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 Liability insurance shall be written with limits no less than $1,000,000 per claim and $1,000,000 policy aggregate limit, as applicable.
Professional Engineering and Architect’s Services Professional Engineering and Architect’s Services are not permitted to be provided under this Agreement. Texas statutes prohibit the procurement of Professional Engineering and Architect’s Services through a cooperative agreement.
Design Professional The architect or engineer or architectural or engineering firm selected by Owner (i) for the design and preparation of Contract Documents governing the construction of a Project, or (ii) for construction contract administration under the Contract Documents, or (iii) for both, all such services and the scope thereof to be set forth in the Design Professional Contract. The Design Professional is not an employee of the Owner but is engaged or retained by it for the purpose of performing design and construction administration services for the project. The term “Design Professional” includes architects, engineers, surveyors, designers, and other consultants retained by the Design Professional.
PROFESSIONAL BEHAVIOR
A. The Code of Ethics of the Education Profession is considered by the Faculty Senate and the Board as acceptable criteria of professional behavior. The Faculty Senate shall address ethical problems in accordance with the terms of such Code of Ethics of the Education Profession (Appendix A).
B. No bargaining unit member shall be disciplined or discharged without just cause or without being accorded due process, except as described in Article XI paragraph A, concerning the orientation period.
C. Non-disciplinary, paid administrative leave may be issued while an allegation of misconduct is being investigated. The bargaining unit member’s pay shall not be interrupted nor reduced while on non- disciplinary paid administrative leave. Non-disciplinary paid administrative leave is designed to protect the integrity of a fact-finding investigation, and shall not be considered discipline to the bargaining unit member.
D. A bargaining unit member shall at all times be entitled to have present a representative of the Faculty Senate when they are being reprimanded, warned, or disciplined for any infraction of rules or delinquency in professional performance. When a request for such representation is made, no action shall be taken with respect to faculty until such representative of the Faculty Senate is present.
E. The bargaining unit member shall sign and receive a copy of each disciplinary action. The signing of this document is not to be construed as an admission of guilt but only as an acknowledgement that such action exists. In imposing any sanction on a current charge, the College shall not consider any prior infraction which occurred more than six (6) years previous to the date of the occurrence of the event on which the current charge is based except in instances specified in Article III, paragraph M.
F. No student, parental, citizen, or college personnel complaints originating after initial employment shall be placed in a bargaining unit member’s personnel file unless the bargaining unit member has had an opportunity to review the material, to respond to the material, and a preponderance of the evidence that supports that discipline is merited. Complaints against the bargaining unit member shall be put in writing with names of the complainant(s). The administrator shall attach to the written complaint a written explanation of all administrative action taken and administrative expectations (if any) of the bargaining unit member. The bargaining unit member may submit a written notation or reply regarding any complaint, and the same shall be attached to the file copy of the material in question. When documentation relating to a complaint is to be placed in a bargaining unit member’s file, the affected bargaining unit member shall be given the opportunity to review and sign said material; such signature will be understood to indicate awareness of the material but in no instance will said signature be interpreted to mean agreement with the content of the material.
Professional Service Consultant agrees that all services and work performed under this agreement will be accomplished in a professional manner, in accordance with the accepted standards of Contractor’s profession.
PROFESSIONAL COMPENSATION A. The salaries of employees covered by this Agreement are set forth in the appendixes which are attached hereto and incorporated in this Agreement. Each employee shall have the yearly option of receiving his/her salary in one of the following ways:
1. Each employee hired after July 1, 1987, shall receive his/her total salary divided into twenty-four (24) equal payments on the fifth (5th) and twentieth (20th) of each month. If the 20th of the month falls on a holiday or weekend, the payday will be on the first business day immediately following.
2. Employees employed in the District prior to July 1, 1987, may have their total salary divided as stated above or they may choose to have their pay divided into twenty-one (21) equal installments, beginning with the August 20th payroll each contract year.
B. Total salary for less than full-time employees shall be paid as indicated in 1 or 2 above, beginning at the date of hire, but the salary shall be adjusted based on the yearly number of work days for employees as set by the school calendar, and then pro-rated on the portion of the year and/or day worked by the individual employee.
C. It is understood and agreed that each employee shall elect payment for the subsequent year in accordance with the previous year's selection unless the Business Office is notified in writing of such employee's change in selection on or before August 15.
D. Pay deductions will be made only for the following authorized items:
1. Mandatory/voluntary government deductions.
2. IRS Section 125 deductions.
3. Insurance carriers designated by this Agreement or approved by the Employer.
4. Deductions as authorized in other articles of this Agreement.
E. The Employer may make direct payroll check deposits to banks, savings and loan associations, and other financial and with which the Employer has a written agreement dealing with payroll deposits. Such direct payroll deposits would be made only upon the written request/approval of the employee.
F. The Employer shall reimburse employees for actual costs of college tuition and fees, upon completion of coursework. This reimbursement shall be limited to a total of 6 credit hours or 18 SBCEU’s or 180 SCECH’s or a combination thereof in a five-year period. (3 SBCEU’s = 1 credit hour or 30 SCECH’s = 1 credit hour) Each year of the five year period will be based on the school fiscal year (July 1 to June 30). The rate of reimbursement shall be limited to the actual amount of tuition and fees paid, but shall not exceed the amount charged by Grand Valley State University per graduate credit hour. The Employee will be required to provide proof of payment and proof of successful completion of the course.
