Research and Development (i) Advice and assistance in relation to research and development of Party B;
(ii) Advice and assistance in strategic planning; and
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.
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).
Training and Development 3.1 Authorities will develop local 'Workforce Development Plans (see Part 4.8),' closely linked to their service delivery plans, which will provide the focus for the establishment of training and development priorities. Training and development should be designed to meet the corporate and service needs of authorities both current and in the future, taking into account the individual needs of employees. Local schemes on training and development should enable authorities to attain their strategic objectives through development of their employees. Training and development provisions should be shaped to local requirements and take account of the full range of learning methods. Such an approach should enable access to learning for all employees. The needs of part time employees and shift workers need particular consideration.
3.2 Employees attending or undertaking required training are entitled to payment of normal earnings; all prescribed fees and other relevant expenses arising. Employees are also entitled to paid leave for the purpose of sitting for required examinations. When attending training courses outside contracted daily hours, part-time employees should be paid on the same basis as full- time employees. (Assistance for other forms of learning, for example that directed at individual development, will be locally determined). Some training can be very expensive and authorities may require repayment of all or part of the costs incurred should an employee leave the authority before a reasonable time period has expired. The authority's policy in this regard should be made explicit.
3.3 Objectives for training and development programmes should include the following: • To enable Councils to attain their strategic objectives via investment in their employees. • To promote equity of access to learning. • To encourage employees to develop their skills and level of responsibility to the maximum of their individual potential. • To widen and modernise the skills profile of employees to maximise their versatility, employability and so, job security. • To enable employees to raise productivity, quality and customer service in pursuit of sustainable improvement
3.4 Authorities should establish local partnership arrangements, to include recognised trade unions, to develop their local workforce development plans.
3.5 The NJC endorses partnership provision such as the "Return to Learn" scheme. Authorities and the recognised trade unions shall encourage and support employees taking on the statutory Union Learning Representative (ULR) role. This will include agreeing facilities and paid release in accordance with statutory provisions. ULRs should be enabled to play a full part in promoting and implementing local training and development programmes.
In-Service Education The parties recognize the value of in-service both to the employee and the Employer and shall encourage employees to participate in in-service. All employees scheduled by the Employer to attend in-service seminars shall receive regular wages.
Career Development The City and the Union agree that employee career growth can be beneficial to both the City and the affected employee. As such, consistent with training needs identified by the City and the financial resources appropriated therefore by the City, the City shall provide educational and training opportunities for employee career growth. Each employee shall be responsible for utilizing those training and educational opportunities made available by the City or other institutions for the self- development effort needed to achieve personal career goals.
Staff Development Leave (a) An employee will be granted leave without loss of pay, at their basic rate of pay, to take courses (including related examinations) or attend conferences, conventions, seminars, workshops, symposiums or similar out-of-service programs, at the request of the Employer. The amount of pay received by an employee will not exceed the full-time daily hours of work as outlined in Clause 14.2 (Hours of Work). When such leave is granted, the Employer will bear the full cost, including tuition fees, entrance or registration fees, laboratory fees, and course-related books. The Employer will also reimburse the employee for approved travelling, subsistence, and other legitimate, applicable expenses.
(b) An employee may be granted leave without pay, with pay, or leave with partial pay, to take work related courses in which the employee wishes to enrol to acquire the skills necessary to enhance opportunities.
(c) Approval of requests will be given reasonable consideration and leaves pursuant to this article will be administered in a reasonable manner.
(d) Should the employee noted above terminate their employment for any reason during the six month period following completion of the above-noted leave, the employee will reimburse the Employer for all expenses incurred by the Employer (i.e. tuition fees, entrance or registration fees, laboratory fees, and course-required books) on a proportionate basis.
Distance Education 7.13.1 Expanding student access, not increasing productivity or enrollment, shall be the primary determining factor when a decision is made to schedule a distance education course. There will be no reduction in force of faculty (as defined in Article XXIII of this Agreement) as a result of the District’s participation in distance education.
7.13.2 Courses considered to be offered as distance education shall be defined in accordance with the Board of Governors’ Title 5 Regulations and Guidelines. Generally, this definition refers to courses where the instructor and student are separated by distance and interact through the assistance of communication technology (reference section 55370 of Title 5 California Code of Regulations). The determination of which courses in the curriculum may be offered in a distance education format, in addition to instructor/student contact requirements, shall be in accordance with the Title 5 California Code of Regulations.
JOB FAMILY: APPLICATIONS DEVELOPMENT Job Title: Director, Systems and Programming Job#: 1200 General Characteristics
Curriculum Development This includes the analysis and coordination of textual materials; constant review of current literature in the field, some of which are selected for the college library collection, the preparation of selective, descriptive materials such as outlines and syllabi; conferring with other faculty and administration on curricular problems; and, the attendance and participation in inter and intra-college conferences and advisory committees.
