EMPLOYEE
HANDBOOK
20032004
Table of Contents
Introduction…………………………………………………………………………………………………5
Employee handbook receipt
District information………………………………………………………………………………………8
Description of the district
Mission statement
District goals and objectives
Board of trustees
Administration
School directory
Employment………………………………………………………………………………………………12
Equal employment opportunity
Job vacancy announcements
Employment after retirement
Contract and noncontract employment
Searches and alcohol and drug testing
First aid and CPR certification
Reassignments and transfers
Workload and work schedules
Notification of parents regarding certification status
Performance evaluation
Employee involvement
Staff development
Compensation and benefits………………………………………………17
Salaries wages and stipends
Paychecks
Automatic payroll deposit
Payroll deductions
Overtime compensation
Travel expense reimbursement
Health dental and life insurance
Supplemental insurance benefits
Cafeteria plan benefits (Section 125)
Unemployment compensation insurance
Teacher retirement
Taxshelted annunity
Other benefit programs
Leaves and absences…………………………………………………………………………………22
Personal leave
Sick leave
Use and recording of sick leave
Local leave
Sick Leave Pool
Temporary disability
Absence From Duty forms
Family and medical leave
Workers’ compensation benefits
Assault leave
Bereavement leave
Jury duty
Other court appearances
Military leave
Employee relations and communications…………………………………………………………28
Employee recognition and appreciation
District communications
Complaints and grievances……………………………………………………………………………29
Employee conduct and welfare………………………………………………………………………31
Standards of conduct
Code of Ethics and Standard Practices for Texas Educators and enforceable standards
Harassment
Sexual harassment
Drugabuse prevention
Dietary supplements
Reporting suspected child abuse
Associations and political activities
Safety
Meal charges by employees
Misuse of compensated time
Tobacco use
Employee arrests and convictions
Possession of firearms and weapons
Visitors in the workplace
Copyrighted materials
Intellectual properties
Computer use and data management
Seasonal decorations
Gifts and favors
Asbestos management plan
Pest control treatment
Use of district vehicle
Commercial Drivers Licensepart time drivers
Key Control
Parking at District Administrative Offices (CSS)
Housekeeping
Personal phone calls and cellular telephones
Animals in district buildings
Rumor control
General procedures……………………………………………………………………………………46
Bad weather closing
Emergencies
Purchasing procedures
Name and address changes
Personnel records
Building use
Termination of employment……………………………………………………………………………48
Resignations
Dismissal or nonrenewal of contract employees
Dismissal of noncontract employees
Exit interviews and procedures
Reports to the State Board for Educator Certification
Reports concerning courtordered withholding
Student issues…………………………………………………………………………………………50
Equal educational opportunities
Student records
Parent and student complaints
Administering medication to students
Student discipline
Student attendance
Hazing
School Safety
Resources…………………………………………………………………………………………………52
School Calendar
Helpful Contacts
Introduction
The purpose of this Employee Handbook is to provide information to employees that will help with questions and pave the way for a successful year Not all district policies and procedures are included Those that are have been summarized Suggestions for additions and improvements to this handbook are wel come and may be sent to the Deputy Superintendent for Administration
This handbook is neither a contract nor a substitute for the official district policy manual Nor is it intended to alter the atwill status of noncontract employees in any way Rather it is a guide to and a brief explanation of district policies District policies and procedures can change at any time these changes shall supersede any handbook provisions that are not compatible with the change For more information employees may refer to the policy codes that are associated with handbook topics confer with their supervisor or call the appropriate district office Policy manu als are located in the Principal’s Office at each campus or the District’s Administrative Offices and are available for employee review during normal working hours
The Mount Pleasant Independent School District’s website has a complete copy of school board policies The District’s website is wwwmpisdnet
NOTE Employees whose English reading skills are limited may call 9035752000 and speak with a Spanish speaking employee who may assist with an interpretation of provisions of this Employee Handbook
NOTA Los empleados cuyo conocimiento del inglés es limitado pueden llamar al 9035752000 y hablar con un empleado que hable español el cual les traducirá las estipulaciones del Folleto de Empleados
Mount Pleasant Independent School District
Employee Handbook Receipt
Name
Campusdepartment
I hereby acknowledge receipt of my personal copy of the Mount Pleasant ISD Employee Hand book I agree to read the handbook and abide by the standards policies and procedures defined or referenced in this document
The information in this handbook is subject to change I understand that changes in district poli cies may supersede modify or eliminate the information summarized in this booklet As the dis trict provides updated policy information I accept responsibility for reading and abiding by the changes
I understand that no modifications to contractual relationships or alterations of atwill relation ships are intended by this handbook
I understand that I have an obligation to inform my supervisor or departmenthead of any changes in personal information such as phone number address etc I also accept responsibility for con tacting my supervisor or the District’s Personnel Office 9035752000 if I have questions or concerns or need further explanation
________________________________ _________________________
Signature Date
Note You have been given two copies of this form Please sign and date one and keep it Sign and date the other copy and forward it to your supervisor
Mount Pleasant Independent School District
Employee Handbook Receipt
Name
Campusdepartment
I hereby acknowledge receipt of my personal copy of the Mount Pleasant ISD Employee Hand book I agree to read the handbook and abide by the standards policies and procedures defined or referenced in this document
The information in this handbook is subject to change I understand that changes in district poli cies may supersede modify or eliminate the information summarized in this booklet As the dis trict provides updated policy information I accept responsibility for reading and abiding by the changes
I understand that no modifications to contractual relationships or alterations of atwill relation ships are intended by this handbook
I understand that I have an obligation to inform my supervisor or departmenthead of any changes in personal information such as phone number address etc I also accept responsibility for con tacting my supervisor or the District’s Personnel Office 9035752000 if I have questions or concerns or need further explanation
________________________________ _________________________
Signature Date
Note You have been given two copies of this form Please sign and date one and keep it Sign and date the other copy and forward it to your supervisor District information
Description of the district
The Mount Pleasant Independent School District is located near the center of Titus County 116 miles east of Dallas on Interstate 30 Titus County encompasses 230 square miles with a population of over 25000 Mount Pleasant is the county seat and has a population of approximately 14000
The Board of Trustees and its administration are constantly seeking to improve an alreadyexcellent school system In 2000 the Mount Pleasant community overwhelmingly endorsed a significant capital improvement plan that has resulted in 3 new elementary schools additions to the Junior High a new Cafeteria Building at Mount Pleasant High School new gynasiums new football field track tennis courts and renovations to the High School
Instruction focuses on a comprehensive college preparatory and Career and Technology studies The district is currently investing heavily in computer and multi media educational technology in a effort to meet the academic and occupational training demands of a highly competititve workplace The curriculum of the Mount Pleasant ISD is continuously evaluated and updated in a effort to meet the needs of all students and the demands of the community regional and national businesses and industries The district encourages and welcomes involvement from parents civic organizations industry and local citizens to provide the best educational opportunities possible for its students
Mission statement
Policy AE
Mt Pleasant Independent School District will have high expectations for all students The district will make every effort to attract and retain the most qualified teachers available who will enhance the positive image of our schools in the community The caring atmosphere provided by these teachers will help promote the positive selfimage for the students in the district MPISD will encourage positive staff morale by providing clean and attractive campuses
MPISD will emphasize a teachinglearning process that will enable students to see real life connections Students will become responsible productive citizens by learning to act in a socially acceptable manner through problemsolving creative thinking and wise decisionmaking Authentic career investigation coupled with current vocational programs will meet the needs of each student Enriched programming will be designed to prepare students for success in their personal future in the TwentyFirst Century
Technology will enhance every program throughout the district Stateoftheart software and hardware will be available to every student on a daily basis Students will learn how to access information from a variety of hightech sources by becoming proficient users of computers and peripherals
MPISD will address the important issues of time and communication The optimum use of instructional time will lead to enhanced programs for all students Communication between schools administration school board community families and students will be open and honest and constantly improving Staff parents and community will be given an opportunity to be involved in decisionmaking as we work together through the Accelerated Schools process These combined efforts will continue to make MPISD the best school district in the state of Texas
District goals and objectives
Policies ABAF
The mission of the Texas public system is to ensure that all Texas children have access to a quality education that enables them to achieve their full potential and fully participate now and in the future in the social economic and educational opportunities in our state and nation That mission is grounded on the conviction that a general diffusion of knowledge is essential for the welfare of Texas and for the preservation of the liberties and rights of Texas citizens It is further grounded in the conviction that a successful public education system is directly related to a strong dedicated supportive family and that parental involvement in the school is essential for the maximum educational achievement of a child The objectives of public education are
1) Parents will be full partners with educators in the education of their children
2) Students will be encouraged and challenged to meet their full educational potential
3) Through enhanced dropout prevention efforts all students will remain in school until they obtain a diploma
4) A wellbalanced and appropriate curriculum will be provided to all students
5) Qualified and highly effective personnel will be recruited developed and retained
6) Texas students will demonstrate exemplary performance in comparison to national and international standards
7) School campuses will maintain a safe and disciplined environment conducive to student learning
8) Educators will keep abreast of the development of creative and innovative techniques in instruction and administration using those techniques as appropriate to improve student learning
9) Technology will be implemented and used to increase the effectiveness of student learning instructional management staff development and administration
Board of trustees
Policies BA BAA BBA BBB BBE BE BEC BED
Texas law grants the board of trustees the power to govern and oversee the management of the district’s schools The board is the policymaking body within the district and has overall respon sibility for the curriculum school taxes annual budget employment of the superintendent and other professional staff facilities and expansions The board has complete and final control over school matters within limits established by state and federal law and regulations
The board of trustees is elected by the citizens of the district to represent the community’s com mitment to a strong educational program for the district’s children Trustees are elected atlarge and serve threeyear terms Trustees serve without compensation must be registered voters and must reside in the district
MPISD Board members
Dr Mary Hearron President
Mike Reynolds Vice President
Ezeal McGill Secretary
Loyce Henry Assistant Secretary
Royce Carr Sergeant at Arms
Billy Wayne Flanagan Member
Clint Rivers Member
Trustees usually meet monthly on the fourth Monday of each month at 530 pmin the Board Room of the district located in the Administration Building at 105 Riddle Street Special meetings may be called when nec essary A written notice of regular and special meetings will be posted at the Administration Building at least 72 hours before the scheduled meeting time The written notice will show the date time place and subjects of each meeting In emergencies a meeting may be held with a twohour notice
All meetings are open to the public Under the following circumstances Texas law permits the board to go into a closed session Closed session may occur for such things as discussing prospec tive gifts or donations real property acquisition personnel issues including conferences with employees and employee complaints security matters student discipline or to consult with attor neys regarding pending litigation
Agenda
A regular school board meeting usually follows this agenda
Open Forum
Education
Business
BidsPrice Quotes
Executive Session
Facility Reports
Personnel
Future Business
Administration
Superintendent of Schools Dr Kenneth English
Deputy Superintendent of Administraton James W DuBus
Deputy Superintendent of InstructionTechnology Pam Fite
Director of BusinessFinance Stacie Thompson
Principals
Mount Pleasant High School Susy Wynn
Mount Pleasant Junior High School Lee Clay
Wallace Middle School Rodney Huffman
Francis Corprew Intermediate LaWanda McCowan
Annie Sims Elementary Bruce Gearing
Vivian Fowler Elementary Gwen Roberts
EC Brice Elementary Regina Conroy
HeadstartEarly Childhood Deborah Cody
MPISD Literacy Center Debbie Malone
School Directory
Mount Pleasant High School (912) 2110 North Edwards 9035752020
Principal Susy Wynn
Assistant Principals Donald Patton Jason Marshall
Terry Giddens David Tyson
Counselors Mary Gail Karkoska Tracy Johnson
Danny Welch Kelly Cowan
Mount Pleasant Junior High School (78) 2801 Old Paris Road 9035752110
Principal Lee Clay
Assistant Principals Ronnie Holloway Estelle Deloney
Counselors Carmen Shavers Cherri Straus
Wallace Middle School (56) 504 Dunn Street 9035752040
Principal Rodney Huffman
Assistant Principal John Wilhite
Counselor Vicki Sinclair
Francis Corprew Intermediate School (34) 909 School Street 9035752050
Principal LaWanda McCowan
Assistant Principal Garry Dodd
Counselor Ann Allen
Vivian Fowler Elementary School (K2) 502 North O’Tyson 9035752070
Principal Gwen Roberts
Counselor Debra Williamson
EC Brice Elementary School (K2) 311 Cedar 9035752057
Principal Regina Conroy
Counselor
Annie Sims Elementary (K2) 1801 East First Street 9035752062
Principal Bruce Gearing
Counselor Pam McCain
Titus County Head Start (EC and Pre K) 1602 West Ferguson 9035752092
DirectorPrincipal Deborah Cody
Titus County Early Head Start 201 Gibson 9035777645
Director Shelley Derrick
MPISD Community Learning Center 201 Gibson 9035752130
Director Debbie Malone
Employment
Equal employment opportunity
Policy DAA
The Mount Pleasant ISD does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employ ment because of race color religion sex national origin age disability military status or on any other basis prohibited by law Employment decisions will be made on the basis of each appli cant’s job qualifications experience and abilities
Employees with questions or concerns about discrimination on the basis of race color religion sex national origin age or military status should contact the Superintendent’s Office Employees with questions or concerns about discrimination on the bases of a disability should contact the Superintendent’s Office
Job vacancy announcements
Policy DC
To the extent possible announcements of job vacancies by position and location are distributed on a regular basis and posted at the central administration building
Employment after retirement
Individuals receiving retirement benefits from the Teacher Retirement System (TRS) may be employed in certain positions or on a parttime basis without affecting their benefits according to TRS rules and state law Service retirees who retire before May 31 may return to work in a Texas public school without a reduction in benefits one full calendar month after the retirement date pro vided they meet certain strict conditions Retirees may work in the following capacities without a loss of retirement benefits
