PROFESSIONAL AUTONOMY 1. Within the bounds of the prescribed curriculum, and consistent with effective educational methodology and practice, and within established District and/or school goals and objectives, teachers shall have individual professional autonomy in determining the methods of instruction and the planning and presentation of course materials in the classes to which they are assigned.
2. The Board and the Association agree that, consistent with the purpose of the evaluation process, an evaluator may recommend teaching practices different from those being used by the teacher.
Professional Dues The school district will pay the annual dues for the Superintendent’s membership in the following organizations: Nebraska Council of School Administrators (NCSA), The School Superintendents Association (AASA), and any other membership dues requested by the Superintendent and approved by the Board.
PROFESSIONAL COMPENSATION A. The basic salaries of employees covered by this Agreement are set forth in Schedule A which is attached to and incorporated in this Agreement. Teachers shall have the option of receiving their salary in 21 or 26 equal increments and shall elect their option by July 1 for salary disbursements in the succeeding year. The Board agrees to adhere to the salaries set forth in Schedules A, B, & C (except as provided in section D below) and any deviation shall be immediately adjusted upon being brought to the attention of the Board.
B. An Employee shall be placed on the salary schedule step which gives credit for educational preparation and the number of full years of experience as allowed by this paragraph for placement on the salary schedule. All experience credited shall be added together, except as noted below.
1. Experience credit shall be awarded for K-12 teaching experience in either public or non-public schools governed by the provisions of a state teacher certification code. To be credited on the salary schedule for experience, the teacher shall have been a certified teacher during the time of their teaching employment. Experience credit shall not be awarded for practice (student) teaching, day-to- day substitute teaching, private nursery school (day care) teaching, intern teaching (other than in Brighton schools), or graduate assistant or fellowship teaching at colleges or universities whether or not the teacher was certified, or other similar experience. New hire experienced employees may be placed on the salary schedule step of the Board of Education's choosing; however, they shall not be placed on a step that exceeds their total experience. Less than full-time employees shall be notified that they have no rights to a full- time position. Teachers recalled from layoff who have gained additional teaching experience in accordance with the provision contained herein (B.1) shall receive salary increment steps provided they agree in writing to have their yearly salary reduced by the gross dollar amount they received in unemployment compensation while laid off.
2. To the extent allowed by law, employees hired previously shall advance to the next step on the salary schedule on the first day of each school year. To the extent allowed by law, employees newly hired will advance according to the following:
a. Employees hired before November 1 shall advance to the next step, and subsequent steps, on the first day of the next school year.
b. Employees hired after October 31 and before April 1 shall advance to the next step at the beginning of the second semester of the following school year (paid at a rate halfway between the two steps) and subsequent years (unless hired from a similar position in another educational institution and then they shall advance on the first day of the next school year).
c. Employees hired after March 31 shall remain on the same pay step for the next school year only and shall advance to the next pay step and subsequent steps on the first day of the following year unless hired from a similar position in another educational institution and then they shall advance on the first day of the next school year).
3. Shared and/or abbreviated teaching schedules (see Article 11.C) may at times be beneficial both to the Board and the individual employee. Employees placed on abbreviated schedules shall receive one full year experience step.
4. To the extent allowed by law, an employee advancing from one salary track to another will be placed on the advanced salary track as follows (retroactive if new level is completed prior to start of the semester and verification is submitted by the required date): Beginning of the year – Proof is submitted by November 1 First day second semester – Proof is submitted by March 1 5. Criteria for MA+30:
a. No duplication of classes previously taken.
b. Course must be:
1) related to current or future teaching assignments
2) minor or major program 3) transcript from an accredited university
c. Does not have to be a graduate level course. (It is the intent to have teachers show some relevance to current teaching assignments or potential future teacher assignment.)
d. It is recommended that MA+30 program classes be discussed with the Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources.
e. Credits for MA+30 must be earned after the BA/BS.
C. The salary schedule is based upon the regular school year calendar as set forth in Schedule A and the normal teaching assignment as defined in the Agreement. Any teacher who accepts an additional class for the school year over and above the normal teaching load shall receive a prorated increase (e.g. - 1/5 for a five-hour teaching day or 1/6 for a six-hour teaching day) in their annual base teaching salary or fraction thereof. There shall be a prorating of additional salary for additional class assignments when such additional assignments are fulfilled on a regular basis for less than a full year.
D. Employees appointed to extra duty assignments set forth in Schedule B which are attached to and incorporated in this Agreement, shall be compensated in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement without deviation. In the event no qualified bargaining unit member applies for a Schedule B assignment and the board hires a non- bargaining unit applicant, the level of compensation may be equal to or less than the salary established in Schedule B.
E. Schedule C positions are those teaching assignments that involve work responsibilities beyond contract time and are not optional. Additional compensation for such work shall be paid in accordance with Schedule C.
