TEACHING CONDITIONS
The parties recognize that optimum school facilities for both students and educators are desirable to ensure the high quality of education that is the goal of both the Association and the Board. It is also acknowledged that the primary duty and responsibility of the educator is to teach, and that the organization of the school and the school day should be directed toward ensuring that the energy of the educator is primarily utilized to this end.
A. Because the pupil?educator ratio is an important aspect of an effective educational program as such the following class size limits will commence with the third student contact week of the course/class. Should the district and association mutually agree that a particular class/course overload is necessary the parties will come to agreement on how such overload(s) will be assigned and compensated.
| Grade level | class size |
|---|---|
| Kindergarten Pre | 22 |
| Kindergarten | 27 |
| 1st – 2nd | 28 |
| 3rd | 29 |
| 4th – 5th | 32 |
| GAM – Grade Level Class Size + 3 |
1. ELEMENTARY SPECIAL AREAS
a. Physical Education, Music, Art, Curriculum Enhancement – Class size shall be set at the grade level being serviced plus three.
b. Gifted: 29
2. GENERAL EDUCATION, MIDDLE SCHOOL
| Grade level | class size |
|---|---|
| Social Studies | 32 |
| Science | 32 |
| Math | 32 |
| English | 32 |
| Reading Intervention | 24 |
| Math Intervention | 24 |
| All other subjects | 32 |
| *Physical Education – Class size shall be set at the grade level being serviced plus two. *Vocal and Instrumental Music excluded from class size maximum. |
3. GENERAL EDUCATION, SECONDARY
The scheduled class size is for the purposes of sectioning in the spring. Max Class size refers to the final class size excluding overloads as defined in Section A of this Article. In no event shall class sizes exceed the number listed below with the exception of Vocal and Instrumental music.
| grade level | class size |
|---|---|
| English | 33 |
| Reading Lab | 33 |
| Social Studies | 33 |
| Algebra I | 33 |
| Geometry | 33 |
| Pre-Calculus | 33 |
| Advanced Algebra | 33 |
| AP Calculus | 33 |
| Functions/statistics/trig | 33 |
| Probability & Statistics | 33 |
| Computer Science/AP CS | 33 |
| Science | 33 |
| Foreign Lang. | 33 |
| Industrial Arts | 33 |
| Drafting | 33 |
| Career Technical Ed. (CTE) | 33 |
| Life skills | 33 |
| Art | 33 |
| Health | 33 |
| Physical Education | 38 |
Alterative Education
Alternative class sizes shall not exceed a total of 40 students (in-person and virtual combined) with no more than 25 being in person
4. GENERAL EDUCATION, COMBINATION CLASSROOMS
When two or more grade levels at the elementary level or two or more subjects at the secondary level are combined within the same classroom or class period, the maximum class size will be reduced two students for each grade or level added below the maximum class size for the subject level or the grade having the lowest class size which is included in the combination. This does not apply to multi?age or gifted programs at the elementary level. At the elementary level, attempts will be made to equalize the number of students per grade level in a split classroom.
Elementary Educators with Splits will receive a stipend of 2.5% of the educator’s salary. (paid per schedule D)
Scheduling of Special Needs Students
Special needs students participating in a regular education classroom shall be equally distributed to the extent possible when scheduling. Should the combined number of students with Individual Educational Plans or students with 504 Plans (excluding those with only speech services) in any general education classroom exceed thirty percent of the established maximum class size, that class size limit shall be reduced by two (2) unless an additional paraprofessional is provided in the class.
5. ONLINE EDUCATORS;/FACILITARTORS
Elementary educators teaching the districts full semester 100% online classes will have a class size of 35 student not to exceed 40 students in total. Secondary educators teaching the districts full semester 100% online classes will have a class size limit of 9 students per academic hour.
6. SPECIAL EDUCATION
Maximums in each case shall be those established in applicable law/rules. Where an educator is assigned to more than one special education area, the student maximums will be a pro-ration of the maximums established in applicable laws/rules. Deviation shall be compensated under Section A of this Article. Notification will be sent to the Association President whenever a deviation or waiver is requested or utilized.
7. The Office of Human Resources will make class size information available, upon written request, to the Association within ten (10) days.
8. The Association recognizes that building/construction progress or emergency situations affect student class size. If circumstances exist that are beyond the Board’s control, the Board and Association will meet to work out a solution.
B. COUNSELING SERVICES
Any counseling positions reduced through attrition beyond the minimum of 6 will be replaced by a certified EA member, whose certification may be, but is not limited to, roles such as: social worker; psychologist; counselor.
In recognition of the value of providing counseling services to our students, the district will provide counseling services at each level (High School, Middle School and Elementary). Whenever possible, grants and/or other funding may be used to provide these services.