1 As a principal or assistant principal on a fulltime basis if certified as a principal and fol lowing a 12month break in service Retirees that retired under early age or disability pro visions are excluded
2 As a fulltime bus driver (early age and disability retirees excluded)
3 As a substitute at no more than the established daily substitute pay rate (Individuals receiv ing disability retirement benefits may not work for more than 90 days in a school year)
4 On a halftime or less basis during any month provided they are not also employed as a substitute in that month Halftime employment cannot exceed the lesser of 50 percent of the position’s fulltime load or 92 hours in a month
5 On a fulltime basis during a sixmonth period during a school year provided that this is their only employment in a Texas public school Individuals who retire in August may begin employment in October of the school year following their retirement
Under this last provision retirees must submit annual written notice to TRS by the last day of the first month of full employment to avoid a disruption of benefits Working any part of a month counts as a full month Other restrictions apply when a person has retired because of a disability Individuals retiring because of a disability should contact TRS for details about employment restrictions
Shortage areas Certain retirees may return to work on a fulltime basis as a principal or assistant principal or teacher in an acute shortage area without a reduction in their annuities Acute teach ing shortage areas are determined by the Board of Trustees based on Commissioner of Education guidelines When filling acute shortage area positions the district must give hiring preference to certified applicants who are not retirees To be eligible for full TRS benefits a retiree must meet the fol lowing criteria
6 Have not been subject to a reduction in benefits for retirement at an early age or retired under disability provisions
7 Have a 12month continuous break in public school service since retirement
8 Be appropriately certified for the position in the applicable school year
Employees can contact the MPISD Human Resources Office for additional information or contact TRS by calling 8002238778 or 5123976400 TRS information is also available on the Web (wwwtrsstatetxus)
Contract and noncontract employment
Policies DC DCA DCB DCC DCD DCE
State law requires the district to employ all fulltime professional employees in positions requir ing a certificate from State Board of Educator Certification (SBEC) and nurses under probationary term or continuing contracts Employees in all other positions are employed atwill or by a contract that is not subject to the procedures for nonrenewal or termination under Chapter 21 of the Texas Education Code The paragraphs that follow provide a general description of the employment arrangements used by the district
Probationary contracts Nurses and fulltime professional employees new to the district and employed in positions requiring SBEC certification must receive probationary contracts during their first year of employment if they have not been previously employed by the district Former employees who are hired after at least a two year lapse in district employment also may be employed by probationary contract The pro bationary period for those who have been employed in public schools for at least five of the eight years preceding employment with the district may not exceed one school year For those with less experience the probationary period will be three school years with an optional fourth school year if the board determines it is doubtful whether a term or continuing contract should be given
Term and continuing contracts Fulltime professionals employed in positions requiring certifi cation and nurses will be employed by term or continuing contracts after they have successfully completed the probationary period Mount Pleasant ISD has no teachers employed through continuing contract Cam pus principals and central office administrators are employed under two year term con tracts Terms and conditions of employment are detailed in the contract and employment policies All employees will receive a copy of their contract and employment policies
Paraprofessional and auxiliary employees All paraprofessional and auxiliary employees regardless of certification are employed at will and not by contract Employment is not for any specified term and may be terminated at any time by either the employee or the district
Payroll Information Before a paycheck can be issued to a new employee all required forms must be completed and on file with the Payroll Department andor the Personnel Department
Searches and alcohol and drug testing
Policy DHE
Noninvestigatory searches in the workplace including accessing an employee’s desk file cabinets or work area to obtain information needed for usual business purposes may occur when an employee is unavailable Therefore employees are hereby notified that they have no legitimate expectation of privacy in those places In addition the district reserves the right to conduct searches when there is reasonable cause to believe a search will uncover evidence of workrelated misconduct Such an investigatory search may include drug and alcohol testing if the suspected violation relates to drug or alcohol use The district may search the employee the employee’s personal items work areas lockers and private vehicles parked on district premises or worksites or used in district business
Employees required to have a commercial driver’s license Any employee who is required to have a commercial driver’s license (CDL) is subject to drug and alcohol testing This includes all drivers who operate a motor vehicle designed to transport 16 or more people counting the driver drivers of large vehicles or drivers of vehicles used in the transportation of hazardous materials Teachers coaches or other employees who primarily perform duties other than driving are sub ject to testing requirements when their duties include driving
Drug testing will be conducted before an individual assumes driving responsibilities Alcohol and drug tests will be conducted when reasonable suspicion exists at random when an employee returns to duty after engaging in prohibited conduct and as a follow up measure Testing may be conducted following accidents Return to duty and follow up testing will be conducted when an employee who has violated the prohibited alcohol conduct standards or tested positive for alcohol or drugs returns to duty
All employees required to have a CDL who are subject to alcohol and drug testing will receive a copy of the district’s policy the testing requirements and detailed information on alcohol and drug abuse and the availability of assistance programs Employees with questions or concerns relating to alcohol and drug policies and related educational material should contact the MPISD Human Resources Office
First aid and CPR certification
Policy DBA
Head marching band directors head coaches or chief sponsors of an extracurricular athletic activity (including cheerleading) that is sponsored or sanctioned by the district or the University Interscholastic League must maintain and submit to the district proof of current certification in first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) Certification must be issued by the American Red Cross the American Heart Association or another organization that provides equivalent training and certification
Reassignments and transfers
Policy DK
All personnel are subject to assignmentreassignment by the Superintendent Reassignment is a transfer to another position department or facility that does not necessitate a change in the employment contract Campus reassignments must be approved by the principal at the receiving campus When reassignments are due to enrollment shifts or program changes the Superintendent has final placement authority Extracurricular or supplemental duty assignments may be reassigned at any time Employees who object to a reassignment may follow the process for employee complaints as outlined in policy DGBA (Local)
Employees with the required qualifications for a position may request a transfer to another campus or department A written request for transfer must be completed and signed by the employee and the employee’s supervisor Teachers requesting a transfer to another campus before the school year begins must submit their request by June 1 of that year Requests for transfer during the school year will be considered only when the change will not adversely affect students and after a replacement has been found All transfer requests will be coordinated by the employee’s supervisor and must be approved by the receiving supervisor All such transfers are subject to approval by the Superintendent of Schools
Workload and work schedules
Policy DL
Professional employees Professional and administrative employees are exempt from overtime pay and are employed on a 10 11 or 12month basis according to the work schedules set by the district A school calendar is adopted each year designating the work schedule for teachers and all school holidays Notice of work schedules including required days of service and scheduled holi days will be distributed each school year
Classroom teachers will have planning periods for instructional preparation and conferences The schedule of planning periods is set at the campus level but must provide at least 450 minutes within each twoweek period in blocks not less than 45 minutes Teachers and librarians are enti tled to a dutyfree lunch period of at least 30 minutes The district may require teachers to super vise students one day a week when no other personnel are available
Paraprofessional and auxiliary employees Support employees are employed at will and will be notified of the required duty days holidays and hours of work for their position on an annual basis Paraprofessional and auxiliary employees are not exempt from overtime and are not autho rized to work in excess of their assigned schedule without prior approval from their supervisor
Notification of parents regarding qualifications
Policy DBA DK EHBD
Texas law requires that parents be notified if their child is assigned for more than 30 consecutive days to a teacher who does not hold an appropriate teaching certificate Inappropriately certified or uncertified teachers includes individuals serving with an emergency permit (including individ uals waiting to take the EXCET exam) or individuals who do not hold any certificate or permit No later than the 30th instructional day after the date of assignment the Superintendent or desig nee will send a written notice to parents Information relating to teacher certification will be made available to the public upon request
In schools receiving Title I funds the District is also required by the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) to notify parents at the beginning of each school year that they may request information regarding the professional qualifications of their child’s teacher NCLB also requires that parents be notified if their child has been assigned or taught for four or more consecutive weeks by a teacher who is not highly qualified Employees who have questions about their certification status can call the MPISD Human Resources Office
Performance evaluation
Policy DN DNA DNB
Evaluation of an employee’s job performance is be a continual process that focuses on improvement Performance evaluation is based on an employee’s assigned job duties and other jobrelated criteria All employees will participate in the evaluation process with their assigned supervisor at least annually Written evaluations will be completed on forms approved by the district Reports correspondence and memoranda also can be used to document performance information All employees will receive a copy of their written evaluation have a performance conference with their supervisor and get the opportunity to respond to the evaluation
Employee involvement
Policy BQA BQB
At both the campus and district levels Mount Pleasant ISD offers opportunities for involvement in matters that affect employees As part of the district’s planning and decisionmaking process employees are elected to serve on district or campuslevel advisory committees Plans and detailed information about the shared decisionmaking process are available in each campus office or from District Central Administrative Building
Staff development
Policy DMA
Staff development activities are organized to meet the needs of employees and the Mount Pleasant ISD Staff development for instructional personnel is predominantly campusbased related to achiev ing campus performance objectives addressed in the campus improvement plan and approved by a campuslevel advisory committee Staff development for noninstructional personnel is designed to meet specific licensing requirements (eg bus drivers) and continued employee skill develop ment Individuals holding renewable SBEC certificates are responsible for obtaining the required training hours and maintaining appropriate documentation
Compensation and benefits
Salaries wages and stipends
Policy DEA
Employees are paid in accordance with administrative guidelines and a pay structure established for each position The district’s pay plans are reviewed by the administration each year and adjusted as needed All district positions are classified as exempt or nonexempt according to fed eral law Professional and administrative employees are generally classified as exempt and are paid monthly salaries They are not entitled to overtime compensation Other employees are gen erally classified as nonexempt and are paid based on hourly wages or provided compensatory time for each overtime hour worked (See Overtime page 18)
Salaries and wages are reviewed on an annual basis and adjusted according to the budgeted amounts approved by the board All employees will receive written notice of their pay and work schedules before the start of each school year Classroom teachers fulltime librarians fulltime nurses and fulltime counselors will be paid no less than the minimum state salary schedule Contract employees who perform extracurricular or supplemental duties may be paid a stipend in addition to their salary according to the district’s extraduty pay schedule
Employees should contact the MPISD Human Resources Office for more information about the district’s pay schedules or their own pay
Paychecks
All employees are paid monthly During the school year paychecks are delivered to each campus Paychecks will not be released to any person other than the district employee whose name is on the check without the employee’s written authorization During summer breaks paychecks will be picked up at the employee’s home campus or supervisor’s office
An employee’s payroll statement contains detailed information including deductions withholding information and the amount of leave accumulated
The schedule of pay dates for the 20032004 school year follows
August 20 2003 January 20 2004
September 19 2003 February 20 2004
October 20 2003 March 19 2004
November 20 2003 April 20 2004
December 19 2003 May 20 2004
June 17 2004
July 20 2004
August 20 2004
Automatic payroll deposit
Employees can have paychecks electronically deposited into an account at a financial institution of their choice A notification period of one month is necessary to activate this service With automatic deposit an employee’s pay is immediately available on the pay date Contact the MPISD Employee Benefits Office for more information If an employee has elected the option of direct deposit the last check due an employee will be a standard paper check and may be picked up at the Administration Office or their campus
Payroll deductions
Policy CFEA
Automatic payroll deductions for the Texas Teacher Retirement System (TRS) and federal income tax are required for all fulltime employees Medicare tax deductions slso are required for all employees hired after March 31 1986 Temporary and parttime employees who are not eligible for TRS membership must have 457 contributions deducted
Other payroll deductions employees may elect to include deductions for the employee’s share of premiums for health dental life and vision insurance annuities the Texas Tomorrow Constitu tional Trust Fund higher education savings plans and savings deposits and loan payments Employees also may request payroll deduction for payment of mem bership dues to professional organizations Salary deductions are automat ically made for unauthorized or unpaid leave
Overtime compensation
Policy DEA
The district compensates overtime for nonexempt employees in accordance with federal wage and hour laws All employees are classified as exempt or nonexempt for purposes of overtime com pensation Professional and administrative employees are ineligible for overtime compensation Only nonexempt employees (hourly employees and paraprofessional employees) are entitled to overtime compensation Nonexempt employees are not authorized to work beyond their normal work schedule without advance approval from their supervisor
Overtime is legally defined as hours worked in excess of 40 hours weekly and is not measured by the day or by the employee’s regular work schedule Employees who must work beyond their normal schedule but less than 40 hours per week will be compensated in straighttime pay or equivalent time off in the same workweek Employees must work more than 40 total hours in a week to earn overtime compensation For the purpose of calculating overtime a workweek begins at 1201 am Sunday and ends at midnight Saturday Employees may be compensated for overtime at timeandahalf rate with compensatory time off (comp time) or direct pay The following applies to all nonexempt employees