F. Current and active job descriptions for Schedule B and Schedule C positions will be on file with both the Association and the Administration. These job descriptions will also be accessible on their respective websites.
G. Employees required in the course of their work to drive personal automobiles from one school building to another shall receive a reimbursement equal to the current IRS approved mileage rate. The same reimbursement shall be given for use of personal cars for approved field trips or other approved business of the district. Appropriate requests for payment of mileage and other expenses shall be turned in to the principal/director on a monthly basis, but at least once each marking period.
X. Any employee resigning before the completion of the school year has the professional and legal obligation to reimburse the Board for all over-paid monies.
I. Longevity – Employees having the following years of experience employed with Brighton Area Schools shall receive longevity payments in annual amounts as set forth below. By July 1, employees will elect whether to receive their longevity in their first October paycheck or their TSA (October). If the payroll department is not contacted by July 1, the employee’s longevity stipend will be paid out into their first October paycheck. J. Tuition reimbursement/PD/Conference cost reimbursement for required courses (to maintain certification) will be $85,000 annual pool, to be paid out in accordance with the conditions outlined in the tuition reimbursement form included in Appendix A. After all required course reimbursements are paid out, reimbursements for administratively approved professional development (e.g., flex PD, conferences, etc.) may be submitted and will be paid out in the order they were received, until the annual pool is exhausted. Only conference registration fees will be reimbursed.
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 Activities a. The presentation of a scholarly paper or other original professional material relevant to the faculty member’s present field of employment at a conference, workshop, seminar or gallery showing, which shows evident research and is not merely extemporaneous in nature, may earn 0.5 to one (1) units depending upon scope.
b. Holding a position of leadership on the association’s Executive Board or the Academic Senate or being chair or co-chair of District councils or committees for three (3) or more consecutive years may earn one (1) to three (3) units for each year.
PROFESSIONAL BEHAVIOR Teachers are expected to comply with rules, regulations, and directions from time to time adopted by the Board or its representatives which are not inconsistent with the provisions of this Agreement, provided that a teacher may reasonably refuse to carry out an order which threatens physical safety or well-being or is professionally demeaning.
Professional Development 9.01 Continuous professional development is a hallmark of professional nursing practice. As a self-regulating profession, nursing recognizes the importance of maintaining a dynamic practice environment which includes ongoing learning, the maintenance of competence, career development, career counselling and succession planning. The parties agree that professional development includes a diverse range of activities, including but not limited to formal academic programs; short-term continuing education activities; certification programs; independent learning committee participation. The parties recognize their joint responsibility in and commitment to active participation in the area of professional development.
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 AND EDUCATIONAL IMPROVEMENT A. Tuition costs incurred by administrator shall be reimbursed by the Board of Education under the following terms and conditions:
1. Tuition costs eligible for reimbursement must be for courses in the field of education. In addition, courses not in the field of education but closely related may be approved for reimbursement at the sole discretion of the Superintendent or his/her designee in advance of enrollment. Reimbursement will not be made until satisfactory evidence of having received a passing grade is presented.
2. Reimbursement for actual tuition costs incurred by a member shall be limited to a maximum reimbursement of the average tuition cost for twelve (12) graduate/Doctoral level credits at the following four (4) state universities: Rutgers, Rowan, College of New Jersey, and Montclair computed annually. Masters’ degree maximum will be limited to the average Masters’ level cost and Doctorate degree maximum will be limited to the average Doctoral level cost.
3. The date on which a course is completed will determine the contract year in which the credits will be applicable for reimbursement.
4. Non-tenured members shall be eligible for reimbursement at the level set forth in Subsection 2 above, for tuition costs incurred for graduate credits earned during a period after the award of a first-year contract, but prior to the commencement of work under a tenured contract; provided however, such reimbursement shall not be payable to such member unless and until said member has commenced work under a tenure contract.
5. Upon satisfactory compliance by the member with all of the terms and conditions set forth in the preceding subsections, such member shall be paid his/her reimbursement entitlement on either October 2 for the prior Spring and Summer course work taken, or April 1 for the prior Fall course work provided that the member is still in the employ of the Board on such date. Such payment shall be further conditioned on said member remaining in the employ of the Board for the remainder of the current school year. In the event that such member shall leave the employ of the Board prior to the expiration of the school year in which such reimbursement entitlement has been paid, such member shall be obligated to refund to the Board the entire reimbursement paid to him/her during such school year, and for such purpose, the Board shall be empowered to deduct said sum from such member’s salary payments.
6. No member shall be eligible for tuition reimbursement in connection with tuition costs incurred that are paid by the Veteran’s Administration or any other outside agency.
7. Upon earning tenure in the district as an administrator, the Board of Education shall reimburse the administrator costs associated with their participation in the New Jersey State Mentoring and Assessment Program. Participation in the Mentoring and Assessment Program must have occurred entirely during the time of employment in the Washington Township Public School District.
