Exeter-West Greenwich - Article 13 Teacher Schedules, Preparations, Class Loads and Student Placement

ARTICLE 13 TEACHER SCHEDULES, PREPARATIONS, CLASS LOADS AND STUDENT PLACEMENT

Exeter-West Greenwich School District

A) Teacher Schedules

1) Notice of Schedule. Teachers shall be notified in writing of any change in their programs and schedules for the ensuing school year, including the schools to which they will be assigned, the grades and/or subject that they will teach, and any special or unusual courses or assignments that they will have by June 1st or prior to the Job Fair. In the event that the Administration fails to provide such notice or, subsequent to June 1 or prior to the Job Fair deadline, makes a change in a teacher's schedule, said teacher shall be provided with adequate time in order to adequately prepare for the new assignment. In some cases a substitute teacher may need to be provided.

a) The Association shall be provided with: the names of all part-time teachers, the class/caseload for the respective part-time teachers, and the FTE equivalent used in calculation of the respective part-time teacher compensation.

2) Equity in teacher movement shall be a criterion in room assignments. When assigning rooms consideration will be given to the following: teaming, course content, and minimizing transition time for teachers and students.

3) The schedule at the Senior High School shall include a weekly block of approximately 50 minutes for Advisor/Advisee and a daily block (except on Advisor/Advisee days) of approximately 25 minutes in length, to be used for Academic Enrichment, RtI/MTSS, or Advisor/Advisee. To every extent possible, Advisors shall loop with their Advisees. Special Advisor/Advisee assignments may be made at the Senior High School based on student pathway selections and teacher expertise in the pathway content.

4) The schedule at the Junior High School shall include one (1) daily block of approximately twenty-five (25) minutes in length, to be used for Academic Enrichment, RtI/MTSS, or Advisor/Advisee. To every extent possible, Advisors shall loop with their Advisees.

5)When a parent conference is required in connection with student status regarding completion of the senior project, the Senior Project Coordinator shall meet with the parents of the student. The Senior Project Coordinator shall be responsible for scheduling said meetings.

6) All bargaining unit members, except those otherwise excluded, shall be assigned an Advisory. Part time teachers, itinerant teachers, and those with conflicting duties may not be assigned advisories when mutually agreed to by the parties.

7) The School Nurse Teacher and the Senior Project Coordinator shall be excluded from an Advisory assignment. The Senior Project Coordinator shall utilize the Advisory block for the purpose of meeting with groups of students to communicate graduation requirements or with individual students to track and monitor graduation benchmarks.

8) The School Psychologist, School Social Worker, and School Guidance Counselors may be excluded from an Advisory assignment. The School Psychologist and School Social Worker may provide clinical supports to students and/or collaborate with administration and/or staff about the needs of individual students. Guidance Counselors may provide academic and other counseling services consistent with a Comprehensive Guidance Program referenced in the Basic Education Program (BEP).

9) Should Advisor/Advisee be mandated or desired by the Parties at grades 5 and 6, adequate time for program development, review of best practice, and professional development shall be provided.

10) Any meeting or assembly for students may be planned during class time; however teachers must receive notice at least 48 hours in advance, except in an emergency.

B) HIGH SCHOOL

1) High School Schedule: The High School (grades 9-12) will operate on a 4 x 4 block, four periods per day, with an embedded A/B block for one-half credit courses.

2) High School Teaching Assignments. The administration at the senior high school shall solicit and consider input from department chairs based on the preferences of department members regarding course offerings. Then, administration will develop a draft master schedule and matrix of course offerings based upon enrollment and students’ course selections. Thereafter, if changes to the initial draft schedule are required to satisfy the needs of students, they will be made with input from the department chair. In course selection, due consideration must be given to various certifications within a single department. Whenever practical, all teachers shall carry an equitable number of preparations. In no case may a teacher be denied a full teaching schedule due to a more senior teacher’s preference. The Department Chairs and teachers in grades 9-12 will work out schedules and specific teaching assignments cooperatively at a meeting where all members of the department are present. At the conclusion of the meeting, each teacher will indicate his agreement with said schedule and assignment by signing off on a copy of the schedule. Thereafter, the signed copy of the schedule shall be submitted to administration for review and input as necessary. If additional changes to the initial schedule are required to satisfy the needs of students, they will be made with input from department chair(s).

3) In collaboration with guidance counselors and department chairs, where applicable, the building principal (or designee) will approve and oversee an on-line credit recovery/credit advancement program for students. On-line coursework may be assigned to address the requirements of a graduation plan, to retrieve credits for previously attempted courses, to create scheduling flexibility necessary for students to advance in a chosen area of study, or to provide access to a course not otherwise offered as part of the regular program of studies. On-line coursework shall not be assigned to otherwise eliminate the need for scheduled, teacher-facilitated sections as part of the regular senior high school schedule.

