PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND EDUCATIONAL IMPROVEMENT A. The Board of Education agrees to pay the actual tuition costs of courses taken by a teacher at accredited colleges or universities up to three courses per two (2) year fiscal periods from July 1, 2006 to June 30, 2008 and July 1, 2008 to June 30, 2010 respectively, except as follows:
1. No teacher may be reimbursed for courses taken during the first year of teaching in Vineland.
2. Teachers taking courses in the second and third years of employment in Vineland will not receive remuneration until tenure has been secured. The remuneration will then be retroactive and will be paid to the teacher in a lump sum within sixty (60) days after the teacher has secured tenure.
3. All courses must be pre-approved by the Superintendent or his designee subject to the following requirements:
(a) A teacher must provide official documentation that he/she has obtained a grade of B or better;
(b) Reimbursement shall be paid only for courses directly related to teacher’s teaching field which increase the teacher’s content knowledge and are related to the teacher’s current certification, as determined by the Superintendent or his/her designee in his/her sole discretion; no reimbursement shall be paid for courses leading to a post graduate or professional degree in a field other than education or teaching. Further, effective September 1, 2010, all newly hired teachers shall not be eligible for reimbursement until they are tenured, and they shall not be eligible for retroactive reimbursement upon gaining tenure for courses taken prior to being tenured.
(c) The maximum total payments to be made by the Board shall not exceed $130,000.00. Courses shall be applied for no earlier than the following dates: Summer Session - April 1 Fall/Winter Session - June 1 Spring Session - October 1 Courses must, as set forth hereinabove in this sub-article 18.A.3, be pre-approved by the Superintendent or his designee, prior to the teacher commencing the course(s); and
(d) Teacher taking courses shall sign a contract requiring them to reimburse the Board for all tuition paid for a course if the teacher shall voluntarily leave the employ of the Board within one (1) full school/academic year of completion of said course, except that reimbursement shall not be required when the teacher shall voluntarily leave the employ of the Board due to a significant, documented life change.
4. Tuition reimbursement costs shall be a sum not to exceed the actual cost of college credits charged in an accredited public State college/University of the State of New Jersey.
B. When the Superintendent initiates in-service training courses, workshops, conferences and programs designed to improve the quality of instruction, the cooperation of the Vineland Education Association will be solicited. Notwithstanding the above, the initiation of in-service training courses, workshops, conferences and programs shall be determined solely at the discretion of the Board.
C. One professional leave day may be granted to a teacher upon request, according to the following guidelines:
1. The professional day may be for attendance at a workshop, seminar or visit to another school for the expressed purpose of self professional improvement for the job.
2. The request shall arrive in the office of the Superintendent of Schools at least ten (10) working days prior to the date requested and shall be reviewed by the immediate supervisor prior to submission. The Board reserves the right to deny a professional leave day before or immediately following a holiday or on a day which by its nature suggests a hardship for providing a substitute.
3. No more than two teachers from any one elementary school or from any one department in the secondary schools may be granted a professional leave for a given day.
4. The teacher may be required to submit a report to the Superintendent of Schools, Assistant Superintendent, supervisor (s), principal and staff regarding the activity of the professional day.
5. Costs incurred by the teacher for the professional day authorized under this Section shall be the teacher’s responsibility.
6. A maximum of 90 professional leave days may be authorized for the school year which shall be apportioned as follows: elementary, 35; grades seven and eight, 20; and high school, 35.
D. If the Board initiates a teacher’s attendance at a professional workshop, seminar or visit, the expenses shall be the responsibility of the Board. Further, this day shall not be subtracted from the 90 professional leave days granted to teachers of the Association.
E. The Board agrees to pay the full cost of courses taken by secretaries related to skills and knowledge improvement when such courses are required and approved by the Board.
F. The Board and the Association agree that it is important to communicate when developing and implementing current and future learning technologies, including but not limited to distance and on-line learning.
Professional Development Leave A. Policy. Professional development leave shall be made available to employees who meet the requirements set forth below. Such leaves are granted to increase an employee's value to the University through enhanced opportunities for professional renewal, educational travel, study, formal education, research, writing, or other experience of professional value, not as a reward for service.
Professional Development Program (a) The parties agree to continue a Professional Development Program for the maintenance and development of the faculty members' professional competence and effectiveness. It is agreed that maintenance of currency of subject knowledge, the improvement of performance of faculty duties, and the maintenance and improvement of professional competence, including instructional skills, are the primary professional development activities of faculty members.
(b) Information collected as part of this program shall be the sole property of the faculty member. This information or any judgments arising from this program shall not be used to determine non-renewal or termination of a faculty member's contract, suspension or dismissal of a faculty member, denial of advancement on the salary scale, nor affect any other administrative decisions pertaining to the promotion or employment status of the faculty member.
