09-01-2017
08-31-2020
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AGREEMENT
BETWEEN
SCHOOL COMMITTEE OF THE TOWN OF NORTON
AND
NORTON TEACHERS’ ASSOCIATION
September 1, 2017 – August 31, 2020
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
ARTICLE TITLE PAGE
I PREAMBLE 1
II RECOGNITION 2
III NEGOTIATION PROCEDURE 2
IV NO STRIKES 3
V ASSIGNMENTS AND TRANSFERS 3
VI PROMOTIONS 5
VII SUMMER SCHOOL AND FEDERAL
PROGRAMS 6
VIII NON-TEACHING DUTIES 6
IX EVALUATION 7
X DISCIPLINE 7
XI PROFESSIONAL EMPLOYEE
PERSONNEL FILES 9
XII WORK YEAR AND WORK DAY 9
XIII SALARIES 12
XIV INSURANCE AND ANNUITIES 14
XV SICK LEAVE 14
XVI FAMILY & MEDICAL LEAVE 16
XVII FUNERAL LEAVE 19
XVIII LEAVE OF ABSENCE 19
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XIX SABBATICAL LEAVE 22
XX PROTECTION OF TEACHERS 23
XXI TEACHER FACILITIES 23
XXII USE OF SCHOOL FACILITIES 24
XXIII SUBSTITUTE TEACHERS 24
XXIV PAYROLL DEDUCTIONS 25
XXV
REIMBURSEMENT OF EXPENSES AT
WORKSHOPS AND SEMINARS AND
CONFERENCES
27
XXVI GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE 27
XXVII CLASS SIZE 30
XXVIII REDUCTIONS IN STAFF 30
XXIX LONGEVITY PAY 32
XXX REIMBURSEMENT FOR COURSES 33
XXXI SICK LEAVE BANK 33
XXXII HEALTH AND SAFETY 34
XXXIII AGENCY SERVICE FEE 34
XXXIV JOB SHARING 35
XXXV SCOPE OF AGREEMENT 37
XXXVI ELECTRONIC GRADE REPORTING 38
XXXVII DURATION 38
APPENDIX A 40
SUPPLEMENTARY COMPENSATION 43
1
AGREEMENT
THIS AGREEMENT, made and entered into this 11th day of September, 2017, by
and between the School Committee of the Town of Norton, hereinafter referred to as the
“Committee”, and the Norton Teachers’ Association, hereinafter referred to as the
“Association”.
WITNESSETH:
WHEREAS, the Committee and the Association entered into a collective
bargaining Agreement, dated September 1, 2017, with respect to the wages, hours of
work and other conditions of employment of certain Professional Employees represented
by the Association;
WHEREAS, said Agreement terminated on August 31, 2020, and the Committee
and the Association desire to enter into a new Agreement with respect to wages, hours
of work and other conditions of employment of said Professional Employees.
NOW, THEREFORE, it is mutually agreed between the Committee and the
Association as follows:
ARTICLE I
PREAMBLE
Section 1. Recognizing that the prime purpose of the Committee and the
Professional Employees represented by the Association is to provide education of the
highest possible quality to the children of the Town of Norton and that good morale among
said Professional Employees is essential to the achievement of that purpose, the parties
hereto agree and declare as follows:
a. The Committee is a public body established under and with powers provided
by the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and nothing in this Agreement shall
be deemed to derogate from or impair any power, right or duty conferred upon the
Committee by law or any rule or regulation of any agency of the Commonwealth. The
Committee retains all the powers, rights and duties that it has by law and may, subject to
this Agreement, exercise the same at its discretion.
b. The Committee has the responsibility for establishing goals, policies and
accountability standards for the school district, and for the review and approval of the
district’s budget.
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c. The Superintendent of Schools, hereinafter referred to as the “Superintendent”,
as the chief executive officer of the school district, has the responsibility for managing the
school system and implementing the policies established by the Committee.
d. The said Professional Employees have responsibility for providing in the
classrooms of the schools education of the highest possible quality. Whenever used in
this Agreement the words “Professional Employee”, “teacher”, and “employee” shall have
the same meaning.
ARTICLE II
RECOGNITION
For the purposes of collective bargaining with respect to wages, hours, standards
of productivity and performance, and other conditions of employment and the negotiation
of collective bargaining agreements and any questions arising thereunder, the Committee
recognizes the Association as the exclusive bargaining agent and representative of all
Professional Employees employed by the Committee, except the Superintendent of
Schools, Principals, Assistant Principals, Director of Guidance, Elementary School
Coordinators, Athletic Director, and Substitute Teachers. Nothing in this Agreement shall
be deemed to limit any of the rights offered employees and their exclusive representative
under the provisions of Chapter 150E of the General Laws of Massachusetts.
ARTICLE III
NEGOTIATION PROCEDURE
For the purposes of collective bargaining, the designated representative or
representatives of the Committee and the designated representative or representatives
of the Association shall meet at reasonable times and shall confer in good faith with
respect to wages, hours, standards of productivity and performance, and other conditions
of employment, or the negotiation of an agreement, or any question arising thereunder,
and shall execute a written contract incorporating any agreement reached. At such
meeting both parties shall provide relevant data, exchange points of view, and make
proposals and counter-proposals.
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ARTICLE IV
NO STRIKES
Section 1. A strike is defined as the refusal of a Professional Employee, in
concerted action with others, to report for duty, or his/her willful absence from his/her
position, or his/her stoppage of work, or his/her abstinence in whole or in part from the
performance of the duties of employment as established by this Agreement or as
established in a collective bargaining agreement between the Committee and the
Association expiring immediately preceding the alleged strike.
Section 2. The Association shall not engage in a strike, and no said Professional
Employee or the Association shall induce, encourage or condone any strike, work
stoppage, slowdown or withholding of services by said Professional Employees.
Section 3. No compensation shall be paid by the Committee to any Professional
Employee with respect to any day or part thereof when such Professional Employee is
engaged in a strike against the Committee. No such Professional Employee shall be
eligible for such compensation at a later date in the event that such employee is required
to work additional days to fulfill the provisions of the collective bargaining agreement in
effect at the time of the occurrence of the strike or, in the event no collective bargaining
agreement is in effect at the time of the strike, the provisions of the collective bargaining
agreement between the Committee and the Association expiring immediately preceding
the strike, except in the instance when the Committee does not receive authorization for
a shortened school year from the Department of Education, in which case such employee
shall be eligible for compensation at his/her regular rate for such additional days worked.
Section 4. Any Professional Employee who engaged in a strike shall be subject to
discipline and discharge proceedings by the Superintendent.
Section 5. Whenever a strike occurs or is about to occur, the Committee shall
petition the Labor Relations Commission to make an investigation. If after investigation,
the Commission determines that any provision of Section 2 of this Article has been or is
about to be violated, it shall immediately set requirements that must be complied with,
including, but not limited to, instituting appropriate proceedings in the Superior Court for
the County of Bristol for enforcement of such requirements.
ARTICLE V
ASSIGNMENTS AND TRANSFERS
Section 1. Professional Employees shall normally be notified of their programs
and school assignments by August first of each year but not later than August fifteenth.
The Superintendent reserves the right, however, to make, from time to time, such
changes in the program and school assignment of any Professional Employee as he/she
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considers necessary or desirable to bring about the most efficient and effective operation
of the schools.
Section 2. Written notice of vacancies in positions at the classroom level and in
both supervisory and non-supervisory positions listed in Appendix A on the Schedule of
Supplementary Compensation shall be posted annually on a bulletin board in each
school, and a copy thereof will be forwarded to the President of the Association. Such
notice shall be given as soon as possible after the occurrence of the vacancy and shall
indicate the date within which applications should be filed with the Superintendent. Said
date shall not be less than ten (10) working days from the date of the posting of the notice.
The notice of vacancies in said non-supervisory positions shall also set forth the
qualifications, duties and rate of compensation for the position. If the qualifications, duties
or rate of compensation of a position are changed after the position vacancy has been
posted and before it has been filled, the position vacancy will be reposted. Professional
Employees who desire to apply for any such position shall submit their applications to the
Superintendent within the time limit specified in said notice. In addition to the giving of
said written notice, the Committee may give notice of such vacant positions and seek
applicants in such other ways as it considers necessary. Written notice of the filling of any
such vacant position will be given to all Professional Employees who made written
application for the position. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section, it is
agreed that any vacancy in any such position, which occurs on or after August 25th and
before the following June 1st may be filled on a temporary basis without regard to the
posting requirements set forth herein and shall be posted after said June 1st in accordance
with the provisions hereof. Such temporary assignment shall be filled by a full-time
certified teacher, if one is qualified and available, who will be covered by the provisions
of this Agreement. Supplementary compensation positions will be posted with an
application deadline of May 15. Applicants will be notified of the status of their
applications by June 20, except applicants for Spring coaching positions will be notified
by September 1. The District reserves the right to decline to fill a position or delay filling
a specific position by notifying employees in writing.
Section 3. In addition to the provisions set forth in Section 2 for the filling of vacant
positions at the classroom level, Professional Employees who desire a change in grade
and/or subject assignment, hereinafter referred to as “reassignment”, or who desire a
transfer from one school to another, shall file a written statement of such desire with the
Superintendent no later than April first immediately prior to the school year for which such
reassignment or transfer is desired. Such statement shall include the grade and/or subject
to which the Professional Employee desires to be reassigned, the school to which he/she
desires to be transferred, and his/her reason or reasons for such reassignment or
transfer.
Section 4. In making reassignments and transfers, the Superintendent and
Building Principal will give consideration to the desires of the Professional Employee, to
his/her area of competence, major and/or minor field of study, quality of performance and
length of service in the Norton public schools and to the needs of the school system. An
involuntary reassignment or transfer will be made only after a meeting between the
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Professional Employee involved and the Superintendent and Building Principal, at which
time the employee will be notified in writing of the reason or reasons for the reassignment
or transfer. In addition, each Professional Employee, who is not selected for reassignment
or transfer to a vacant position for which he/she made application under the provisions of
either Section 2 or Section 3 of this Article, will, upon his/her written request, be notified
in writing of the reason or reasons as to why he/she was not selected.
Section 5. In arranging schedules for Professional Employees who are assigned
to more than one school, every effort will be made to limit the amount of interschool travel.
Professional Employees who are assigned to more than one school and/or to home
students in a single day will receive for all interschool driving done by them the mileage
rate equal to the rate granted by the Town of Norton to its employees. Schedules shall
allow for 20 minutes of travel time between school buildings not located on the same
campus.
Section 6. Teachers in grades six through eight, except special needs teachers
and teachers of special subjects such as, but not limited to, art, music, physical education,
shop and home economics, shall not be required to teach more than five (5) classes per
day (not including ICE).
ARTICLE VI
PROMOTIONS
Section 1. Written notice of vacancies in positions, as described herein, which
afford Professional Employees the opportunity of promotion and which occur prior to the
closing of school in June, shall be posted on a bulletin board in each school. Professional
Employees, who wish to receive notice of any vacancy in any particular position or
positions which may occur after the closing of school in June, shall notify the
Superintendent in writing no later than said closing of school of the particular position or
positions in which they are interested. Written notice of any vacancies which occur in such
positions will be given to said Professional Employees. The notices provided for in this
Section shall be given as soon as possible after the occurrence of the vacancy.
Section 2. Promotional positions shall include all supervisory positions listed in
Appendix A on the Schedule of Supplementary Compensation and all positions at the
administrative and/or supervisory levels. The written notice shall set forth the
qualifications, duties and compensation rate for the position and the date within which
applications should be filed with the Superintendent. Such date shall not be less than ten
(10) days from the date of the posting of the notice. If the qualifications, duties and
compensation rate for a position are changed after the position vacancy has been posted
and before it has been filled, the position vacancy will be reposted. Professional
Employees, who desire to apply for any such position, shall submit their applications in
writing to the Superintendent within the time limit specified in said notice. Written notice
of the filling of any such vacant position will be given to all Professional Employees who
made written application for the position.
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Section 3. In addition to the giving of written notice in the manner indicated above,
the Superintendent may give notice of vacancies in such positions and seek applicants in
such other ways as he/she considers necessary.
Section 4. In filling vacancies for promotional positions, the Superintendent will
give primary consideration to the applicant’s qualifications for the position. Where, in the
opinion of the Superintendent, the qualifications of applicants are substantially equal, the
employee selected will be the one recommended by the supervisors involved. The
decisions of the Superintendent made hereunder in filling promotional positions shall not
be subject to the Grievance Procedure set forth in Article XXVI of this Agreement.
ARTICLE VII
SUMMER SCHOOL AND FEDERAL PROGRAMS
Section 1. Notice of all vacancies for professional positions which the Committee
intends to fill in the Summer School and in State or Federal Programs, which occur
outside the school day/year and which are under the jurisdiction of the Committee, shall
be given in the same manner as is provided in Article V of this Agreement.
Section 2. Professional Employees who desire to apply for any such position
vacancy shall submit their applications in writing to the Superintendent within the time
limit specified in the notice announcing the vacancy.
Section 3. In filling vacant positions in the Summer School and in said State and
Federal Programs, the Superintendent will take into consideration the applicant’s
qualifications for the position. Where, in the opinion of the Superintendent, the
qualifications of applicants are substantially equal, the employee selected will be the one
recommended by the supervisors involved. The decisions of the Superintendent made
hereunder in filling said vacant positions shall not be subject to the Grievance Procedure
set forth in Article XXVI of this Agreement.