4) High School Preparations:

a) Teachers of full credit courses shall be limited to two (2) preparations per semester and four (4) preparations per year.

b) Teachers who teach one-half credit course in the embedded A/B Block, shall be limited to three (3) preparations per semester whenever possible, but no more than four (4) preparations per semester.

c) Teachers assigned an elective where two (2) sections run shall be assigned both sections. Where there are more than two (2) sections of an elective running class assignments shall be collaboratively worked out within the department.

d) Exceptions to the preparation requirements shall be considered on a case-by-case basis, with the consent of the teacher, department chair (where appropriate), principal and EWGTA.

4) High School Class Load: Full-Time teachers will teach six (6) classes, three (3) each semester. Part-time teachers will teach in increments of one-sixth.

C) JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL

1) Junior High School Schedule: The Junior High School (grades 7-8) will operate on a seven (7) period day or a combined block/seven (7)-period day schedule with one course/credit meeting every day for approximately fifty (50) minutes.

2) Looping: Looping shall be defined as a team of teachers, including specialists whenever possible, teaching in two (2) consecutive grade levels who maintain the same core roster of students for two (2) levels before repeating the cycle.

a) It is understood, however, that by mutual agreement between the teachers and after consulting with the building administration, teachers may remain in a grade level and not loop.

b) Elimination of Team/Reduction in Teaching Load. In the event that the Committee determines that it is necessary to reduce the schedule of looping teachers (i.e. reduce from full time to part time) or to eliminate a team or position, it shall:

1. So notify the Association President

2. Conduct an internal team assignment process allowing for team members to select new team compositions based on seniority

3. Post all remaining EWG Junior High School looping positions at the job fair.

c) Team changes for students may be granted by the superintendent after a meeting is held with the requesting parent(s) and the team teachers if in the best educational interests of the student(s).

3) Junior High School Preparations: Teachers shall not be required to teach in more than two (2) subject matter areas. Teachers will not be required to have more than three (3) lesson preparations. For purposes of this article, a preparation is defined as a level of a course within a subject matter area.

4) Junior High School Class Load: Full-time teachers shall teach five (5) classes and the advisory/enrichment block per day, or the equivalent of five (5) classes plus the advisory/enrichment block per day if operating on a combined block/seven (7)-period day schedule. All full-time teachers shall teach four (4) credits of direct instruction in their certification area. The fifth (5th) class/credit may be assigned as an additional course/credit within the certification area, as supplemental instruction/intervention for students who require academic advancement or academic support, and/or additional enrichment opportunities as needed. The team and administration shall develop said schedule collaboratively.

5) Teams may elect to collaboratively develop flexible schedules, within parameters of time and non-core subject matter teacher schedules, that respond to student needs and best practices.

D) ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

1) In grades K-6, a schedule shall be developed that identifies instructional times for various content classes. This schedule shall be designed to ensure the efficiency of specialist’s (Speech & Language Therapists, Special Educators, Interventionists, Reading Specialists, etc.) schedules and provide optimal levels of student support based on needs.

2) Elementary classroom teachers will not be required to travel from room to room.

3) When a teacher of a special subject (Art, Music, Library, Health, PE, Spanish, etc.) is in charge of an elementary school teacher's class, the regular teacher may leave the classroom.

4) The Team leaders and teachers in the grade level team will work out specific teaching assignments (i.e. teaming and content) cooperatively at a meeting where all members of the team are present, prior to student placement. At the conclusion of the meeting each teacher will indicate his agreement with said assignment by signing off on a copy of the assignments. Thereafter, the signed copy of the assignments shall be submitted to the principal for review.

E) Changes to the Schedule

1) Any contemplated change to the schedule of a school shall require discussion with the Association of the rationale and effects of such change, input from the membership in the affected school, and impact bargaining with the Association. The Committee maintains the right to adjust times and rotations of periods in order to meet the requirements of 14.D.1 (above), or to achieve alignment of the Junior and Senior High School scheduled blocks. Otherwise, changes to the schedule of a school shall also require the respective ratifications by the members of the Association in the affected school and the Committee.

F) Student Placement

1) In grades K-8, a placement process and committee, representing administration, grade- level teachers and specialists shall convene to determine placement for the ensuing school year as follows:

Step 1: The special education teachers and Special Education Director will identify the groups of students with documented educational/program needs by the Wednesday after April vacation;

Step 2: All students with documented educational programs/plans shall be grouped according to similar needs by the building principal with input from the Director of Special Education and grade-level teachers. These groups of students shall be distributed evenly among all grade-level classrooms by the sending teachers at the placement meeting;

Step 3: The sending teachers shall complete a placement card to help in the creation of new class lists and these cards shall be sent with the class list to the receiving teams.

Step 4: Remaining students are placed by the sending team and classes are reviewed for academic and behavioral balance, to the extent possible, noting that balance does not always equate to equal class size across the grade level;

Step 5: All members of the Placement Committee must sign a placement sign off sheet;

Step 6: Team teachers shall choose class lists developed during the placement process.

