 12
months).
Next of Kin: used in respect to an individual, means the nearest blood relative of that individual.
Outpatient Status: used in respect to a covered service member, means the status of a member of the Armed Forces assigned to
A) a military medical treatment facility as an outpatient; or
B) a unit established for the purpose of providing command and control of members of the Armed Forces receiving medical care as outpatients.
Qualifying Exigency: Issues that arise due to covered active duty or a call to covered active duty of an employee's spouse, son, daughter, or parent. Examples include issues involved with short-notice deployment, military events and related activities, childcare and school activities, the need for financial and legal arrangements, counseling, rest and recuperation, post-deployment activities, and other activities as defined by federal regulations.
Parent: is the biological parent of an employee or an individual who stood in loco parentis to an employee when the employee was a son or a daughter.
Serious Health Condition: is an injury, illness,
impairment, or physical or mental condition that involves inpatient care or
continuing treatment by a health care provider.
Serious Injury or Illness:
(A)
in the case of a member of the Armed Forces, including
the National Guard or Reserves, it means an injury or illness incurred by the
member in the line of duty on active duty in the Armed Forces (or existed before
the beginning of the member’s active duty and was aggravated by service in line
of duty on active duty in the Armed Forces) and that may render the member
medically unfit to perform the duties of the member’s office, grade, rank, or
rating. and
(B) in the case of a veteran who was a member of the Armed Forces, including a member of the National Guard of Reserves, at any time during a period as a covered service member defined in this policy, it means a qualifying (as defined by the U.S Secretary of Labor) injury or illness that was incurred by the member in the line of duty on active duty in the Armed Forces (or existed before the beginning of the member’s active duty and was aggravated by service in the line of duty on active duty in the Armed Forces) and that manifested itself before or after the member became a veteran.
Year: for leave other than to care for the serious injury or illness of a covered service member, the twelve (12) month period of eligibility shall begin on the first duty day of the school year.
Year: for leave to care for the serious injury or illness of a covered service member, the twelve (12) month period begins on the first day the eligible employee takes FMLA leave to care for a covered servicemember and ends 12 months after that date.
Policy
The provisions of this policy are intended to be in line with the provisions of the FMLA. If any conflict(s) exist, the Family Medical Leave Act of 1993 as amended shall govern.
Leave
Eligibility
The district will grant up to twelve (12) weeks of leave in a year in accordance with the Family Medical Leave Act of 1993 (FMLA) as amended to its eligible employees for one or more of the following reasons:
1. Because of the birth of a son or daughter of the employee and in order to care for such son or daughter;
2. Because of the placement of a son or daughter with the employee for adoption or foster care;
3. To care for the spouse, son, daughter, or parent, of the employee, if such spouse, son, daughter, or parent has a serious health condition; and
4.
Because of a serious health condition that makes
the employee unable to perform the functions of the position of such employee.
5.
Because of
any qualifying exigency arising out of the fact that the spouse, son, daughter,
or parent of the employee is on covered active duty (or has been notified of an
impending call or order to covered active duty) in the Armed Forces.
6. To care for a spouse, child, parent or next of kin who is a covered servicemember with a serious illness or injury.
The entitlement to leave for reasons 1 and 2 listed above shall expire at the end of the twelve (12) month period beginning on the date of such birth or placement.
An eligible employee who is the spouse, son, daughter, parent, or next of kin of a covered service member shall be entitled to a total of 26 weeks of leave during one 12-month period to care for the service member who has a serious injury or illness as defined in this policy. An eligible employee who cares for such a covered service member is limited for reasons 1 through 5 listed above to a total of 12 weeks of leave during a year as defined in this policy. For example, an eligible employee who cares for such a covered service member for 16 weeks during a 12 month period could only take a total of 10 weeks for reasons 1 through 5
If husband and wife are both eligible employees employed by the district, the husband and wife are entitled to a total of 26 weeks of leave during one 12-month period to care for their spouse, son, daughter, parent, or next of kin who is a covered service member with a serious injury or illness as defined in this policy. A husband and wife who care for such a covered service member is limited for reasons 1 through 5 listed above to a total of 12 weeks of leave during a year as defined in this policy. For example, an eligible employee who cares for such a covered service member for 16 weeks during a 12 month period could only take a total of 10 weeks for reasons 1 through 5.
District Notice
to Employees
The district shall post, in conspicuous places in each
school within the district, where notices to employees and applicants for
employment are customarily posted, a notice explaining the FMLA’s provisions and
providing information about the procedure for filing complaints with the
Department of Labor.