Counseling work year may be adjusted per article V J 14.
C. MEDIA
When media services are provided, the media center will be staffed to meet MICIPstandards.
D. The Board agrees at all times to keep the school adequately equipped and maintained.
E. The Board shall provide an educator reference library in each school and include therein all texts which are reasonably requested by the educators and approved by the principal of that school.
F. The Board will make available in each school adequate typing and duplicating facilities to aid educators in the preparation of instructional materials.
G. The Board shall provide:
1. Separate desks with drawer space for each educator in the district.
2. Suitable lockable space for each educator to store personal items.
3. Adequate whiteboards and bulletin board space where needed.
4. Educator’s editions of all texts used in each of the courses s/he is to teach, if available from the publisher, exclusively for each educator’s use.
5. A suitable dictionary in each classroom, if requested by the educator and approved by the building principal.
6. Adequate storage space in each classroom for instructional materials.
7. Appropriate textbooks, attendance books/technology and adequate quantities of paper, pencils, pens, chalk, erasers, and other materials required in daily teaching responsibilities.
8. Smocks, as requested by the educator and approved by the building principal, which are cleaned weekly, for educators in the following areas: life skills, industrial arts, art, and science (lab courses).
H. The Board shall continue to provide in each building adequate restrooms and lavatory facilities exclusively for staff and at least one (1) appropriately furnished educator’s lounge. Supplies and furnishings shall be of at least moderate quality.
I. Telephone facilities shall continue to be made available to educators for professional use.
J. All teaching hours and schedules including marking periods shall be developed within the following parameters:
1. All educators shall be entitled to a duty free, uninterrupted thirty (30) minute lunch period.
2. All elementary educators shall have regularly scheduled planning time of at least 250 minutes per week, which shall be scheduled in blocks of at least twenty-five (25) consecutive minutes, with at least one such block scheduled each day. Whenever possible, elementary planning periods shall be scheduled in blocks of fifty (50) minutes. All secondary educators shall have regularly scheduled planning time of at least 275 minutes per week, which shall be scheduled in blocks of at least twenty-five (25) consecutive minutes, with at least one such block scheduled each day. Planning periods throughout a building shall be equalized to the greatest extent possible.
In the event of a lack of substitute coverage to ensure that students are properly supervised in a safe learning environment, we will use the following transparent process that will be communicated to staff. The administrator/designee will first ask for volunteers to cover classes, and after those resources are exhausted, an administrator/designee will give notice to available educators and certified staff available during the time period. Notifications will be given to cover classes by rotating through the available staff. The beginning of the school year, the building administrator/designee shall post a list of the rotation schedule to staff, which shall include load bearing and certified nonloadbearing staff. Non-loadbearing staff shall have an assigned planning period for the purpose of subbing. This process will be used to distribute the responsibilities of student coverage during a sub shortage so that the burden of coverage is shared among staff. Educators shall be compensated at the substitute rate during the pay period for which the coverage falls. Educators who cover for administrators shall be compensated for their planning period. Educators shall not cover for administrators if there are not enough subs to cover classrooms.
Planning periods may be altered or compensated to accommodate mandated testing.
Educators will notify the main office when leaving the building for school business during their planning hour. Educators may leave the building for personal business on their planning period with administrator approval.
3. An educator’s daily schedule shall not exceed a maximum of a 7½ hour continuous block of time.
4. No educator shall have a daily schedule that requires them to report earlier than 7:10 a.m. with the exception of late start Wednesdays or a zero (0) hour.
5. No educator shall be required to supervise during their lunch period. Student lunch supervision may be made both a part of and in place of regular class assignment. Supervision during an educator’s lunch period is voluntary in exchange for an equal number of minutes in early educator dismissal.
6. All Carman-Ainsworth staff shall be expected to actively supervise hallways and/or areas in which they are assigned during passing times, including ten minutes before the first bell and ten minutes after the school day. Active supervision will include greeting students, providing direction and or guidance to students in an effort to safely secure each building and promote a positive environment. All educators’ lunch periods shall be scheduled between 10:15 a.m. and 2:15 p.m.
7. It is the Board’s responsibility to establish the beginning and ending times of a school day within the parameters of this contract. When a building schedule is to be realigned within these times, the following procedure shall be followed.
a. Following consultation with the educators involved the building principal will develop individual building schedule options within the parameters.
b. Proposed schedules are subject to approval by a majority of the building faculty in a secret ballot vote conducted by the Faculty Advisory Council:
c. If realignment must take place during the summer, the principal shall set a temporary schedule to begin school. Adjustments made after the process has been completed shall be accomplished as soon as practical.
d. Notice of a proposed change of schedules shall be forwarded to the Association President Forty-eight (48) hours prior to vote.
