DoE Mandates Now Prevent Teaching the Curricula for an Average of 35 Minutes of Every Class Period by D.A. Russell
blog post link
Friday, March 27, 2015
Huffington Post Education Blog Post- Mandates Prevent Teaching Curricula
Tom Buckman recommends this blog post from the Huffington Post Education page:
Wednesday, March 25, 2015
Collaboration
from Nancy Hoelzen and Tom Buckman:
Sharon Dentlinger’s update e-mail wrote;
Collaboration
As recommended by the calendar committee and approved by the Board, we will have the opportunity for teachers to collaborate outside the contract day. As recommended by the calendar committee this will be structured by the Iowa Core teacher leaders. More information will be sent to everyone, once these teachers generate the specifics of the plan. Just a reminder that if you cannot or choose not to work the collaboration time in during the week, you will have the option of collaborating on the Fridayafternoons on professional development days.
The B.E.A. position on Collaboration and Peer Review, 2284 / Iowa code. Section 284.6 (8)
It is the B.E.A.’s position that of this law that collaboration time will be within the confines of the teachers’ contract day, but beyond the minimum state definition of 5.5 hours of instructional time. This Law was created to give teacher the need time during the work day. It was intended to give ease the work load for teachers to collaborate. We also agree with the state that this collaboration time can be “one on one” or “many to many” directed activities and must focus on improving teaching and student learning. Data team meetings, Iowa Core meetings, PLC meetings Parent teach Conferences, and Tap meetings all are valuable forms of collaboration geared toward student learning and improving teaching.
We look forward to creating a frame work where teachers can openly share their strengths, experiences and assist other teachers, then self-examine their weaknesses in a non-evaluation like setting to improve student learning. We see this ownership of Collaboration and Peer Review completely void of administrative restraints to foster discussion, analyzing, reflecting and enhancing each other’s classrooms without fear of any formal evaluation framework. We feel that it is completely inappropriate for the B.E.A. to negotiate or even suggest what it’s members will do on their non-contract time. We also strongly feel that administrator’s guidance, observations and opinions in collaboration and peer review will taint the well, bringing us all back to leading staff to water but most will not drink.
Therefore we suggest for the 2015-2016 school year that all teachers will spend thirty six (36) hours of the time collaborating and reviewing with their peers and parents of their students in the effort to improve student learning and foster teacher growth.
Proposed: All teachers will complete (36) hours collaboration time provided by the district during the contractual work day. Included in the total collaboration will be Data Team meetings, Teaming Time, Iowa Core meetings, PLC meetings, Parent Teach Conferences, Staff meetings and Tap meetings all are valuable forms of collaboration geared toward student learning and improving teaching students in the effort to improve student learning and foster teacher growth. The collaboration time will be the sole responsibility of each staff member to complete the minimum (36) hours during the school year on the honor system. Administration will allow the staff to work together without guidance or control of said collaboration and at NO time will the staff need to account for time spent or subject of collaboration. The individual collaboration time will be organized by teachers and can be as small as one on one, or small groups, when teachers feel that they have benefited from this collaboration they can move freely to another group or form a new group.
How Reassignment/ Realignment/ Transfer works
How Reassignment/ Realignment/ Transfer works
ARTICLE SEVEN - REASSIGNMENT/REALIGNMENT/
No distinction is made between self-contained and departmentalized classrooms.
A. Definitions
1. Reassignment. The assignment of an employee from his/her current position to another position according to the provisions of Section B. of this Article.
2. Realignment. The assignment of an employee to a different position according to the provisions of Section C. of this Article.
3. Voluntary Transfer. Movement of an employee to a posted vacancy upon the employee’s request according to the provisions of Section D. of this Article.
4. Vacancy. A vacant position or vacancy exists for purposes of posting after the following and in this order:
a staff reduction and resulting reassignment (if necessary),
b. recall of employees according to the provisions of Article Eight, Section B., and
c. realignment of employees within each employment classification within each building (if appropriate according to the conditions listed in Section C. of this Article).
5. Employment Classifications. Employment classifications referenced in this Article are those found in Schedule H.
B. Reassignment
1. Reassignment occurs when staff reduction occurs and/or it is necessary to align existing staff with available positions. The District may reassign employees after building realignment and prior to Bid Day to ensure that employees with greater district seniority and limited certifications/endorsements/
2. Reassignments shall be made with the consent of the employee where possible. When consent is not achieved, the least senior employee in the classification within the building shall be reassigned. If this reassignment creates an open position, it shall be filled by the most senior person in the classification within the building desiring the position. If no employee realigns voluntarily to the resulting open position, the employee whose position is eliminated shall be realigned to the final open position.
3. In instances where more than one employee is being reassigned to positions for which more than one employee is certified, endorsed, and/or approved, employees will select available positions based on seniority.
4. The employee shall be notified in writing of the reassignment and the reasons for such.
5. The District shall reassign the fewest number of employees mathematically possible in each situation where reassignment is necessary.
