ARTICLE III TEACHING HOURS AND TEACHING LOADS

Foster-Glocester School District

A. Work Day

1. The length of the work day shall be no more than six and three quarter (6 3/4)
consecutive hours. Teachers required to report earlier than fifteen (15) minutes before start of school shall be excused from the time after school.

2. The School Committee may schedule classes outside of the normal school day provided the teacher accepts the assignment and the Association has no objection. Terms and conditions of such assigmnents will be negotiated on a case by case basis.

3. All teachers will be given equal opportunity to participate voluntarily in the areas of curriculum work or staff development. Qualifications being equal, seniority by building shall be the basis for awarding such work if there are more volunteers than available work or funding.

4. All teachers who perform curriculum work or engage in staff development before or after the contractual school work day shall be compensated at the hourly rate of
$42.

B. Work Year

1. Number of work days:

a. The work year for teachers covered by the classroom teachers' salary schedule shall consist of one hundred and eighty­ four (184) days, of which no more than one hundred eighty (180) days shall be teaching days. The work year shall begin not more than two (2) days prior to the opening of school in August or September and terminate not more than one (1) day after the close of school in June. One (1) non-teaching day shall be used for the purpose of Passion Projects. The District agrees that it will provide 1.5 hours on the first and last day for setup and breakdown of the classrooms. The District also agrees to provide 1.0 hours for an association meeting on the first day.

Notwithstanding the foregoing the per diem rate for teachers shall be calculated at 1/180.

b. If the students' last day falls on a Friday, the teachers' last day shall be that Friday.

2. Arrangements shall be made before the work is performed for extra compensation for time required beyond the one hundred eighty-four (184) days at the daily prorated salary per day for the time required.

3. Teachers who fail to report when required on the day before school opens and/or the day after school closes shall have such absence charged against their appropriate leave.

4. a. First year personnel may be required to attend additional orientation sessions throughout the school year. Such orientation sessions shall include one (1) session, not to exceed one (1) day prior to or soon after the opening of school, plus up to eight (8) hours of after school sessions.

b. Department Heads, Curriculum Coordinators, Team Leaders, Library Media Specialists, School Counselors and Nurses may be required to attend an additional orientation / preparation session of not more than one (1) day.

C. After School Meetings

1. Except in the case of an emergency, during each school year, except for those weeks with fewer than five (5) school days, teachers shall attend one (1) weekly meeting of up to one (1) hour scheduled for purposes such as common planning time, professional development, faculty and/or department meetings. A schedule for the school year shall be provided to teachers at the orientation day immediately prior to the instructional year. The schedule may be modified with adequate notice and following the input of teachers, where practicable. Teachers shall participate in two (2) evening meetings, for parent-teacher conferences and back to school night each of which will not exceed two (2) hours for an individual teacher. If the meetings are conducted by videoconference, each event will not exceed two and one half (2.5) hours for an individual teacher with up to 10 minutes of unassigned time.

Beginning in 2015-2016, in recognition of the number of weekly meetings, an additional compensation of $500 shall be added to each teacher's step salary as part of Appendix A compensation. Payment shall be made as part of a separate check during the 1st pay period of June of that school year. Any teacher who is on an approved leave of absence (sick leave, professional leave, FMLA, sabbatical leave) will have their after school meeting compensation prorated.

Beginning in the 2021-2022 school year the parties agree to reduce the number of after school meetings to two (2) per month so that teachers may assume professional responsibility for individually or collectively pursuing and documenting ten (10) hours of professional learning outside the school day. This documentation will be submitted to the central office and may be used for Professional Learning Units (PLUs).

2. DEFINITIONS

Common Planning Time: Time as outlined herein to permit teams of teachers who share subject matter and/or common students to engage in collective inquiry into both best practice and the current reality regarding their students' existing level of achievement. This process also affirms what all students are expected to learn in a specific class.

3. EXPECTATIONS OF COMMON PLANNING

Expectation One: Each teacher shall participate in the structure and format of Common Planning Time in the conjunction with his/her peer or peers and develop Professional Development based upon the goals and initiatives of the District as determined by the Administration, provided such common planning occurs during the school day and the aforementioned meetings.

Expectation Two: The teams of teachers, organized by subject area in the high school, and subject area and/or teams in the middle school will submit their goals for the year which will be linked to students achievement for their students taking that course.