Step 7: Class lists may be adjusted by the receiving team with the consent of the majority of the team. In rare circumstances, in situations with specific concerns, administration may alter the placement of a particular student to benefit students and teachers.

2) The receiving team shall reconvene to address new enrollments that may occur during the summer.

3) A system of yearly rotation of groups of students with similar needs (i.e. co-teaching, behavioral needs, ELL) shall be implemented whenever the grade-level team cannot agree to teacher preferences. This rotation shall start with the least senior eligible teacher and continue through the most senior eligible teacher (as defined in 13.G.6). The number of years that a teacher has served in this capacity is not relevant to the rotation except as to omit them from the roster in the year after having served. In rare circumstances, in situations with specific documented needs, administration may alter one year of the rotation in collaboration with the team.

4) Whenever a new student enrolls after the start of a school year, the principal shall convene the grade-level teachers to review the student’s profile and determine appropriate placement for the child. If the new student has documented academic needs, he/she shall be placed with like-peers to ensure the provision of services.

5) When it is determined that a student with special education services is to be transitioned into a regular classroom for all or part of a school day, the principal or the Director of Special Education shall convene the grade-level teachers to review the student’s profile and determine appropriate placement and transition supports for the child.

6) Self-contained student participation in social activities such as snack time, special projects, morning announcements, or other appropriate non-instructional events in the regular education classroom shall be accompanied by support staff depending on the needs of the students.

G. Special Educator Teaching Assignments

1) Special Education services will be determined by the needs identified in student’s Individualized Education Programs (IEPs).

2) The co-teaching instructional models may be employed at the senior high school as an approach to servicing the needs of all students in an inclusionary setting. All classrooms assigned to employ the co-teaching model at the senior high school will be staffed by a regular educator and a special educator who shall share responsibility for planning, instruction, assessment and implementing provisions of the IEP. The regular educator is the teacher of record for assigning report card grades.

3) The co-teaching instructional models may be employed at the elementary and junior high schools as an approach to servicing the needs of all students in an inclusionary setting. Co-teaching assignments may be established for any portion of the students’ instructional program and the special educator shall be assigned to that portion of the class without interruption. Where this model is implemented, the regular education teacher and special educator shall share responsibility for planning, instruction, assessment, and implementing provisions of the IEP. The regular educator is the teacher of record for assigning report card grades.

4) If the cluster of students require special education services for a particular need or combination of needs (i.e. Reading/Writing/Math) and the students are in a designated co-taught classroom for that subject area, the Special educator will be assigned to that room for the entire corresponding block (i.e. ELA or Math). Regardless of the IEP’s specified number of minutes for services in a subject area, the special educator shall be assigned to that room with that cluster of students for the whole block each day. This may require occasional movement of individual students if the IEP needs change or new students enter the grade level. It is possible that the special educator may not remain in the room the whole day and they may not be attached to solely one grade. Special educators in conjunction with administration will determine the schedule of the special educator once the co-teaching needs are met.

5) Highly Qualified self-contained special educators who include and support students for particular content instruction may maintain their status as the teacher of record for assigning report card grades, as appropriate for the individual student(s).

6) Unless waived by the principal, first year teachers, teachers new to the grade level or teachers on Teacher Improvement/Assistance Plans shall not be assigned to employ the co-teaching model of instruction. In the event that co-teaching assignments cannot be staffed through eligible volunteer placement, assignment will be determined by the process defined in Article 13.F.3.

7) For planning purposes, K-12 teachers assigned to employ the co-teaching model shall be assigned the same preparation period at least one time per week. Should the schedule prohibit such weekly planning during the contractual day, teachers assigned to employ the co-teaching model will be allocated up to 20 hours per teacher per year in the elementary and junior high and up to 10 hours per teacher per semester in the high school for common planning. Teachers who are co-teaching with more than one teacher shall have up to 30 hours at the elementary and junior high and up to 15 hours per semester at the high school for common planning. These hours may be discharged only when the co- teachers do not have time to plan together during the contractual school day.

7) Compensation for such planning time will be at the rate of $31/hour. Teachers must present documentation of the dates and times the common planning occurred to receive compensation. The principal shall affix his/her signature to this documentation to verify that (1) scheduling did not allow for common planning to occur during the contractual day and (2) to the best of his knowledge, the documentation presented is valid.

H) Additional Support:

Requests to revisit classroom behavioral and/or academic challenges in order to direct available supports to the areas of greatest need shall be made to the building principal. The building administrator(s) shall assess such requests and convene a meeting with the affected grade-level leaders, the Director of Special Education (as appropriate), the teacher who requested additional support, and the Superintendent (as appropriate) to determine if a shift in available supports or additional support is warranted. Plans to shift supports shall be developed at this meeting and the building principal shall be responsible for facilitating and monitoring the implementation of said support plan(s).