9 Employees can accumulate up to 60 hours of compensatory time
10 Comp time must be used in the duty year that it is earned
11 Use of comp time may be at the employee’s request with supervisor approval as workload permits
12 An employee may be required to use comp time before using any other available paid leave (eg sick personal vacation)
13 Weekly time sheets will be maintained on all designated nonexempt employees for the purpose of wage and salary administration
Travel expense reimbursement
Policy DEE
Before any travel expenses are incurred by an employee the employee’s supervisor and Superintendent must give approval For approved travel employees will be reimbursed for mileage and other travel expenditures according to the current rate schedule established by the District Employees must submit receipts to be reimbursed for expenses other than mileage Trip requests are available in the Principal’s Office
Health dental and life insurance
Policy CRD
Group health insurance coverage is provided through TRSActiveCare the statewide public school health insurance program The District’s contribution to employee insurance premiums is determined annually by the Board of Trustees Employees eligible for health insurance coverage include the following
· Employees who are active contributing TRS members
· Employees who are not contributing TRS members and who are regularly scheduled to work at least 10 hours per week
TRS retirees and employees who are not contributing TRS members that are regularly scheduled to work less than 10 hours per week are not eligible to participate in TRSActiveCare
The insurance plan year is from September 1 through August 31 New employees have 30 days from the first day of employment to select health insurance coverage through TRSActiveCare Current employees can make changes in their insurance coverage during open enrollment periods each fall Detailed descriptions of insurance coverage employee cost and eligibility requirements are provided to all employees in a separate booklet Employees should contact the District’s Employee BenefitsRisk Manager for more information
Supplemental insurance benefits
Policy CRG
At their own expense employees may enroll in supplemental insurance programs for specific coverages areas Insurance plans are available in areas such as dental vision supplemental life catastrophic illness disability and cancer Premiums for these programs can be paid by payroll deduction Employees should contact the Employee BenefitsRisk Manager’s Office for more information
Cafeteria plan benefits (Section 125)
Employees may be eligible to participate in the Cafeteria Plan (Section 125) and under IRS regu lations must either accept or reject this benefit This plan enables eligible employees to pay cer tain insurance premiums on a pretax basis (ie disability accidental death and dismemberment cancer and dread disease dental) A thirdparty administrator handles employee claims made on these accounts New employees must accept or reject this benefit during their first month of employment All employees must accept or reject this benefit on an annual basis and during the specified time period
Unemployment compensation insurance
Policy CRE
Employees who have been laid off or terminated through no fault of their own may be eligible for unemployment compensation benefits under the Texas Unemployment Compensation Act Employees are not eligible to collect unemployment benefits during regularly scheduled breaks in the school year or the summer months if they have employment contracts or reasonable assurance of returning to service Employees with questions about unemployment benefits should contact the Employee BenefitsRisk Manager’s Office
Teacher retirement
Policy DEG
All personnel employed on a regular basis for at least onehalf of the normal work schedule are members of the Texas Teacher Retirement System (TRS) For new employees there is a 91 day waiting period before membership in TRS begins Substitutes not receiving TRS service retirement benefits who work at least 90 days a year are also eligible for TRS membership and to purchase a year of creditable service TRS provides members with an annual statement of their account showing all deposits and the total account balance for the year ending August 31 as well as an estimate of their retirement benefits
Employees who plan to retire under TRS should notify the Employee Benefits Office as soon as possible Information on the application procedures for TRS benefits are available from the Employee Benefits Office Addi tional inquiries should be addressed to Teacher Retirement System of Texas 1000 Red River Street Austin TX 787012698 or call 8002238778 or 5125426400 TRS information is also available on the Web (wwwtrsstatetxus) See page 12 for information on restrictions of employment of retirees in Texas public schools
Taxsheltered annuity – 403(b)
This benefit allows employees to reduce their taxes by deferring their salary into a retirement fund
What is a TaxSheltered Annuity A TaxSheltered Annuity (TSA) is a retirement plan authorized by the Internal Revenue Service under Section 403(b) Through two types of plans Section 403(b) allows employees to reduce their salary before taxes by an elected deferral
What is the difference in the 403(b) Annuity and the 403(b)7 Annuity The 403(b) a fixed annuity is available from insurance companies with some consumer guarantees Interest rates are shown at guarantees and current rates Make sure both interest rates (current and guaranteed) and any bonus andor additional interest on firstyear deposits and annuity payouts are disclosed by the agent or financial planner The 403(b)7 can be a variable annuity or a mutual fund These plans are available from only insurance companies brokers and financial service organizations certified by the Teacher Retirement System (TRS)
How it works The amount you contribute to a TSA is deducted before taxes from your salary The MPISD does not match contributions by employees into a 403(b) plan The minimum amount of contribution is usually determined by the investment company The maximum contribution is determined by the exclusion allowance formula This calculation’s limits are governed by years of service gross income prior contributions etc Contributions can be increased decreased started andor stopped any time throughout the calendar year If a plan is surrendered a new plan can not be started until the next calendar year
Supplements retirement income A TSA provides an excellent supplement to the Teacher Retirement System (TRS) of Texas without changing that plan’s benefits You may get income from your TSA at any retirement age selected You may choose when and how you want to receive retirement income benefits from several options
Immediate tax break taxdeferred earnings cash accumulation TSA contributions are excluded from your taxable income for an immediate tax reduction Your TSA accumulates earnings on a axdeferred basis Earnings are not taxed until withdrawn The accumulated value of your TSA will depend on the amount of contributions account earnings and the period of accumulation
Withdrawal Restrictions You may not withdraw any part of your account balance before employment termination except for one of these reasons Attainment of age 59½ death disability use of funds to pay medical expenses to the extent the medical expenses are deductible on your federal income tax return early retirement at age 55 or later use of funds to buy a lifetime payout annuity divorce settlement or financial hardship Withdrawals are subject to taxation There could be an annuity surrender charge for early withdrawal For a withdrawal because of employment termination before age 55 except for death or disability or for financial hardship other than major medical expenses a 10 federal penalty tax will be charged
Other benefit programs
Policy DEB
Leaves and absences
Policy DEC
The district offers employees paid and unpaid leaves of absence in times of personal need This handbook describes the basic types of leave available and restrictions on leaves of absence Employees having personal needs requiring long leaves of absence should call the Employee Benefits Manager’s Office for counseling about leave options continuation of benefits and communicating with the District
Employees who take an unpaid leave of absence may continue their insurance benefits at their own expense The District will continue to pay its share of health care benefits for employees on leave authorized under the Family and Med ical Leave Act Otherwise the district does not make benefit contributions for employees who are not on active payroll status
Employees must follow district and department or campus procedures to report or request any leave of absence and complete the appropriate leave request form Any employee who is absent more than two days because of a personal or family illness must submit a medical certification from a qualified health care provider confirming the specific dates of the illness the reason for the illness and in the case of personal illness—the employee’s fitness to return to work
Personal and local sick leave is earned on an annual basis Leave is available only for the employee’s benefit If an employee leaves the district before the end of the work year the cost of any unearned leave days taken shall be deducted from the employee’s final pay
check
Personal leave
State law entitles all employees to five days of paid personal leave per year Personal leave is earned at a rate of onehalf workday for each 18 days of employment up to the statutory maximum of five workdays annually A day of earned personal leave is equivalent to an assigned workday There is no limit on the accumulation of state personal leave and it can be transferred to other Texas school districts and is generally transferable to education service centers There are two types of personal leave nondiscretionary and discretionary
Nondiscretionary Leave that is taken for personal or family illness emergency military leave or a death in the family is considered nondiscretionary leave This type of leave allows very little or no advance planning and will be granted to employees in the same manner as sick leave
Discretionary Leave that is taken at an employee’s discretion and that can be scheduled in advance is considered discretionary leave An employee wishing to take discretionary personal leave must submit a notice of the request ten working days in advance of the anticipated absence to his or her principal or supervisor Discretionary personal leave will be granted on a firstcome first served basis The effect of the employee’s absence on the educational program or department operations as well as the availability of substitutes will be considered by the principal or supervisor
Discretionary personal leave will be subject to the following limitations
· A maximum of 10 campus employees will be permitted to take discretionary personal leave at the same time
· Discretionary leave may not last for more than two consecutive workdays except with special approval for extenuating circumstances
· Discretionary leave may not be taken on the following days
o The day immediately preceed or following a scheduled holiday
o Days scheduled for endofsemester or endofyear exams
o Days scheduled to TAKS tests and
o Days of scheduled teacher inservice or teacher workdays
Sick leave
Previously accumulated state sick leave is available for use and may be transferred to other school districts in Texas Sick leave can be used only in twoday increments except when coordinated with family and medical leave taken on an intermittent or reducedschedule basis or when coordinated with workers’ compensation benefits If an employee uses more sick leave than he or she has earned the cost of unearned sick leave will be deducted from the employee’s next paycheck
Sick leave may be used for the following reasons only
14 Employee illness
15 Illness in the employee’s immediate family
16 Family emergency (ie natural disasters or lifethreatening situations)
17 Death in the immediate family
Note Immedate family is defined as spouse sibling children parents inlaws grandparents or grandchildren Each employee must submit an Absence from Duty Report immediately after returning to duty A written statement from the attending physician or pactitioner must be submitted for an absence of three or more continuous workdays when caring for an ill member of the employee’s immediate family
Use and recording of sick leave
For purposes of personal illness illness in the immediate family family emergency or death in the immediate family available leave shall be used in the following order
1 State sick leave accumulated prior to the 19951996 school year
2 Local sick leave accumulated prior to the 19911992 school year
3 State personal leave
4 Local personal
Local leave
All employees shall earn additional five equivalent workdays of local personal leave each school year concurrently with state personal leave Local personal leave time shall accumulate to a maximum of 40 equivalent workdays Employees called to active military may use available local sick in addition to other leave opportunities
Sick Leave Pool
A sick leave pool is a voluntary donation of sick days by employees to assist a fellow employee who after exhausting all paid leave has a personal illness or disability including pregnancyrelated disability or has an immediate family member who has a personal illness or disability
The pool shall be established at the time of a request for assistance initiated by the Superintendent or designee upon written request and created from voluntary contributions by employees for a pool for a specific individual Employees wishing to begin a sick leave pool for a fellow employee should begin by approaching a campus principal who will then request the establishment of the pool by the Superintendent Once the pool has been established volunteers may then donate to the pool
The following restrictions shall apply to the establishment and use of a sick leave pool
· Employees may donate no more than two sick leave days each school year
· An eligible employee may draw from the pool until he or she has used up to 60 days in any school year
· Five days may be activated at any one time for any specific empoloyee only once each year
· The sick leave pool may be accessed by an individual employee only once each school year
The pool shall cease to exist when the employee has used 60 days or voluntary donations reach the twoday maximum contribution and the sick leave pool is exhausted Unused sick leave pool days shall revert back to donors and shall be divided proportionately among individuals according to the number of sick initially contributed
Temporary disability
Certified employees Any fulltime employee whose position requires certification from the State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC) is eligible for temporary disability leave The pur pose of temporary disability leave is to provide job protection to fulltime educators who cannot work for an extended period of time because of a mental or physical disability of a temporary nature A fulltime educator may request to be placed on temporary disability leave or be placed on leave Pregnancy and conditions related to pregnancy are treated the same as any other tempo rary disability
Employees must request approval for temporary disability leave The leave request must be accompanied by a physician’s statement confirming the employee’s inability to work and estimat ing a probable date of return If disability leave is approved the length of leave is no longer than 180 calendar days If disability leave is not approved the employee must return to work or be subject to termination procedures If an employee is placed on temporary disability leave involuntarily he or she has the right to request a hearing before the board of trustees The employee may protest the action and present additional evidence of fitness to work
When an employee is ready to return to work the Employee BenefitsRisk Manager’s Office should be notified at least 30 days in advance The returntowork notice must be accompanied by a physician’s statement con firming that the employee is able to do the job Professional employees returning from leave will be reinstated to the school to which they were previously assigned as soon as an appropriate posi tion is available If a position is not available before the end of the school year professional employees will be reinstated at the beginning of the following school year
Absence from duty forms
No matter the reason all employees shall complete an Absence From DutyLeave form if they are not present at their assigned campus or department This includes professional conferences and workshops discretionary and nondiscretionary leave Family and medical leave
Employees employed by the district for at least 12 months and have worked at least 1250 hours in the 12 months immediately proceeding the need for leave are eligible for fam ily and medical leave Eligible employees can take up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave each year beginning on the first duty day of the school year (12 month period) for the following reasons
18 The birth adoption or foster placement of a child
19 To care for a spouse parent or child with a serious health condition
20 An employee’s serious health condition
A husband and wife who are both employed by the district are subject to limits in the amount of leave that they can take to care for a parent with a serious health condition or for the birth adop tion or foster placement of a child
