APPENDIX B - BY-LAWS FOR THE SICK LEAVE POOL
North Providence School District
I. CREATION
1. Any teacher, administrator, and other certified personnel ("eligible individual") may contribute one (1) sick day to the sick leave pool.
2. Days contributed to the pool by eligible individuals in the North Providence School District shall be considered non-returnable, and will remain in the pool as long as the said pool continues to operate. If, however, the Sick Leave Pool members at some future date may wish to terminate the existence of the pool, all unused days will be returned to the member in a fashion decided upon by the pool's Board.
3. The Board will decide how many new days will be added, and the manner by which they will be collected.
4. It is to be understood that any eligible individual entering the North Providence School District shall have the right to contribute to this pool.
II. ADMINISTRATION
1. The SLP shall be jointly managed by an eight (8) member committee, four (4) members appointed by the President of Local 920, and four (4) members appointed by the Superintendent.
2. This committee shall be called the Sick Leave Pool Board ("Board"), and its members shall serve for two (2) years. Members may be reappointed by the President or Superintendent.
3. The members of the Board shall elect a union member from one of their own number to serve as Chair, also for a period of two (2) years.
4. The Chair will maintain all records of the pool and shall present an accounting of the pool's operation to administration on an annual basis and to the union's general membership at the Annual Meeting.
Ill. OPERATION
1. It is to be understood that the purpose of this pool is to provide extra sick days to those eligible individuals suffering from a long-term, serious and/or chronic illness/injury, but only after they have exhausted all of their own yearly, accumulated, and carryover sick leave.
2. In order for an eligible individual to draw from the pool, he must be a contributing member of the pool.
3. All eligible individuals will be asked within thirty (30) days from the beginning of their employment in the North Providence School District, to fill out a form authorizing the District to withdraw one (1) sick day from his total sick leave, and to transfer this one (1) day to the sick leave pool.
IV. USE OF THE POOL
1. After an eligible individual has exhausted all yearly, accumulated, and carryover sick leave and is out sick five (5) additional, consecutive school days, that eligible individual may apply in writing to the Board for additional sick leave, to be drawn against the pool. Each day will be paid at 80% of the eligible individual's daily rate of pay.
Qualified member is defined as an eligible individual who suffers from an incapacitating illness/injury that is long term, serious, and/or chronic and renders the eligible individual unable to perform her/his duties.
2. Upon receipt of this written request, the Chair shall call a meeting of the Board to decide upon the merit of the request. The eligible individual requesting this leave and the District shall be promptly informed in writing of the Board's decision. If the Board decides to award the requested leave, the award will be retroactive to the first day after which the qualified member had exhausted his own sick leave. In the event of a tie by the Board, the matter will be referred to a snap decision by a mutually agreed to party:
1.) The parties shall predesignate a decider.
2.) A hearing will be held within 6 days of a party's submission to the decider.
3.) The decider shall make a written determination within 10 days thereafter and such decision shall be final and binding and not subject to appeal, grievance, or further arbitration.
Any decisions made in this process shall not be subject to the grievance procedure.
3. Once the sick leave has been granted, the qualified member may continue to draw against the pool as long as he remains out of school provided that he submit a letter from his doctor every thirty (30) calendar days indicating that he is unable to return to work. Each additional request for sick leave shall be accompanied with appropriate updated medical information sufficient to verify continuation of the qualifying medical condition. Each additional grant of sick days from the SLP shall require an affirmative vote by the Board.
4. If the qualified member draws more than sixty (60) consecutive days from the pool in one school year, the qualified member must submit to a medical examination by a District selected physician. The cost of this exam is to be shared equally by the union and the school department.
5. If a school year ends and a qualified member remains ill to the extent that the qualified member is unable to return to work in September of the following school year, the qualified member must resubmit a letter of application for further sick days to the Board.
6. By a 3/4 vote of all board members at a duly constituted meeting, the provisions of these By-Laws may be waived. However, the specific reasons for each waiver shall be in writing and submitted to the Union and the School District.
V. CHANGES
1. Once adopted by the Board, these By-Laws are not subject to change or amendment without 3/4 agreement by the Board at a duly constituted meeting.
2. Any member of Local 920 who wishes to change or amend these By-Laws must submit the proposed changes in writing to the NPFT Board of Directors. If approved, the NPFT Board of Directors will forward the proposed changes to the Sick Leave Pool Board for final approval.
The School Committee and the Union believe in the value and importance of professional growth and development for teachers as essential in helping students achieve high standards. The School Committee and the Union recognize the NBPTS certification process as a highly effective means for teachers to engage in this essential professional development.
1. The School department and the Union shall encourage teachers to undertake voluntarily the assessment process to become National Board certified teachers.
2. The School Department shall assist and support the efforts of National Board certification candidates using restricted professional development resources by providing up to five(5) professional development release-time days, and supportive loaned materials and equipment, such as video cameras, editing equipment and computers, etc. in the possession of the School Department. Professional development release-time days shall be used exclusively for activities related to the National Board certification assessment process.
3 Completing the national Board certification assessment process, but not acquiring certification, qualifies a teacher to receive six (6) district-approved credits toward the advanced increment schedule set forth above. The teacher shall provide documented verification that he/she has completed the certification assessment process.
4. It is expected that National Board-certified teachers continue to work with the students of North Providence in various capacities. The school Department and the Union will explore other possible roles that National Board-certified teachers may play in the improvement of the education provided for North Providence's students. Such other roles and activities may include, but not be limited to, mentoring, planning, and delivering professional development, facilitating school improvement, and/or developing curriculum.