Employee Notice
to District
Foreseeable:
When the need for leave is foreseeable for reasons 1 through 4 or 6 listed above, the employee shall provide the district with not less than 30 days' notice, before the date the leave is to begin, of the employee's intention to take leave for the specified reason, except that if the date of the treatment requires leave to begin in less than 30 days, the employee shall provide such notice as is practicable. As soon as practicable means as soon as both possible and practical, taking into account all of the facts and circumstances in the individual case.
When the necessity for leave for reason 5 listed above is foreseeable, whether because the spouse, son, daughter, or parent of the employee is on covered active duty, or because of notification of an impending call or order to covered active duty, the employee shall provide such notice to the district as is reasonable and practicable regardless of how far in advance the leave is foreseeable.
When the need for leave is for reasons 3, 4, or 6 listed above, the employee shall make a reasonable effort to schedule the treatment so as not to disrupt unduly the operations of the district subject to the approval of the health care provider of the spouse, son, daughter, or parent of the employee.
Failure by the employee to give thirty (30) days notice may delay the taking of FMLA leave until at least thirty (30) days after the date the employee provides notice to the district.
Unforeseeable:
When the approximate timing of the need for leave is not foreseeable, an employee shall provide the district notice of the need for leave as soon as practicable given the facts and circumstances of the particular case. Ordinarily, the employee shall notify the district within two (2) working days of learning of the need for leave, except in extraordinary circumstances where such notice is not feasible. Notice may be provided in person, by telephone, telegraph, fax, or other electronic means.
Medical
Certification
When the need for leave is for reasons 3, 4, or 6 listed above , the employee should provide a medical certification from a licensed, practicing health care provider supporting the need for leave at the time the notice for leave is given, but must provide certification at least fifteen (15) days prior to the date the leave is to begin. The certification shall include the date on which the serious health condition began, the probable duration of the condition, and the appropriate medical facts within the knowledge of the health care provider regarding the condition. Leave taken for reason 3 listed above, must include certification that the eligible employee is needed to care for the son, daughter, spouse, or parent and an estimate of the amount of time the employee is needed to provide the care. For reason 4 listed above, the certification must include a statement that the employee is unable to perform the required functions of his/her position.
If FMLA leave is to be taken on an intermittent or reduced work schedule basis for planned medical treatment, the certification shall include the dates on which such treatment is expected to be given and the duration of such treatment.
Second Opinion: In any case where the district has reason to doubt the validity of the certification provided, the district may require, at its expense, the employee to obtain the opinion of a second health care provider designated or approved by the employer. If the second opinion differs from the first, the district may require, at its expense, the employee to obtain a third opinion from a health care provider agreed upon by both the district and the employee. The opinion of the third health care provider shall be considered final and be binding upon both the district and the employee.
Recertification: The district may request the employee obtain a recertification, at the employee’s expense, no more often than every thirty (30) days unless one or more of the following circumstances apply;
a. The employee requests an extension of leave;
b. Circumstances described by the previous certification have changed significantly; and/or
c. The district receives information that casts doubt upon the continuing validity of the certification.
The employee must provide the recertification in no more than fifteen (15) calendar days after the district’s request.
No second or third opinion on recertification may be required.
Sick Leave and
Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) Leave
When an employee takes sick leave, the district shall determine if the leave qualifies for FMLA leave. The district may request additional information from the employee to help make the applicability determination. If the leave qualifies under the FMLA, the district will notify the employee, either orally or in writing, of the decision within two workdays. If the leave is intermittent or on a reduced schedule as defined in this policy and the circumstances of the leave don’t change, the district is only required to notify the employee once of the determination regarding the applicability of sick leave and/or FMLA leave. To the extent the employee has accrued paid leave, any leave taken that qualifies for FMLA leave shall be paid leave and charged against the employee’s accrued leave.
Concurrent Leave
The district requires employees to substitute any applicable accrued leave for any part of the twelve (12) week period of FMLA leave. All FMLA leave is unpaid unless substituted by applicable accrued leave.
Workers Compensation: FMLA leave may run concurrently with a workers’ compensation absence when the injury is one that meets the criteria for a serious health condition. To the extent that workers compensation benefits and FMLA leave run concurrently, the employee will not be charged for any paid leave accrued by the employee. If the health care provider treating the employee for the workers compensation injury certifies the employee is able to return to a “light duty job,” but is unable to return to the employee’s same or equivalent job, the employee may decline the district’s offer of a “light duty job.” As a result, the employee may lose his/her workers’ compensation payments, but for the duration of the employee’s FMLA leave, the employee will be paid for the leave to the extent that the employee has accrued applicable leave.