ARTICLE VIII
NON-TEACHING DUTIES
The Superintendent recognizes the desirability of relieving Professional
Employees, to the extent possible, from the performance of non-teaching duties.
Accordingly, the Superintendent will endeavor to employ Educational Assistants from time
to time to assist Professional Employees in the performance of such duties. The number
of Educational Assistants to be employed and the duties to be performed by them shall
be determined by the Superintendent. Non-teaching duties will be assigned on an
equitable basis among Professional Employees.
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ARTICLE IX
EVALUATION
The parties agree that the District shall bargain with the Association mid-term
regarding any policy changes, evaluation requirements, or other mandates imposed by
the District’s participation in the Race to the Top grant program.
Section 1. Each employee will be evaluated in accordance with the provisions of
the “Professional Teaching Standards for the Norton Public Schools” agreed to by the
Association and incorporated herein by reference. Any written report of a Professional
Employee’s performance shall be discussed with him/her by his/her supervisor as soon as
practical after the completion of the report and prior to its submission to the Superintendent
for filing in the employee’s personnel file, and the employee shall be given a copy of the
report. Such discussion of the report with the employee shall be held no sooner than the
second workday after the day on which the employee is given a copy of the report. The
Professional Employee shall acknowledge that he/she has received a copy of the report and
that it has been discussed with him/her by signing his/her name to the file copy of the report.
The employee’s signature on the report shall not necessarily mean that he/she agrees with
the report. The employee shall also have the right to answer any such report in writing.
His/her answer shall be submitted through his/her supervisor to the Superintendent and
shall be attached to the evaluation report and filed in his/her personnel file.
Section 2. All observation of the teaching performance of a Professional Employee
shall be conducted openly and with his/her full knowledge. No adverse comments shall
be made to a Professional Employee in the presence of pupils.
Section 3. Any substantive complaint regarding a Professional Employee made to
the administration by any parent, student or other person will be promptly called to the
attention of the Professional Employee.
Section 4. Members of this bargaining unit will not be assigned to be the
Evaluator for other members of this bargaining unit without further agreement. Being an
Evaluator does not include performing observations, mentoring or related functions.
ARTICLE X
DISCIPLINE
Section 1. No adverse action, as hereinafter defined, shall be taken against any
Professional Employee for disciplinary or other reasons without just cause. For the
purpose of this Agreement the term “adverse action” shall mean only the following types
of action:
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a. Reprimand. A reprimand is a statement of official censure in a formal letter
to the Professional Employee from the Superintendent or his/her designee for a serious
violation.
b. Suspension. Suspension is an enforced temporary non-pay status and
absence from duty of a Professional Employee directed by the Superintendent or Building
Principal for just cause. The Professional Employee will be given seven (7) days written
notice of his/her suspension and the grounds therefor.
c. Demotion. Demotion, except as is otherwise provided herein, is a change
from one position to another position lower in rank or compensation imposed by the
Building Principal, subject to the review and approval of the Superintendent, or by the
Superintendent, as the case may be, for inefficiency, incompetency, incapacity, conduct
unbecoming a teacher, insubordination, or failure on the party of the Professional
Employee to satisfy teacher performance standards, or other just cause. The term
“demotion” as used herein shall not include any action taken by the Superintendent in not
reappointing a Professional Employee to a position or positions described in the Schedule
of Supplementary Compensation set forth in Appendix A attached hereto, assignments
to such positions being made for one school year only in accordance with the provisions
of Article XIII, Section 6 hereof The Professional Employee will be given written notice of
his/her demotion and the grounds therefor.
d. Dismissal. Dismissal is the dismissal of a Professional Employee from the
employ of the Committee by the Building Principal, subject to the review and approval of
the Superintendent, or by the Superintendent, as the case may be, for inefficiency,
incompetency, incapacity, conduct unbecoming a teacher, insubordination, or failure on
the party of the teacher to satisfy teacher performance standards, or other just cause. A
teacher with professional teacher status may seek review of a dismissal decision within
thirty (30) days after receiving notice of his/her decision by filing a petition for arbitration
with the Commissioner of Education as is provided for under the provisions of Section 42
of Chapter 71 of the General Laws. A teacher who has been teaching in the Norton school
system for at least ninety (90) calendar days shall not be dismissed unless he/she has
been furnished with a written notice of intent to dismiss and with an explanation of the
grounds therefor, and, if he or she so request, has been given a reasonable opportunity
within ten (10) school days after receiving such written notice to review the decision with
the Building Principal or Superintendent. The term dismissal as used herein shall not
include the dismissal of a teacher who has not been teaching in the Norton school system
for ninety (90) days and shall not include the action of the Superintendent in not renewing
the contract of a teacher who does not have professional teacher status.
Section 2. It is recognized that Chapter 71 of the General Laws of Massachusetts
provides specific procedures which must be adhered to by the Superintendent and
Building Principal in taking the adverse actions of suspension, demotion and dismissal
against Professional Employees. In such cases, the specific procedures provided for in
the General Laws will be followed, and the adverse action taken by the Superintendent
and Building Principal will not be subject to the Grievance Procedure set forth in Article
XXVI of this Agreement.
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ARTICLE XI
PROFESSIONAL EMPLOYEE PERSONNEL FILES
Section 1. Each Professional Employee shall have the right to review the contents
of his/her personnel file. Within three (3) working days of the receipt of his/her written
request, a Professional Employee will be permitted at a time designated by the
Superintendent to inspect and make copies of the contents of his/her personnel folder,
files, cards and records. The costs of copying such records shall be incurred by the
Professional Employee. The Professional Employee may have a representative of the
Association accompany him/her during a review of his/her files.
Section 2. No material which is in any way derogatory to a Professional Employee
shall be placed in his/her personnel file before he/she has had the opportunity to review
such material and reply thereto and unless the material has been substantiated in fact.
The Professional Employee shall acknowledge that he/she has reviewed such material
by signing his/her name to the copy to be filed in his/her personnel file. The Professional
Employee’s signature shall in no way mean that he/she agrees with the contents of any
such material. The Professional Employee shall also have the right to answer any such
material in writing. His/her answer shall be submitted to the Superintendent for review
and shall be attached to the material to which it is in answer and filed in his/her personnel
file.
ARTICLE XII
WORK YEAR AND WORK DAY
Section 1. The work year of all Professional Employees shall be one hundred
eighty-two (182) work days, except as provided in Section 2. The work year shall begin
not earlier than the Monday before Labor Day, and shall terminate no later than June 30th
in the following calendar year. If the year begins prior to Labor Day, the Friday before
Labor Day shall be maintained as a non-school day. A work day is defined as a day when
attendance is required. All employees shall be required to attend the orientation day held
on the first day of the work year, the one hundred eighty (180) days that students are
required to be in attendance at school, and one (1) professional development day to be
scheduled by the Superintendent. The subject matter of this professional day shall be
determined by the Superintendent. At the District’s option, an additional professional
development day may be scheduled at the time the calendar is determined for the
following school year, provided that such day will be compensated at the per diem rate.
In addition to said work days, new teachers in the Norton School System shall attend two
(2) additional orientation days during the week prior to the beginning of said work year.
Work days on which school is cancelled because of weather or other unforeseen
conditions shall be made up.
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Section 2. The District may assign the following personnel up to seven (7)
additional days and twenty (20) additional hours to be scheduled after consultation
between the employee and the appropriate district officials: Guidance Counselors,
Adjustment Counselors, Team Chairperson and School Psychologists. The stipend paid
for these additional days shall be pro-rated based on the number of days scheduled and
worked. The stipend will not be pro-rated based on FTE. High school Guidance
Counselors will meet on the same afternoon and on the same evening. To accommodate
the different needs of each school, the principal, with the approval of the Superintendent,
may reduce the number of afternoon and evening meetings in favor of additional days.
Section 3. Except as otherwise provided in this Article, the regular workday shall
not exceed seven (7) consecutive hours. Within this constraint, the principal of each
building shall set the work hours applicable to employees assigned to the building,
which shall ordinarily include at least 15 minutes before and 15 minutes after the regular
school day for students in the building. The principal may alter work hours, with
reasonable notice, to accommodate meetings within the seven hour workday, and may
alter hours without notice in unusual circumstances affecting the school (e.g., school
closings due to weather, etc.).
Section 4. In addition to the regular work day, the District shall be entitled to
schedule afternoon meeting time for professional development, and evening meetings for
the purpose of parent-teacher conferences and special events. The afternoon meetings
shall generally not exceed 1½ hours per week. Evening meetings shall not exceed 10
hours total, and there will not be more than 5 evening meetings required. Morning,
afternoon and evening meetings beyond the 7-hour work day will not exceed 35 hours
per school year. The Superintendent will endeavor not to schedule meetings on Fridays
or days preceding a holiday or vacation period.
Of the 35 hours outside of the contractual work day, 5 of those hours are
designated as teacher directed. The following topics have been approved for this
teacher directed time. Use of this time could be tracked with a Google form (name,
location, brief description of the activity).
· Time to meet with team teachers and other staff to work on progress reports and
report cards (elementary level)
· PLC time
· Interdisciplinary lesson planning
· Work with teachers of the same course to align pace and grading
· Time for specialists to work with specialists from other schools
· Content/Classroom special event night (i.e. Technology night, poetry reading)
· Tech support/education – meeting with Karen Winsper or TTL before or after
school, attending a night time Google training, etc.
· Planning for curriculum nights.
· Other, with principal approval
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Section 5. Teachers in grades six through twelve shall have at least one
preparation period during each regular school day. Whenever possible, Department
Heads will be granted an additional preparation period during each regular school day.
The Professional Employee assigned to students at the time assembly periods are
scheduled shall be responsible for their supervision during such assembly periods.
Section 6. Teachers in grades six through eight, except special needs teachers
and teachers of special subjects such as, but not limited to, art, music, physical education,
shop and home economics, shall not be required to teach more than five (5) classes per
day on more than two (2) days each week.
Section 7. Teachers in grades pre-kindergarten through five shall have at least
one preparation period each day, comprising a weekly total of at least 225 minutes, during
each regular school week, Monday through Friday. For most teachers, this will mean one
(1) 45-minute preparation period per day or at least 30 consecutive minutes per day. The
administration shall ensure that specialist teachers have a daily preparation period that is
no less than 30 consecutive minutes long. The Professional Employee assigned to
students at the time assembly periods are scheduled shall be responsible for their
supervision during such assembly periods.
Section 8. During each work day each Professional Employee shall have a dutyfree lunch period of at least twenty-five (25) minutes in length.
Section 9. In the event that it becomes necessary for the Committee to place any
school on double sessions, Professional Employees affected by this action of the
Committee will be given notice of their program schedules in the same manner as
provided in Article V, Section 1, for the giving of notice to Professional Employees of their
program assignments. Professional Employees will not be required to work a split
session. Certain teaching specialists will be required to work a session which overlaps
the morning and afternoon sessions. The work day of a Professional Employee on the
morning, afternoon or overlapping session shall be consecutive from the start to the end
of the work day and shall not exceed the number of hours provided in Section 3 of this
Article for a normal work day.
Section 10. Academic Coordinators in the areas of English, Math, Science,
Social Studies, World Language, Business/Technology, PE/Wellness, and Fine Arts will
teach three (3) classes at the high school. Academic Coordinators will have a work
year of 185 days. Academic Coordinators will not have assigned “duties” except in an
emergency. Every effort will be made to avoid having the Academic Coordinator serve
as a substitute teacher. Academic Coordinators will be paid a stipend in accordance
with the attached schedule.
Section 11. Part time employees are required to attend all scheduled professional
development days, the first day of the year orientation day, as well as all parent
conferences, open houses, and similar events, that full time teachers are required to
attend.
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ARTICLE XIII
SALARIES
Section 1. Subject to the provisions of this Agreement, the compensation of each
Professional Employee for his/her work year shall be determined in accordance with and
shall conform to the salary schedules and the schedule of supplementary compensation
and the effective dates thereof set forth in Appendix A, which is attached hereto and made
a part hereof.
Section 2. The Superintendent shall determine in accordance with the provisions
of this Article and the salary schedules set forth in said Appendix A the rate of
compensation of each Professional Employee.
Section 3. Each Professional Employee employed as a teacher shall be placed
on the Teachers’ Salary Schedule in accordance with his/her training and experience. An
employee who has completed one (1) or more years of active military service within one
(1) year prior to the date of his /her employment shall be credited with one (1) year of
teaching experience.
Section 4. Each Professional Employee shall as of the beginning of each school
year in September receive step-increments successively to the next higher rate within
his/her salary schedule, subject to the following conditions:
a. That he/she has worked at least one hundred (100) days during the preceding
school year in the Norton School System or in another school system. All days in which
a teacher is in a pay status shall be considered as days worked.
b. That during the preceding school year his/her work performance shall have been
satisfactory.
Section 5. Each Professional Employee, who completes education beyond the
Bachelor’s Degree so as to become eligible for placement on one of the Salary Schedules
established for teachers with education beyond the Bachelor’s Degree, shall, at the
beginning of the school year following the date on which he/she gives the Superintendent
written notification of the completion of such education, be placed on the corresponding step
of the Salary Schedule for which he/she has become eligible, provided that notice is given
before January 1 preceding the start of the school year in which the pay increase is to take
effect. To be placed on a salary schedule beyond the Master’s Degree, the Professional
Employee must have acquired the required number of graduate credits after he/she has
been awarded a Master’s Degree.