Expectation Three: Goals will be set taking into account student performance on local and state assessments as well as school improvement goals.

Expectation Four: Teachers will identify student learning gaps, collectively strategize how to address the gaps in student performance, create common formative assessment that will be used and scored in consistent ways, and then review the data to determine if student achievement increased.

Expectation Five: Results will elucidate areas where future instructional experiences require modification.

D. Lunch Periods

Teachers shall have a lunch period equal to the length of the student's lunch period. Except in the case of an emergency, this lunch period shall be free of both duty and interruption.

E. Preparation Periods

In addition to their regular lunch periods, all classroom teachers shall have at least five (5) preparation periods each week, during which time they shall not, except in case of emergency or staffing exigencies, be assigned to any duties other than parent-teacher conferences.

It is the intention of the School Committee and the Association that a teacher be given sufficient advance notice of the conference in order to make whatever preparation may be necessary. It is recognized, however, that there may be times when immediate attention to a problem involving a parent and teacher is required. In such instances, as determined by the school principal or the superintendent, a conference may be scheduled at the most propitious time, in order to resolve the problem in the best interest of the student, the school, and the parent.

F.

1. a. In the event of the absence of a member of the certified staff, while a block schedule with four (4) periods per day is in place, and if no certified substitute is available, an additional class may be assigned and compensated at the rate of one-third (1/3) of the substitute's daily rate. (Such payment will be made in a separate check * at or near the end of each academic semester.)

1 In accordance with the Arbitrator's Decision Dated February 8, 2021, while a block schedule is in place, in order to adequately support effective instniction and assessment, collaboration among teachers and other professional responsibilities, all teachers who teach in a block schedule will have an extended preparation period equivalent to the length of a block period every other day and a preparation period equivalent to one half of a block period every other day. Provided that the total number of minutes of preparation time per week is equal to or greater than the number of minutes that teachers had each week for a daily preparation period in a 7 period schedule.

2. In the event of a long term absence or illness (more than ten (10) consecutive school days) of a member of the cettified staff, and in the event that no certified substitute is available, the certified personnel who cover these classes on a regular basis will each be compensated at the rate of one-fifth (1/5) of his/her daily teacher's pay provided the teacher is responsible for planning, instructing, and/or assessing the students.

If the teacher covers the same class for more than ten (10) school days, for a long-term absence, compensation for such time shall be retroactive to the first day at one-fifth (1/5) of his/her daily teacher's pay in accordance with Appendix "A".

3. In the case of a resignation of a member of the certified staff and if no certified replacement is available, the above compensatory formula will be applied.

4. If any member of the certified staff is not assigned on a permanent basis, the full number of preparation periods to which he/she is entitled in accordance with this Article, that person will be compensated at the rate of one-fifth (1/5) of his/her daily teacher's pay for each additional period he/she is denied.

4. a. If any member of the certified staff is not assigned on a permanent basis, while a block schedule with four (4) periods per day is in place, the full number of preparation periods to which he/she is entitled in accordance with this Article, that person will be compensated at the rate of one-third (1/3) of his/her daily teacher's pay for each additional period he/she is denied.

5. Additional compensation due in accordance with paragraphs 2, 3 and 4 above shall be included with regular paychecks.

G. Number·of Classes

In addition to a personalization period/homeroom duty and except in case of emergency or staffing exigencies, teachers shall not, unless by mutual agreement between the contracting parties, be assigned to more than the following number of classes:

All other teachers, (except department heads) 5 classes plus one preparation period per day.

Beginning in the 2021-2022 school year classes will return to full in-person. Students will not be attending fully in-person classes remotely as a hybrid student or a fully remote learner unless all students in a school or individual grade are learning remotely. This article shall not prohibit a hybrid / remote class from being offered and taught by a Foster-Glocester teacher if sufficient students want to enroll in a class and a teacher wants to teach the class or if it is otherwise required by law or regulation. Students may continue to enroll in remote, online, or dual enrollment courses offered by third party providers, higher education, or the state. The Superintendent of Schools and the Association President may by mutual agreement modify this provision.

H. Department Heads and Coordinators

1. No regular or acting Academic Coach shall be assigned to any duties involving routine supervision of students. Said assigned duties are: bus duty, corridor and lavatory supervision, cafeteria and study hall supervision.