Health Insurance Coverage
The district shall maintain coverage under any group health plan for the duration of FMLA leave the employee takes at the level and under the conditions coverage would have been provided if the employee had continued in active employment with the district. The employee remains responsible for any portion of premium payments customarily paid by the employee. When on unpaid FMLA leave, it is the employee’s responsibility to submit his/her portion of the cost of the group health plan coverage to the district’s business office on or before it would be made by payroll deduction.
If an employee gives unequivocal notice of intent not to return to work, or if the employment relationship would have terminated if the employee had not taken FMLA leave, the district’s obligation to maintain health benefits ceases.
If the employee fails to return from leave after the period of leave to which the employee was entitled has expired, the district may recover the premiums it paid to maintain health care coverage unless:
a. The employee fails to return to work due to the continuation, reoccurrence, or onset of a serious health condition that entitles the employee to leave under reasons 3 or 4 listed above; and/or
b. Other circumstances exist beyond the employee’s control.
Circumstances under “a” listed above shall be certified by a licensed, practicing health care provider verifying the employee’s inability to return to work.
Reporting
Requirements During Leave
Employees shall inform the district every two weeks during FMLA leave of their current status and intent to return to work.
Return to Work
Medical Certification: An employee who has taken FMLA leave under reason 4 stated above shall provide the district with certification from a health care provider that the employee is able to resume work.
Return to Previous Position: An employee returning from FMLA leave is entitled to be returned to the same position the employee held when leave commenced, or to an equivalent position with equivalent benefits, pay, and other terms and conditions of employment. An equivalent position must involve the same or substantially similar duties and responsibilities, which must entail substantially equivalent skill, effort, and authority. The employee may not be restored to a position requiring additional licensure or certification.
Failure to Return to Work: In the event that an employee is unable or fails to return to work, the superintendent will make a determination at that time regarding the documented need for a severance of the employee’s contract due to the inability of the employee to fulfill the responsibilities and requirements of their contract.
Intermittent or
Reduced Schedule Leave
Eligible employees may only take intermittent or reduced schedule leave for reasons 1 and 2 listed above if the district agrees to permit such leave upon request of the employee.
Eligible employees may take intermittent or reduced schedule leave due to reasons 3, 4, and 6 listed above if they have
(A) made a reasonable effort to schedule the treatment so as not to disrupt unduly the operations of the employer, subject to the approval of the health care provider of the employee or the health care provider of the son, daughter, spouse, or parent of the employee, as appropriate; and
(B) provided the employer with not less than 30 days' notice, before the date the leave is to begin, of the employee's intention to take leave under such subparagraph, except that if the date of the treatment requires leave to begin in less than 30 days, the employee shall provide such notice as is practicable.
Eligible employees requesting intermittent or reduced schedule leave that is foreseeable based on planned medical treatment may be transferred to an alternative position for which the employee is qualified with equivalent pay and benefits that better accommodates the employee’s intermittent or reduced schedule leave.
If an eligible employee who meets the definition of an instructional employee requests intermittent or reduced schedule leave that is foreseeable based on planned medical treatment and the employee would be on leave for greater than 20 percent of the total number of working days in the period during which the leave would extend, the district may require the employee to elect either
Leave taken by
eligible instructional employees near the end of the academic term
Leave more than
5 weeks prior to end of term
· If the eligible, instructional employee begins leave, due to reasons 1 through 6 listed above , more than 5 weeks prior to the end of the academic term, the district may require the employee to continue taking leave until the end of such term, if
(A) the leave is of at least 3 weeks duration; and
(B) the return to employment would occur during the 3-week period before the end of such term.
Leave less than
5 weeks prior to end of term
If the eligible, instructional employee begins leave, due to reasons 1, 2, 3, or 6 listed above , during the period that commences 5 weeks prior to the end of the academic term, the district may require the employee to continue taking leave until the end of such term, if
(A) the leave is of greater than 2 weeks duration; and
(B) the return to employment would occur during the 2-week period before the end of such term.
Leave less than 3
weeks prior to end of term
If the eligible, instructional employee begins leave, due to 1, 2, 3, or 6 listed above, during the period that commences 3 weeks prior to the end of the academic term and the duration of the leave is greater than 5 working days, the agency or school may require the employee to continue to take leave until the end of such term.
Cross Reference: 3.8—CERTIFIED PERSONNEL SICK LEAVE
Legal References: 29 USC §§ 2601 et seq.