The following conditions shall apply to the Masters plus 45 and Masters plus 60
Salary Schedule:
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a. To receive credits for a Masters plus 45 salary schedule, courses must have
been taken in the last five years of the teacher’s teaching years, provided however, that
the Superintendent may evaluate the credits obtained prior to the last five years and may,
in his or her discretion, credit any such course which was taken prior to the last five years
which he or she considers worthy of giving credit to.
b. To be eligible to receive credits for the Masters plus 60 schedule, courses
must be taken in the last five years of the teacher’s teaching years, provided however,
that the Superintendent may evaluate the credits obtained prior to the last five years and
may, in his or her discretion, credit any such course which was taken prior to the last five
years which he or she considers worthy of giving credit to.
Section 6. A Professional Employee assigned to perform the duties of a position
or positions described in the Schedule of Supplementary Compensation set forth in said
Appendix A shall be paid in accordance with the Schedule. Assignments of Professional
Employees to any such position or positions shall be for one school year only, and shall
not in any way create or become subject to tenure. Stipends may be prorated to reflect
time in the role. Supplementary compensation shall be paid in two installments, as set
forth below.
Season/Sport 1
st Payment 2
nd Payment
Fall (except Football) 1
st pay of October End of season* (normally October)
Football 1
st pay of October End of season* (normally November)
Winter 2
nd pay of January End of season* (normally February)
Spring 2
nd pay of April End of season* (normally May)
*End of season pay may be held subject to completion of end of season
responsibilities. The second payment will be processed for the next regularly scheduled
payroll that occurs the week after the season ends.
Other Supplemental Compensation shall be paid in two annual installments, at the
midpoint and end of the year for assignments starting prior to the midpoint of the year.
For assignments starting after the midpoint of the year, one payment shall be made at the
end of the year.
Section 7. The compensation of all Professional Employees for their work year
shall be paid in full by June thirtieth of each fiscal year in the manner indicated herein. Biweekly payments equal to one-twenty-sixth (1/26) of the Professional Employee’s total
compensation shall be paid beginning in September and shall continue to be paid until
the last regular pay period in June. The balance of the Professional Employee’s said
compensation due him/her after said bi-weekly payments shall be paid him/her in a lumpsum payment prior to June thirtieth.
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ARTICLE XIV
INSURANCE AND ANNUITIES
Section 1. Tax-Deferred Accounts Under IRS Code Section 403(b)
a. The Committee encourages all employees of the school district to conduct
financial planning for their retirement years. All eligible employees may also make
elective contributions, through payroll deduction, to a 403(b) tax-deferred account.
b. Employees may start, stop, or adjust their contributions to their account at
any time during the year by submitting a Salary Reduction Agreement provided by the
vendor or agent.
c. In accordance with IRS regulations, the Committee reserves the right to limit
and select the vendors with whom the District will establish a contractual agreement for
services.
Section 2. The group insurance provided by the Town of Norton and as amended
during the term of this Agreement shall be applicable to the Professional Employees
covered by this Agreement who advise the Superintendent in writing that they desire to
participate in said group insurance.
Section 3. The parties hereby reserve the right to reopen Article XIV, Section 2 of
this Agreement to negotiate the issue of said group insurance. The party seeking to
reopen negotiations will give notice in writing to the other party.
ARTICLE XV
SICK LEAVE
Section 1. Sick leave shall be granted in the manner and to the extent provided in
this Article to each Professional Employee who is unable to work because of illness or
injury requiring confinement or treatment by a licensed physician. Professional
Employees may be required to submit medical certificates in support of requests for sick
leave.
Medical certification will be required in any of the following circumstances:
1. When an employee has been out for 3 or more consecutive days.
2. When an employee is out immediately preceding or following a holiday or break period.
3. In any case after an employee has been notified in writing that they are suspected of
sick leave abuse. Such notification shall be based on the judgment of the District and not
subject to arbitration.
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Section 2. Each Professional Employee who has completed one school year of
employment by the Committee shall be entitled to fifteen (15) days of sick leave as of the
first day of his/her work year. Each Professional Employee who has not completed one
school year of employment by the Committee shall accrue sick leave at the rate of one
and one-half (1 1/2) days for each month of the work year, subject, however, to a
maximum of fifteen (15) days per work year. Sick leave as is not used shall accumulate
and be available for use in succeeding school years, except that no Professional
Employee shall be permitted to carry over for use in any succeeding work year an amount
in excess of one hundred sixty-five (165) days. Each Professional Employee shall be
given written notification with his/her first paycheck for each work year of the number of
sick leave days accumulated to his/her credit. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions,
it is understood and agreed that a Professional Employee may accumulate, in the work
year of his/her retirement, up to one hundred eighty (180) days of sick leave to be used
solely in connection with the determination of his/her lump-sum payment under the sick
leave buy-back provisions contained in Section 6 hereof.
Section 3. Each Professional Employee may use up to fifteen (15) days of
his/her said sick leave in the event of the serious illness of his/her children, parents or
spouse. This provision shall also apply for any person residing in the same household
as the employee.
Section 4. A Professional Employee who is unable to work because of an
occupational injury, which is incurred in the course of his/her employment by the
Committee and which is compensable under the provisions of the Massachusetts
Workers’ Compensation Act, shall, upon his/her written request to the Superintendent,
receive as a charge against his/her accrued sick leave the difference between his/her
current salary and the amount he/she receives as workers’ compensation.
Section 5. Each Professional Employee who, at the beginning of his/her work
year in September, has accumulated to his/her credit one hundred sixty-five (165) days
of sick leave and who did not use more than two (2) days of sick leave during the
preceding work year, shall be entitled to one (1) additional personal leave day in said
work year. The fifteen (15) days of sick leave to which a Professional Employee, who
has completed one school year of employment by the Committee, is entitled as of the
first day of his/her work year under the provisions of Section 2 above, shall not be
counted in making up said one hundred sixty-five (165) days of accumulated sick leave.
The provisions governing the taking of personal leave days set forth in Section 1 of
Article XVIII shall be applicable to said additional personal leave day.
Section 6. Each Professional Employee, who retires under the Massachusetts
Teachers’ Retirement System after completion of twenty (20) years of continuous
employment with the Committee, shall receive at the time of his/her retirement a lumpsum payment determined, by multiplying twenty-five percent (25%) of the accumulated
sick leave days to his/her credit at the time of retirement by eighty dollars ($80). The
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number of accumulated sick leave days to be so multiplied shall not exceed one
hundred eighty (180) in number.
Section 7. In the event a Professional Employee, who has completed twenty (20)
years of continuous employment with the Committee, shall die while in the employ of
the Committee, there shall be paid to his/her designated beneficiary or to his/her estate,
as the case may be, a lump-sum payment determined, by multiplying twenty-five
percent (25%) of the accumulated sick leave days to his/her credit at the time of
retirement by seventy dollars ($70). The number of accumulated sick leave days to be
so multiplied shall not exceed one hundred eighty (180) in number.
The provisions of this section shall not apply to any employee hired after November
5, 2012.
ARTICLE XVI
FAMILY AND MEDICAL LEAVE
A. Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, any unit member
may exercise his or her rights to take Family and Medical Leave or Military
Family Leave pursuant to the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 (“FMLA”), if
he or she has worked 1250 hours in the last twelve (12) months, in accordance
with the FMLA. Likewise, employees may exercise their rights to take Small
Necessities Leave pursuant to the Massachusetts Small Necessities Leave Act
(“SNLA”) or parental leave pursuant to the Massachusetts Parental Leave Act
(“MPLA”).
B. The FMLA is a federal law that provides for up to twelve (12) weeks of unpaid
leave each year for the birth, adoption or placement of a child; the serious health
condition of the employee or an immediate family member; or to attend to certain
qualifying exigencies connected with having a family member deployed to active
military service. In addition, the FMLA allows up to twenty-six (26) weeks of
leave in a single twelve (12) month period to care for covered military service
members who become ill or injured in the line of duty while on active duty in the
military.
C. The SNLA is a state law that provides up to twenty-four (24) hours per year of
unpaid leave to attend to certain responsibilities regarding the educational
advancement of the employee’s child, accompanying an employee’s child to
routine medical or dental appointments, or accompanying an elderly relative of
the employee to routine medical or dental appointments, or appointments for
other professional services related to the elder’s care, such as interviewing at
nursing or group homes.
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D. The MPLA provides an employee who has been employed for 3 months as a fulltime employee with 8 weeks of unpaid (except as provided below) parental leave
for the purpose of giving birth or for the placement or adoption of a child as
further defined in the statute. As long as the employee provides two-weeks’
notice of their intent to return and returns at or before the expiration of 8-weeks,
their right to return to the same or similar position is protected, as further detailed
in the statute.
E. Although the statutory leaves are unpaid, employees with available qualifying
paid leave benefits will receive paid leave. Qualifying paid leave means leave
that would be available for use for the purpose for which it is being taken in the
absence of the statute. For example, a leave taken in connection with the
employee’s own illness (including medically documented disability resulting from
childbirth), qualifies for the use of sick leave, while leave to care for another sick
person qualifies for sick leave only to the extent that sick leave for family illness
is available. Parental leave that is not taken in connection with any disability of
the teacher would not generally be eligible for sick leave. In the event that an
employee qualifies for FMLA, MPLA or SNLA leave, the District has the right to
designate applicable paid leave as FMLA, MPLA or SNLA leave. Leave
entitlement will be calculated on a rolling 12-month basis. The District shall have
the right to establish rules and regulations concerning the use of Family and
Medical Leave and Small Necessities Leave that are consistent with those laws
and do not conflict with specific provisions of this Agreement. Leaves under the
FMLA and MPLA will run concurrently. If both parents work for the District they
are together entitled to the FMLA/MPLA statutory leave amount in the aggregate.
F. The SNLA is a state law that provides up to 24 hours per year of unpaid leave to
attend to certain responsibilities regarding the educational advancement of the
employee’s child, accompanying an employee’s child to routine medical or dental
appointments, or accompanying an elderly relative of the employee to routine
medical or dental appointments, or appointments for other professional services
related to the elder’s care, such as interviewing at nursing or group homes. .
G. The MPLA provides an employee who has been employed for 3 months as a fulltime employee with 8 weeks of unpaid (except as provided below) parental leave
for the purpose of giving birth or for the placement or adoption of a child as further
defined in the statute. As long as the employee provides two-weeks’ notice of their
intent to return and returns at or before the expiration of 8-weeks, their right to
return to the same or similar position is protected, as further detailed in the statute.
H. Although the statutory leaves are unpaid, employees with available qualifying paid
leave benefits will receive paid leave. Qualifying paid leave means leave that
would be available for use for the purpose for which it is being taken in the absence
of the statute. For example, a leave taken in connection with the employee’s own
illness (including medically documented disability resulting from childbirth),
qualifies for the use of sick leave, while leave to care for another sick person
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qualifies for sick leave only to the extent that sick leave for family illness is
available. Parental leave that is not taken in connection with any disability of the
teacher would not generally be eligible for sick leave. In the event that an
employee qualifies for FMLA, MPLA or SNLA leave, the District has the right to
designate applicable paid leave as FMLA, MPLA or SNLA leave. Leave
entitlement will be calculated on a rolling 12-month basis. The District shall have
the right to establish rules and regulations concerning the use of Family and
Medical Leave and Small Necessities Leave that are consistent with those laws
and do not conflict with specific provisions of this Agreement. Leaves under the
FMLA and MPLA will run concurrently. If both parents work for the District they
are together entitled to the FMLA/MPLA statutory leave amount in the aggregate.
I. Family and Medical leave shall be granted in accordance with applicable state and
federal laws, and School Committee policy. Leaves under the FMLA and MMLA
will run concurrently.
J. An employee who is disabled from working by reason of pregnancy, who takes
Family Leave under this Article, may use contractual sick leave benefits for the
period of incapacity.
K. Child Rearing Leave. With the approval of the Superintendent, an employee may
take an unpaid child rearing leave to extend beyond FMLA or MMLA leave. The
employee must apply in writing at least 30 days before the start of the extended
leave (including paid or unpaid leave). The leave may not exceed the balance of
the year in which the original leave (including FMLA or MMLA) commences, plus
one full academic year. The employee may also apply for a leave that includes
only the balance of the current year, or that ends at the midpoint of the following
year. Other return dates may be chosen if they are mutually agreed by the
employee and the Superintendent (or designee).
L. If the employee elects to remain on leave for the full school year after the year in
which the leave commences, the teacher must provide notice of intent to return on
or before March 1, or the teacher will be treated as having resigned from
employment, unless the teacher has been granted additional leave under this
agreement.
M. A teacher who does not return after the maximum leave set forth herein will be
separated from employment, unless the teacher has been granted additional leave
under this agreement.
N. All benefits to which a teacher was entitled when the child rearing leave
commenced, including unused accumulated sick leave will be restored to him/her
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upon return and he/she will be placed on the applicable salary schedule at the step
which he/she had attained when his/her leave commenced except that a teacher
who had taught ninety (90) days or more in the school year in which his/her leave
commenced will be placed on the next step of the applicable salary schedule. A
teacher returning from such a leave will be assigned to the same position which
he/she held at the same time said leave commenced or, if that is not practicable,
to a substantially equivalent position for which said teacher is qualified and
certified.