9. The maximum weekly educator load will be five (5) unassigned hours of preparation and twenty?five (25) contact hours which shall include passing time. Secondary educators shall be assigned to no more than five (5) classes per day. Instructional Specialists and Coordinators shall be assigned to six (6) hours per day or thirty (30) hours each week.
10. The master schedule of each secondary building for the current school year will be mutually reviewed by the Board and the Association prior to the first day of school.
11. At the High School, zero (0) hour sections will be limited to no more than three (3). If no staff member volunteers, the specific department/PLC may give input for staffing to the principal. Zero-hour educators will have coverage provided in order to participate in all scheduled professional development opportunities during late start Wednesdays.
Educators on an alternate 2nd through 7th schedule will be assigned on a volunteer basis. If no staff member volunteers, the specific department/PLC may give input for staffing to the principal. Educators with a 2nd through 7th hour schedule will fulfill their professional development obligations on late-start Wednesday’s beginning at 7:55 a.m. In the event that said educators are requested, or approved to attend by the building principal, they will be compensated for the additional hour at curriculum rate.
12. Non-load bearing members may have a different work year than load bearing members. Non-load bearing members will work the same number of days as load bearing members. Any additional days beyond the non-load bearing schedule shall be voluntary and compensated at a rate agreed upon between the association and the board, on the basis of the work being done, to be pre-determined in writing. No one will be assigned to work in July, weekends, weeks with less than three (3) days or holidays unless mutually agreed upon.
For the purpose of work year, non-load bearing members consist of: instructional specialists, counselors, academic coaches, social workers, curriculum coordinators, psychologists, educator consultants, media specialists, nurse, speech language, title 1 coordinators, teacher consultants, student/parent advocates and department chairs. If there are multiple qualified volunteers for an alternative schedule, members will be selected in the following order: 1. Successful experience at the task, 2. Area of specialization, 3. Seniority.
Specific to non-load bearing staff where a supervisor determines an alternative work year schedule is necessary; the schedule of no more than six (6) alternate workdayswill be mutually developed by the supervisor and member and submitted by September 1st to the Human Resource (HR) department and EA President. Changes to the schedule within the same school year must be mutually agreed to by the supervisor and member and approved by HR department and EA President at least seven (7) workdays before change occurs. If an agreement between supervisor and member cannot be reached by September 1st for the following year, the Assistant Superintendent for HR and EA President or designee, shall mutually agree on the calendar and that agreement will be binding. Alternate work schedules are subject to article VI section A.
K. If educators in a building, through consensus, decide to formulate a schedule that does not fit the parameters of Article V J, of the master agreement, the following process shall be followed:
1. All educators of the affected building will have input into the proposed schedule.
2. The F.A.C. will develop a written draft of the proposed schedule.
3. The aforementioned proposal(s) are subject to the approval of the Board and the Association Executive Committee each year.
4. Following approval, a secret ballot vote shall take place. In order for the changes in the schedule to be made, there must be an 80% approval by 100% of the building educators.
5. The proposed change(s), if approved, shall take place and shall remain in effect as long as the proposal states.
6. If the approved proposed changes are made at the end of the school year, the changes shall take place the following year.
7. At the conclusion of the year implemented, an evaluation shall take place.
L. When the media specialist and/or librarian is not on duty in the library, only certificated personnel or responsible adults shall supervise the students in the library.
M. Nothing in this Article shall be interpreted to prevent any educator from volunteering for emergency teaching assignments.
N. Educators shall not be required to work under unsafe or hazardous conditions, or to perform tasks which endanger their health, safety, or well-being.
1. Whenever it is known that school is not to be in session because of conditions not within the control of school authorities not limited to heat, water or weather conditions, students and educators shall have notification as soon as practical prior to the time school is to begin, and educators shall not be required to report for work.
2. If school is in session and students are sent home because of heat, water, or weather conditions, educators shall be relieved of duty when students have been dismissed.
The Association and the Board recognize that professional responsibilities and duties may not be confined to the normal teaching day. Attendance for these professional responsibilities and duties shall be voluntary.
In case of emergency, educators are obligated to assist and supervise children after regular working hours.
It is the responsibility of the educator, when an individual parent initiates a conference, to schedule said conference within three (3) working days at a time that is convenient to the educator.
O. School improvement plans/strategic planning/site-based decision making.
The Board and Association recognize that educator participation in these initiatives is desirable in providing positive results for students. If it becomes apparent that plans coming out of these initiatives violate or are inconsistent with this collective bargaining agreement, it is understood that the collective bargaining agreement shall prevail.
Further, it is understood that the Board and Association will seek to collaborate in any situation where contract language is inconsistent with mutually agreed to improvements.
The Board and the Association commit themselves to establishing a collaborative process to ensure a school environment that improves both teaching and learning.