29 CFR 825.100 et seq.
Date Adopted: 5/23/02
Last Revised: 5/28/10
3.33—ASSIGNMENT OF EXTRA DUTIES FOR CERTIFIED PERSONNEL
From time to time extra duties may be assigned to certified personnel by the school principal or the Superintendent as circumstances dictate.
Legal Reference: A.C.A. § 6-17-201
Date Adopted: 5/17/04
Last Revised:
6/20/07
3.34—CERTIFIED PERSONNEL CELL PHONE USE
Use of cell phones or other
electronic communication devices by employees during instructional time is
strictly forbidden unless specifically approved in advance by the
superintendent, building principal, or their designees.
In any instance where the
district issues a cell phone or school computer to a school employee for use for
school business purposes, the employee shall not use the equipment for personal
use. Any employee who uses a school issued cell phones and/or computers for
non-school purposes, except as permitted by the district’s Internet/computer use
policy, shall be subject to discipline.
Date Adopted: 6/17/04
Last Revised:
5/28/10
3.35—CERTIFIED PERSONNEL BENEFITS
The Nevada School District provides its certified personnel
benefits consisting of the following.
1. The priceless reward of helping shape the life and future of our children;
2. Health insurance assistance;
3. Contribution to the teacher retirement system;
4. One sick leave day per calendar month worked; and
5. Two (2) Personal days.
Legal Reference: A.C.A. § 6-17-201
Date Adopted: 6/17/04
Last Revised:
5/20/11
3.36—CERTIFIED PERSONNEL DISMISSAL AND NON-RENEWAL
For procedures relating to the termination and non-renewal of teachers, please refer to the Arkansas Teacher Fair Dismissal Act A.C.A. §§ 6-17-1501 through 1510. The Act specifically is not made a part of this policy by this reference.
A copy of the Act is available for review in the office of the principal of each school building.
Legal Reference: A.C.A. § 6-17-201
Date Adopted: 6/17/04
Last Revised:
6/20/07
3.37—ASSIGNMENT OF TEACHER AIDES
The assignment of teacher aides shall be made by the principal or his/her designee. Changes in the assignments may be made as necessary due to changes in the student population, teacher changes, and to best meet the educational needs of the students.
Legal Reference: A.C.A. § 6-17-201
Date Adopted: 6/17/04
Last Revised:
6/20/07
3.38—CERTIFIED PERSONNEL RESPONSIBILITIES GOVERNING BULLYING
Teachers and other school employees who have witnessed, or are reliably informed that, a student has been a victim of bullying as defined in this policy, including a single action which if allowed to continue would constitute bullying, shall report the incident(s) to the principal. The principal or his/her designee shall be responsible for investigating the incident(s) to determine if disciplinary action is warranted.
The person or persons reporting behavior they consider to be bullying shall not be subject to retaliation or reprisal in any form.
District staff are required to help enforce implementation of the district’s anti-bullying policy. The district’s definition of bullying is included below. Students who bully another person are to be held accountable for their actions whether they occur on school equipment or property; off school property at a school-sponsored or school-approved function, activity, or event; or going to or from school or a school activity. Students are encouraged to report behavior they consider to be bullying, including a single action which if allowed to continue would constitute bullying, to their teacher or the building principal. The report may be made anonymously.
Definitions:
Bullying
means the intentional harassment, intimidation, humiliation, ridicule,
defamation, or threat or incitement of violence by a student against another
student or public school employee by a written, verbal, electronic, or physical
act that causes or creates a clear and present danger of:
Electronic act
means without limitation a communication or image transmitted by means of an
electronic device, including without
limitation a telephone, wireless phone
or other wireless communications device, computer, or pager that results in the
substantial disruption of the orderly operation of the school or educational
environment.
Electronic acts
of bullying are prohibited whether or not the electronic act originated on
school property or with school equipment, if the electronic act is directed
specifically at students or school personnel and maliciously intended for the
purpose of disrupting school, and has a high likelihood of succeeding in that
purpose;
Harassment
means a pattern of unwelcome verbal or physical conduct relating to another
person's constitutionally or statutorily protected status that causes, or
reasonably should be expected to cause, substantial interference with the
other's performance in the school environment; and
Substantial disruption
means without limitation that any one or more of the following occur as a result
of the bullying:
Examples of "Bullying" may include but are not limited to a pattern of behavior involving one or more of the following:
1. Sarcastic "compliments" about another student’s personal appearance,
2. Pointed questions intended to embarrass or humiliate,
3. Mocking, taunting or belittling,
4. Non-verbal threats and/or intimidation such as “fronting” or “chesting” a person,
5. Demeaning humor relating to a student’s race, gender, ethnicity or personal characteristics,
6. Blackmail, extortion, demands for protection money or other involuntary donations or loans,
7. Blocking access to school property or facilities,
8. Deliberate physical contact or injury to person or property,
9. Stealing or hiding books or belongings, and/or
10. Threats of harm to student(s), possessions, or others.
11.