Eligible employees are entitled to continue health care benefits under the same terms and conditions as when they were on the job and are entitled to return to their previous job or an equivalent job at the end of their leave Under some circumstances teachers who are able to return to work at or near the conclusion of a semester may be required to continue their leave until the end of the semester
Family and medical leave runs concurrently with accrued sick and personal leave temporary dis ability leave and absences due to a workrelated illness or injury The district will designate leave as family and medical leave if applicable and notify the employee that accumulated leave will run concurrently
In some circumstances employees may take family and medical leave in blocks of time or by reducing their normal weekly or daily work schedule Intermittent leave may be taken under the following circumstances
21 An employee is needed to care for a seriously ill spouse child or parent
22 An employee requires medical treatment for a serious illness
23 An employee is seriously ill and unable to work
24 An employee becomes a parent or has a foster child placed in his or her home
When the need for family and medical leave is foreseeable employees who want to use it must provide 30day advance notice of the need When the need for leave is not foreseeable employ ees must contact the Employee BenefitsRisk Manager’s Office as soon as possible Employees may be required to provide the following
25 Medical certification from a qualified health care provider supporting the need for leave due to a serious health condition affecting the employee or an immediate family member
26 Second or third medical opinions and periodic recertification of the need for leave
27 Periodic reports during the leave regarding the employee’s status and intent to return to work
28 Medical certification from a qualified health care provider at the conclusion of leave of an employee’s ability to return to work
Employees requiring family and medical leave should contact the Employee Benefits Office for details on eligibility requirements and limitations
Workers’ compensation insurance
Policy CRE
The district in accordance with state law provides workers’ compensation benefits to employees who suffer a workrelated illness or are injured on the job Workers’ Compensation benefits help pay for medical treatment and make up for part of the income lost while recovering Specific benefits are prescribed by law depending on the circumstances of each case
All workrelated accidents or injuries shall be reported immediately to the Employee BenefitsRisk Manager’s Office Employees who are unable to work due to a work related injury will be notified of their rights and responsibilities under the Texas Labor Code
In the event of a lost time injury empolyee’s regular wages from the District cease at the end of the day of the injury and the employee may elect in writing to
· use accrued personal leave to offset loss of earnings during the time heshe is absent because of an injury but at no time may the injured employee receive more than a full day’s pay for each day absent If the employee electes to use accrued sick leave the sick leave benefits will begin and end as requested by the employee or
· Workers’ Compensation benefits only Any employee electing to receive Workers’ Compensation beneftis only will not receive compensation benefits (regular wages) during the seven calendar days immediately following an accident The amount of Workers Compensations benefits paid to the employee will be deducted from the employee’s pay check if an election is made to use accrued sick leave
Once an employee’s Workers’ Compensation claim has been filed and approved employees shall provide information to the Employee Benefits Office about pertinent medical services received related to the claim
Assault leave
Assault leave provides extended job income and benefits protection to an employee who is injured as the result of a physical assault suffered during the performance of his or her job An injury is treated as an assault if the person causing the injury could be prosecuted for assault or could not be prosecuted only because that person’s age or mental capacity renders the person non responsible for purposes of criminal liability
An employee who is physically assaulted at work may take all the leave time medically necessary (up to two years) to recover from the physical injuries he or she sustained At the request of an employee the district will immediately assign the employee to assault leave Days of leave granted under the assault leave provision will not be deducted from accrued personal leave and must be coordinated with workers’ compensation benefits Upon investigation the district may change the assault leave status and charge leave used against the employee’s accrued paid leave The employee’s pay will be deducted if accrued paid leave is not available
Bereavement leave
Use of state andor local leave for death in the immediate family shall not exceed five (5) workdays per occurrence subject to approval of the District
Jury duty
The District may not discharge discipline reduce the salary of or otherwise penalize or discriminate against an employee because of the employee’s compliance with a summons to appear as a juror For each regularly scheduled workday on which a nonsalaried employee serves in any phase of jury service the District shall pay the employee the employee’s normal daily compensation Any employee’s accumulated personal leave may not be reduced because of the employee’s service in compliance with a summons to appear as a juror Education Code 22006
Other court appearances
Employees will be granted paid leave to comply with a valid subpoena to appear in a civil criminal legislative or administrative proceeding Other absences for court appearances related to an employee’s personal business must be taken as personal leave or leave without pay if no personal leave is available Employees may be required to submit documentation of their need for leave for court appearances
Military leave
Paid leave for military service Any employee who is a member of the Texas National Guard Texas State Guard or reserve component of the armed forces will be granted a paid leave of absence without loss of any accumulated leave for authorized training or duty orders Paid military leave will not exceed 15 days per year In addition an employee is entitled to use available state and local personal leave during active military service
Reemployment after military leave Employees who leave the district to enter into the United States uniformed services or state military duty (Texas Natiional Guard or Texas State Guard) may return to employment if they are honorably discharged Employees who wish to return to the district will be reemployed in the same position they would have held if employment had not been interrupted or reassigned to an equivalent or similary position provided they are still qualified to perform the required duties To be eligible for reemployment employees must provide notice of their obligation or intent to perform military service provide evidence of honorable discharge or release and submit an application for reemployment to the Superintendent of Schools within 90 days of discharge or separation
Employees who perform service in the uniformed services may elect to continue their health plan coverage at their own cost for a period not to exceed 18 months Employees should contact the District for details on eligibility requirements and limitations
Employee relations and communications
Employee recognition and appreciation
Policy DJ
Continuous efforts are made throughout the year to recognize employees who make an extra effort to contribute to the success of the district Employees are recognized at board meetings in the district newsletter and through special events and activities Recognition and appreciation activities also include teacher and employee of the year awards luncheons and an end of the year appreciation breakfast
District communications
Throughout the school year the Public Information Office publishes newsletters brochures fliers calendars news releases and other communication materials These publications offer employees and the community information pertaining to school activities and achievements
Complaints and grievances
Policy DGBA
In an effort to hear and resolve employee complaints in a timely manner and at the lowest administrative level possible the board has adopted an orderly process that all employees must follow when bringing formal complaints and grievances Employees are encouraged to discuss problems or complaints with their supervisors or an appropriate administrator at any time
A formal grievance process provides employees with an opportunity to be heard up to the highest level of management if they are dissatisfied with an administrative response Once all administrative grievance procedures are exhausted employees can bring grievances to the board of trustees Policy DGBA provides guidance for employees and administrators
DEFINITIONS
For purposes of this policy days shall mean calendar days
The terms complaint and grievance shall have the same meaning A grievance under this policy may include but shall not be limited to any of the following
1 Grievances concerning an employee's wages hours or conditions of work
2 Specific allegations of unlawful discrimination in employment on the basis of sex (including allegations of sexual harassment) race religion national origin age or disability
3 Specific allegations of unlawful discrimination or retaliation on the basis of the employee's exercise of constitutional rights
4 Whistleblower complaints
OTHER REVIEW PROCESSES
Procedures and information regarding sexual harassment by other employees are found at DHC and information regarding federal nondiscrimination is found at DAA
An employee's dismissal or nonrenewal may be the subject of a grievance under this policy only if the District does not otherwise provide for a review of the matter
The following are governed by other review processes and are not subject to this policy
1 Grievances regarding suspension of a contractual employee without pay DF series
2 Grievances regarding termination of an employment contract governed by Chapter 21 of the Education Code DF series
3 Grievances against a District peace officer CKE
4 Grievances regarding instructional materials EFA
NOTICE TO EMPLOYEES
The principal of each campus and other supervisory personnel shall ensure that employees under their supervision are informed of this policy
FREEDOM FROM RETALIATION
Neither the Board nor the administration shall unlawfully retaliate against any employee for bringing a grievance under this policy [See DG]
`WHISTLEBLOWER' COMPLAINTS
Employees who allege adverse employment action in retaliation for reporting a violation of law to an appropriate authority shall initiate a grievance under this policy within 15 days after the date the alleged adverse employment action occurred or the employee first knew of the alleged adverse employment action The complaint shall first be filed in accordance with LEVEL TWO below Time lines for the employee and the District set out in this policy may be shortened to allow the Board to make a final decision within 60 days of the initiation of the complaint
GENERAL PROVISIONS
A grievance must specify the individual harm alleged An employee is prohibited from bringing separate or serial grievances regarding the same event or action All time limits shall be strictly complied with unless modified by mutual consent Costs of any grievance shall be paid by the party incurring them
CONSOLIDATION
When the Superintendent determines that two or more individual grievances are sufficiently similar in nature and remedy to permit their resolution through one proceeding he or she may consolidate the grievances
DECISIONS
Announcing a decision in the employee's presence constitutes communication of the decision
INITIATING GRIEVANCE
Unless otherwise specified in policy an employee shall initiate a grievance as provided at LEVEL ONE below
LEVEL ONE
An employee who has a grievance shall request a conference with the principal or immediate supervisor by submitting the grievance in writing on a form provided by the District The form must be filed within 15 days of the time the employee first knew or should have known of the event or series of events about which the employee is complaining
The principal or supervisor shall hold the conference within seven days after receipt of the written request The principal or supervisor shall have seven days following the conference within which to respond
LEVEL TWO
If the outcome of the conference at Level One is not to the employee's satisfaction or if the time for a response has expired the employee may request a conference with the Superintendent or designee to discuss the grievance The request shall be in writing on a form provided by the District and must be filed within seven days following receipt of a response or if no response is received within seven days of the response deadline
The Superintendent or designee shall hold the conference within seven days after receiving the written request The Superintendent or designee shall have seven days following the conference within which to respond
LEVEL THREE
If the outcome of the conference at Level Two is not to the employee's satisfaction or if the time for a response has expired the employee may submit to the Superintendent or designee a request to place the matter on the agenda of a future Board meeting The request shall be in writing on a form provided by the District and must be filed within seven days following receipt of a response or if no response is received within seven days of the response deadline
The Superintendent or designee shall inform the employee of the date time and place of the meeting
The Superintendent or designee shall provide the Board with copies of the employee's original grievance all responses and any written documentation previously submitted by the employee and the administration The Board is not required to consider documentation not previously submitted or issues not previously presented
The presiding officer may set reasonable time limits The Board shall hear the grievance and may request a response from the administration The District shall make an audiotape record of the Level Three proceeding before the Board
The Board shall then make and communicate its decision orally or in writing at any time up to and including the next regularly scheduled Board meeting
CLOSED MEETING
If the grievance involves the appointment employment evaluation reassignment duties discipline or dismissal of the employee bringing the grievance it may be heard by the Board in closed meeting unless the employee bringing the grievance requests that it be heard in public
EXCEPTION
However if the grievance involves a complaint or charge against another District employee or a Board member it shall be heard in closed meeting unless an open meeting is requested in writing by the employee or Board member against whom the complaint or charge is brought
Employee conduct and welfare
Standards of conduct
Policy DH
All employees are expected to work together in a cooperative spirit to serve the best interests of the district and to be courteous to students one another and the public All employees are expected to observe the following standards of conduct
29 Recognize and respect the rights and property of students and coworkers and maintain con fidentiality in all matters relating to students and coworkers
30 Report to work according to the assigned schedule
31 Notify their immediate supervisor in advance or as early as possible in the event that they must be absent or late Unauthorized absences chronic absenteeism tardiness and failure to follow procedures for reporting an absence may be cause for disciplinary action
32 Know and comply with department and district procedures and policies
33 Observe all safety rules and regulations and report injuries or unsafe conditions to a super visor immediately
34 Use district time funds and property for authorized district business and activities only
All employees as public servants must follow the Code of Ethics and Standard Practices for Texas Educators as approved by the State Board for Educator Certification which is reprinted below
CODE OF ETHICS AND STANDARD PRACTICES FOR TEXAS EDUCATORS
(Adopted March 1 2002 and Effective September 1 2002)
Statement of Purpose The Texas educator shall comply with standard practices and ethical conduct toward students professional colleagues school officials parents and members of the community and shall safeguard academic freedom The Texas educator in maintaining the dignity of the profession shall respect and obey the law demonstrate personal integrity and exemplify honesty TheTexas educator in exemplifying ethical relations with colleagues shall extend just and equitable treatment to all members of the profession The Texas educator in accepting a position of public trust shall measure success by the progress of each student toward realization of his or her potential as an effective citizen The Texas Educator in fulfilling responsbiliities in the community shall cooperative with parents and others to improve the puboic schools of the community
Enforceable Satandards
1 Professional Ethical Conduct Practices and Performance
Standard 11 The educator shall not knowingly engage in deceptive practices regarding official policies of the school district or educational institution
Standard 12 The educator shall not knowingly misappropriate divert or use monies personnel property or equipment committed to his or her charge for personal gain or advantage
