V. PROFESSIONAL EVALUATION

A. The Committee and the Union recognize and agree that the evaluation process shall be used for enhancing the performance of all teachers; for ameliorating or eliminating any performance deficiencies identified; and for eliminating from the teaching corps those teachers who are unwilling or unable to satisfactorily meet their professional obligations. The Committee shall consult with the Union in developing appropriate evaluation instruments.

B. Absent extraordinary circumstances, all formal monitoring or observation of the professional work of a teacher shall be conducted openly and with the full knowledge of the teacher.

C. Any evaluation report shall normally be shared with the evaluated teacher within five (5) school days of the observation. If the teacher disagrees with the evaluation, he or she may submit a written response prior to the report's submission to the Superintendent or other Committee designee.

D. Non-tenured teachers shall be observed in classroom performance and be offered constructive criticism as to improvement in teacher performance at least four times in each school year. Normally, there shall be at least four weeks between each evaluation. Tenured teachers shall be observed in classroom performance and be offered constructive criticism on such schedules as the Superintendent may decide. However, all teachers shall be evaluated at least once annually.

E. Absent extraordinary circumstances, any complaints regarding a teacher made by any parent, student, or other person, shall be promptly called to the teacher's attention.

F. The Union and the Committee recognize and agree that in addition to formal observations, informal monitoring of teacher performance by his or her principal and professional colleagues is continuous and cumulative and may form the basis of written evaluation reports.

G. In the event of any deficiencies noted during any observations or evaluation, the teacher shall be promptly notified and informed of remedial action which needs to be taken.