Sexual harassment, as governed by policy 3.26, is also a
form of bullying,
12. Teasing or name-calling based on the belief or perception that an individual is not conforming to expected gender roles (Example: “Slut”) or conduct or is homosexual, regardless of whether the student self-identifies as homosexual (Examples: “You are so gay.” “Fag” “Queer”).
Legal Reference: A.C.A. § 6-18-514
Date Adopted: 6/17/04
Last Revised: 5/20/11
3.39— CERTIFIED PERSONNEL
RECORDS AND REPORTS
The superintendent or his/her designee shall determine, by individual or
by position, those records a teacher is responsible to keep and those reports
he/she is required to maintain. It is a requirement of employment that all
required records and reports be completed, submitted, or otherwise tendered, and
be accepted by the principal or superintendent as complete and satisfactory,
before the last month’s pay will be released to the certified employee.
Legal Reference:
A.C.A. § 6-17-104
Date Adopted: 6/20/07
Last Revised:
3.40—CERTIFIED PERSONNEL Duty to Report
Child Abuse, Maltreatment or Neglect
It is the statutory duty of certified school district employees who have reasonable cause to suspect child abuse or maltreatment to directly and personally report these suspicions to the Arkansas Child Abuse Hotline, by calling 1-800-482-5964. Failure to report suspected child abuse, maltreatment or neglect by calling the Hotline can lead to criminal prosecution and individual civil liability of the person who has this duty. Notification of local or state law enforcement does not satisfy the duty to report; only notification by means of the Child Abuse Hotline discharges this duty.
The duty to report suspected child abuse or maltreatment is a direct and personal duty, and cannot be assigned or delegated to another person. There is no duty to investigate, confirm or substantiate statements a student may have made which form the basis of the reasonable cause to believe that the student may have been abused or subjected to maltreatment by another person; however, a person with a duty to report may find it helpful to make a limited inquiry to assist in the formation of a belief that child abuse, maltreatment or neglect has occurred, or to rule out such a belief1. Employees and volunteers who call the Child Abuse Hotline in good faith are immune from civil liability and criminal prosecution.
By law, no school district or school district employee may prohibit or restrict an employee or volunteer from directly reporting suspected child abuse or maltreatment, or require that any person notify or seek permission from any person before making a report to the Child Abuse Hotline
Legal References: A.C.A. § 12-12-504, 507, 517
Date Adopted: 6/12/08
Last Revised: 5/20/11
3.41—CERTIFIED PERSONNEL VIDEO SURVEILLANCE
The Board of Directors has a responsibility to maintain discipline, protect the safety, security, and welfare of its students, staff, and visitors while at the same time safeguarding district facilities, vehicles, and equipment. As part of fulfilling this responsibility, the board authorizes the use of video/audio surveillance cameras, automatic identification, data compilation devices, and technology capable of tracking the physical location of district equipment, students, and/or personnel.
The placement of video/audio surveillance cameras shall be based on the presumption and belief that students, staff and visitors have no reasonable expectation of privacy anywhere on or near school property, facilities, vehicles, or equipment, with the exception of places such as rest rooms or dressing areas where an expectation of bodily privacy is reasonable and customary.
Signs shall be posted on district property and in or on district vehicles to notify students, staff, and visitors that video cameras may be in use. Violations of school personnel policies or laws caught by the cameras and other technologies authorized in this policy may result in disciplinary action.
The district shall retain copies of video recordings until they are erased which may be accomplished by either deletion or copying over with a new recording.
Videos, automatic identification, or data compilations containing evidence of a violation of district personnel policies and/or state or federal law shall be retained until the issue of the misconduct is no longer subject to review or appeal as determined by board policy or staff handbook; any release or viewing of such records shall be in accordance with current law.
Staff who vandalize, damage, defeat, disable, or render inoperable (temporarily or permanently) surveillance cameras and equipment, automatic identification, or data compilation devices shall be subject to appropriate disciplinary action and referral to appropriate law enforcement authorities.
Video recordings and automatic identification or data compilation records may become a part of a staff member’s personnel record.