G. Employees asked to substitute during their planning period will be paid at a rate of $25.00 per planning period. The employee will receive a coupon for an early dismissal or late arrival, or other site based incentives along with the compensation. This coupon may be used at any time so long as it does not interfere with the employee’s normal duties, i.e. staff meetings, IEPC. More than one coupon may be used at the same time with the approval of the Administration. A coupon is attached to this agreement, (see Appendix F). Employees asked to teach additional students for a period shall be eligible for the substitute rate above.
Professional Growth This Section applies to those regularly assigned teachers who do not hold a clear multiple or single subject teaching credential and to those who desire to maintain such a credential. The minimum requirement for compliance with this Section shall be:
18.8.1 Successful service as a classroom teacher or successful service authorized by a services credential. The minimum length of service shall be equivalent to one-half (0.5) of a school year;
18.8.2 Completion of an individual program of Professional Growth that shall consist of a minimum of one-hundred-and-fifty (150) clock hours of participation in activities which contribute to competence, performance or effectiveness in the profession of education. Acceptable activities shall be defined to include: • the completion of courses offered by regionally accredited colleges and universities; • participation in educational conferences, workshops, teacher center programs, or staff development programs, including District approved school site staff development programs; • participation in systematic programs of observation and analysis of teaching; • service in a leadership role in a professional organization related to instruction; and • participation in educational research or innovation efforts.
18.8.3 An individual program of Professional Growth shall be developed and planned by the holder of a clear teaching credential.
18.8.4 Before a teacher coming under the provisions of this section commences or amends an individual program of Professional Growth, the advisor shall certify to the teacher that the planned program or amendment complies with this section.
18.8.5 The District shall designate only certificated administrators to serve as Professional Growth Advisors (hereinafter referred to as “advisor”). A list of these advisors, including work location, will be published by the District annually, prior to the beginning of the school calendar year. The responsibility of an advisor shall be to determine whether activities identified in the plan of a teacher comply with these provisions.
18.8.6 On a form provided by the state, a credential holder shall write a Professional Growth plan, which shall identify his or her Professional Growth goals, and the Professional Growth activities he or she proposes to pursue.
18.8.7 A credential holder may amend a Professional Growth plan by adding, deleting or changing any of the original or previously amended goals or proposed activities.
18.8.8 The Professional Growth advisor shall sign a Professional Growth plan, and shall initial an amendment to a Professional Growth plan, if it is in compliance with this section and the Professional Growth needs of the teacher.
18.8.9 An advisor shall complete and return to the credential holder certification of this initial plan, initialing any revisions or verification of completion within ten (10) working days of submission to the advisor. If an advisor finds that he/she cannot certify an initial plan, initial a modification, or verify completion, the advisor shall notify the credential holder of the reason(s) in writing within ten (10) working days of submission.
18.8.10 If a credential holder believes that his/her advisor has taken an adverse action that he/she considers to be arbitrary or contrary to the terms of this section, the credential holder may seek another advisor or appeal the adverse action to the Executive Secretary of the Commission on Teaching Credentialing.
18.8.11 A clock hour for purposes of credited Professional Growth Activities shall be the actual time spent in the activity, including preparation time spent only if the teacher is a presenter of the course. College, university or equivalent courses shall be credited as fifteen (15) clock hours for each semester unit, ten (10) clock hours for each quarter unit, and thirteen (13) hours for each trimester unit.
18.8.12 A teacher shall submit evidence to prove that the Professional Growth activity has been satisfactorily completed.
18.8.13 The Union and the District shall provide a joint meeting for credential holders no later than October 1st of each school year. This meeting shall be mandatory for all teachers who are subject to the provisions of this section and who are new to the District.
18.8.14 The Union and the District agree to form a Professional Growth Program Joint Advisory/Planning Committee to consider possible recommendations for modifications to this section.
18.8.15 The committee shall be composed of three (3) members appointed by the Union and three (3) members appointed by the District.
Contract for Professional Services of Physicians Optometrists, and Registered Nurses
Professional Improvement Leave A teacher may be granted leave to be used for the teacher's professional improvement. Professional improvement days may be approved by the superintendent and used for the purpose of:
1. Visitation to view other instructional techniques or programs.
2. Conferences, workshops, or seminars conducted by colleges, universities, or vocational schools. The teacher planning to use a professional improvement day shall notify the principal at least one week in advance of the proposed absence. The teacher shall be required to file a written report with the principal within one (1) week of attendance at such event. Also, the teacher may/shall be requested to return with materials and/or information to be shared with other teachers. The expense of attending such visitation, conference, workshop, or seminar will be paid by the Board when the proper reimbursement applications are sent to the district office. In cases where attendance at a convention, workshop, seminar, or other educational activity is deemed to be of value only to the individual teacher, leave may be granted for attendance with either no expenses or limited expenses being underwritten by the district. In these cases, no written or verbal reports will be required.