Standard 13 The educator shall not submit fraudulent requests for reimbursment expenses or pay
Standard 14 The educator shall not use institutional or professional privileges for personal or partisan advantage
Standard15 The educator shall neither accept nor offer gratuitiies gifts or favors that impair professional judgement or to obtain special advantage This standard shall not restrict the acceptance of gifts or tokens offered and accepted openly from students parents or other persons or organizations in recognition or appreciation of service
Standard 16 The educator shall not falsify records or direct or coerce others to do so
Standard 17 The educator shall comply with state regulations written local school board policies and other applicable state and federal laws
Standard 18 The educator shall apply for accept offer or assign a position or a responsibility on the basis of professional qualifications
2 Ethical Conduct Toward Professional Colleagues
Standard 21 The educator shall not reveal confidential health or personnel information concerning colleagues unless disclosure serves lawful professional purposes or is required by law
Standard 22 The educator shall not harm others by knowingly making false statements about a colleague or the school system
Standard 23 The educator shall adhere to written local school board policies and state and federal laws regarding the hiring evaluation and dismissal of personnel
Standard 24 The educator shall not interfere with a colleague’s exercise of political professional or citizenship rights and responsbilities
Standard 25 The educator shall not discriminate against or coerce a colleague on the basis of race color religion national origin age sex disability or family status
Standard 26 The educator shall not use coercive means or promise of special treatment in order to influence professional decisions of colleagues
Special 27 The educator shall not retaliate against any individual who has filed a complaint with the SBEC under this chapter
3 Ethical Conduct Toward Students
Standard 31 The educator shall not reveal confidential information concerning students unless disclosure serves lawful professional purposes or is required by law
Standard 32 The educator shall not knowingly treat a student in a manner that adversely affects the student’s learning physical health mental health or safety
Standard 33 The educator shall not deliberately or knowingly misrepresent facts regarding a student
Standard 34 The educator shall not exclude a student from participation in a program deny benefits to a student or grant an advantage to a student on the basis of race color sex disability national origin religion or family status
Standard 35 The educator shall not engage in physical mistreatment of a student
Standard 36 The educator shall not solicit or engage in sexual conduct or a romantic relationship with a student
Standard 37 The educator shall not furnish alcohol or illegalunauthorized drugs to any student or knowingly allow any student to consume alcohol or illegalunauthorized drugs in the presence of the educator
Enforceable standardsCode of Ethics Enforcement
The State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC) has estabished rules for enforcement of the Code of Ethics The principles of ethical behavior contained in the revised Code of Ethics address three (3) categories of educator conduct (1) ethical conduct generally (2) ethical conduct towards professional colleagues and (3) ethical conduct toward students Each Principle is further defined by the inclusion of specific observable standards of conduct that outline behaviors which are unethical and may subject the educator to sanctions Those sanctions may result in loss of Texas teaching credentials
Complaints regarding educators may be recorded on forms available from the Deputy Superintendent of School for Administration Room 214 Administration Building
Harassment
Policies DHB FNCL
Harassment of a coworker or student motivated by race color religion national origin disability or age is a form of discrimination and is prohibited by law A substantiated charge of harassment against a student or employee shall result in disciplinary action The term harassment includes repeated unwelcome and offensive slurs jokes or other oral written graphic or physical conduct relating to an individual’s race color religion national origin disability or age that creates an intimidating hostile or offensive educational or work environment
Employees who believe they have been harassed are encouraged to promptly report such inci dents to the campus principal or supervisor If the campus principal or supervisor is the subject of a complaint the employee shall report the complaint directly to the superintendent An employee who suspects or knows that a student is being harassed by a school employee or by another stu dent shall inform his or her principal or immediate supervisor
Any allegation of harassment of students or employees shall be investigated and addressed An employee may appeal the decision of the principal or supervisor regarding the investigation into the allegations in accordance with the employee complaint and grievance policy and procedures (See Complaints and grievances page 29) To the greatest extent possible complaints shall be treated as confidential Limited disclosure may be necessary to complete a thorough investigation The district will not retaliate against an employee who in good faith reports perceived harassment
Sexual harassment
Policies DHC FNCJ FFG
Employeetoemployee Sexual harassment of a coworker is a form of discrimination and is pro hibited by law Sexual harassment is defined as unwelcome sexual advances requests for sexual favors and other verbal or physical conduct under the following conditions
35 Submission to such conduct is explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of employment
36 Submission to or rejection of such conduct is used as the basis for employment decisions
37 The conduct unreasonably interferes with an individual’s work performance or creates an intimidating hostile or otherwise offensive work environment
Employees who believe that they have been sexually harassed by another employee are encour aged to come forward with complaints The district will promptly investigate all allegations of sexual harassment and will take prompt appropriate disciplinary action against employees found to have engaged in conduct constituting sexual harassment of other employees The district’s pol icy outlining the process of filing complaints of sexual harassment is reprinted below
Mount Pleasant ISD
225902
EMPLOYEE STANDARDS OF CONDUCT
SEXUAL HARASSMENTSEXUAL ABUSE
DHC
(LOCAL)
EMPLOYEETO EMPLOYEE
Employees shall not engage in conduct constituting sexual harassment of other employees [See DHC(EXHIBIT)]
Employees who believe they have been sexually harassed by other employees are encouraged to come forward with complaints District officials or their agents shall investigate promptly all allegations of sexual harassment of employees by other employees and officials shall take prompt and appropriate disciplinary action against employees found to have engaged in conduct constituting sexual harassment of employees
COMPLAINT PROCEDURE
For the purpose of the following complaint process days mean calendar days
An employee who believes he or she has been or is being subjected to any form of sexual harassment shall bring the matter to the attention of the principal immediate supervisor or Title IX coordinator for employees No procedure or step in this policy shall have the effect of requiring the employee alleging harassment to present the matter to a person who is the subject of the complaint
LEVEL ONE
The employee shall request a conference with the principal or immediate supervisor by submitting the complaint in writing or by requesting a conference If the complaint is made orally the supervisor receiving the complaint shall reduce it to writing
The principal or supervisor shall hold the conference as soon as possible but in any event within seven days after receipt of the complaint The principal or supervisor shall ordinarily have seven days following the conference within which to investigate and respond The employee shall be informed if extenuating circumstances delay the investigation
LEVEL TWO
If the outcome of the conference at Level One is not to the employee's satisfaction the employee may request a conference with the Superintendent or designee to discuss the complaint The request should be in writing and shall be filed within seven days following receipt of a written response or if no written response is received within seven days of the response deadline
The Superintendent or designee shall hold the conference as soon as possible but in any event within seven days after receipt of the written request The Superintendent or designee shall have seven days following the conference within which to respond
LEVEL THREE
If the outcome at Level Two is not to the employee's satisfaction or if the time for a response has expired the employee may present the complaint to the Board The Superintendent shall place the matter on the agenda for the next regular Board meeting [See BE(LOCAL)]
The Superintendent or designee shall provide the Board with copies of the employee's original complaint all responses and any written documentation previously submitted by the employee and the administration
The Level Three proceeding before the Board shall be recorded by audiotape The presiding officer shall allow a reasonable time for presentation of the complaint The Board shall consider the grievance and shall request a response from the administration
CLOSED MEETING
The Board may hear the allegation of sexual harassment in closed meeting if posted in accordance with law unless an open hearing is requested in writing by the employee or Board member against whom the complaint or charge is brought
EMPLOYEETO STUDENT
Employees shall not engage in conduct constituting sexual harassment or sexual abuse of students Sexual harassment includes any welcome or unwelcome sexual advances requests for sexual favors and other verbal (oral or written) physical or visual conduct of a sexual nature [See DHC(LEGAL)] Romantic relationships between District employees and students constitute unprofessional conduct and are prohibited
REPORTING REQUIREMENTS
Any District employee who receives information about sexual harassment or sexual abuse of a student that may reasonably be characterized as known or suspected child abuse or neglect shall make the reports to appropriate authorities as required by law [See FFG(LEGAL)]
An employee who suspects or knows that a student is being sexually harassed or sexually abused by a school employee or by another student shall inform his or her principal immediate supervisor or Title IX coordinator The District shall notify parents of any incident of sexual harassment or sexual abuse by an employee
INVESTIGATIONS
Any allegations of sexual harassment or sexual abuse of students shall be investigated and addressed
In considering and investigating allegations that an employee has sexually harassed or sexually abused a student [see DHC (LEGAL)] the investigation shall proceed from the presumption that the employee's conduct was unwelcome
[See also FNCJ (LOCAL) which contains the complaint procedure for students alleging sexual harassment or sexual abuse by an employee or by another student]
DATE ISSUED 08251999
UPDATE 61
DHC(L)A
Employeetostudent Sexual harassment of students by employees is a form of discrimination and is prohibited by law Sexual harassment of students includes any welcome or unwelcome sexual advances requests for sexual favors and other oral written physical or visual conduct of a sexual nature Romantic relationships between district employees and students are strictly prohib ited Other prohibited conduct includes the following
38 Engaging in sexually oriented conversations for the purpose of personal sexual gratification
39 Telephoning students at home or elsewhere and engaging in inappropriate social relationships
40 Engaging in physical contact that would reasonably be construed as sexual in nature
41 Enticing or threatening students to get them to engage in sexual behavior in exchange for grades or other schoolrelated benefits
In most instances sexual abuse of a student by an employee violates the student’s constitutional right to bodily integrity Sexual abuse may include but is not limited to fondling sexual assault or sexual intercourse
Employees who suspect a student is being sexually harassed or abused by another employee are obligated to report their concerns to the campus principal All allegations of sexual harassment or sexual abuse of a student will be reported to the student’s parents and promptly investigated Conduct that may be characterized as known or suspected child abuse also will be reported to the appropriate authorities as required by law Employees with questions or concerns relating to the alleged sexual harassment of a student should contact the campus principal or the Office of the Superintendent of Schools
Drugabuse prevention
Policies DH DI
The Mount Pleasant ISD is committed to maintaining a drugfree environment and will not tolerate the use of illegal drugs in the workplace Employees who use or are under the influence of alcohol or illegal drugs as defined by the Texas Controlled Substances Act during working hours may be dismissed The district’s policy on drug abuse and drugfree schools follows
Mount Pleasant ISD
225902
EMPLOYEE STANDARDS OF CONDUCT
DH
(LOCAL)
Employees shall be courteous to one another and the public working together in a cooperative spirit to serve the best interests of the District All District employees shall be expected to adhere to the standards of conduct set out in the Code of Ethics and Standard Practices for Texas Educators [See DH(EXHIBIT)]
Employees wishing to express concern complaints or criticism shall do so through appropriate channels [See DGBA]
SAFETY REQUIREMENTS
All employees shall adhere to District safety rules and regulations and shall report unsafe conditions or practices to the appropriate supervisor
TOBACCO USE
Employees shall not use tobacco products on District premises in District vehicles nor in the presence of students at school or schoolrelated activities [See DH and GKA]
ALCOHOL
Employees shall not possess use or be under the influence of alcohol during working hours or at schoolrelated activities outside of usual working hours An employee need not be legally intoxicated to be considered under the influence of alcohol
DRUGS
Employees shall not unlawfully manufacture distribute dispense possess use or be under the influence of a controlled substance or illicit drug as defined in state or federal law during working hours while at school or at schoolrelated activities outside of usual working hours An employee need not be legally intoxicated to be considered under the influence of a controlled substance
NOTICE
Each employee shall be given a copy of the District's notice regarding drugfree schools [See DI(EXHIBIT)]
DRESS AND GROOMING
The dress and grooming of District employees shall be clean neat in a manner appropriate for their assignments and in accordance with any additional standards established by their supervisors and approved by the Superintendent
PASSAGE OF WORTHLESS CHECKS
Any employee who is guilty of passing checks where sufficient funds are not available in the bank at the time the check was written (any such checks after the first one and after being warned) may not be eligible for renewal
PERSONNEL AND DELINQUENT SCHOOL TAXES
Any employee who owes taxes or whose spouse owes taxes to the District that are delinquent for a period in excess of one year may not be eligible for continued employment
If the condition causing the problem is not removed before the next period of teacher election the teacher may not be eligible for renewal Noncontractual employees have one year from date of delinquency (January 31 of following year) to pay taxes
ARRESTS AND CONVICTIONS
An employee who is arrested for any felony or any offense involving moral turpitude must report the arrest to the principal or immediate supervisor within three calendar days of the arrest An employee who is convicted of or receives deferred adjudication for such an offense must also report that event to the principal or immediate supervisor within three calendar days of the event
MORAL TURPITUDE
Moral turpitude includes but is not limited to dishonesty fraud deceit theft misrepresentation deliberate violence base vile or depraved acts that are intended to arouse or gratify the sexual desire of the actor drug or alcoholrelated offenses or acts constituting abuse under the Texas Family Code
VIOLATIONS
Employees shall comply with the standards of conduct set out in this policy and with any other policies regulations and guidelines that impose duties requirements or standards attendant to their status as District employees Violation of any policies regulations and guidelines may result in disciplinary action including termination of employment [See DCD and DF series]
Dietary supplements
Policy DH
District employees are prohibited by state law from knowlingly selling marketing or distributing a dietary supplement that contains performanceenhancing coumpounds to a student whith whom the employee has contact as part of his or her school district duties In addtion employees may not knowlingly endorse or suggest the ingestion intranasal application or inhalation of a performanceenhancing dietary supplement to any student
Reporting suspected child abuse
Policy DG DH FFG GRA