Date Adopted: 6/12/08
Last Revised: 5/20/11
3.42—RELEASE
of STUDENT’S FREE and REDUCED PRICE MEAL ELIGIBLITY INFORMATION
As part of the
district’s participation in the National School Lunch Program and the School
Breakfast Program, the district collects eligibility data from its students. The
data’s confidentiality is very important and is governed by federal law. The
district has made the determination to release student eligibility status or
information as permitted by law. Federal law governs how eligibility data may be
released and to whom. The district will take the following steps to ensure its
confidentiality:
Some data may be
released to government agencies or programs authorized by law to receive such
data without parental consent, while other data may only be released after
obtaining parental consent. In both instances, allowable information shall only
be released on a need to know basis to individuals authorized to receive the
data. The recipients shall sign an agreement with the district specifying the
names or titles of the persons who may have access to the eligibility
information. The agreement shall further specify the specific purpose(s) for
which the data will be used and how the recipient(s) shall protect the data from
further, unauthorized disclosures.
The superintendent
shall designate the staff member(s) responsible for making eligibility
determinations. Release of eligibility information to other district staff shall
be limited to as few individuals as possible who shall have a specific need to
know such information to perform their job responsibilities. Principals,
counselors, teachers, and administrators shall not have routine access to
eligibility information or status.
Each staff person
with access to individual eligibility information shall be notified of their
personal liability for its unauthorized disclosure and shall receive appropriate
training on the laws governing the restrictions of such information.
Legal
References:
Commissioner’s Memos IA-05-018, FIN 09-041, and IA 99-011
ADE Eligibility
Manual for School Meals Revised July 2008
7 CFR 210.1 –
210.31
7 CFR 220.1 – 220.22
42 USC 1758(b)(6)
Date Adopted:
5/28/10
Last Revised:
5/28/10
3.43—DUTY OF LICENSED EMPLOYEES TO MAINTAIN
LICENSE IN GOOD STANDING
Any employees
possessing a teaching license, regardless of whether holding such a license is a
condition of employment in the employee’s current job assignment, must at all
times maintain such a license in good standing with the State Board of
Education. Any employee who is reprimanded, has his or her license put under any
period of probation, or has his or her license revoked by the State Board of
Education pursuant to Arkansas State Board of Education Rules Governing the Code
of Ethics for Arkansas Educators will face disciplinary action, up to and
including termination or nonrenewal of his or her contract of employment.
Legal References:
Rules Governing the Code of
Ethics for Arkansas Educators;
A.C.A. § 6-11-105
A.C.A. § 6-17-401
A.C.A. § 6-17-410
A.C.A. § 6-17-422
Date Adopted:
5/28/10
Last Revised:
5/28/10
3.44—CERTIFIED PERSONNEL WORKPLACE INJURIES and
WORKERS’ COMPENSATION
The district
provides Workers’ Compensation Insurance, as required by law. Employees who
sustain any injury at work must
immediately notify their immediate supervisor, or in the absence of their
immediate supervisor notify the Superintendent. An injured employee must fill
out a Form N and the employee’s supervisor will determine whether to report the
claim or to file the paperwork if the injury requires neither medical treatment
or lost work time. While many injuries will require no medical treatment or time
lost at work, should the need for treatment arise later, it is important that
there be a record that the injury occurred. All employees have a duty to provide
information and make statements as requested for the purposes of the claim
assessment and investigation.
For injuries
requiring medical attention, the district will exercise its right to designate
the initial treating physician and an injured employee will be directed to seek
medical attention, if necessary, from a specific physician or clinic.
Workers’
Compensation absences may be designated as FMLA absences when the criteria are
met under FMLA for a serious health condition.
An employee who is
absent from work due to a workplace injury or receiving temporary disability
benefits due to a Workers’ Compensation claim will utilize any sick leave
accumulation he or she may have at the rate of 1/3 of a sick leave day for day
of absence to bring the total amount of combined income up to 100% of usual
contracted pay, unless the employee gives the school district written notice to
not use sick leave days in this manner.
No employee may realize a net compensation gain from a combination of
Workers’ Compensation benefits and sick leave in excess of contracted pay. Sick
leave days used for workplace injuries will not be restored to the employee.
Cross Reference:
8.23—NONCERTIFIED PERSONNEL FAMILY MEDICAL LEAVE
Legal References:
Ark. Workers Compensation Commission
RULE 099.33 - MANAGED CARE
A.C.A. §
11-9-508(d)(5)(A)
A.C.A. §
11-9-514(a)(3)(A)(i)
Date Adopted:
5/28/10
Last Revised:
3.45—CERTIFIED PERSONNEL SOCIAL NETWORKING
AND ETHICS
Technology used
appropriately gives faculty new opportunities to engage students.
