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Negotiations
Report May 13, 2008
Tentative
Agreements to the following contract articles:
Article
3 (Negotiations Procedures)
Section 6
Changed language to allow for 8 members on each bargaining team,
and with mutual agreement this can go up or down. Teams may also
agree to use of facilitators and experts as needed.
Article
7 (Teacher Rights)
Section 3
Added language that further defines nondiscriminatory practices
to include, "… sexual orientation, or gender identity."
Article
8 (Association Privileges)
Section 1(e)
Changed language to remove 2-hour notification to principal when
AEA president or authorized designee visits individual teachers
in building. Advanced notice will be made in the form of a phone
call to the office of the principal.
Article
9 (Dues Deduction)
Section 2
Changed language for dues deduction to align with the start of
the school year.
Section 3
Revocation of dues deduction authorization changed to July 1 through
August 10 to reflect earlier start.
Article
10 (Association President and Leave Days)
Section 1
Changed language to reflect AEA Bylaw changes - allows for president
to receive step increases during the duration of their presidency.
Article
12 (Educational Advances)
Section 2
Reorganized and updated language to clarify process of earning
credit for salary advancement.
Section 3
Added language to include credits from 2-year degree-granting
institution, which are transferable to a Colorado 4-year degree-granting
and regionally accredited institution.
*Agreement outside of contract language to add a line on the form
for the facilitator to identify the expected submission date of
credit to the Professional Learning Office once the course is
completed. The facilitator will also let each class know the expected
submission date. The Division of Instruction newsletter will communicate
what the average time to expect for turnaround for students to
receive their certificate once the course is submitted to Professional
Learning Office.
Article
14 (Teaching assignments)
Section 2
Changed language from "Principals should seek faculty input…"
to "Principals shall seek faculty input…" in regards
to building teaching assignments.
*It is understood that should teachers need assistance in their
move between classrooms they will report such needed assistance
to the principal.
Article
15 (Teaching and Learning Conditions)
Reorganized language for clarity.
Added language in first section which states teachers will collaboratively
work with building and district support to plan for professional
learning (aka professional development). Leadership teams will
establish a calendar of dates and times for professional learning
within the first two weeks of the school year. Outcomes of the
professional learning sessions will be communicated prior to the
sessions. Data teams will be teacher directed once the building
administrator deems the process is understood by teachers.
On
late-start mornings, agreed to language that once teachers have
arrived safely at the building they will help provide supervisory
assistance for those students who arrive prior to the delayed
start time** After seeking input from Building Council, principals
will create and publish a class schedule for delayed-start days.
Article
16 (Department Chairs)
Reorganized Sections 2 and 3 for clarity.
Section 5
Added language that states, "The department chairperson functions
as an instructional leader and assists with department operations.
At the beginning of the year, Principals shall meet with the department
chairperson(s) and collaboratively determine these responsibilities
and duties. In those departments with co-chairpersons, one of
them shall be designated by the principal as the primary contact."
Duties remain listed as in previous language.
Article
18 (Teacher Transfers)
No language change.
*It is understood that should teachers need assistance to move
between buildings due to overages (involuntary transfers) they
will report such needed assistance to the principal.
*AEA will receive a by- building report on all involuntary transfers.
Article
21 (Visitation Release Time)
Section 3
Agreed to language that would allow for visitation that aligns
with the school improvement plan and the District strategic plan.
Clarified process for securing release time for classroom visits.
Form will be designated on the intranet under the Division of
Instruction.
Article
22 (Leaves of Absence - General)
Section 1
Added language that further defines immediate family as "…foster
children, step-children, and domestic partners…"
Section 6
BATNA: memo of confirmation to AEA regarding teachers in their
first year using leave prior to full accrual. (BATNA stands for
Best Alternative to a Negotiated Agreement)
Section
7
Both teams agreed to allow for discussion on accumulated leave
during spring 2009 negotiations (will not count as the 3-item
limitation) with the intention of forming a task force to study
practices of accumulated leave payout.