ARTICLE XVII
FUNERAL LEAVE
Each Professional Employee shall be granted a leave of absence without loss of
pay for a period not in excess of three (3) days, except as is otherwise provided herein,
in the event of death in his/her immediate family. Up to two (2) additional days may, in the
discretion of the Superintendent, be granted without loss of pay. Immediate family shall
include parent, spouse, child, grandchild, grandparent, grandparent-in-law, brother,
sister, mother-in-law, father-in-law, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, or any other member of
the employee’s immediate household. One (1) day leave of absence without loss of pay
shall be granted in the event of the death of an aunt, uncle, niece or nephew of a
Professional Employee.
ARTICLE XVIII
LEAVE OF ABSENCE
Section 1. Each Professional Employee shall be entitled, subject to the limitations
and provisions hereinafter set forth, to two (2) days off without loss of pay, hereinafter called
personal leave days, in each work year, for the purpose of attending to personal matters
that cannot be reasonably attended to outside of the normal workday. Personal days may
accumulate to a maximum of five (5), and be carried forward from year to year, provided the
number of personal days shall never exceed five (5).
The first six (6) people who apply for a personal day for any one (1) day will be granted said
day; additional people beyond six (6) per day may be allowed that personal day at the
discretion of the Superintendent. Individuals who apply to take a personal day immediately
prior to/or immediately after the December, February or April vacation periods or the day
before or after a school holiday as well as the last week of school shall submit their
application for such leave, in writing, at least three weeks prior to the requested date except
in cases where there are unforeseen circumstance. The employee must have the personal
day available at the time of its intended use; if not the right is forfeited in that instance.
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Section 2. Employees may be excused for up to three (3) days per year, with
reasonable notice, for the purposes of bona fide religious observance, such days to be
charged to sick or personal leave, or taken unpaid, at the employee’s option.
Section 3. Professional Employees, who are duly qualified representatives of the
Massachusetts Teachers’ Association or the National Education Association, may in the
discretion of the Superintendent be granted leaves of absence, without loss of pay and
without reimbursement for expenses by the Committee, to attend conferences and
conventions approved by said Associations. The President of the Norton Teachers
Association shall be allowed eight (8) days per year to perform duties related to his
association responsibilities, on a schedule determined by agreement between the President
and Superintendent; provided, that the Norton Teachers Association shall reimburse the
District for the costs of substitute coverage at the time the schedule is determined.
Section 4. Professional Employees shall be excused without loss of pay for
appearances in legal proceedings related to their employment with the Committee. In
addition, employees may be excused without loss of pay for appearance as a witness in a
legal proceeding in which they are not involved by reason of their employment with the
Committee but for which they have been subpoenaed to give testimony because they have
witnessed a crime or other incident and have a civic duty to testify with respect thereto. Such
excused absence shall not be granted for legal proceedings pertaining to divorces or legal
separations, to law suits in which the employee is personally involved because of his/her
other employment or for other reasons, and to other litigation for which he/she may have
been subpoenaed but with respect to which he/she has no civic duty to appear and testify.
Section 5. Professional Employees shall be granted leaves of absence with pay, to
the extent described herein, for a maximum of ten (10) days per work year when called into
temporary active duty of the Military Reserves or the National Guard, provided such
obligations cannot be fulfilled on days when school is not in session. The Professional
Employee will be paid the difference between his/her regular compensation and the
compensation which he/she receives from the Federal or State Government during the
period of his/her temporary active duty.
Section 6. Military leave without pay shall be granted to a Professional Employee
who is inducted or enlists in any branch of the Armed Forces of the United States. Upon
his/her return from military leave, a Professional Employee shall be placed on the salary
schedule at the level he/she would have attained had he/she remained actively employed
by the Committee during the period of his/her absence, subject, however, to a maximum of
three (3) years.
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Section 7. A Professional Employee will be granted a leave of absence without pay
or increment by the Superintendent for a period of up to two (2) years for the purpose of
serving in an elected governmental position.
Section 8. When a Professional Employee is designated in writing by the Association
as its representative at a STEP Two proceeding under the Grievance Procedure set forth in
Article XXVI of this Agreement, such employee will, upon not less than two (2) days’ notice,
if possible, to his/her Principal or immediate supervisor and to the Superintendent, be
released from his/her assigned work without loss of pay for such time as is reasonable and
necessary to attend said meeting.
Section 9. A Professional Employee may be granted a leave of absence without pay
or increment by the Superintendent for a period of up to one (1) year for health reasons.
Requests for such leave will be supported by appropriate medical evidence.
Section 10. A Professional Employee may be granted a leave of absence without
pay or increment for one (1) work year for the purpose of exploring the possibility of a career
change. The effective date of such leave shall be at the end of a work year and return from
such leave shall be at the beginning of a work year.
Section 11. A Professional Employee who has a death in the family or another family
emergency may be granted a leave of absence without pay or increment for up to one (1)
work year. The employee will be permitted to return to duty either at the beginning of the
next work year or on the first work day after the Christmas recess or at the beginning of the
third marking period. In the event an employee’s leave of absence of one (1) work year shall
expire after one of the said return to duty dates, the leave of absence shall be extended to
the next return to duty date to permit the employee’s return to duty at such time.
Section 12. A Professional Employee, who plans to return to duty at the expiration
of a leave of absence without pay granted under this Article, except the employee who plans
to return to duty on the first work day after the Christmas recess or at the beginning of the
third marking period as provided for in Section 11, shall so notify the Superintendent in
writing no later than the March thirty-first prior to the beginning of the work year in which
he/she plans to return. The employee who plans to return on the first work day after the
Christmas recess or at the beginning of the third marking period shall give the
Superintendent sixty (60) days written notice prior to such date that he/she plans to return.
If the employee fails to give the Superintendent the written notice required hereunder or
does give such written notice and then fails to return to duty, he/she shall be deemed to
have resigned, and the obligation of the Committee to provide a position for such employee
shall cease. If the employee desires an extension of his/her leave of absence, he/she shall
submit a request for such extension in writing to the Superintendent no later than March
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thirty-first of the year in which his/her leave of absence expires. Any request for an extension
which is not submitted by such date shall be denied.
Section 13. All benefits to which a Professional Employee was entitled at the time
his/her leave of absence without pay commenced, including unused accumulated sick
leave, will be restored upon the employee’s return to duty, and the employee will be
assigned to the same teaching position which he/she held at the time said leave
commenced, if such position is available, or, if it is not available, to a substantially equivalent
teaching position. A Professional Employee, who at the time said leave was commenced,
was assigned to perform the additional duties of a position described in the Schedule of
Supplementary Compensation set forth in said Appendix A, shall have no right to return to
such position upon his/her return from duty. The determination as to what constitutes a
substantially equivalent position shall be made by the Superintendent in each case.
Section 14. The leaves of absence without pay provided for in this Article may be
extended in the sole discretion of the Superintendent. Requests for such extensions will be
submitted in writing to the Superintendent.
ARTICLE XIX
SABBATICAL LEAVE
Section 1. A Professional Employee, who has completed six (6) consecutive full
school years of employment by the Committee, shall be eligible to apply for a sabbatical
leave for a period not to exceed one (1) year for the purpose of engaging in an advanced
study or academic programs. Not more than two (2) Professional Employees shall be
granted sabbatical leave at anyone (1) time.
Section 2. An applicant for sabbatical leave shall, on or before the April first
immediately preceding the work year for which the sabbatical leave is desired, submit to
the Superintendent a written application for such leave in such form as may be required
by the Superintendent. The application shall include a general outline of the proposed
program of study and the name of the institution he/she plans to attend. The
Superintendent shall decide which applicant, if any, shall be granted sabbatical leave and
shall notify each applicant of his/her decision no later than May 15th of the same year.
The disposition by the Superintendent of an application for sabbatical leave shall not be
subject to the Grievance Procedure set forth in Article XXVI of this Agreement.
Section 3. During his/her sabbatical leave a Professional Employee may engage
in work, other than that for which said leave is granted, for which compensation is
received, provided that said other work does not interfere or conflict with the program of
study for which he/she was granted sabbatical leave, and provided further that the total
compensation received from said other work when added to the compensation to be paid
by the Committee for the sabbatical leave shall not exceed the employee’s salary during
the work year immediately prior to the beginning of the sabbatical leave.
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Section 4. The salary to be paid to a Professional Employee on sabbatical leave
while actively engaged in the sabbatical program approved in accordance with this Article
shall be fifty percent (50%) of the salary applicable to his/her step for a sabbatical leave
of one (1) work year and one hundred percent (100%) of the salary applicable to his/her
step for a sabbatical leave of one-half of a work year. In the event that the employee
receives a grant or fellowship, the compensation to be paid by the Committee when added
to the amount of the grant or the fellowship shall not exceed the employee’s salary during
the work year immediately prior to the beginning of the sabbatical leave.
Section 5. Prior to the granting of the sabbatical leave, a Professional Employee
shall enter into a written agreement with the Committee providing that upon termination
of such leave he/she will return to service in the Norton Public Schools for a period equal
to twice the length of the sabbatical leave and that, in default of completing such service,
he/she will refund to the Town of Norton an amount equal to such proportion of salary
received by him/her while on said leave as the amount of service not actually rendered
as agreed bears to the whole amount of service agreed to be rendered.
Section 6. All matters pertaining to advancement on the salary schedule, sick
leave, the performance of extra duties and the compensation therefor, which shall apply
when an employee returns to the Norton Public Schools following the completion of his
/her sabbatical leave, shall be reviewed with the Superintendent at the time a sabbatical
leave is approved. The details of the matters agreed upon during the said review shall be
incorporated into a written memorandum and signed by the Superintendent and the
applicant, and a copy of said memorandum shall be retained by each party.
ARTICLE XX
PROTECTION OF TEACHERS
Each Professional Employee and his/her Principal shall immediately report all
cases of assault suffered by a Professional Employee in connection with his/her
employment to the Superintendent, who will acknowledge receipt of such report. The
Superintendent will comply with any reasonable request from the Professional Employee
for information in his/her possession relating to the incident or the persons involved.
ARTICLE XXI
TEACHER FACILITIES
Section 1. The Committee agrees that during the term of this Agreement each
school building will contain:
a. A space in each classroom to store instructional materials and supplies;
b. A work area for use in the preparation of instructional materials;
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c. A furnished room reserved for the exclusive use of the Professional
Employees as a faculty lounge which may be combined with the work area
described in sub-paragraph (b);
d. A serviceable desk and chair in each classroom;
e. Reasonable toilet facilities for the use of Professional Employees;
f. Parking facilities; and
g. A private phone in the faculty lounge for use by Professional Employees.
Such phone may be used for local calls and may be used for other calls by
calling card only.
Section 2. Subject to the discretion and to the legal authority of the School Building
Committee of the Town of Norton, the School Committee will, when appropriate,
recommend to the School Building Committee that new school buildings constructed by
the Town of Norton contain not less than the facilities provided for in Section I of this
Article.
ARTICLE XXII
USE OF SCHOOL FACILITIES
Section 1. The use of school facilities by employees is subject to School
Committee policies and procedures regarding building use.
Section 2. The Committee agrees to provide a bulletin board in the faculty lounge
in each school building for use by the Association for the posting of announcements,
bulletins and notices pertaining to the administration of the internal business and affairs
of the Association. Each announcement, bulletin and notice shall be signed by the
Association representative responsible for posting it.
ARTICLE XXIII
SUBSTITUTE TEACHERS
The Superintendent to the extent possible, will employ substitute teachers to fill
temporary absences of regular teachers and specialists. When an absence occurs and
no substitute teacher is readily available, or when in the opinion of the Superintendent or
his/her designee the employment of a substitute teacher is not warranted, a regular
teacher or a specialist shall during his/her non-teaching time on duty substitute for an
absent teacher. A regular teacher or specialist shall not be paid additional compensation
for such substitution, except when they lose a preparation period because of such
substitution. In such case, the regular teacher or specialist shall be compensated for the
preparation period lost at one seventh (1/7) of his/her daily rate of pay. The assignment
25
of regular teachers and specialists as substitutes shall, to the extent possible, be made
on a rotational basis.
ARTICLE XXIV
PAYROLL DEDUCTIONS
Section 1. During the term of this Agreement, the Superintendent will, at the written
request of Professional Employees who sign and deliver to the Superintendent a written
authorization on a form approved by the Superintendent, make deductions in the manner
and to the extent provided in this Article from the wages or salaries due and payable to
said employees for group health insurance, group life insurance, group income protection
insurance issued by a single insurance carrier, Massachusetts Teachers’ Association
Credit Union, Mansfield Credit Union and for a tax-sheltered annuity plan. The amount of
the deductions shall be paid over in accordance with the provisions of the written
authorization, all as provided in this Section.
Section 2. During the term of this Agreement, the Superintendent agrees that
he/she will, at the written request of Professional Employees who sign and deliver to the
Superintendent an authorization form satisfactory to both the Superintendent and the
Association, make deductions, in the manner and to the extent specifically provided in
this Article, from the wages or salaries due and payable to said employees of their uniform
regular, current, annual dues as members of the Norton Teachers’ Association, the
Massachusetts Teachers’ Association and/or the National Education Association.