District staff are encouraged to use educational technology, the Internet, and
professional/education social networks to raise student achievement and to
improve communication with parents and students. Technology and social
networking websites also offer staff
many ways they can present themselves unprofessionally and/or interact with
students inappropriately.
It is the duty of
each staff member to appropriately manage all interactions with students,
regardless of whether contact or interaction with a student occurs face-to-face
or by means of technology, to ensure that the appropriate staff/student
relationship is maintained. This includes instances when students initiate
contact or behave inappropriately themselves.
Public school
employees are, and always have been, held to a high standard of behavior. Staff
members are reminded that whether specific sorts of contacts are permitted or
not specifically forbidden by policy, they will be held to a high standard of
conduct in all their interactions with students. Failure to create, enforce and
maintain appropriate professional and interpersonal boundaries with students
could adversely affect the District’s relationship with the community and
jeopardize the employee’s employment with the district.
The Arkansas Department of Education
Rules Governing the Code of Ethics for Arkansas Educators
requires District staff to
maintain a professional relationship with each student, both in and outside the
classroom. The School Board of Directors encourages all staff to read and become
familiar with the Rules.
Conduct in violation of the
Rules Governing the Code of Ethics for Arkansas Educators,
including, but not limited to conduct relating to the inappropriate use of
technology or online resources, may be reported to the Professional License
Standards Board (PLSB) and may form the basis for disciplinary action up to and
including termination.
Definitions:
Social networking websites are
online groups of Internet users allowing communication between multiple
individuals. The fundamental purpose of social networking websites is to
socialize. Examples include, but are not limited to, Facebook, MySpace, and
Twitter. Staff members are discouraged from creating personal social
networking sites to which they invite students to be friends or followers.
Employees taking such action do so at their own risk and are advised to monitor
the site’s privacy settings regularly.
Professional/education social networks are education oriented websites designed to allow and encourage teachers and students to communicate and collaborate around school subjects and projects. District employees may set up blogs and other professional/education social networking accounts using District resources and following District guidelines1 to promote communications with students, parents, and the community concerning school-related activities and for the purpose of supplementing classroom instruction. Accessing professional/education social networks during school hours is permitted.
Blogs are a type
of networking and can be either social or professional in their orientation.
Professional blogs are encouraged and can provide a place for teachers to post
homework, keep parents up-to-date, and interact with students concerning school
related activities. Social blogs are discouraged to the extent they involve
teachers and students in a non-education oriented format.
Staff
are reminded that the same relationship,
exchange, interaction, information, or behavior that would be unacceptable in a
non-technological medium, is unacceptable when done through the use of
technology. In fact, due to the vastly increased potential audience digital
dissemination presents, extra caution must be exercised by staff to ensure they
don’t cross the line of acceptability. A good rule of thumb for staff to use is,
“if you wouldn’t say it in class, don’t say it online.”
Whether permitted
or not specifically forbidden by policy, or when expressed in an adult-to-adult,
face-to-face context, what in other
mediums of expression could remain private opinions, when expressed by staff on
a social networking website, have the potential to be disseminated far beyond
the speaker’s desire or intention. This could undermine the public’s perception
of the individual’s fitness to educate students, thus undermining the teacher’s
effectiveness. In this way, the expression and publication of such opinions
could potentially lead to disciplinary action being taken against the staff
member, up to and including termination or nonrenewal of the contract of
employment.
Accessing social networking websites for personal use
during school hours is prohibited, except during breaks or preparation periods.
Staff are discouraged from accessing social networking websites on personal
equipment during their breaks and/or preparation periods because, while this is
not prohibited, it may give the public appearance that such access is occurring
during instructional time. Staff shall not access social networking websites
using district equipment at any time, including during breaks or preparation
periods, except in an emergency situation or with the express prior permission
of administration. All school district employees who participate in social
networking websites shall not post any school district data, documents,
photographs, logos, or other district owned or created information on any
website. Further, the posting of
any private or confidential school district material on such websites is
strictly prohibited.
Specifically, the
following forms of technology based interactivity or connectivity are expressly
permitted or forbidden:
Legal
Reference: RULES GOVERNING THE CODE OF
ETHICS FOR ARKANSAS EDUCATORS
Date Adopted: 5/20/11
Last Revised:
Social Networking
Discussion Background
The issue
of proper and improper use of technology,
especially social networking websites by staff, is a very hot topic. There are
some clear lines of unacceptable behavior, but there are many, many more areas
that are very grey in nature. There is much room for debate when trying to
determine what each district, and school for that matter, deems acceptable.
