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.
Clinical Management for Behavioral Health Services (CMBHS) System
1. request access to CMBHS via the CMBHS Helpline at (000) 000-0000.
2. use the CMBHS time frames specified by System Agency.
3. use System Agency-specified functionality of the CMBHS in its entirety.
4. submit all bills and reports to System Agency through the CMBHS, unless otherwise instructed.
Chiropractic Services This plan covers chiropractic visits up to the benefit limit shown in the Summary of Medical Benefits. The benefit limit applies to any visit for the purposes of chiropractic treatment or diagnosis.
Radiation Therapy/Chemotherapy Services This plan covers chemotherapy and radiation services. This plan covers respiratory therapy services. When respiratory services are provided in your home, as part of a home care program, durable medical equipment, supplies, and oxygen are covered as a durable medical equipment service.
Durable Medical Equipment (DME), Medical Supplies, Prosthetic Devices, Enteral Formula or Food, and Hair Prosthesis (Wigs) This plan covers durable medical equipment and supplies, prosthetic devices and enteral formula or food as described in this section. DME is equipment which: • can withstand repeated use; • is primarily and customarily used to serve a medical purpose; • is not useful to a person in the absence of an illness or injury; and • is for use in the home. DME includes supplies necessary for the effective use of the equipment. This plan covers the following DME: • wheelchairs, hospital beds, and other DME items used only for medical treatment; and • replacement of purchased equipment which is needed due to a change in your medical condition or if the device is not functional, no longer under warranty, or cannot be repaired. DME may be classified as a rental item or a purchased item. In most cases, this plan only pays for a rental DME up to our allowance for a purchased DME. Repairs and supplies for rental DME are included in the rental allowance. Medical supplies are consumable supplies that are disposable and not intended for re- use. Medical supplies require an order by a physician and must be essential for the care or treatment of an illness, injury, or congenital defect. Covered medical supplies include: • essential accessories such as hoses, tubes and mouthpieces for use with medically necessary DME (these accessories are included as part of the rental allowance for rented DME); • catheters, colostomy and ileostomy supplies, irrigation trays and surgical dressings; and • respiratory therapy equipment. This plan covers diabetic equipment and supplies for the treatment of diabetes in accordance with R.I. General Law §27-20-30. Covered diabetic equipment and supplies include: • therapeutic or molded shoes and inserts for custom-molded shoes for the prevention of amputation; • blood glucose monitors including those with special features for the legally blind, external insulin infusion pumps and accessories, insulin infusion devices and injection aids; and • lancets and test strips for glucose monitors including those with special features for the legally blind, and infusion sets for external insulin pumps. The amount you pay differs based on whether the equipment and supplies are bought from a durable medical equipment provider or from a pharmacy. See the Summary of Pharmacy Benefits and the Summary of Medical Benefits for details. Coverage for some diabetic equipment and supplies may only be available from either a DME provider or from a pharmacy. Visit our website to determine if this is applicable or call our Customer Service Department. Prosthetic devices replace or substitute all or part of an internal body part, including contiguous tissue, or replace all or part of the function of a permanently inoperative or malfunctioning body part and alleviate functional loss or impairment due to an illness, injury or congenital defect. Prosthetic devices do not include dental prosthetics. This plan covers the following prosthetic devices as required under R.I. General Law § 27-20-52: • prosthetic appliances such as artificial limbs, breasts, larynxes and eyes; • replacement or adjustment of prosthetic appliances if there is a change in your medical condition or if the device is not functional, no longer under warranty and cannot be repaired; • devices, accessories, batteries and supplies necessary for prosthetic devices; • orthopedic braces except corrective shoes and orthotic devices used in connection with footwear; and • breast prosthesis following a mastectomy, in accordance with the Women’s Health and Cancer Rights Act of 1998 and R.I. General Law 27-20-29. The prosthetic device must be ordered or provided by a physician, or by a provider under the direction of a physician. When you are prescribed a prosthetic device as an inpatient and it is billed by a provider other than the hospital where you are an inpatient, the outpatient benefit limit will apply. Enteral formula or food is nutrition that is absorbed through the intestinal tract, whether delivered through a feeding tube or taken orally. Enteral nutrition is covered when it is the sole source of nutrition and prescribed by the physician for home use. In accordance with R.I. General Law §27-20-56, this plan covers enteral formula taken orally for the treatment of: • malabsorption caused by Crohn’s Disease; • ulcerative colitis; • gastroesophageal reflux; • chronic intestinal pseudo obstruction; and • inherited diseases of amino acids and organic acids. Food products modified to be low protein are covered for the treatment of inherited diseases of amino acids and organic acids. Preauthorization may be required. The amount that you pay may differ depending on whether the nutrition is delivered through a feeding tube or taken orally. When enteral formula is delivered through a feeding tube, associated supplies are also covered. This plan covers hair prosthetics (wigs) worn for hair loss suffered as a result of cancer treatment in accordance with R.I. General Law § 27-20-54 and subject to the benefit limit and copayment listed in the Summary of Medical Benefits. This plan will reimburse the lesser of the provider’s charge or the benefit limit shown in the Summary of Medical Benefits. If the provider’s charge is more than the benefit limit, you are responsible for paying any difference. This plan covers Early Intervention Services in accordance with R.I. General Law §27- 20-50. Early Intervention Services are educational, developmental, health, and social services provided to children from birth to thirty-six (36) months. The child must be certified by the Rhode Island Department of Human Services (DHS) to enroll in an approved Early Intervention Services program. Services must be provided by a licensed Early Intervention provider and rendered to a Rhode Island resident. Members not living in Rhode Island may seek services from the state in which they reside; however, those services are not covered under this plan. Early Intervention Services as defined by DHS include but are not limited to the following: • speech and language therapy; • physical and occupational therapy; • evaluation; • case management; • nutrition; • service plan development and review; • nursing services; and • assistive technology services and devices.
Anesthesia Services This plan covers general and local anesthesia services received from an anesthesiologist when the surgical procedure is a covered healthcare service. This plan covers office visits or office consultations with an anesthesiologist when provided prior to a scheduled covered surgical procedure.
OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH & SAFETY (a) It is a mutual interest of the parties to promote health and safety in workplaces and to prevent and reduce the occurrence of workplace injuries and occupational diseases. The parties agree that health and safety is of the utmost importance and agree to promote health and safety and wellness throughout the organization. The employer shall provide orientation and training in health and safety to new and current employees on an ongoing basis, and employees shall attend required health and safety training sessions. Accordingly, the parties fully endorse the responsibilities of employer and employee under the Occupational Health and Safety Act, making particular reference to the following:
Orally Administered Anticancer Medication In accordance with RIGL § 27-20-67, prescription drug coverage for orally administered anticancer medications is provided at a level no less favorable than coverage for intravenously administered or injected cancer medications covered under your medical benefit.
Professional Development and Training The Company shall pay for or reimburse the Executive for any reasonable professional development or training.
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.