Section 3. The deduction from wages and salaries as provided for in this Article
shall be subordinate to (1) deductions for Federal and State withholding taxes, and (2)
deductions for hospital and medical payments, pension or retirement plans or insurance
premiums under a plan sponsored by the Committee or by a group of the Professional
Employees of the Committee. The deductions from wages and salaries as provided in
Section 2 shall be made in ten (10) equal amounts for pay periods two through eleven
and said deductions shall be subject to the provisions of this Section. The wages and
salaries paid to employees hereunder shall be paid by direct deposit in a bank, credit
union or similar financial institution designated in writing by the employee.
Section 4. The amount of the regular, current, annual Association dues collected
by the Superintendent by deductions from the wages or salaries due and payable to the
Professional Employees as provided for in Section 2 above and a statement in the form,
which the Superintendent considers convenient and adaptable to his/her record keeping
operations, designating the name of each employee from whose wages the deductions
were made and the amount of such deduction, shall be mailed to the Treasurer of the
Norton Teachers’ Association at its office in Norton, Massachusetts, not later than
February 1st of each calendar year. The amount of the agency service fee as provided for
in Article XXXIII hereof shall similarly be collected by payroll deduction and mailed to the
Treasurer of the Association.
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Section 5. The authorization made by a Professional Employee in accordance
with Section 2 above may be withdrawn by such employee by giving at least sixty (60)
days notice in writing of such withdrawal to the Superintendent and by filing a copy thereof
with the Treasurer of the Association for which such dues deduction was being made.
Said authorization, if not previously cancelled or revoked, shall be deemed automatically
terminated upon the termination of the employment of the employee by whom it was
signed.
Section 6. It is understood and agreed that the obligations of the Superintendent
with respect to the checkoff of regular, current, annual Association dues is limited to the
obligations set forth in this Article and that these obligations shall not be deemed extended
or increased by the provisions of any forms of authorization or by any other means. In
particular, the obligation of the Superintendent to make deductions from the wages or
salaries due and payable to the Professional Employees as provided in Section 2 is
limited to uniform regular, current, annual Association dues and does not obligate or
require him/her to collect or deduct fines or assessments of any kind which may be levied
on its members, individually or collectively by the Association. The Association agrees
that all payments for Association dues received from the Superintendent by deductions
from the wages or salaries due and payable to the Professional Employees under the
provisions of this Article or received directly from an employee shall be applied solely
toward the uniform periodic, regular, current, annual Association dues for said employee
or employees and that none of said payments will be applied by the Association toward
the payment of fines or assessments of any kind.
Section 7. The Committee and the Superintendent shall not be liable to the
Association for any error in making or failing to make any deduction required by the
provisions of this Article, except for willful misconduct or clear lack of good faith, provided,
however, that upon notice in writing to the Superintendent by the Association of any such
error, the Superintendent will make the appropriate deduction in the manner and to the
extent prescribed in this Article in the next following pay period. The Association agrees
that the Superintendent shall have the unqualified right to decline to make a deduction or
deductions required by the provisions of this Article if deemed necessary or prudent by
the Superintendent to protect the Committee against assignments, attachments or liens
against the wages or salary of an employee which in the judgment of the Superintendent
are or may be prior to or superior to any deductions authorized pursuant to the provisions
of this Article. The Association agrees that nothing in this Article shall be construed to
obligate or require the Committee and the Superintendent to do anything or to take any
action contrary to law or contrary to government statutes or regulations.
Section 8. The specific amount of the current dues of each of said local, state and
national associations shall be certified to the Superintendent by the Treasurer of the
Association on or before September fifteenth of each school year.
Section 9. The Association agrees to and does hereby indemnify, defend and hold
27
the Committee and the Superintendent harmless from and against any and all claims,
demands, liabilities, obligations, suits or any other form of legal action or litigation arising
from or related to any action taken by the Committee or the Superintendent in reliance
upon any information, list, notice, statement or authorization for the checkoff of
Association dues delivered to the Superintendent by the Association or by a Professional
Employee for the purpose of complying with any of the provisions of this Agreement or of
this Article.
ARTICLE XXV
REIMBURSEMENT OF EXPENSES AT WORKSHOPS,
SEMINARS AND CONFERENCES
The Committee will reimburse Professional Employees, including Nurses, for their
reasonable actual expenses, including meals, lodging and transportation, when they
attend workshops, seminars, conferences or other improvement sessions at the request
or with the advance approval of the Superintendent.
ARTICLE XXVI
GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE
Section 1. The purpose of the procedure set forth in this Article is to produce prompt
and equitable solutions to those problems which from time to time may arise and affect the
conditions of employment of the Professional Employees covered by this Agreement. The
Committee and the Association desire that such procedure shall always be as informal and
confidential as possible.
Section 2. Nothing contained in this Article shall be construed as limiting the right of
any aggrieved employee from discussing his/her grievance informally under the grievance
procedure and from having his/her grievance adjusted, without the intervention of the
Association, provided any such adjustment is not inconsistent with the terms of this
Agreement and provided that the Association has been given the opportunity to be present
at such adjustment and to state its views.
Section 3. A grievance is defined as a dispute involving an alleged violation of a
specific provision or provisions of this Agreement. Any matter which is not specifically
covered by the provisions of this Agreement or which is reserved to the discretion of the
Committee or the Superintendent by the terms of this Agreement shall not be the subject
of a grievance. All grievances shall specify: (a) the contract provision alleged to have
been violated; (b) the facts supporting the grievance in reasonable detail; (c) the pertinent
dates of the alleged contract violation; and, (d) the remedy sought.
28
Section 4. Grievances, except as is otherwise provided for herein, shall be
processed in accordance with the following Steps:
INFORMAL RESOLUTION
Employees should attempt to resolve their concerns informally with their immediate
supervisors before invoking the formal grievance procedure. However, pursuit of an
informal resolution will not extend any of the timelines set forth in the formal procedure.
STEP 1:
The employee shall submit the grievance in writing to the Principal (or supervising
Administrator) within 20 calendar days of the date that the employee or the
Association knew or, with the exercise of reasonable diligence, should have known
of the occurrence giving rise to the grievance. The Principal and the Association
may meet to discuss the grievance. If the grievance has not been resolved or
responded to within 10 calendar days of receipt by the Principal, the Association
may appeal to the next level.
STEP 2:
If the grievance is not resolved in Step 1, the Association may appeal it by giving
a written notice of such appeal to the Superintendent of Schools within 10 calendar
days after the answer of the Principal is due. The Superintendent and the
Association may meet to discuss the grievance. If the grievance has not been
resolved or responded to within 10 calendar days of receipt by the Superintendent,
the Association may appeal to the next level.
STEP 3:
If the grievance is not settled in Step 2, the Association may request a hearing
before the School Committee, by submitting a written request, which shall include
a written summary of the basis of the grievance and the reason for appealing the
Superintendent’s decision, to the Superintendent within 10 calendar days of the
date the Step 2 response is due. The Superintendent will present the request to
the School Committee in executive session at the next available meeting, and shall
communicate the School Committee’s decision to the Association in writing within
5 days of the decision. If the decision is a denial of the request, then the
Superintendent’s written notification of the denial to the Association shall serve as
the District’s Step 3 response for the purposes of this Article. Should the School
Committee agree to hear the grievance, the hearing will held at or before the next
available meeting after the meeting at which decision to hear the grievance is
made. If the School Committee elects to have a subcommittee hear the grievance,
then the hearing shall be scheduled at a time mutually agreeable to the parties.
Thereafter, the Committee’s written Step 3 response shall be due within 30
calendar days after the hearing.
29
STEP 4: Arbitration
a. If the dispute or grievance is not settled in the foregoing steps and it involves
the claimed violation of an arbitrable provision of this Agreement, then the
Association may seek arbitration by filing a written demand for arbitration with the
American Arbitration Association. The demand shall be filed with the American
Arbitration Association within 15 days of the District’s answer in Step 2, unless
Step 3 review has been requested, in which case, the demand must be filed within
15 days of the District’s answer in Step 3.
b. The arbitration proceeding will be conducted under the rules of the
American Arbitration Association. The hearing locale shall be the school district
offices, unless otherwise agreed by the parties. The arbitrator shall not have the
authority to add to, subtract from, modify, change or alter any of the provisions of
this Agreement. The award shall be final and binding on the School District, the
Association, and the grievant. The decision of the arbitrator shall not violate any
statutes of the Commonwealth, or regulations pursuant to such statutes.
c. The arbitrator’s decision shall be final and binding and may be reviewed in
court under G.L. c. 150C, or on the grounds that the award: (1) is arbitrary or
capricious, or (2) misinterprets or misapplies any provision of law. The dispute, as
stated in the request for arbitration, shall constitute the sole and entire subject
matter to be heard by the arbitrator, unless the parties agree in writing to modify
the scope of the hearing. A dispute that was not raised in the grievance may not
be raised in arbitration. The arbitrator may not hear evidence or argument with
respect to matters that are not arbitrable under this agreement.
d. The following matters shall not be subject to grievance-arbitration under this
Agreement:
i. Disputes over alleged unlawful discrimination, unless all parties including
the grievant agree that the arbitration procedure as defined in this
agreement shall be the sole and exclusive remedy for such alleged
discrimination;
ii. Non-renewal of an employee without professional teacher status.
iii. Any incident which occurred or failed to occur prior to the effective date of
this Agreement.
Section 5. The parties agree to follow each of the foregoing steps in the processing
of the grievance; and if any step the District fails to give its written answer within the time
limit therein set forth, the grievance shall be deemed to be denied, and the Association
may appeal the grievance to the next step at the expiration of such time limit. Failure of
the Association at any step to process according to the time limits set forth herein shall
mean that the Association has waived the grievance, and the right to proceed further. If
30
the time limits referenced in the grievance steps set forth above will cause the due date
for any action to fall during summer vacation, then the party affected may request a
reasonable extension of time to take the required action, and such request shall not be
unreasonably denied. The time limits specified for the bringing and processing of a
grievance may be extended by mutual agreement of the Association and the
Superintendent.
Section 6. The settlement or remedy of a grievance, including any monetary or
back pay remedy, in any case, shall not be made retroactive for any period prior to 30
calendar days before the date the grievance was first presented in writing.
ARTICLE XXVll
CLASS SIZE
The Committee and the Association recognize the desirability of achieving
optimum teaching-learning conditions by assuring workable class size. To this end, the
Committee will, subject to budgetary limitations, make an effort to maintain or improve the
present ratio of pupils to professional staff. If the Association is concerned with class size,
it may meet with the Committee to discuss the matter.
ARTICLE XXVllI
REDUCTIONS IN STAFF
Section 1. In the event it becomes necessary for the Superintendent to reduce the
number of Professional Employees in the bargaining unit because of financial limitations,
reasons of economy, decreases in pupil enrollment, changes in curriculum or other similar
reasons, the procedures set forth in this Article will govern the layoff and recall of
employees who are affected by any such reduction.
Section 2. The Superintendent shall have the sole discretion in determining which
position or positions or which type or types of position are to be eliminated.
Section 3. No employees with professional teacher status shall be laid off if there
is an employee without professional teacher status serving in a position that the employee
with professional teacher status is qualified to fill.
Section 4. Seniority as used herein shall mean an employee’s length of continuous
service in years, months and days in the employ of the Committee. Employees shall be
credited for seniority purposes up to a maximum of one (1) year with time spent on any
leave of absence provided for in this Agreement. Summer employment and employment
as a Substitute Teacher shall not be credited for seniority purposes. In cases involving
employees who have identical seniority, lots will be drawn by said employees to
determine seniority. A list indicating the seniority of each employee with professional
31
teacher status shall be prepared by the Superintendent and forwarded to the Association
within sixty (60) days subsequent to the execution of this Agreement and shall be updated
yearly by November first.
Section 5. In determining which of its employees with professional teacher status
are to be laid off to accomplish any such reduction in staff, the Superintendent will take
into consideration the qualifications of employees for the position or type of position to be
eliminated, the quality of past performance of such employees and their seniority as
employees of the District. Where, in the opinion of the Superintendent, the qualifications
and quality of performance of employees are substantially equal, employees will be laid
off in the order of their seniority as employees of the Committee, those with the least
seniority to be laid off first. The standard of review in any arbitration arising out of or with
respect to any decision made by the Superintendent under the provisions of this Section
5, other than a grievance arising out of a determination of an employee’s seniority, shall
be whether the Superintendent was arbitrary or capricious in making his/her decision. The
arbitrator shall not substitute his/her judgment for that of the Superintendent in evaluating
the qualifications and quality of performance of such employees. The determinations of
the Superintendent as to the qualifications and quality of past performance of employees
shall be based, except as is otherwise provided herein, on the materials in the personnel
file of the employee as of the April first immediately preceding the layoff. Written
performance evaluations completed in the school year in which the layoff takes place
shall not be used by the Superintendent in making such determinations. When comparing
overall rating from performance evaluations, no distinction shall be made between
evaluations that meet or exceed performance standards.
Section 6. An employee with professional teacher status who has been laid off
shall be entitled to recall rights, in the inverse order of his/her layoff, to a position for which
he/she is qualified for a period of eighteen (18) months, except as is otherwise provided
herein, from the effective date of his/her layoff. During his/her recall period, an employee
will be notified by certified mail, addressed to his/her last address of record, of the
Superintendent’s intent to recall him/her. An employee must notify the Superintendent in
writing of his/her acceptance of an offer of recall within fifteen (15) days from the receipt
of said certified mail. An employee’s failure to so notify the Superintendent of his/her
acceptance of any such offer or his/her failure, after accepting any such offer, to report
for duty on the date indicated shall terminate his/her recall rights, notwithstanding the fact
that the eighteen (18) month period of recall has not expired.