Electronic
interactions lack the opportunity which face-to-face interactions present that
help enable those involved to determine if the information exchanged has been
understood and interpreted appropriately. The potential for miscommunication
presented by social networking websites increases the possibility that seemingly
innocent communication could be misinterpreted and result in disciplinary
action.
Fairness
demands that if staff members could potentially face disciplinary action based
on their behavior relative to social networking websites, what constitutes both
acceptable and unacceptable conduct be made clear to them through policy and
guidance delivered at staff meetings and professional development offerings.
The goals
of this document are to stimulate discussion on how to personalize ASBA’s model
policy and help provide guidelines for what
will be considered acceptable use of social and professional websites. This is a
policy that will require professional development on a regular basis to help
ensure everyone understands it. We
hope the discussions will also help to identify areas that need to be included
in training staff on how to responsibly navigate the world of social networking
websites.
Some staff
members will be more knowledgeable and/or comfortable than others discussing the
issues raised in the policy. It might be helpful to have those who are more
knowledgeable give those less knowledgeable a brief background tutorial on
social networks. Patience is a virtue; those currently adept staff are reminded
that in the world of technology, a generation is roughly three to five years. It
might not be long before the “adept staff” are outdone by today’s young
students.
An
underlying issue in the discussion of social
networking websites is that many long established privacy boundaries are rapidly
being questioned, ignored, or outright repudiated. While there is no doubt
technology, and social networking websites specifically, challenges most of the
long established norms in education, there is also no doubt that the use of
technology is a major element of education’s future. One important task is to
strike a balance between the new and the old.
Another
challenge when writing a social networking policy is to make it specific enough
to give staff sufficient guidance, and yet general enough that it can adapt to
the inevitable changes that will occur. Specifically, the challenge is to
determine what is absolutely unacceptable while leaving room for the positive
uses of technology to develop.
ASBA urges
districts to resist the temptation to write the policy thinking it is possible
to stop all unacceptable behavior through the use of “ironclad” restrictions.
Employees determined to conduct themselves inappropriately will do so regardless
of any policy you can create. However, a good policy can educate employees about
what situations to avoid and what activity is acceptable.
A couple
of websites that might be helpful as you discuss the policy and training needs
are the following:
http://doug-johnson.squarespace.com/blue-skunk-blog/2009/8/20/networking-guidelines-revised.html
http://blog.socialcast.com/education-2-0-social-networking-and-education/
Please use
the following questions along with the list in footnote #2 of the model policy
to help guide and focus your discussion(s).
Who will be responsible for granting a request to use or create a professional/education social networking site – the immediate supervisor, superintendent, district/school webmaster? One benefit of prior permission is that it serves as an open notice of the existence of the site to give the teacher cover in case of complaints. It also can serve as a reminder to the teacher of the acceptable parameters of the site and its use.
What guidelines are to be followed in the site’s creation?
What are the staff member’s responsibilities in monitoring/maintaining the site once it is established? Who, if anyone, will have the responsibility/authority for monitoring the site for the release of student information in violation of state and federal law?
Will you require parents of students under age 18 to sign a permission form granting the student’s access to the professional/education social networks site? Requiring advance permission can serve as a cover for the teacher in case of complaints.
3.46— CERTIFIED PERSONNEL VacationS
240 day contracted employees are credited with 10 days of vacation at the beginning of each fiscal year. The Superintendent will be credited with 15 days of vacation at the beginning of each fiscal year. This is based on the assumption that a full contract year will be worked. If an employee fails to finish the contract year due to resignation or termination, the employee’s final check will be reduced at the rate of .833 days per month, or major portion of a month, for any days used but not earned.
Instructional Employees may not generally take during instructional time. All vacation time must be approved by the superintendent.
Earned but unused vacation will be paid upon retirement, termination, or nonrenewal at the employee’s current daily rate of pay.
Date Adopted: 5/20/11
Last Revised:
3.47—Depositing collected funds
From time to time, staff members may collect funds in the course of their employment. It is the responsibility of any staff member to deposit such funds they have collected at least weekly into the appropriate accounts for which they have been collected. The Superintendent or his/her designee shall be responsible for determining the need for receipts for funds collected and other record keeping requirements and of notifying staff of the requirements.
Staff that use any funds collected in the course of their employment for personal purposes, or who deposit such funds in a personal account, may be subject to discipline up to and including termination.
Date adopted: 5/20/11
Last Revised:
