ARTICLE 10 - SCHOOL DAY

West Warwick School District

Section 1 – Length of School Day:

It is agreed that the length of the school day for students in the Elementary Schools, Middle School, and High School shall be neither more than nor less than the minimum length of time (i.e. 330 minutes of actual school work) as prescribed by regulation of the Board of Regents for Education pursuant to R.I.G.L. Title 16-6-6 and 3 with fifteen (15) minutes before and fifteen (15) minutes after for teachers. Notwithstanding, it is further agreed that the length of the school day for students in the Elementary Schools only shall be expanded by ten (10) minutes of non-instructional time for the purpose of maintaining a Recess Period.

Section 2 - Faculty Meetings with the Superintendent of Schools:

There shall be no more than one (1) faculty meeting with the Superintendent of Schools in a given school year unless there is an emergency need.

The faculty meeting with the Superintendent will begin as soon as practicable after the release of students at dismissal time but not later than the usual dismissal time for teachers. Such meetings will conclude no later than one (1) hour after the commencement of the meeting, and all full-time teachers and those part-time teachers whose teaching programs involve the last period of the school day, except for those having previously scheduled medical or dental appointments or for those experiencing an emergency situation, are expected to be in attendance and remain through the conclusion of said meeting. In an emergency, a faculty meeting may be convened upon the mutual agreement of the building principal or director and the Building Representative. Nothing contained herein shall be construed as precluding a building principal, a director or the Superintendent from scheduling or calling faculty meetings which may be attended by teachers on a strictly voluntary basis.

Section 3 -Common Planning Time:

(a) Definition and Purpose:

Common Planning Time (CPT) meetings shall occur outside of the regular school day for teachers and shall be used exclusively for collegial professional development and planning activities. All full-time bargaining unit members shall be required to participate in CPT. Licensed RNs/LPNs, COTAs and teachers with part-time schedules are permitted, but shall not be required to participate in CPT meetings. CPT shall be in addition to, not in lieu of, the Collaborative Common Planning Time (CCPT) currently provided to co-teaching partners pursuant to the Collaborative Agreement. CPT is defined as teachers planning around common students, grade levels, and disciplines to improve teaching and learning. CPT activities may include, but shall not be limited to, the following:

i. Planning for instruction and/or assessments;
ii. Planning with grade level/content area teachers;
iii. Examining student work;
iv. Analyzing assessment data;
v. Sharing best practices;
vi. Reading and reflecting on research-based educational practices; and
vii. Participating in the Differentiated Evaluation Process

(b) CPT Cohort Composition:

CPT cohorts shall be comprised of three (3) different structures as follows:

1. Smaller Learning Community (SLC):

Bargaining unit members shall be required to participate in five (5) hours of collegial professional activities, outside of the school day, on a flexible basis. Participants may engage in activities using “real-time”, collaborative technology tools. Examples of such activities include, but shall not be limited to the following:

i. School-based or district-based initiatives
ii. Literacy teams, numeracy teams, etc.
iii. Relevant out of district professional training; and
iv. WWTA/AFT Education Committee mini-courses

2. Departmental/Programmatic Cohorts (DPC) or Grade Level Cohorts (GLC):

Bargaining unit members shall meet in groups according to their academic department, grade level or program. Cohorts shall meet five (5) times per year. The Teacher Leader or Elementary Lead Teacher assigned to each department, program or grade level will be responsible to plan each DPC/GLC meeting. Bargaining unit members who are assigned to the elementary level but not assigned to grade level cohorts, academic departments or programs (social workers, reading specialists, RNs/LPNs etc.) shall meet with other SLC cohorts during these scheduled meeting times. The duration of DPC/GLC meetings shall be no more than thirty (30) minutes.

3. Building-Level CPT Cohort:

Teachers shall meet as a faculty to share and discuss professional issues related to the entire school community. Building Level CPT meetings shall occur seven (7) times per year. The building principal in consultation with the School Improvement Team Leader shall be responsible for generating an agenda and forwarding it to all teachers at least three (3) days prior to the scheduled CPT meeting. The duration of Building Level CPT meetings shall be no more than thirty (30) minutes.

(c) CPT Calendar:

A calendar/schedule of all CPT meeting weeks (DPC/GLC and BLC) shall be distributed to the faculty by the building principal on the first day of school for teachers. The Superintendent and Alliance President shall agree, annually, to a district-wide CPT Calendar.

(d) Non-Embedded PDA Training Hours:

CPT activities shall be counted toward and credited as satisfactory completion of ten (10) hours of annual non-embedded PDA training.

Section 4 - Release Time for Mandatory Staff In-service Training Sessions:

(a) It is agreed that fifteen (15) hours of all mandatory staff in-service training sessions shall be carried out both during and outside of the regular school day through training sessions under the governance and auspices of the Professional Development Center (PDC). However, upon the recommendation of the District Evaluation Committee (DEC) to the parties, the School Committee and the Alliance Executive Board may, in writing, establish, by exception and by mutual administrative-level agreement on a case by case basis, mandatory staff in-service, embedded training sessions of a special nature to be carried out during the regular school day.

(b) The length of the school day on occasions of full-day staff in-service training sessions shall be the minimum length as prescribed by regulation of the Board of Regents for Education pursuant to R.I.G.L. Title 16-6-6 and 3 inclusive of a one (1) hour lunch period and a fifteen (15) minute break during both morning and afternoon training sessions. There shall be no more than one (1) such full- day (or two half-day equivalents) in any given school year unless there is a mutual waiver to the contrary, in writing, between the respective agents of the parties.

(c) On occasions of half-day staff in-service, embedded training sessions, teachers shall be provided a forty-five (45) minute period for travel/lunch between school buildings, and their regularly scheduled preparation period shall be equally apportioned in length.

Section 5 – Daily Schedules and Schedule Models

(a) In the event of double sessions, the Contract will be reopened at the request of either party but shall be limited to hours and working conditions.

(b) The Alliance will be consulted with respect to any and all prospective changes in the starting times and/or closing times of schools.

(c) Certified support staff administratively assigned to the Central Office shall have a work day which shall coincide in length between the arrival and dismissal times for teachers assigned at the Middle School and High School or shall coincide in length between the arrival and dismissal times for teachers assigned at the Elementary Schools, as the case may be.

(d) Any changes to scheduling models at any school shall require mutual agreement between the Superintendent and the Alliance President. Furthermore, teachers, and their respective School Improvement Teams shall be provided an opportunity to provide input into the construct, adoption or change of any school schedule models prior to adoption of said new model. To facilitate such an opportunity, the Superintendent and the Alliance President shall mutually select a joint management/labor committee to research, study and recommend new schedule models as the need arises.