ARTICLE 27 - TEACHER FILES

West Warwick School District

Section 1: Teachers shall have the right to inspect their own personnel files. Each teacher shall receive a copy of any new material or evaluation that is to be added to his/her personnel files.

Section 2: No anonymous letter(s) or materials shall be placed in a teacher’s file.

Section 3: No material, excluding references and information used in the process of evaluating the teacher for employment, which is derogatory to a teacher’s conduct, service, character or personality shall be placed in the files unless the teacher has had an opportunity to read the material. The teacher shall acknowledge that he/she has read such material by affixing his/her signature to the actual copy to be filed with the understanding that such signature merely signifies that he/she has read the materials to be filed. Such signature does not necessarily indicate agreement with its content. The teacher shall have the right to answer any material filed, and his/her answer shall be attached to the file copy. The maker of the file and the maker of the material to be filed must affix his/her signature to it.

Section 4: No matters or materials pertaining to the grievance procedure shall be included in a teacher’s personnel file.

Section 5: Any teacher shall, upon reasonable notice, be permitted to examine and reproduce material in his/her file except for recommendations or evaluations related to the process of evaluating the teacher for initial employment or for subsequent promotions which were submitted to the Committee or the Superintendent on a confidential basis.