Section 7. An employee who is laid off will be given preference by the
Superintendent during his/her recall period in its employment of substitute teachers if
he/she informs the Superintendent in writing at the time of his/her layoff of his/her desire
to be so employed.
Section 8. Employees who are laid off may continue for the period and on the
conditions indicated herein the group health and life insurance coverage, which is
provided to members of this bargaining unit, by paying the full amount of the premium for
such insurance to the Town Treasurer. Employees may continue such insurance
32
coverage during the said eighteen (18) month period for which they are eligible for recall.
In the event any such employee fails to make payment of said premium or refuses any
offer of recall during said eighteen (18) month period, his/her option to continue such
insurance coverage shall terminate.
Section 9. An employee who is recalled within said eighteen (18) month period
shall have restored to him/her all benefits he/she had accumulated at the time of his/her
layoff. An employee, who has acquired professional teacher status at the time of his/her
layoff and who is recalled within said eighteen (18) month period, shall be recalled with
said status.
Section 10. The provisions of this Article shall not apply to the termination of the
employment of a Professional Employee for any reason other than the reasons specified
in Section 1 hereof.
ARTICLE XXIX
LONGEVITY PAY
Section 1. A Professional Employee, who completes the number of years
indicated below of continuous service as a Professional Employee in the employ of the
District, shall be granted a longevity lump-sum payment in the amount set forth below for
the number of years of service he/she has completed:
Years Amount
10 $425
15 $850
20 $1,000
25 $1,150
30 $2,250
Section 2. The longevity pay to which a Professional Employee is entitled shall be
paid in a lump-sum payment in a separate check in the second pay period in September
of each year. The longevity pay shall not be cumulative.
33
ARTICLE XXX
REIMBURSEMENT FOR COURSES
The Committee shall reimburse a Professional Employee, including Nurses, in an
amount not to exceed eight hundred dollars ($800) in any year of the Agreement for a
graduate course approved in advance by the Assistant Superintendent and which is
directly related to the employee’s area of teaching responsibility. Reimbursement shall
be contingent upon the employee’s obtaining a satisfactory grade (B-minus or better) in
any such course according to the standards of the institution and submitting evidence of
such completion and payment to the Superintendent’s office. Reimbursement may also
be allowed under the same conditions for use in obtaining PDPs and CEUs at
workshops and/or conferences. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions, the maximum
amount to be expended by the Committee for such course reimbursement shall not
exceed fifty-six thousand, seven hundred dollars ($56,700) during each year of the
Agreement. The annual budget amount shall be used to cover all related costs of such
courses and conferences, including, where applicable and approved in advance, travel
tuition and substitute costs. In the event the said sum of fifty-six thousand, seven
hundred dollars ($56,700) is not fully expended at the end of any year of the
Agreement, the balance left shall be distributed to employees who are eligible for
reimbursement for a second course and who make application therefore.
Please see attached memo for further clarification.
ARTICLE XXXI
SICK LEAVE BANK
Section 1. A sick leave bank shall be established for the purpose of making
additional sick leave days available to employees who have completed three (3) years,
whether or not consecutive, of service with the District, who have exhausted their entire
sick leave accumulation through prolonged illness and who have a serious illness or
injury. A serious illness or injury shall be one which requires the employee’s absence from
work for more than ten (10) consecutive work days. Participation in the sick leave bank
by such employees shall be voluntary.
Section 2. The employee must have exhausted all his/her personal sick leave
days, and must have been absent for work for a period of ten (10) consecutive work days
because of a serious illness or injury. The sick leave days granted by the bank will be
retroactive to the first day of the employee’s illness or injury.
Section 3. The sick leave bank will be initially funded by deducting one (1) sick
leave day from the accumulated sick leave days of each employee who has agreed to
participate in the bank and contributing such days to the bank. When the bank is depleted
to twenty (20) sick leave days, an additional assessment of one (1) day of sick leave shall
34
be made against the sick leave account of each employee who has agreed to participate
in the bank.
Section 4. The initial grant of sick leave days from the bank shall not exceed twenty
(20) days after which the employee may reapply for additional days. Any grant of sick
leave days shall end on the last day of the school year in which the prolonged illness
began. Requests for sick leave bank days shall be submitted in writing to the Sick Leave
Bank Committee and shall include a written statement from the employee’s physician
indicating the nature and extent of the illness or injury and the estimated time that the
employee will be absent from work. Notwithstanding the foregoing, it is agreed that not
more than a total of one hundred forty (140) sick leave days shall be granted from the
sick leave bank during any one work year.
Section 5. An employee eligible to join the sick leave bank must apply for
membership on a form approved by the Sick Leave Bank Committee. Employees wishing
to join the bank must submit an application for membership by October first of each work
year.
Section 6. The sick leave bank shall be administered by a Sick Leave Bank
Committee comprised of five (5) persons, three (3) appointed by the Association and two
(2) by the Committee. The decisions of the Sick Leave Bank Committee shall be final and
shall not be subject to the Grievance Procedure.
ARTICLE XXXII
HEALTH AND SAFETY
Within each school, an indoor air quality team will be formed and serve under the
guidance of the school principal. The primary function of such team will be to disseminate
information, register complaints, and communicate indoor air quality issues and status to
school administration, staff, students, and parents. It is our hope that by encouraging a
sense of shared responsibility and cooperative effort, we will be able to resolve indoor air
quality problems. Each school will develop an indoor air quality management plan.
ARTICLE XXXIII
AGENCY SERVICE FEE
Section 1. All employees, except those certified to the Committee by the
Association as members of the Association, shall pay, as a condition of their employment
by the Committee, to the Association by dues deduction an agency service fee in an
amount equal to the cost to the Association of collective bargaining and contract
administration. The amount of such agency service fee shall be determined by the
Association and certified annually to the Committee by the Association. The effective date
for such payment shall, in the case of new employees, be on or after the thirtieth day
following the beginning of their employment and for current employees shall be at the
35
beginning of the second year of this Agreement.
Section 2. The Association shall indemnify and hold the Committee harmless
from any claims, damages or liability whatsoever arising out of or with respect to the
collection or the attempted collection by the Association under the terms and provisions
of this Article, of an agency service fee from an employee, including the termination of an
employee for the failure to pay such fee.
ARTICLE XXXIV
JOB SHARING
Section 1. Job sharing shall mean the sharing of the performance of the duties
and responsibilities of a full-time teaching position by two part-time teachers. The
commitment of a teacher to a job sharing position shall be for one year. The District shall
have the sole discretion to permit a job sharing situation to commence or to continue, and
those decisions shall not be subject to challenge through the grievance or arbitration
provisions of this agreement.
Section 2. A teacher, who is employed on a full-time basis and who desires to
participate in a job sharing position, shall inform the Superintendent in writing by March
1
st that he or she is willing to accept a reduction from a full-time to a part-time position.
Such teacher shall also indicate in writing that he or she understands that, once such
reduction to a part-time position is made, the teacher cannot thereafter change his or her
mind and displace or intrude upon the recall of a less senior teacher to attain full-time
status. Every effort will be made by the Superintendent to notify a teacher in writing by
May 1st as to whether he or she will be assigned to a job sharing position. Two teachers
engaged in an approved job sharing situation need not formally reapply each March 1;
however, the District may nonetheless determine that the job sharing should not continue.
Section 3. The following working conditions shall apply to teachers participating in
job sharing:
a. The job sharing shall be arranged in such a manner that no more than one
of the two sharing teachers shall be enrolled in health insurance from the
employer. If it is or becomes impossible for this to occur lawfully, then the
job sharing arrangement will terminate.
b. Both teachers will share equally the instructional time, and shall be paid the
same base salary (i.e., one half of the salary to which they would otherwise
be entitled). The teacher who receives health insurance shall be required
to perform at least 20 hours of work on site per week, and must be prepared,
upon request, to document the work performed.
36
c. Presumptively, the regular workday for each teacher shall be one-half the
regular workday for full-time teachers, plus an overlap of ten (10) minutes
between the morning and afternoon tours of duty. However, a job-sharing
team may request, and the Superintendent may grant, permission for job
sharers to each work two and one half days each. Such a request must be
made through the Principal or supervisor, and the best interests of the
students, as determined by the administration, shall be the deciding factor
in granting or denying such a request.
d. Both teachers will be present on duty for the entire workday for the first week
of school in September of each year and for the last week of school. This
may be waived in whole or in part by the administration. The administration
shall notify the teachers of its decision regarding this by May 1.
e. Half-days and in-service times shall be shared with the two teachers taking
turns at coverage and reporting to each other.
f. Both teachers will be present for parent conferences.
g. Both teachers will arrange meeting times to evaluate students and mark
report cards.
h. If there is a temporary staffing interruption due to illness or other reasons,
the teacher who is available for work will cover for the absent teacher
whenever possible, thereby eliminating the need for a substitute.
i. The preparation time provided for teachers in Article XII of this Agreement
shall be shared by each teacher.
j. Each teacher will be paid one-half of his or her appropriate full-time annual
salary established pursuant to the terms of this Agreement, except when
the teacher works an additional day pursuant to the provisions of this Article.
On such days the teacher will be paid at the appropriate daily rate of
compensation or part thereof.
Section 4. Nothing in this Article shall preclude the appointment by the District of
a teacher assigned to a job sharing position to a full-time teaching position.
Section 5. In the event that the job sharing arrangement is revoked or otherwise
eliminated by the District, the determination of which one of the teachers will fill the
position which was formerly shared, if it still exists, will be made by the administration in
accordance with the standard set forth in Article XXVII, Section 5. In the event of a
resignation, termination, incapacity for an extended period of time, or leave of absence
by one of the job sharing teachers the remaining job sharing teacher will be given the
option to assume the full time position. If the remaining job sharing teacher refuses to
37
assume the full time position, then the teacher will be placed on an unpaid leave of
absence for the remainder of the school year, and the District may fill the position.
Section 6. In the event that the District determines that job sharing will no longer
be available to bargaining unit members, then teachers in a job sharing arrangement
will be treated as employees affected by a reduction in force, in accordance with Article
XXVII.
ARTICLE XXXV
SCOPE OF AGREEMENT
Section 1. It is acknowledged and agreed that during the course of the negotiations
preceding the execution of this Agreement, all matters and issues of interest to the
Association and to the Committee pertaining to salaries, wages, hours and conditions of
employment have been fully considered and negotiated, that each party was afforded a
full opportunity to present and discuss proposals pertaining to salaries, wages, hours and
conditions of employment and that the understandings and agreements among the
parties concluded during the course of the negotiations are fully stated in this Agreement.
It is agreed that the provisions of this Agreement shall bind and benefit each individual
Professional Employee.
Section 2. The Committee and the Association, for itself and on behalf of the
Professional Employees, agree that during the term of this Agreement all matters and
issues pertaining to salaries, wages, hours and conditions of employment are and shall
be governed exclusively by and limited to the terms and provisions of this Agreement,
and that neither the Committee nor the Association shall be obligated to negotiate with
the other during the term of this Agreement with respect to any matter or issue pertaining
to salaries, wages, hours or conditions of employment, whether or not specifically
included in this Agreement or discussed during the negotiations preceding the execution
of this Agreement, provided, however, that nothing in this Section shall in any way limit
or restrict the rights and duties prescribed in Article XXVI.
Section 3. No addition to, alteration, modification or waiver of any term, provision,
condition or restriction in this Agreement shall be valid, binding or of any force or effect
unless made in writing and executed by the Committee and by the Association.
Section 4. By mutual agreement in writing between the Committee and the
Association, any of the time limitations provided in this Agreement may be extended, and
each of the parties to this Agreement agrees not to unreasonably withhold assent to the
request by the other party for a reasonable extension of said time limitation.
Section 5. The failure by the Committee or by the Association in one or more
instances to observe or enforce any provision of this Agreement shall not be construed
to be a waiver of said provision.
38
Section 6. If any provision of this Agreement or any application of the Agreement
to any employee or group of employees shall be found contrary to law, then such provision
or application shall not be deemed valid and subsisting, except to the extent permitted by
law, but all other provisions or applications shall continue in full force and effect.
ARTICLE XXXVI
ELECTRONIC GRADE REPORTING
A. The District may require Teachers to report and maintain grades using software
of the District’s choosing, with grade postings to be made no less than biweekly.
B. Rank books will not be required in any school that requires marks to be
recorded electronically.
C. All teachers must post homework assignments either daily or in advance for
the week.
D. Curriculum maps will be posted on school websites.
ARTICLE XXXVII
DURATION
This Agreement shall take effect on September 1, 2017, and shall continue in effect
to and including August 31, 2020, and shall thereafter automatically renew itself for terms
of one (1) year each, unless by the October first prior to the expiration of the contract year
involved, either the Committee or the Association shall have given the other written notice
of its desire to modify or terminate this Agreement. In the event notice is given of a desire
to modify or terminate this Agreement, the Committee and the Association will meet
promptly to begin negotiations.
39
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Committee has caused this Agreement to be signed
in its name and behalf by its Chairman, hereto duly authorized, and the Association has
caused this Agreement to be signed in its name and behalf by its President, hereto duly
authorized, on the day and year first above written.
The foregoing Agreement is made, subject to ratification by the School Committee
and the Association.