6. Except in cases of reduction in force, employees who have been reassigned shall not be reassigned the following year except by mutual agreement if they have demonstrated satisfactory performance and the position they hold is necessary in the district program needs for the succeeding year.
C. Realignment
1. Prior to Bid Day and according to the conditions listed below, administrators will provide employees in each employment classification in each building with the opportunity to realign with positions which will be necessary for the following year. In such realignment, if more than one employee within the employment classification within each building desires the same position, the employee properly certified, endorsed, and/or approved by the State of Iowa with the greatest district-wide seniority will be realigned to the position.
Teachers may participate in realignment in any classification(s) in which they have teaching responsibilities.
Positions unclaimed by such realignment will be posted according to the provisions of this Article.
2. Conditions for Realignment
a. If no employee in an employment classification within a building is having his/her current position eliminated and no new positions are being created in that employment classification within that building, there is no realignment.
b. If the number of positions in an employment classification within a building is equal to the number of employees in that employment classification within that building but is not aligned, realignment shall occur.
c. If the number of positions is greater than the number of employees within an employment classification within a building, realignment shall occur.
3. Building Realignment Process
Positions vacated by realigned employees will be available for further realignment under these same conditions.
4. Building Closings.
When, due to building closings, the staffs of two or more buildings are merged into a single building, the merged staff shall be viewed as a single new staff in a new building and shall be aligned within that building based solely upon district seniority. All positions in the new building shall be considered new positions and shall be aligned starting with the position claimed by the most senior employee within a given classification. In the event a position or positions remain vacant after alignment, and there are persons not aligned, the District may reassign the least senior person who holds the proper certification to the vacant position(s).
D. Voluntary Transfer
1. Bid Day Procedures
a. A Bid Day may be conducted prior to the conclusion of the last day of school. This will occur after any staff reductions and resulting reassignments and after any building realignments. All vacancies known at the time of Bid Day that have not been previously posted will be available on Bid Day. Vacancies that result from individuals successfully bidding on available positions during Bid Day will subsequently be available for bid on Bid Day. The District may fill vacancies unclaimed after a posting or at the conclusion of Bid Day by hiring new employees. Vacancies that were not available for Bid Day will be available through the normal posting and bidding procedure described in Section D. 2. a.
b. At least two weeks in advance of Bid Day the District will notify all bargaining unit staff of the date, time, and location of Bid Day and will distribute the following information:
(1) all vacancies known to be available for Bid Day;
(2) the certifications, endorsements, and approval codes for all bargaining unit members;
(3) information explaining licensing requirements for positions.
c. The list of vacancies will be updated as necessary prior to Bid Day. All bidding shall be done in person at the Bid Day except in cases of emergency (along with written proxy). Individuals who bid successfully on a position may subsequently bid on additional positions. Vacancies known before Bid Day will be made available first, then vacancies created by individuals successfully bidding on these positions will be available in the order in which they were created. The criteria for determining which of multiple bidders will claim a vacancy are those listed in D. 2. e. of this Article.
1. Posting of Vacancies After Bid Day.
a. Vacancies which occur after Bid Day (or after May 15th, if there is no Bid Day) through June 15th shall be posted for seven (7) days. The applicant who is properly qualified and who has the most district-wide seniority shall be transferred.
b. Postings will include: the date of posting; certifications, endorsements, and/or approvals required; the date on which the transferee will assume his/her new duties; and the date (seven [7] days after posting) after which applications will no longer be accepted.
c. Any employee possessing the necessary certifications, endorsements, and/or approvals may apply in writing to the Superintendent or his/her designee for any posted vacancy. All applications properly filed shall be considered. Application shall include the vacancy for which the applicant wishes consideration and the applicant’s specific qualifications for the vacancy.
d. An employee who was:
(1) originally hired into the job classification of Special Education, Counselors, or Media Specialistsand is still employed in that classification,
(2) is in his/her first five years of employment with the district, and
(3) whose first year of employment was the 1995-96 school year or later is not eligible to transfer out of his/her job classification.
At its option, the District may waive this restriction for some or all employees in any of these job classifications provided that such waiver:
(1) if for only some employees, will apply to all employees in the affected classifications hired in the same or earlier years, and
(2) will be made known to all affected employees so they have equal opportunity to apply for vacancies.
E. Posting of Vacancies From June 16th to Bid Day
Teaching vacancies which occur between the June 16th and the following Bid Day may, at the option of the District, be:
a. posted for not less than seven (7) days and filled by the applicant with the most district-wide seniority;
b. requests for such transfers, per 3.a above, shall be duly considered, but may be denied by the District. In such cases, the employee may immediately request an explanation of the reasons for the denial and the district shall furnish the same in writing;
c. filled by recalling an employee with the proper certification(s), endorsement(s), and/or approval(s). If no such employee is available for recall, the District may fill the position by hiring a new employee on a continuing contract;
d. held by the District for future realignment, reassignment, or reduction;
e. awarded to the certificated employee who is currently employed less than one-half (1/2) time, who possesses the necessary certification(s), endorsement(s), and/or approval(s), who has the most district-wide seniority.
Thursday, March 19, 2015
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