All employees are required by law to report any suspected child abuse or neglect to a law enforcement agency Child Protective Services or appropriate state agency (eg state agency operating licensing certifying or registering a facility) within 48 hours of the event that led to the suspicion Reports to Child Protective Services can be made to a local office or to the Texas Abuse Hotline (8002525400) State law specifies that an employee may not delegate to or rely on another person to make the report
Under state law any person reporting or assisting in the investigation of reported child abuse or neglect is immune from liability unless the report is made in bad faith or with malicious intent In addition the district is prohibited from retaliating against an employee who in good faith reports child abuse or neglect or who participates in an investigation regarding an allegation of child abuse or neglect
The Texas Department of Protective and Regulatory Services has also developed a website designed specificially for school professionals to report abuseneglect PRS asks that the login information not be shared with the general public in order to maintain the integrity of the schol reporting website
The link to the reporting website is httpsreportabusews
Users will then be prompted for a login and password
The login id is educator
The password is report1
Once a report has been filed through the School Internet Reporting System Statewide Intake (SWI) staff will send an email response acknowledging receipt of the informaton and will provide the intake number (ie identification number) for the employee’s files
Remember that this website is not a substitute for reporting lifethrreatenngemergency situations If an employee feels that immediate attention is needed to protect a child the hotline number 8002525400 should be used
An employee’s failure to report suspected child abuse may result in prosecution for the commis sion of a Class B misdemeanor In addition a certified employee’s failure to report suspected child abuse may result in disciplinary procedures by SBEC for a violation of the Educators Code of Ethics
Employees suspecting that a student has been or may be abused or neglected should report concerns to the campus principal This includes students with disabilities who are no longer minors Employees are not required to report concerns to the principal before reporting to the appropriate agencies Employees must cooperate with child abuse and neglect investigators Reporting a concern to a principal does not relieve the employee of the requirement to report to the appropriate state agency Interference with a child abuse investigation by denying an interviewer’s request to interview a student at school or requiring the presence of a parent or school administrator against the desires of the duly authorized investigator is prohibited
Associations and political activities
Policy DGA
The district will not directly or indirectly discourage employees from participating in political affairs or require any employee to join any group club committee organization or association Employees may join or refuse to join any professional association or organization
An individual’s employment will not be affected by membership or a decision not to be a member of any employee organization that exists for the purpose of dealing with employers concerning grievances labor disputes wages rates of pay hours of employment or conditions of work
Meal charges by employees
Employees are permitted to charge a limited amount of meal costs Employees are responsible to pay charges each monthly payday Meal charges shall not exceed 1500 for any employee If an employee should be terminated or resign all meal charges shall be deducted from the last pay check Principals and supervisors will ascertain if an exiting employee has meal charges pending prior to the exit interview
Misuse of compensated time
Policy DH
All employees are assigned specific as well as general job duties and responsibilities as defined in a job description that is published by the District All employees are expected to discharge those assigned duties and comply with general responsibilities as well Employees must be engaged with assigned duties and responsibilities at all times exclusive of authorized breaks
No employee should conduct personal business while at work unless it is an emergency and the applicable supervisor informed Employees shall not sleep on the job misuse district equipment for personal use or otherwise engage in activities that are not related to the best interest of students or the MPISD Employees who misuse compensated time may be subject to disciplinary action including termination
Safety
Policy CK
The district has developed and promotes a comprehensive program to ensure the safety of its employees students and visitors The safety program includes guidelines and procedures for responding to emergencies and activities to help reduce the frequency of accidents and injuries To prevent or minimize injuries to employees coworkers and students and to protect and con serve district equipment employees must comply with the following requirements
42 Observe all safety rules
43 Keep work areas clean and orderly at all times
44 Immediately report all accidents to their supervisor
45 Operate only equipment or machines for which they have training and authorization
The district has made a commitment to maintaining a safe working environment and safety training for all employees Employees will be provided appropriate training opportunities such as
Identifying hazardeous conditiions that might cause workplace injuries
46 Handling hazardeous substances
47 Proper work methods that will reduce the liklihood of injury
48 Accident and injury reporting
The district provides written specific jobrelated safety information and rules to principals and supervisors to assist them with administration of the safety program at each campus or other school facilities Employees with questions or concerns relating to safety programs and issues can contact the Director of Business and Finance or Employee Benefits Office
Tobacco use
Policies DH GKA FNCD
Smoking or using tobacco products is prohibited on all districtowned property and at school related or schoolsanctioned activities on or off campus This includes all buildings playground areas parking facilities and facilities used for athletics and other activities Drivers of district owned vehicles are prohibited from smoking while inside the vehicle Notices stating that smok ing is prohibited by law and punishable by a fine are displayed in prominent places in all school buildings
Employee arrests and convictions
Policy DH
An employee who is arrested for any felony or any offense involving moral turpitude must report the arrest to the principal or immediate supervisor within three calendar days of the arrest An employee who is convicted of or receives deferred adjudication for such an offense must also report that event to the principal or immediate supervisor within three days of the event Moral turpitude includes but is not limited to the following
49 Dishonesty
50 Deceit
51 Theft
52 Fraud
53 Misrepresentation
54 Deliberate violence
55 Base vile or depraved acts that are intended to arouse or gratify the sexual desire of the actor
56 Drug or alcoholrelated offenses
57 Acts constituting abuse under the Texas Family Code
Possession of firearms and weapons
Policies FNCG GKA
Employees visitors and students are prohibited from bringing firearms illegal knives or other weapons onto school premises or any grounds or building where a schoolsponsored activity takes place To ensure the safety of all persons employees who observe or suspect a violation of the district’s weapons policy should report it to their supervisors or call the Superintendent’s Office immediately
Visitors in the workplace
Policy GKC
All visitors are expected to enter any district facility through the main entrance and sign in or report to the building’s main office Authorized visitors will receive directions or be escorted to their destination Employees who observe an unauthorized individual on the district premises should immediately direct him or her to the building office or contact the administrator in charge
Copyrighted materials
Policy EFE
Employees are expected to comply with the provisions of copyright law relating to the unautho rized use reproduction distribution performance or display of copyrighted materials (ie printed material videos computer data and programs etc) Rented videotapes are to be used in the classroom for educational purposes only Duplication or backups of computer programs and data must be made within the provisions of the purchase agreement
Intellectual properties
Mount Pleasant ISD
225902
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
RESEARCH AND PUBLICATION
DME
(LOCAL)
STUDENT EMPLOYEE INVOLVEMENT IN RESEARCH
Any employee taking a college course that entails testing of or otherwise involves District students andor employees shall first obtain the permission of the principal and the appropriate associate superintendent If permission is granted the employee shall then obtain the written consent of the parents of students to be involved [See EF]
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS
The Board is aware that professional publication of material by staff members serves to enhance the reputation of the District The Board shall encourage professional development for staff personnel and the sharing of new developments with other districts Instructional materials publications programs computer programs and devices prepared by employees as part of their job assignment shall be the property of the District unless prepared by such employees on their own time without use of District facilities or equipment
The Superintendent or designee shall review materials prepared by staff members prior to application for copyright or patent and before subsequent publication or distribution of the materials On recommendation of the Superintendent the Board may waive all or part of the Board's proprietary rights in favor of the employees preparing such materials
The Board shall authorize the Superintendent to sell instructional materials that have been prepared by the District to other districts organizations or commercial firms desiring to purchase copies or obtain reproduction rights
All staff members shall comply with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act 20 USC 1232g as it concerns the release of any personally identifiable data including pictures and illustrations
DATE ISSUED 03112002
Computer use and data management
Policy CQ
The district’s electronic communications systems including its network access to the Internet is primarily for administrative and instructional purposes Limited personal use of the system is permitted if the use
58 Imposes no tangible cost to the district
59 Does not unduly burden the district’s computer or network resources
60 Has no adverse effect on job performance or on a student’s academic performance
Electronic mail transmissions and other use of the electronic communications systems are not confidential and can be monitored at any time to ensure appropriate use
Employees and students who are authorized to use the systems are required to abide by the provi sions of the district’s communications systems policy and administrative procedures Failure to do so can result in suspension or termination of privileges and may lead to disciplinary action Employees with questions about computer use and data management can contact the Deputy Superintendent for Instruction and Instructional Technology
As it has not been opened to the public by policy or practice a school mail system including the District’s electronic network is not a public forum The District holds ownership to its network and is able to direct its use Employees students and parent volunteers are prohibited from sending universal electronic mail to all other employees Universal messages are those messages that are sent to all computers that are on the Districtwide electronic network If it is deemed necessary to send such messages that are not directly related to a defined school purpose permission to send a message to all computers of the District must be first obtained from the Superintendent’s Office or desiginee
Seasonal decorations
Employees shall not use lighted candles or tapers in any offices classrooms or other spaces in any District property All seasonal decorations shall not be of flammable materials No live seasonal evergreen trees are permitted as they do consititute a serious fire hazard Spotlights may be used to highlight wreaths trees and other celebratory seasonal items Candles may be used in initiation rites
Gifts and favors
Policy DBD
Employees may not accept gifts or favors that could influence or be construed to influence the employee’s discharge of assigned duties The acceptance of a gift favor or service by an admin istrator or teacher that might reasonably tend to influence the selection of textbooks may result in prosecution of a class B misdemeanor offense This does not include staff development teacher training or instructional materials such as maps or worksheets that convey information to stu dents or contribute to the learning process
Asbestos management plan
Policy CKA
The district is committed to providing a safe environment for employees An accredited manage ment planner has developed an asbestos management plan for each piece of district property A copy of the district’s management plan is kept in the District’s Central Office and is available for inspection during normal business hours
Pest control treatment
Policies DI CLB
Notices of planned pest control treatment will be posted in a district building 48 hours before the treatment begins Notices are generally located in a building’s foyer or near the building’s office area Pest control information sheets are available from campus principals or facility managers upon request
Staff shall not bring any pest control chemicals to school or offices to control ants or any other pests Principals and supervisors should be notified when classrooms or office spaces need treatment and the District’s contracted pest control agent or its certified IPM coordinator will provide that service Use of unauthorized pest control chemicals in a classroom or office space violates state and federal laws
If required employees shall notify their principal or supervisor of the need for such services and not apply such chemical agents
Use of district vehicles
Employees whose duties permit them to drive a districtowned vehicle are charged with operating that vehicle for Mount Pleasant ISD business only Many employees have emergency callout responsbilities and drive their assigned vehicle to their residence Schoolowned vehicles checked out to staff must not be driven for personal use during nonworking hours
Commercial drivers license
Employees who are not employed as bus drivers but whose duties require them to drive District’s buses used to transport teams clubs UIL activities etc are required to hold a current Commercial Drivers License (CDL) a Texas School Bus Drivers Training Certificate and a DOT Drivers Physical According to District Policy Department of Public Safety rules and requirements of the District’s automobile insuror such employees are required to maintain a CDL This provision does not apply to the minivans owned and operated by the District
Key Control
Keys to facilities locks and equipment are issued to employees on an asneeded basis by supervisors and principals Keys are the property of MPISD and shall not be copied by key holders nor will holders allow copies to be made of assigned keys Employees shall not lend or provide keys to students and persons not employees of the district If an employee requires additional keys the employee supervisor shall issue the keys When an employee leaves the employ of the district all keys shall be returned to the issuing supervisor or their delegate Final paychecks will be held until all Districtprovided keys are returned
Parking at District Administrative Office (CSS)
Occasionally employees meet at the District Administrative Office at 105 Riddle Street and park vehicles overnight in order to carpool to meetings and conferences In such cases those automobiles should be parked in the lots located east and west of the District Offices and the Receptionist notified as to the owner of vehicles left in the lot overnight Autos are not to be left overnight in the lot immediately in front of the CSS Building
Housekeeping
Employees are responsible to maintain a clean healthy and orderly workplace Classrooms shops district vehicles etc are in view of the public and students so employees should be conscious of the need to maintain good housekeeping Food items should not be stored in classrooms and offices An orderly workplace sets a good example for students provides a safer workplace and demonstrates the District’s awareness of the need to preserve public property
Personal phone calls and cellular telephones
Employees should refrain from making and receiving personal telephone calls during the work day If an employee carrys a cellular telephone while at work no personal calls should be made or received while at a duty station especially when students are present
Animals in District buildings
Other than labatory animals used in Science Agriculture or similar classes no employee or student should bring any animal into school buildings Many students and employees are allergic to animal hair and dander If it is necessary for an animal to be present in a District building the building supervisor must be contacted prior to bringing the animal into the building Supervisors must give approval prior to the animal coming into the building Animals allowed in buildings must have appropriate vacinations Service animals of employees students law enforcement agencies and handicapped visitors are welcome