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Article
23 (Paid Leave)
Section 2
Changed language to reflect new job titles, "chief personnel
officer" replaces "assistant superintendant."
Article
29 (Sabbatical Leave Professional Leave)
Renamed article and changed intent to reflect unpaid leave. Sabbatical
leave was granted only at the district's discretion and the district's
past practice shows no such granting of leave. Professional leave
is defined as a one year period for the purpose of obtaining educational
credits (24 semester credits) in the teacher's endorsement area
or a new endorsement area. Upon return to the district from professional
leave the teacher will be guaranteed a position for which they
are qualified, but may not necessarily be the same position which
they left prior to taking leave.
Article
33 (Special Leave)
Reorganized language by sections for clarity.
Section 1
Added language that allows leave for religious reasons.
Section 2
Added language, "Leave slips and prior approval requirements
may be waived for emergencies as determined by the chief personnel
officer."
Article
35 (Performance evaluation)
No language change.
*The district and AEA will form a joint study group in the fall
of 2008 to begin reviewing current evaluation practices. The study
group will provide a report to the 2009 negotiations team. Included
in the group's charge will be a review of the Alternative Evaluation
process which has been piloted for the last two years.
Article
39 (Professional Council Instructional Advisory Group)
Professional Council no longer exists. Current group is the Instructional
Advisory Group. The IAG is a joint district and Association advisory
group, the members of which will review, collaborate and problem-solve
instructional issues through open and honest dialogue. The IAG
will make recommendations regarding the planning, implementation,
and ongoing improvement of the District's existing and proposed
curriculum and instructional programs, including professional
development. The IAG is co-chaired by the Chief Academic Officer
and the Association President and will be comprised of 14 members
7 of whom will be appointed by the Association.
Article
40 (Building Council - separated from Leadership Team)
Language reorganized into sections.
Section 3
Removed language that stipulates department chairs may be appointed
to Building Council by the principal. Language allows for all
teachers to be elected to two-year terms.
Article
[40b] (Leadership Team)
Leadership Team has become a separate article.
A section was added on communications from Leadership Team to
building staff. Members of Leadership Team will be confirmed annually,
agendas will be published prior to meetings, minutes will be published
after meetings and procedures will be made clear to staff in regards
to individual input to Leadership Team meetings.
*It is understood that all staff are invited to attend all Leadership
Team meetings.
MOU
Pilot Schools
No language change.
Section 6
*It is understood that the Governing Board of the Pilot School
will have one-third of its twelve member board consist of AEA
members. Should additional individuals be added to the Governing
Board the one-third ratio of AEA members will be maintained through
addition.
Articles taken to Mediation:
On May 7th after a full day of negotiations the district team
declared impasse on the articles listed below. It is important
to know that the AEA team was willing to continue negotiations
in order to get an agreement for teachers.
Article
11 and Appendices B and C
The district has offered 0% GSI (General Salary Increase). AEA
believes that teachers deserve a salary increase given rising
consumer costs, increased workload and increased expectations.
Article 13 (Teacher Duty Day and Teaching Hours)
The district emphasizes that Article 13 is working well as written
and meets the needs of the district and teachers. Based on member
input, AEA believes this article does NOT meet the needs of teachers
and must be revised to address inconsistencies and ambiguities
in language interpretation, and increased workload.
Our
key interests in this article include:
Section 4
Define specific number of classes taught at the high school level
Define specific number of classes taught at the middle school
level
Section 12 and 13
Define specific time for teacher directed preparation/ planning
time during the duty day. This specific time must be organized
in blocks that are usable for planning.
Define language, "…occasional meeting or inservice activity…"
Secure definition of planning time from the district's perspective.
Section 18
Reduce number of meetings held after school for PD issues.
Section 20
Ensure language is clear and enforceable.
AEA
Negotiations Team: Sylvia Carnahan, Jaime Green, Laurie Foster,
Brenna Isaacs, Amy Nichols, Frank O'Hara, Vicki Reinhard, Cathy
Wildman
Negotiations
Update (PDF)
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