NORTON TEACHERS NORTON SCHOOL COMMITTEE
ASSOCIATION
____________________________ ____________________________
____________________________ ____________________________
____________________________ ____________________________
____________________________ ____________________________
____________________________ ____________________________
____________________________ ____________________________
Date Date
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Appendix A
Salary Schedule
Fiscal Year 2017-2018 Salary Schedule
1.5%
Nurses – Salaries included in above salary schedule by terms of the agreement.
Longevity (based on continuous service to district)
10 Years $425
15 Years $850
20 Years $1,000
25 Years $1,150
30 Years $2,250
Mentors
Mentor Coordinator $1,750
Lead Mentors $400
Mentor $500
*Mentors earn $500 for the first protégé and $300 for each additional protégé.
Bachelors (B) B+15 Masters (M) M+15 M+30 M+45 M+60
Step 1 $42,155 $42,974 $44,625 $45,379 $46,544 $47,939 $49,337
Step 2 $46,325 $47,144 $48,829 $49,597 $50,753 $52,275 $53,799
Step 3 $49,085 $49,890 $51,600 $52,370 $53,527 $55,135 $56,740
Step 4 $51,920 $52,740 $54,489 $55,224 $56,388 $58,080 $59,770
Step 5 $54,789 $55,590 $57,376 $58,124 $59,287 $61,065 $62,844
Step 6 $57,590 $58,411 $60,207 $60,955 $62,130 $63995 $66,873
Step 7 $60,465 $61,259 $63,102 $63,851 $65,018 $66,969 $68,919
Step 8 $63,308 $64,128 $66,003 $66,748 $67,906 $69,943 $71,981
Step 9 $66,281 $67,078 $68,991 $69,729 $70,894 $73,020 $75,147
Step 10 $71,302 $72,292 $74,018 $74,764 $75,931 $78,208 $80,424
Step 11 $75,105 $75,852 $77,019 $79,329 $81,641
Step 12 $77,922 $78,862 $79,102 $81,475 $83,848
Step 13 $79,635 $81,973 $84,433 $86,892
Step 14 $82,746 $85,229 $87,711
41
Appendix A
Salary Schedule
Fiscal Year 2018-2019 Salary Schedule
2.25%; plus $500 to stop step of Masters, M+15, M+30, M+45 and M+60 lanes
Bachelors (B) B+15 Masters (M) M+15 M+30 M+45 M+60
Step 1 $43,103 $43,941 $45,629 $46,400 $47,591 $49,018 $50,447
Step 2 $47,367 $48,205 $49,928 $50,713 $51,895 $53,451 $55,009
Step 3 $50,189 $51,013 $52,761 $53,548 $54,731 $56,376 $58,017
Step 4 $53,088 $53,927 $55,715 $56,467 $57,657 $59,387 $61,115
Step 5 $56,022 $56,841 $58,667 $59,432 $60,621 $62,439 $64,258
Step 6 $58,886 $59,725 $61,562 $62,326 $63,528 $65,435 $68,378
Step 7 $61,825 $62,637 $64,522 $65,288 $66,481 $68,476 $70,470
Step 8 $64,732 $65,571 $67,488 $68,250 $69,434 $71,517 $73,601
Step 9 $67,772 $68,587 $70,543 $71,298 $72,489 $74,663 $76,838
Step 10 $72,906 $73,919 $75,683 $76,446 $77,639 $79,968 $82,234
Step 11 $76,795 $77,559 $78,752 $81,114 $83,478
Step 12 $80,175 $80,636 $80,882 $83,308 $85,735
Step 13 $81,927 $83,817 $86,333 $88,847
Step 14 $85,108 $87,647 $90,184
Nurses – Salaries included in above salary schedule by terms of the agreement.
Longevity (based on continuous service to District)
10 Years $425
15 Years $850
20 Years $1,000
25 Years $1,150
30 Years $2,250
Mentors
Mentor Coordinator $1,750
Lead Mentors $400
Mentor $500
*Mentors earn $500 for the first protégé and $300 for each additional protégé.
42
Appendix A
Salary Schedule
Fiscal Year 2019-2020 Salary Schedule
2.5%
Bachelors (B) B+15 Masters (M) M+15 M+30 M+45 M+60
Step 1 $44,181 $45,040 $46,770 $47,560 $48,781 $50,243 $51,708
Step 2 $48,551 $49,410 $51,176 $51,981 $53,192 $54,787 $56,384
Step 3 $51,444 $52,288 $54,080 $54,887 $56,099 $57,785 $59,467
Step 4 $54,415 $55,275 $57,108 $57,879 $59,098 $60,872 $62,643
Step 5 $57,423 $58,262 $60,134 $60,918 $62,137 $64,000 $65,864
Step 6 $60,358 $61,218 $63,101 $63,884 $65,116 $67,071 $70,087
Step 7 $63,371 $64,203 $66,135 $66,920 $68,143 $70,188 $72,232
Step 8 $66,350 $67,210 $69,175 $69,956 $71,170 $73,305 $75,441
Step 9 $69,466 $70,302 $72,307 $73,080 $74,301 $76,530 $78,759
Step 10 $74,729 $75,767 $77,575 $78,357 $79,580 $81,967 $84,290
Step 11 $78,715 $79,498 $80,721 $83,142 $85,565
Step 12 $82,179 $82,652 $82,904 $85,391 $87,878
Step 13 $83,975 $85,912 $88,491 $91,068
Step 14 $87,236 $89,838 $92,439
Nurses – Salaries included in above salary schedule by terms of the agreement.
Longevity (based on continuous service to the District)
10 Years $425
15 Years $850
20 Years $1,000
25 Years $1,150
30 Years $2,250
Mentors
Mentor Coordinator $1,750
Lead Mentors $400
Mentor $500
*Mentors earn $500 for the first protégé and $300 for each additional protégé.
43
SUPPLEMENTARY COMPENSATION FY2018, FY2019,
FY2020
Positions in blue are NEW to contract
1.50% 2.25% 2.50%
ACADEMIC COORDINATORS
2017-
2018
2018-
2019
2019-
2020
Business/Technology $6,034.18 $6,169.95 $6,324.20
Science $6,034.18 $6,169.95 $6,324.20
English $6,034.18 $6,169.95 $6,324.20
Social Studies $6,034.18 $6,169.95 $6,324.20
World Language $6,034.18 $6,169.95 $6,324.20
Math $6,034.18 $6,169.95 $6,324.20
Wellness/Physical Education $6,034.18 $6,169.95 $6,324.20
Fine Arts $6,034.18 $6,169.95 $6,324.20
1.50% 2.25% 2.50%
EXTRA SERVICES
2017-
2018
2018-
2019
2019-
2020
Guidance Counselor $3,468.26 $3,546.30 $3,634.96
Adjustment Counselor $3,468.26 $3,546.30 $3,634.96
Team Chairperson $3,468.26 $3,546.30 $3,634.96
Psychologists $3,468.26 $3,546.30 $3,634.96
Unit Leader $2,046.24 $2,092.28 $2,144.59
Head Nurse Stipend $3,468.00 $3,546.30 $3,634.96
Extended Day Nurse (AM or PM) Stipend $3,500.00 $3,578.75 $3,668.22
Math Liaison $2,046.24 $2,092.28 $2,144.59
National Board Certification $1,358.07 $1,388.63 $1,423.35
Technology Liaison (1 per building) $1,508.29 $1,542.23 $1,580.79
Saturday Suspension Supervisor $152.25 $155.68 $159.57
Tutorial Fee $30.45 $31.14 $31.92
1.50% 2.25% 2.50%
CO-CURRICULAR HIGH SCHOOL
2017-
2018
2018-
2019
2019-
2020
Band Director, .5 Jazz, .5 Pep $1,594.57 $1,630.45 $1,671.21
Debating Club Advisor $1,508.29 $1,542.23 $1,580.79
Gay Straight Alliance Advisor $1,508.29 $1,542.23 $1,580.79
Drama Club Advisor $1,508.29 $1,542.23 $1,580.79
Dramatics Coach $1,508.29 $1,542.23 $1,580.79
Editor of Local Colour $1,508.29 $1,542.23 $1,580.79
44
Global Education Club Advisor $1,508.29 $1,542.23 $1,580.79
Global Education Certificate Advisor $1,508.29 $1,542.23 $1,580.79
Freshman Class Advisor 1 $612.05 $625.82 $641.47
Freshman Class Advisor 2 $612.05 $625.82 $641.47
Future Educators Advisor $1,508.29 $1,542.23 $1,580.79
Junior Class Advisor 1 $764.30 $781.50 $801.04
Junior Class Advisor 2 $764.30 $781.50 $801.04
Music Dramatics Coach $1,508.29 $1,542.23 $1,580.79
National Art Honor Society $1,508.29 $1,542.23 $1,580.79
National Spanish Honor Society $1,508.29 $1,542.23 $1,580.79
National History Honor Society $1,508.29 $1,542.23 $1,580.79
National Honor Society $1,508.29 $1,542.23 $1,580.79
National French Honor Society $1,508.29 $1,542.23 $1,580.79
National Tri Music Honor Society $1,508.29 $1,542.23 $1,580.79
National Math Honors Society $1,508.29 $1,542.23 $1,580.79
National Science Honor Society $1,508.29 $1,542.23 $1,580.79
Newspaper Editor $1,508.29 $1,542.23 $1,580.79
Quill and Scroll Society $1,508.29 $1,542.23 $1,580.79
SADD Advisor $1,508.29 $1,542.23 $1,580.79
Select Choir Advisor $1,508.29 $1,542.23 $1,580.79
Senior Class Advisor 1 $1,508.29 $1,542.23 $1,580.79
Senior Class Advisor 2 $1,508.29 $1,542.23 $1,580.79
Senior Class Advisor 3 $1,508.29 $1,542.23 $1,580.79
Senior Class Art Advisor $1,508.29 $1,542.23 $1,580.79
Senior Class Yearbook Advisor $3,360.67 $3,436.29 $3,522.20
Senior Class Yearbook Business Manager $1,508.29 $1,542.23 $1,580.79
Sophomore Class Advisor 1 $612.05 $625.82 $641.47
Sophomore Class Advisor 2 $612.05 $625.82 $641.47
Student Council Advisor 1 $1,508.29 $1,542.23 $1,580.79
Student Council Advisor 2 $1,508.29 $1,542.23 $1,580.79
Video Production Club Advisor $1,508.29 $1,542.23 $1,580.79
Ski Club Advisor $1,508.29 $1,542.23 $1,580.79
1.50% 2.25% 2.50%
CO-CURRICULAR MIDDLE SCHOOL
2017-
2018
2018-
2019
2019-
2020
Spelling Advisor $1,508.29 $1,542.23 $1,580.79
Math Club Advisor $1,508.29 $1,542.23 $1,580.79
Art Club Advisor 1 $1,508.29 $1,542.23 $1,580.79
Art Club Advisor 2 $1,508.29 $1,542.23 $1,580.79
TV Media Club $1,508.29 $1,542.23 $1,580.79
45
Gay Straight Alliance Advisor $1,508.29 $1,542.23 $1,580.79
Community Service Club Advisor $1,508.29 $1,542.23 $1,580.79
Computer Club Advisor 1 $1,508.29 $1,542.23 $1,580.79
Computer Club Advisor 2 $1,508.29 $1,542.23 $1,580.79
Hero Club $1,508.29 $1,542.23 $1,580.79
Homework Club 1 $1,508.29 $1,542.23 $1,580.79
Homework Club 2 $1,508.29 $1,542.23 $1,580.79
Peer Leader $1,508.29 $1,542.23 $1,580.79
Drama Club Advisor 1 $1,508.29 $1,542.23 $1,580.79
Drama Club Advisor 2 $1,508.29 $1,542.23 $1,580.79
Drama Club Advisor 3 $1,508.29 $1,542.23 $1,580.79
Video Production Club 1 $1,508.29 $1,542.23 $1,580.79
Video Production Club 2 $1,508.29 $1,542.23 $1,580.79
Newspaper Club $1,508.29 $1,542.23 $1,580.79
Robotics Club Advisor 1 (Spring) $1,508.29 $1,542.23 $1,580.79
Robotics Club Advisor 2 (Fall) $1,508.29 $1,542.23 $1,580.79
Writing Club Advisor $1,508.29 $1,542.23 $1,580.79
Yearbook Advisor $1,508.29 $1,542.23 $1,580.79
Student Council Advisor $1,508.29 $1,542.23 $1,580.79
Photography Club $1,508.29 $1,542.23 $1,580.79
Wrestling Intramurals $1,884.86 $1,927.27 $1,975.45
Fall Intramural 1 $1,884.86 $1,927.27 $1,975.45
Fall Intramural 2 $1,884.86 $1,927.27 $1,975.45
Fall Intramural 3 $1,884.86 $1,927.27 $1,975.45
Winter Intramural 1 $1,884.86 $1,927.27 $1,975.45
Winter Intramural 2 $1,884.86 $1,927.27 $1,975.45
Spring Intramural 1 $1,884.86 $1,927.27 $1,975.45
Spring Intramural 2 $1,884.86 $1,927.27 $1,975.45
1.50% 2.25% 2.50%
HIGH SCHOOL COACHES
2017-
2018
2018-
2019
2019-
2020
Football $7,845.95 $8,022.48 $8,223.04
Assistant Football 1 $4,415.25 $4,514.59 $4,627.45
Assistant Football 2 $4,415.25 $4,514.59 $4,627.45
Assistant Football 3 $4,415.25 $4,514.59 $4,627.45
Assistant Football 4 $4,415.25 $4,514.59 $4,627.45
Cheering Fall $4,662.91 $4,767.83 $4,887.03
Assistant Cheering Fall $2,946.55 $3,012.85 $3,088.17
Boys Soccer $4,662.91 $4,767.83 $4,887.03
Boys Assistant Soccer $2,946.55 $3,012.85 $3,088.17
46
Girls Soccer $4,662.91 $4,767.83 $4,887.03
Girls Soccer Assistant 1 $2,946.55 $3,012.85 $3,088.17
Girls Soccer Assistant 2 $2,946.55 $3,012.85 $3,088.17
Boys and Girls Cross Country $4,662.91 $4,767.83 $4,887.03
Boys and Girls Cross Country Assistant $2,946.55 $3,012.85 $3,088.17
Girls Volleyball $4,662.91 $4,767.83 $4,887.03
Girls Assistant Volleyball JV $2,946.55 $3,012.85 $3,088.17
Girls Assistant Volleyball Freshmen $2,946.55 $3,012.85 $3,088.17
Golf $4,662.91 $4,767.83 $4,887.03
Boys and Girls Hockey $4,662.91 $4,767.83 $4,887.03
Boys and Girls Hockey Assistant $2,946.55 $3,012.85 $3,088.17
Boys Basketball $6,631.00 $6,780.20 $6,949.71
Boys Assistant Basketball JV $3,687.50 $3,770.47 $3,864.73
Boys Assistant Basketball Freshmen $3,687.50 $3,770.47 $3,864.73
Girls Basketball $6,631.00 $6,780.20 $6,949.71
Girls Assistant Basketball JV $3,687.50 $3,770.47 $3,864.73
Girls Assistant Basketball Freshmen $3,687.50 $3,770.47 $3,864.73
Cheering Winter $4,662.91 $4,767.83 $4,887.03
Wrestling $4,662.91 $4,767.83 $4,887.03
Wrestling Assistant $2,946.55 $3,012.85 $3,088.17
Swimming $4,662.91 $4,767.83 $4,887.03
Swimming Assistant $2,946.55 $3,012.85 $3,088.17
Boys and Girls Winter Track 1 $4,662.91 $4,767.83 $4,887.03
Boys and Girls Winter Track 2 $4,662.91 $4,767.83 $4,887.03
Boys and Girls Assistant Winter Track 1 $2,946.55 $3,012.85 $3,088.17
Boys and Girls Assistant Winter Track 2 $2,946.55 $3,012.85 $3,088.17
Baseball $5,155.19 $5,271.18 $5,402.96
Assistant Baseball 1 $3,188.12 $3,259.85 $3,341.35
Assistant Baseball 2 $3,188.12 $3,259.85 $3,341.35
Softball $5,155.19 $5,271.18 $5,402.96
Assistant Softball (JV) $3,188.12 $3,259.85 $3,341.35
Boys Spring Track $4,662.91 $4,767.83 $4,887.03
Boys Assistant Spring Track $2,946.55 $3,012.85 $3,088.17
Girls Spring Track $4,662.91 $4,767.83 $4,887.03
Girls Assistant Spring Track $2,946.55 $3,012.85 $3,088.17
Boys Lacrosse $5,155.19 $5,271.18 $5,402.96
Boys Lacrosse Assistant $3,188.12 $3,259.85 $3,341.35
Girls Lacrosse $5,155.19 $5,271.18 $5,402.96
Girls Lacrosse Assistant $3,188.12 $3,259.85 $3,341.35
Boys Tennis $4,662.91 $4,767.83 $4,887.03
Girls Tennis $4,662.91 $4,767.83 $4,887.03
47
1.50% 2.25% 2.50%
MIDDLE SCHOOL COACHES
2017-
2018
2018-
2019
2019-
2020
Middle School Boys Soccer $2,946.55 $3,012.85 $3,088.17
Middle School Girls Soccer $2,946.55 $3,012.85 $3,088.17
Middle School Cross Country $2,946.55 $3,012.85 $3,088.17
Middle School Boys Basketball $3,687.50 $3,770.47 $3,864.73