Rumor control
Spreading rumors in the workplace is inappropriate as rumors may diminish employee morale or can be the basis of misinformation School employees handle a great deal of information about students parents and fellow workers As public employees school workers should understand that they hold a public trust by knowing sensitive information and that they must not spread this information in the form of rumors
General procedures
Bad weather closing
Policy CKC
The district may close schools because of bad weather or emergency conditions When such con ditions exist the superintendent will make the official decision concerning the closing of the dis trict’s facilities When it becomes necessary to open late or to release students early the following radio and television stations will be notified by school officials
KALK 9770
KIMPKPXI 10070
TV Channel 54
Emergencies
Policy CKC
All employees should be familiar with the evacuation diagrams posted in their work areas Fire tornado and other emergency drills will be conducted to familiarize employees and students with evacuation procedures Fire extinguishers are located throughout all district buildings Employees should know the location of the extinguishers nearest their place of work and how to use them
Purchasing procedures
Policy CH
All requests for purchases must be submitted to the department head on an official district purchase order (PO) form with the appropriate approval signatures No purchases charges or commitments to buy goods or services for the district can be made without a PO number The district will not reimburse employees or assume responsibility for purchases made without authorization Employees are not permitted to purchase supplies or equipment for personal use through the district’s business office Contact your campus principal or the Central Purchasing Department for additional information on purchasing procedures
All receipts and invoices MUST be signed and returned promptly to the Central Support Service (Accounting Department) Failure to follow procedures will result in delay of purchases or payments
Name and address changes
It is important that employment records be kept up to date Employees must notify the campus or departmental secretary and the District’s Personnel Office office if there are any changes or corrections to their name home address home telephone number marital status emergency contact or beneficiary Forms to process a change in personal information can be obtained from the campus or departmental office or Personnel Office
Personnel records
Policy GBA
Most district records including personnel records are public information and must be released upon request Employees may choose to have the following personal information withheld
61 Address
62 Phone number
63 Social Security number
64 Information that reveals whether they have family members
The choice to not allow public access to this information may be done at anytime by submitting a written request to the MPISD Personnel Office New or terminating employees have 14 days after hire or termination to submit a request Otherwise personal information will be released to the public
Building use
Policy GKD
The campus principal is responsible for scheduling the use of facilities after school hours Contact the Secretary to the Superintendent of Schools to request to use school facilities and to obtain information on the fees charged
Termination of employment
Resignations
Policy DFE
Contract employees Contract employees may resign their position without penalty at the end of any school year if written notice is received 45 days before the first day of instruction of the fol lowing school year A written notice of resignation should be submitted to the Human Resources Office and the campus principal Contract employees may resign at any other time only with the approval of the board of trustees Resignation without the consent of the board may result in disciplinary action by the State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC)
The superintendent will notify SBEC when an employee resigns and reasonable evidence exists to indicate that the employee has engaged in any of the acts listed in Reports to the State Board for Educator Certification on page 33
Noncontract employees Noncontract employees may resign their positions at any time A writ ten notice of resignation should be submitted to the immediate supervisor at least two weeks prior to the effective termination date Employees are encouraged to include the reasons for leaving in the letter of resig nation but are not required to do so
Dismissal or nonrenewal of contract employees
Policies DFAA DFAB DFBA DFBB DFCA DFD DFF
Employees on probationary term and continuing contracts can be dismissed during the school year or nonrenewed at the end of the year according to the procedures outlined in district policies Contract employees dismissed during the school year suspended without pay or subject to a reduction in force are entitled to receive notice of the recommended action an explanation of the charges against them and an opportunity for a hearing The time lines and procedures to be followed when a suspension termination or nonrenewal occurs will be provided when a written notice is given to an employee Information on the time lines and procedures can be found in the DF policies that are provided to employees or in the policy manuals located in each principal’s office Superintendent’s Office or on the MPISD website wwwmpisdnet
Dismissal of noncontract employees
Policy DCD
Noncontract employees are employed at will and may be dismissed without notice a description of the reasons for dismissal or a hearing It is unlawful for the district to dismiss any employee for reasons of race religion sex national origin disability military status any other basis pro tected by law or in retaliation for the exercise of certain protected legal rights Noncontract employees who are dismissed have the right to grieve the termination The dismissed employee must follow the district process outlined in this handbook when pursuing the grievance (See Complaints and grievances page 29)
Exit interviews and procedures
Policy DC
Exit interviews shall be scheduled for all employees leaving the district Information on the contin uation of benefits release of information and procedures for requesting references will be pro vided at this time Separating employees are asked to provide the district with a forwarding address and phone number and complete a questionnaire that provides the district with feedback on his or her employment experience
All district keys books property copy of the Employee Handbook and equipment must be returned upon separation from employ ment All fees and bills owed to the District by the employee must be paid The employee must be cleared by the campus administrator and checkout form must be signed by the administrator The process will continue with the employee clearing through the Employee Benefits Payroll and Human Resources Departments The employee’s final paycheck will be held or automatic deposit stopped until the Exit Interview process is completed The district may withhold the cost of any unreturned items from the final paycheck
Reports to the State Board for Educator Certification
Policy DF
The dismissal or resignation of a certified employee will be reported to the SBEC if there is reasonable evidence that the employee’s conduct involves the following
65 Any form of sexual or physical abuse of a minor or any other illegal conduct with a student or minor without regard to age
66 The possession transfer sale or distribution of a controlled substance
67 The illegal transfer appropriation or expenditure of school property or funds
68 An attempt by fraudulent or unauthorized means to obtain or alter any certificate or permit that would entitle the individual to a professional position or to receive additional compen sation associated with a position
69 Committing a crime on school property or at a schoolsponsored event
Reports concerning courtordered withholding
The district is required to report the termination of employees that are under court order or writ of withholding for child support or spousal maintenance to the court and the individual receiving the support (Texas Family Code §8210 158211) Notice of the following must be sent to the court and support recipient
70 Termination of employment not later than the seventh day after the date of termination
71 Employee’s last known address
72 Name and address of the employee’s new employer if known
Student issues
Equal educational opportunities
Policy FB
The MPISD does not discriminate on the basis of race color religion national origin sex or disability in providing education services activities and programs including voca tional programs in accordance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 as amended Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972 and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended
Questions or concerns about discrimination of students on any of the bases listed above should be directed to the Deputy Superintendent Administration
Student records
Policy FL
Student records are confidential and are protected from unauthorized inspection or use Employ ees should take precautions to maintain the confidentiality of all student records
The following people are the only people who have general access to a student’s records
73 Parents of a minor or of a student who is a dependent for tax purposes
74 The student (if 18 or older or attending an institution of postsecondary education)
75 School officials with legitimate educational interests
Student handbooks provide parents and students with detailed information on student records Parents or students who want to review student records should be directed to the campus principal for assistance
Parent and student complaints
Policy FNG
In an effort to hear and resolve parent and student complaints in a timely manner and at the lowest administrative level possible the board has adopted orderly processes for handing complaints on different issues Any campus office or the superintendent’s office can provide parents and stu dents with information on filing a complaint
Parents are encouraged to discuss problems or complaints with the teachers or the appropriate administrator at any time Parents and students with complaints that cannot be resolved should be directed to the campus principal The formal complaint process provides parents and students with an opportunity to be heard up to the highest level of management if they are dissatisfied with a principal’s response Once all administrative complaint procedures are exhausted parents and students can bring complaints to the board of trustees
Administering medication to students
Policy FFAC
Only designated employees can administer medication to students A student who must take pre scription medication during the school day must bring a written request from his or her parent and the medicine in its original properly labeled container Contact the principal or school nurse for information on procedures that must be followed when administering medication to students
Student discipline
Policies in the FN series and FO series
Students are expected to follow the classroom rules campus rules and rules listed in the Student Code of Conduct and Student Handbook Teachers and administrators are responsible for taking disciplinary action based on a range of discipline management procedures that have been adopted by the district Other employees that have concerns about a particular student’s conduct should contact the classroom teacher or campus principal
Teachers must file a written report with the principal or another appropriate administrator when they have knowledge that a student has violated the Student Code of Conduct A copy of this report will be sent by the principal or administrator to the student’s parents within 24 hours
Student attendance
Policy FDD
Teachers and staff should be familiar with the district’s policies and procedures for attendance accounting These procedures require students to have parental consent before they are allowed to leave campus When absent from school the student upon returning to school must bring a note signed by the parent that describes the reason for the absence These requirements are addressed in campus training and in the student handbook Contact the campus principal for additional infor mation
Hazing
Policy FNCC FO
Students must have prior approval from the principal or designee for any type of initiation rites of a school club or organization Any teacher administrator or employee who observes a student engaged in some form of hazing who has reason to know or suspect that a student intends to engage in hazing or has engaged in hazing must report that fact to the designated campus discipline person
School Safety
Important Notice Never underestimate the seemingly idle threats of students parents or other individuals We need to encourage students to report any and all threats of violence to the appropriate school personnel It is everyone’s responsibility to help ensure the safety of our students and one another
RESOURCES
· 20022003 School Calendar
· Helpful Contacts
Helpful contacts
From time to time employees have questions or concerns If those questions or concerns cannot be answered by supervisors or at the campus or department level the employee is encouraged to contact
the appropriate department All phone numbers have a 903 prefix
Accounts Payable – Joyce Thomas
105 North Riddle 5752000x1016
Athletics – Marc McDaniel
2110 North Edwards 5752034
AtRiskCompensatory – Pam Fite
105 North Riddle 5752000X1025
Bilingual Education – Ana Decious
105 North Riddle 5752000X1040
Budget – Stacie Thompson
105 North Riddle 5752000X1039
Career and Technical Education – Lauren English
2110 North Edwards 5752081
Curriculum – Carol Anderson
105 North Riddle 5752000X1024
Deaf Education – Margo McCarley
405 North Miller 5752079
Disciplinary Alternative Education Program (DAEP)
Hayes Lesher
2110 North Edwards 5752095
Drug Free Schools – James DuBus
105 North Riddle 5752000X1038
Dyslexia504 – Cindy Tomerlin
105 North Riddle 5752000X1036
Early Head Start – Shelly Derrick
201 Gibson 5777645x8607
Even Start – Debbie Malone
201 Gibson 5752130x8522
Federal Programs – Pam Fite
105 North Riddle 5752000X1025
Fixed Assets – Judy Parchman
105 North Riddle 5752000X1015
Food Services – Sharon Cutler
2110 North Edwards 5752096X19
Gifted and Talented – Beth Anne Dunavant
105 North Riddle 5752096X1019
Health Services – James DuBus
105 North Riddle 5752000X1038
Instructional Technology – Margaret Escalera
105 North Riddle 5752000X1018
Human Resources – Suzie Hall 5752000x1035
105 North Riddle
InsuranceHealth Benefits – Kim Newman
105 North Riddle 5752000X1023
KIDNETHomeless Education – Sarah Poskey
2110 North Edwards 5752096
Library Services – Jerri Fortner
2110 North Edwards 5752096
Literacy Cindy Tomerlin
105 North Riddle 5752000X1036
MaintenanceFacilities – Mike Worrell
2110 North Edwards 5752088
Migrant Education – Ana Decious
105 North Riddle 5752000X1040
Payroll – Jeannie Mars
105 North Riddle 5752000X1021
PEIMS – Linda Goolsby
105 North Riddle 5752000X1044
Public Information – Judi Saxton PhD
2110 North Edwards 5752096
Purchasing – Laura Morgan
105 North Edwards 5752000X1026
Security – Hayes Lesher
2110 North Edwards 5752081
Special Education – Margo McCarley
405 North Miller 5752079x6517
Staff Development – Pam Fite
105 North Riddle 5752000X1025
Student Assessment – Beth Ann Dunnavant
105 North Riddle 5752000X1019
Technology Curriculum – Melddie Wahler 5752000x1043
150 North Riddle
Transportation – Ois Kennington
2110 North Edwards 5752090
21st Century Learning Centers – Kim Stovall
2110 North Edwards 5752096
Visually Impaired Education – Tom Boyles
405 North Miller 5752079
Warehouse – Ralph Cutler
101 North Riddle 5752000x01008
文档香网(httpswwwxiangdangnet)户传
《香当网》用户分享的内容，不代表《香当网》观点或立场，请自行判断内容的真实性和可靠性！
该内容是文档的文本内容，更好的格式请下载文档
EMPLOYEE
HANDBOOK
20032004
Table of Contents
Introduction…………………………………………………………………………………………………5
Employee handbook receipt
District information………………………………………………………………………………………8
Description of the district
Mission statement
District goals and objectives
Board of trustees
Administration
School directory
Employment………………………………………………………………………………………………12
Equal employment opportunity
Job vacancy announcements
Employment after retirement
Contract and noncontract employment
Searches and alcohol and drug testing
First aid and CPR certification
Reassignments and transfers
Workload and work schedules
Notification of parents regarding certification status
Performance evaluation
Employee involvement
Staff development
Compensation and benefits………………………………………………17
Salaries wages and stipends
Paychecks
Automatic payroll deposit
Payroll deductions
Overtime compensation
Travel expense reimbursement
Health dental and life insurance
Supplemental insurance benefits
Cafeteria plan benefits (Section 125)
Unemployment compensation insurance
Teacher retirement
Taxshelted annunity
Other benefit programs
Leaves and absences…………………………………………………………………………………22
Personal leave
Sick leave
Use and recording of sick leave
Local leave
Sick Leave Pool
Temporary disability
Absence From Duty forms
Family and medical leave
Workers’ compensation benefits
Assault leave
Bereavement leave
Jury duty
Other court appearances
Military leave
Employee relations and communications…………………………………………………………28