(c) A joint advisory committee consisting of three regular faculty members who shall be elected by and are P.D. Committee Chairpersons and three administrators shall make recommendations for the operation, financing and management of the Professional Development Program.
Professional Development Funds 23.1.1 Two Professional Development Funds, a Professional Development Support Fund and an Education Leave Fund, shall be established to support professional development activities as defined in 23.2. On April 1st of each year, the College will allocate an amount equal to no less than 0.9% of total faculty salary (exclusive of severance payments) to the Professional Development Support Fund, and an amount equal to no less than 0.6% of total faculty salary to the Educational Leave Fund. Any unused balances in these funds shall carry over to the next budget year.
23.1.2 The College agrees to provide the Association with the authority to administer the program on behalf of the College for those activities approved by the College in accordance with 23.2, 23.4 and 23.5.
23.1.3 Nothing in this Agreement prevents the College from funding professional development activities in addition to those activities supported through the Professional Development Funds (23.1.1) in accordance with the procedures described in this Article.
Professional Development Plan Professional Development Plan (PDP) refers to plans developed by faculty members addressing the criteria contained in Article 22 and Appendix G.
Professional Development Fund Article 20
Special Education Teachers Elementary/Secondary Special Education Coordinators shall be compensated for an extended work day in the amount of four thousand dollars ($4,000).
Professional and Education Leaves (a) Leave of absence with pay or without pay may be granted to employees to attend professional and educational meetings, courses, or other events which may be judged beneficial to the employee's professional development, especially as it relates to her responsibilities with the Employer.
PROFESSIONAL COMPENSATION 11.1 The basic salaries of teachers covered by this Contract shall be set in accordance with the procedures set forth in this Agreement.
11.2 The salary of the teacher will be presumed correct as shown in the Uniform Teacher’s Contract unless the teacher or the Employer furnishes evidence of error.
11.3 An explanation as to how contract salary figures are computed will accompany the first paycheck of each school year.
11.4 Basic salaries for teachers shall be paid in twenty-six (26) payments. Basic salaries for teachers shall be paid in twenty-six (26) payments in a given calendar year. Exceptions may be made with the approval of the Cash Flow Committee. A teacher may receive the balance due on his contract with the first scheduled paycheck in July by written notice to the Business Office by May 1. If May 1 occurs on a day that school is not in session, the deadline shall be the next regular school day. A teacher who makes this election shall continue each year to receive the balance due on his contract with the first scheduled paycheck in July unless he notifies the Business Office by May 1 that he prefers to be paid in twenty-six (26) payments. Teachers will be notified by the Cash Flow Committee of the Xxxxxxx Teachers’ Federation prior to June 1 in the event the balance on teachers’ contracts due on the first scheduled paycheck in July cannot be paid.
11.5 New teachers will receive one half (½) of their first pay one payroll in advance and the remaining one half (½) on the next pay date.
11.6 Effective January 1, 2009, teacher pay will be issued via direct deposit only.
11.7 The Superintendent may approve additional compensation for individual teachers who have been authorized by the Superintendent to perform additional work assignments.
11.8 Payroll deductions for teachers shall be made as required by law or as mutually agreed to by the parties. Teachers may authorize deductions for tax-sheltered annuities during open enrollment periods of the carrier companies involved.
11.9 Deductions for daily absences not covered by provisions in the Contract shall be made at the same rate as earned.
11.10 Effective January 1, 1993, the Board shall pay directly to the Indiana State Teachers Retirement Fund each teacher’s three percent (3%) contribution to the fund.
11.11 The parties recognize that the salaries which appear on Regular Teacher’s Contracts and Teacher’s Temporary Contracts will be inaccurate whenever a salary increase is approved after these contracts have been executed. At the time of a teacher’s retirement, the Employer will review these contracts and, when necessary, revise the contracts for the five (5) years of service before retirement in which the teacher’s annual compensation was highest so they accurately reflect the sums which the teacher earned in each of those five (5) years.
11.12 The parties recognize that students are entitled to be taught by fully qualified teachers, while at the same time recognizing a professional responsibility to assist in the preparation of student teachers. Therefore, supervision by a teacher of a student teacher shall be voluntary. No teacher should serve as a supervising teacher more than one-half (1/2) of the total teaching time each year. This provision was not bargained and has been included for informational purposes only. Should
11.13 If the Employer determines that any committee should continue its work during the summer, teachers belonging to the committee performing such services shall be paid on the same basis and in the same manner as summer school teachers. If the Employer determines that professional development should occur in the summer, specific teachers invited to participate shall be paid on the same basis as summer school teachers.
Association Activities The parties agree employees shall have the right to form, join, and participate in the lawful activities of the Association for the purpose of representation in matters of employment relations. No employee shall be interfered with, restrained, coerced, or discriminated against because of the exercise of such rights.