Middle School Girls Basketball $3,687.50 $3,770.47 $3,864.73
Middle School Baseball $3,188.12 $3,259.85 $3,341.35
Middle School Softball $3,188.12 $3,259.85 $3,341.35
The Advisor shall meet with all Clubs/Activities at least 18 times regularly over
the course of the school year; two times per month, in order for the Advisor to meet
requirements. Each meeting or fundraising event will have a minimum duration of one
hour. Advisors must be present for the entire meeting. In some cases, these 18
meeting will take place over a few months, as might be the case with Robotics
(competitions), Spelling Bee (competitions), Math League (competitions), Senior Art
Advisor due to their short timeline. However, most activities, unless there is a specific
timeline involved, and have had Principal and Superintendent prior approval, should
meet regularly spread out over the course of the entire school year with no less than 18
meeting times. Meeting documentation will continue to be forwarded to school Clerical
Administrative Assistants. Clerical Administrative Assistants will collect the fees.
Any preliminary meetings, for the purpose of signing up the minimum number of
students (12), will not count towards the 18 sessions. Consequently, should the Club or
Activity not run, no compensation will be issued for such preliminary meeting. The
Superintendent has final discretion as to whether a Club or Activity runs.
To: Joseph Baeta, Superintendent & Joseph Spremulli, NTA President
From: Del Hall & Jen O’Neill
Date: 6/11/18
In-District Credits
In order to provide all staff members with the opportunity to earn credits towards advancement
on the salary scale while participating in high quality professional learning at the district level,
the Professional Learning Committee proposes the following process.
Purpose
District credit is designed to encourage staff participation in district approved professional
learning opportunities. The purpose is to enable staff members to participate in courses,
workshops, and other approved activities at the district level that are high-quality and equal to
rigorous coursework done at the collegiate level. A maximum of nine in-district credits may be
applied toward a lane change.
Approval Criteria
The request for district credits for professional learning must align within the following criteria:
● Norton Public Schools Strategic Plan goals
● School Improvement Plans
● An activity supportive of Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks
● Is research-based
● Is not an event subject to any compensation, stipend, or contractual obligations
● May not be used in conjunction with graduate credits awarded by another educational
institution
● Is initiated after approval by the Superintendent/ NTA President (8/28/18)
Eligible Activities
– District Courses
All course offerings require pre-approval by the Professional Learning Committee. A
course is typically conducted over the length of a semester or school year. Courses
require outside preparation and an original product which will be assessed by the course
instructor. District courses may include content such as: Writer’s Workshop, RTI, Guided
Reading, differentiated instruction, a course on formative assessment, District book
studies such as Lost at School or Teach Like a Pirate, as well as courses focused on
content, methodology, and technology.
1 district credit = 15 contact hours and 5 to 10 hours of outside work. There is a
maximum of 3 district credits per course for participants. Credit for instructors will vary.
– District Sponsored Workshops
All workshops require pre-approval by the Professional Learning Committee. A
workshop is typically short and intensive, conducted over a limited time span. A
workshop requires follow-through or outside activities and an original product that
demonstrates evidence of application in the instructional setting. Examples of district
workshops may include: DRA, technology, middle school Academic Enrichment
Program.
1 district credit = 15 contact hours and 5 to 10 hours of outside work. Contact hours can
be accrued over several workshops.
Attendee Procedures for Earning District Credit
1) Before participating in a Professional Development activity, the staff must complete
the form for In District Credit Approval for Professional Development and submit to the
Professional Development Committee for pre-approval 14 school days prior to date of the
workshop, conference, or event. The form must be approved by the principal/supervisor
and sent to the Assistant Superintendent.
2) The Professional Development Committee will review the form for In District Credit
Approval for Professional Development and respond to the request. The form will be
reviewed and returned to the sender. Approval may not be granted for district credit after
attending a workshop or session.
3) Within 14 school days after the completion of the professional development activity,
the teacher and/or instructor must submit all final paperwork to the Assistant
Superintendent.
4) A maximum of nine in-district credits may be applied toward a lane change.
Instructor Procedures for Teaching District Credit Courses or Workshops
1) Instructor will complete Professional Development Proposal for Instructors and
submit electronically to the Professional Development Committee for pre-approval 14
school days prior to date of the workshop, conference, or event. The form must be sent
to the Assistant Superintendent.
2) The Professional Development Committee will review the Professional Development
Proposal for Instructors and respond to the request. The form will be reviewed, credits
earned by the instructor and participants will be determined, and form returned to the
sender. Approval may not be granted for district credit after presenting a workshop or
course.
3) Within 14 school days after the completion of the professional development activity,
the instructor must submit all final paperwork to the Assistant Superintendent.
Examples of Non-approved Events and Activities
Ø Clerical activities/administrative meetings
Ø Non-instructional events/sessions
Ø Supervising students on field trips or other events
Ø Travel time to and from events
Ø Athletic clinics
Ø Military training
Ø Non-educational courses, workshops, session
Ø Faculty meetings
Ø Compensated, stipend, or contractual obligations
The Professional Development Committee will review all applications and make
recommendations for final approval.
Professional Learning Reimbursement
After many discussions on how to best streamline the process for course and conference
reimbursement, the Professional Learning Committee investigated and discussed a number of
options. The Committee proposes that we add the “personal request module” to our current
SmartPD system. This would allow any staff member to make a learning request for any
workshop, conference, or graduate course. The module then transmits the request to the
appropriate approval person and also notifies the staff member through email that the request is
being reviewed. Once the request is approved, the member is again notified through email.
At the reimbursement point, the staff member would simply need to print the approved request
and include the current necessary Norton Reimbursement form as well as the required
transcript or certificate of completion.
In addition, there is a feature in the “personal request module” that facilitates the IPDP process
where it is automatically filled by the information already stored in the SmartPD system. The
feature streamlines this process and provides an easy way of storing and maintaining this
recertification requirement.
Funding for courses, conferences, workshops
In order to provide equity for all staff members, the Committee proposes to combine the the
$46,700 from the professional development reimbursement line with the $10,000 that has been
previously set aside for conferences and workshops for SISP staff members. This would
necessitate all requests to be approved and initially paid for by the educator. In the Spring all
staff members looking for reimbursement for these costs, would need to apply through the
regular process.
The joining of the funds and the likelihood that more staff members would apply for
reimbursement, could mean that there will be less funds available for reimbursement for
graduate courses at the end of the year. Therefore, the Committee recommends that an
increase of $5000 to this line be considered.
Structure of Professional Learning Committee
In order to enhance staff participation and ownership in our professional learning offerings, the
Committee recommends building based Professional Learning Committees (similar to Culture &
Climate) that will examine the building level needs, survey staff, and plan early release days.
Each school based committee would have a representative on the District Professional Learning
Committee in order to advocate for their school needs and plan district-wide professional
learning opportunities.
SmartPD Module Functions
Both the Personal Request and IPDP modules would be found under Settings in SmartPD.
Once in the Personal Course Request module, staff members can make a learning request for
any workshop, conference, or graduate course or can view the status of previous requests.
When creating a new request, staff will be prompted to fill out a form in SmartPD with the
following information:
● PDYear
● Title of Course/Offering
● Name of Instructor
● Course Dates/Times
● Number of Meetings (if activity is online,or actual number is unknown, this is estimated)
● Start Date of Course (if online activity, or actual dates unknown, this is estimated)
● Course Meeting Dates (if online activity, or actual dates unknown, use start date)
● Sponsoring Organization (college, university, or group )
● Is this an “ONLINE” course/offering? YES NO
● Will you be requesting reimbursement? YES NO
● Detailed Course Description (a single document, brochure or pamphlet may be attached)
● Credit Options
○ PDP Only
○ Inservice/Salary Credit
○ College Credit
Once this information is entered, staff will have the opportunity to review and edit their request
and will be prompted to choose their primary approver and enter specific cost and credit
information. The credit fields for both the Salary College Credit options include both credits and
PDPs.
Staff will receive confirmation once the request has been successfully submitted, and the
primary approver (building principal) will receive email notification of the pending request. The
secondary approver (central office) will then receive email notification of the request. Once the
approval process is complete, the staff member will be notified by email concerning the approval
status of the request. Approval emails will contain any subsequent steps for completing the
process such as confirming appropriate classroom coverage if needed or submitting final
documentation for reimbursement.
At any time, staff may review the status of their requests by choosing View Your Own Requests
in the Personal Request module.
An additional function available through SmartPD is the IPDP module. This module takes
existing SmartPD data and populates an IPDP form. Staff are prompted to enter any missing
demographic information not stored in SmartPD as well as their Professional Growth Goals and
District PD Goals. The IPDP Module simulates the actual DESE form used by MA educators to
collect recertification information. This tool assists teachers in the efficient organization of their
personal professional development data. A link to current DESE recertification requirements is
provided in the module. SmartPD will automatically add district PD offerings to an activities
chart. Outside PD may be added to these charts by the staff member. Additionally, staff will be
able to define how they would like PDPs to be bundled and how they want awarded PDPs to be
divided into Content, Pedagogy, SEI/ESL, SPED or Elective Hours.
Finally, the IPDP module will provide hourly totals in each of the “bundle areas” as well as
total cumulative hours in each of the required areas: Content, Pedagogy, SEI/ESL, SPED, and
Elective Hours. Bundles that have less than the required 10 PDPs will be indicated. An IPDP
Form is available to print for backup purposes, or for an administrative review. Please click here
to see a sample.