Frequently Asked Questions
Common Contractual Issues
IN-SERVICE DAYS and TEACHER PLANNING
Early Dismissals—At least ten (10) of the two-hour student early dismissals contained in any year's school calendar, the teachers will be given the two hours after the students leave for additional planning and preparation time at their own individual direction. No mandatory meetings will be scheduled during this time. The four early dismissal days designated for teacher planning will be observed on the day specified in the system calendar.
Beginning of the School Year —Classroom teachers, media specialists, and guidance counselors, will have a total of two full teacher workdays at the start of the new school year, before the students arrive, at the individual teacher's direction so that he/she may adequately prepare for the students.
Of the two days designated for teacher planning in the week before students come, 1.5 of those will be scheduled before the final teacher work day, and the last half of the last day must be also free of all mandatory meetings. Administrators may hold meetings the morning of that final day, but the meetings must conclude by the middle of the employee work day.
Report Card Preparation—A minimum of two (2) hours shall be provided at the end of the first and third marking period for the purpose of report card preparation. At the end of the second and fourth quarters, one-half of the teachers workday will be devoted to report card preparation and other end of the semester activities at the individual teacher's direction.
A minimum of one day must be between the end of a marking period and the day designated for report card preparation time. Grades can not be required to be exported until the end of the day following the designated prep time, and edit sheets are not due until the end of the work day after that. This language was negotiated in response to member concerns that the report card prep time was not fully useable because of scheduling conflicts. When the BOE opts not to have edit sheets, the other scheduling provisions still apply.
PLANNING TIME
Middle school and high school teachers shall normally be provided, in addition to their lunch period, one (1) planning period during the student day. Elementary teachers normally will be provided 240 minutes per week preparation time during the student day. ILT resource teacher members and other unit one employees (SLPs, media specialists, counselors, etc.) will structure their schedules to allow for flexibility while still providing adequate time within the student day for planning and preparation. Whenever possible, planning time will be scheduled in blocks of no fewer than thirty (30) minutes each day.
NOTE: Planning time is at the teacher's own direction and cannot be used for ILT meetings, team meetings, testing, etc., unless the teacher voluntarily agrees to this.
N. Tenured teachers may volunteer to teach one extra class during their normal planning period; such teachers will have an amount equal to one-seventh of the annual pay for their step and lane added to their annual pay for the year in which they teach this extra class. This extra amount will be reflected on the teacher's assignment sheet so as to count towards his/her retirement benefit. All tenured teachers who are interested in teaching a class during their normal planning period as outlined above should contact the principal of the school to express their interest in doing so. The principal will consider all such requests before making a decision.
SCHOOL FILES
The school file kept by the principal or school administrator on an employee must be emptied of notes, correspondence, and all other material – except for formal observations and evaluations signed by both the principal and the employee—when either the principal or the employee leaves the school, so as to not be prejudicial to the incoming or new administration.
OBSERVATIONS
Prior to a formal observation of teachers, the administrator will conduct a pre-observation meeting, in which teachers will be provided with the expectations/criteria on which their performance will be evaluated. This meeting doesn't have to be individually done with each employee –it can be done as part of another meeting with all affected staff.
LEAVES
Requests for Personal Leave before a holiday – the contractual restriction applies only to personal leave, not sick leave.
All certificated employees, on request, will be permitted to use one sick leave day per year for religious or ideological observances. The employee will notify his/her immediate supervisor at least 48 hours in advance of taking such leave.
Sick leave and personal leave can be taken in 15-minute increments (there is no minimum of an hour or a half-day), as can personal leave. There is a restriction on association leave (which EACC uses to conduct Association business) that it can be in half-day increments only, but no other leave has a minimum request.
EXTRA DUTY PAY
All vacancies for extra pay positions will be adequately publicized.
Assumption of all extra pay duties shall be voluntary and the signature of the employee shall be required on the contract prior to performing the duties.
NOTE: Teacher Partners/Mentors can be assigned to help either one teacher (Paid at Category 15) or two teachers (paid at Category 13). They cannot be assigned to mentor more than two teachers.
FACULTY MEETINGS
School based teachers may be required to remain after the end of the teacher’s day without additional compensation for no more that 1 1/4 hours each week to attend faculty or other meetings. Attendance at other meetings outside the regular workday will be at the option of the individual employee. Except in case of an emergency, teachers will not be required to remain for faculty meetings on Fridays or the day before a holiday. Whenever possible, teachers will be notified 48 hours in advance of any meetings scheduled outside the regular workday.
NOTE – Faculty meetings are AFTER school (meetings held before the start of the teacher workday are voluntary)
The 1.25 hours per week applies to staff meetings, trainings, etc., not parent conferences or other assignments involving individual teachers
Faculty meeting time should not be used by retailers, TDA salespersons, etc.
During negotiations for the FY 2008 – 2010 contract, it was agreed that principals will receive—from the Assistant Superintendent for Administration— a list of dates on which EACC will hold Rep Assemblies. Faculty meetings during the year will be scheduled so as to avoid the EACC assemblies.
DRESS CODE
There is NO Dress Code in the contract and the BOE Policy simply says "dress appropriate to the position." In the EACC opinion, established past practice prevails until new policies are developed and agreed to by both sides.
COMPLAINTS CONCERNING STAFF
- A. As a general rule, complaints from parents and other communi¬ty sources shall be dealt with at the lowest organizational level.
- B. Decisions on complaints shall not be made without consult¬ing the subordinate against whom the complaint was lodged.
- C. In order to safeguard the rights of all persons involved, each will have the right and opportunity to attend all sched¬uled meetings concerning the complaint.
- D. In the event that a complaint is lodged against an employee, he/she shall be notified as soon as possible and be given all pertinent information unless prohibited by State or Federal law (i.e., child abuse).
NOTE: – Teachers have the right to representation at any meeting which could result in disciplinary action against the teacher (SBOE guidelines).
Classroom Discipline
COMAR 13A.08.01.11 (formerly SB 221, Student Discipline Bill) requires administrators to conference with a teacher prior to returning a child to class when the child has been excluded for disruptive behavior. In the law, "confer means a discussion or dialogue by any means…. In which the views of the teacher are communicated and considered."
Diversity and Blended Cultures Class, and other required training
The Board and the EACC agree that mandatory training must be held during the teachers' contractual workday, which can include up to 1.25 hours per week of after school meetings. Training held outside the contractual work day is voluntary.
Assault on Teachers By Students
It is the Board of Educations policy, publicly declared by the Superintendent, that if a teacher is assaulted by a student, that student must be removed from the teacher's class if the teacher so desires. Separate from this policy, teachers have the right to file assault charges with the sheriff, file for a Peace Order, or pursue other civil remedies as they see fit.
QUESTIONS? Call the EACC office at 301-392-0150 or email UniServ Director Meg MacDonald or Courtney Dowling.