2. Appendix A position shall be assigned one duty per week equal to one half block at PHS and 1 period at PMS.

3. A Department Head shall also receive salary payment as per Appendix "A", and a
Coordinator shall also receive salary payment as per Appendix "A".

4. When the number of faculty in a subject area reaches four (4) members said departments shall have Department Heads with one (I) fewer class each in order to assume additional time for departmental supervision.

5. REQUIREMENTS

a. Specific Department Head responsibilities will be as listed in the existing Job Description used in the district as determined by the Administration.

b. Candidates must have served in the department for a minimum of one (1) year or have served within the district for a minimum of two (2) years (except in instances where there is no one in the subject area with one (1) year experience.

c. Master's degree preferred.

d. All Department Heads shall serve a two (2) year term, with the first year as a probationary period. Any Department Head in his/her probationary year who does not receive notice by June 10th that his/her term as chair is terminated shall continue as chair for an additional one (1) year. Any Department Head not in his or her probationary year must receive notice by June 10th in the second year of his/her term if said term as chair is to terminate on July 1 of the same year. If notice is not received by June 10th, said chair shall continue in the position for an additional two (2) year term.

e. The Department Head will be responsible for articulating with the Middle School Coordinators of their related disciplines:

f. Department Heads will be evaluated annually.

g. All Department Heads shall have amended assigned class schedules; four (4)
classes per day plus one preparation period per day.

6. The following positions are in Appendix A.*

Instructional Coordinator PMS Academics: Language arts
Instructional Coordinator PMS Academics: Science
Instructional Coordinator PMS Academics: Math
Instructional Coordinator PMS Academics: Social Studies
Instructional Coordinator PMS Technology
Instructional Coordinator PHS Technology
Instructional Coordinator Online Learning
Senior Passion Project Coordinator
Team Leader

* These positions will be applied for annually.

Any Coordinator listed above must receive notice by June 10th in the year of his/her term if said term as coordinator  is to terminate  on July 1 of the same year. If notice is not received by June 10th, said Coordinator  shall continue in the position for an additional one year.

I. Subject Matter Assignments

Excepting in cases of emergencies or staffing exigencies, teachers in the departmentalized program, commencing with the Seventh Grade, shall not be required to teach in more than two (2) subject matter areas.

If a teacher brings to the attention of the building principal an inequitable teaching load assignment and does not receive satisfaction, then the teacher may grieve the matter up to and including the School Committee level.

J. Teacher participation in Appendix "B" will be on a voluntary basis. Compensation for this participation will be in accordance with the provisions of Appendix "B" of this Agreement. Teachers will be invited to apply annually to the Superintendent for these activities. The most qualified candidate, as determined by the Superintendent, shall be appointed with consideration given so that no one teacher may hold more than two (2) such positions without the approval of the Superintendent. In the case of two (2) equally qualified candidates as determined by the Superintendent, the candidate with longer service with the Foster-Glocester School System shall be appointed. If the Superintendent deems that none of the candidates for a particular position is qualified, he/she may elect not to fill the position.

An incumbent shall not be removed arbitrarily from any compensated extracurricular assignment.

K. The Music Director will not be assigned more than four (4) teaching periods, or the equivalent, per day. The Music Director will not be responsible for a regularly scheduled student supervisory assignment.

L. Teachers' responsibilities must include, but not be limited to assigned work stations during their released time, and working with individual pupils. Teachers also agree to submit quarterly reports as to how their time is being utilized.

M. Teachers will be available after school once weekly in person or remotely via videoconference software provided by the district for the purpose of helping students. The session is not to exceed one (1) hour. Should no student report to the teacher within thirty (30) minutes of the close of school/start of the virtual session, the teacher may leave.

N. The Detention Room shall be staffed by a detention room supervisor who will be willing to assume such additional duty at extra compensation as specified in Appendix "B".

O. All electronic gradebooks will be archived on the district's cloud and no teacher will be responsible for keeping a hard copy. The electronic gradebook will replace hard copy (serve as) communication with the parent/guardian unless teachers have been notified that the parent/guardian has no electronic method of communication.

P. During personalization time, teachers will provide students with academic, career and personal-social support based on data generated by teachers and/or made available by the school/district, implement provided materials/activities, when warranted, that support school-wide and district initiatives, and lead and support student engagements with those materials/activities. When implementing these materials/activities teachers will support students to the extent of their expertise. Teachers may facilitate meetings of clubs and activity groups during segments of this time or provide additional academic support.