Employee recognition and appreciation
District communications
Complaints and grievances……………………………………………………………………………29
Employee conduct and welfare………………………………………………………………………31
Standards of conduct
Code of Ethics and Standard Practices for Texas Educators and enforceable standards
Harassment
Sexual harassment
Drugabuse prevention
Dietary supplements
Reporting suspected child abuse
Associations and political activities
Safety
Meal charges by employees
Misuse of compensated time
Tobacco use
Employee arrests and convictions
Possession of firearms and weapons
Visitors in the workplace
Copyrighted materials
Intellectual properties
Computer use and data management
Seasonal decorations
Gifts and favors
Asbestos management plan
Pest control treatment
Use of district vehicle
Commercial Drivers Licensepart time drivers
Key Control
Parking at District Administrative Offices (CSS)
Housekeeping
Personal phone calls and cellular telephones
Animals in district buildings
Rumor control
General procedures……………………………………………………………………………………46
Bad weather closing
Emergencies
Purchasing procedures
Name and address changes
Personnel records
Building use
Termination of employment……………………………………………………………………………48
Resignations
Dismissal or nonrenewal of contract employees
Dismissal of noncontract employees
Exit interviews and procedures
Reports to the State Board for Educator Certification
Reports concerning courtordered withholding
Student issues…………………………………………………………………………………………50
Equal educational opportunities
Student records
Parent and student complaints
Administering medication to students
Student discipline
Student attendance
Hazing
School Safety
Resources…………………………………………………………………………………………………52
School Calendar
Helpful Contacts
Introduction
The purpose of this Employee Handbook is to provide information to employees that will help with questions and pave the way for a successful year Not all district policies and procedures are included Those that are have been summarized Suggestions for additions and improvements to this handbook are wel come and may be sent to the Deputy Superintendent for Administration
This handbook is neither a contract nor a substitute for the official district policy manual Nor is it intended to alter the atwill status of noncontract employees in any way Rather it is a guide to and a brief explanation of district policies District policies and procedures can change at any time these changes shall supersede any handbook provisions that are not compatible with the change For more information employees may refer to the policy codes that are associated with handbook topics confer with their supervisor or call the appropriate district office Policy manu als are located in the Principal’s Office at each campus or the District’s Administrative Offices and are available for employee review during normal working hours
The Mount Pleasant Independent School District’s website has a complete copy of school board policies The District’s website is wwwmpisdnet
NOTE Employees whose English reading skills are limited may call 9035752000 and speak with a Spanish speaking employee who may assist with an interpretation of provisions of this Employee Handbook
NOTA Los empleados cuyo conocimiento del inglés es limitado pueden llamar al 9035752000 y hablar con un empleado que hable español el cual les traducirá las estipulaciones del Folleto de Empleados
Mount Pleasant Independent School District
Employee Handbook Receipt
Name
Campusdepartment
I hereby acknowledge receipt of my personal copy of the Mount Pleasant ISD Employee Hand book I agree to read the handbook and abide by the standards policies and procedures defined or referenced in this document
The information in this handbook is subject to change I understand that changes in district poli cies may supersede modify or eliminate the information summarized in this booklet As the dis trict provides updated policy information I accept responsibility for reading and abiding by the changes
I understand that no modifications to contractual relationships or alterations of atwill relation ships are intended by this handbook
I understand that I have an obligation to inform my supervisor or departmenthead of any changes in personal information such as phone number address etc I also accept responsibility for con tacting my supervisor or the District’s Personnel Office 9035752000 if I have questions or concerns or need further explanation
________________________________ _________________________
Signature Date
Note You have been given two copies of this form Please sign and date one and keep it Sign and date the other copy and forward it to your supervisor
Mount Pleasant Independent School District
Employee Handbook Receipt
Name
Campusdepartment
I hereby acknowledge receipt of my personal copy of the Mount Pleasant ISD Employee Hand book I agree to read the handbook and abide by the standards policies and procedures defined or referenced in this document
The information in this handbook is subject to change I understand that changes in district poli cies may supersede modify or eliminate the information summarized in this booklet As the dis trict provides updated policy information I accept responsibility for reading and abiding by the changes
I understand that no modifications to contractual relationships or alterations of atwill relation ships are intended by this handbook
I understand that I have an obligation to inform my supervisor or departmenthead of any changes in personal information such as phone number address etc I also accept responsibility for con tacting my supervisor or the District’s Personnel Office 9035752000 if I have questions or concerns or need further explanation
________________________________ _________________________
Signature Date
Note You have been given two copies of this form Please sign and date one and keep it Sign and date the other copy and forward it to your supervisor District information
Description of the district
The Mount Pleasant Independent School District is located near the center of Titus County 116 miles east of Dallas on Interstate 30 Titus County encompasses 230 square miles with a population of over 25000 Mount Pleasant is the county seat and has a population of approximately 14000
The Board of Trustees and its administration are constantly seeking to improve an alreadyexcellent school system In 2000 the Mount Pleasant community overwhelmingly endorsed a significant capital improvement plan that has resulted in 3 new elementary schools additions to the Junior High a new Cafeteria Building at Mount Pleasant High School new gynasiums new football field track tennis courts and renovations to the High School
Instruction focuses on a comprehensive college preparatory and Career and Technology studies The district is currently investing heavily in computer and multi media educational technology in a effort to meet the academic and occupational training demands of a highly competititve workplace The curriculum of the Mount Pleasant ISD is continuously evaluated and updated in a effort to meet the needs of all students and the demands of the community regional and national businesses and industries The district encourages and welcomes involvement from parents civic organizations industry and local citizens to provide the best educational opportunities possible for its students
Mission statement
Policy AE
Mt Pleasant Independent School District will have high expectations for all students The district will make every effort to attract and retain the most qualified teachers available who will enhance the positive image of our schools in the community The caring atmosphere provided by these teachers will help promote the positive selfimage for the students in the district MPISD will encourage positive staff morale by providing clean and attractive campuses
MPISD will emphasize a teachinglearning process that will enable students to see real life connections Students will become responsible productive citizens by learning to act in a socially acceptable manner through problemsolving creative thinking and wise decisionmaking Authentic career investigation coupled with current vocational programs will meet the needs of each student Enriched programming will be designed to prepare students for success in their personal future in the TwentyFirst Century
Technology will enhance every program throughout the district Stateoftheart software and hardware will be available to every student on a daily basis Students will learn how to access information from a variety of hightech sources by becoming proficient users of computers and peripherals
MPISD will address the important issues of time and communication The optimum use of instructional time will lead to enhanced programs for all students Communication between schools administration school board community families and students will be open and honest and constantly improving Staff parents and community will be given an opportunity to be involved in decisionmaking as we work together through the Accelerated Schools process These combined efforts will continue to make MPISD the best school district in the state of Texas
District goals and objectives
Policies ABAF
The mission of the Texas public system is to ensure that all Texas children have access to a quality education that enables them to achieve their full potential and fully participate now and in the future in the social economic and educational opportunities in our state and nation That mission is grounded on the conviction that a general diffusion of knowledge is essential for the welfare of Texas and for the preservation of the liberties and rights of Texas citizens It is further grounded in the conviction that a successful public education system is directly related to a strong dedicated supportive family and that parental involvement in the school is essential for the maximum educational achievement of a child The objectives of public education are
1) Parents will be full partners with educators in the education of their children
2) Students will be encouraged and challenged to meet their full educational potential
3) Through enhanced dropout prevention efforts all students will remain in school until they obtain a diploma
4) A wellbalanced and appropriate curriculum will be provided to all students
5) Qualified and highly effective personnel will be recruited developed and retained
6) Texas students will demonstrate exemplary performance in comparison to national and international standards
7) School campuses will maintain a safe and disciplined environment conducive to student learning
8) Educators will keep abreast of the development of creative and innovative techniques in instruction and administration using those techniques as appropriate to improve student learning
9) Technology will be implemented and used to increase the effectiveness of student learning instructional management staff development and administration
Board of trustees
Policies BA BAA BBA BBB BBE BE BEC BED
Texas law grants the board of trustees the power to govern and oversee the management of the district’s schools The board is the policymaking body within the district and has overall respon sibility for the curriculum school taxes annual budget employment of the superintendent and other professional staff facilities and expansions The board has complete and final control over school matters within limits established by state and federal law and regulations
The board of trustees is elected by the citizens of the district to represent the community’s com mitment to a strong educational program for the district’s children Trustees are elected atlarge and serve threeyear terms Trustees serve without compensation must be registered voters and must reside in the district
MPISD Board members
Dr Mary Hearron President
Mike Reynolds Vice President
Ezeal McGill Secretary
Loyce Henry Assistant Secretary
Royce Carr Sergeant at Arms
Billy Wayne Flanagan Member
Clint Rivers Member
Trustees usually meet monthly on the fourth Monday of each month at 530 pmin the Board Room of the district located in the Administration Building at 105 Riddle Street Special meetings may be called when nec essary A written notice of regular and special meetings will be posted at the Administration Building at least 72 hours before the scheduled meeting time The written notice will show the date time place and subjects of each meeting In emergencies a meeting may be held with a twohour notice
All meetings are open to the public Under the following circumstances Texas law permits the board to go into a closed session Closed session may occur for such things as discussing prospec tive gifts or donations real property acquisition personnel issues including conferences with employees and employee complaints security matters student discipline or to consult with attor neys regarding pending litigation
Agenda
A regular school board meeting usually follows this agenda
Open Forum
Education
Business
BidsPrice Quotes
Executive Session
Facility Reports
Personnel
Future Business
Administration
Superintendent of Schools Dr Kenneth English
Deputy Superintendent of Administraton James W DuBus
Deputy Superintendent of InstructionTechnology Pam Fite
Director of BusinessFinance Stacie Thompson
Principals
Mount Pleasant High School Susy Wynn
Mount Pleasant Junior High School Lee Clay
Wallace Middle School Rodney Huffman
Francis Corprew Intermediate LaWanda McCowan
Annie Sims Elementary Bruce Gearing
Vivian Fowler Elementary Gwen Roberts
EC Brice Elementary Regina Conroy
HeadstartEarly Childhood Deborah Cody
MPISD Literacy Center Debbie Malone
School Directory
Mount Pleasant High School (912) 2110 North Edwards 9035752020
Principal Susy Wynn
Assistant Principals Donald Patton Jason Marshall
Terry Giddens David Tyson
Counselors Mary Gail Karkoska Tracy Johnson
Danny Welch Kelly Cowan
Mount Pleasant Junior High School (78) 2801 Old Paris Road 9035752110
Principal Lee Clay
Assistant Principals Ronnie Holloway Estelle Deloney
Counselors Carmen Shavers Cherri Straus
Wallace Middle School (56) 504 Dunn Street 9035752040
Principal Rodney Huffman
Assistant Principal John Wilhite
Counselor Vicki Sinclair
Francis Corprew Intermediate School (34) 909 School Street 9035752050
Principal LaWanda McCowan
Assistant Principal Garry Dodd
Counselor Ann Allen
Vivian Fowler Elementary School (K2) 502 North O’Tyson 9035752070
Principal Gwen Roberts
Counselor Debra Williamson
EC Brice Elementary School (K2) 311 Cedar 9035752057
Principal Regina Conroy
Counselor
Annie Sims Elementary (K2) 1801 East First Street 9035752062
Principal Bruce Gearing
Counselor Pam McCain
Titus County Head Start (EC and Pre K) 1602 West Ferguson 9035752092
DirectorPrincipal Deborah Cody
Titus County Early Head Start 201 Gibson 9035777645
Director Shelley Derrick
MPISD Community Learning Center 201 Gibson 9035752130
Director Debbie Malone
Employment
Equal employment opportunity
Policy DAA
The Mount Pleasant ISD does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employ ment because of race color religion sex national origin age disability military status or on any other basis prohibited by law Employment decisions will be made on the basis of each appli cant’s job qualifications experience and abilities
Employees with questions or concerns about discrimination on the basis of race color religion sex national origin age or military status should contact the Superintendent’s Office Employees with questions or concerns about discrimination on the bases of a disability should contact the Superintendent’s Office
Job vacancy announcements
Policy DC
To the extent possible announcements of job vacancies by position and location are distributed on a regular basis and posted at the central administration building
Employment after retirement
Individuals receiving retirement benefits from the Teacher Retirement System (TRS) may be employed in certain positions or on a parttime basis without affecting their benefits according to TRS rules and state law Service retirees who retire before May 31 may return to work in a Texas public school without a reduction in benefits one full calendar month after the retirement date pro vided they meet certain strict conditions Retirees may work in the following capacities without a loss of retirement benefits
1 As a principal or assistant principal on a fulltime basis if certified as a principal and fol lowing a 12month break in service Retirees that retired under early age or disability pro visions are excluded
2 As a fulltime bus driver (early age and disability retirees excluded)
3 As a substitute at no more than the established daily substitute pay rate (Individuals receiv ing disability retirement benefits may not work for more than 90 days in a school year)
4 On a halftime or less basis during any month provided they are not also employed as a substitute in that month Halftime employment cannot exceed the lesser of 50 percent of the position’s fulltime load or 92 hours in a month
5 On a fulltime basis during a sixmonth period during a school year provided that this is their only employment in a Texas public school Individuals who retire in August may begin employment in October of the school year following their retirement
Under this last provision retirees must submit annual written notice to TRS by the last day of the first month of full employment to avoid a disruption of benefits Working any part of a month counts as a full month Other restrictions apply when a person has retired because of a disability Individuals retiring because of a disability should contact TRS for details about employment restrictions
Shortage areas Certain retirees may return to work on a fulltime basis as a principal or assistant principal or teacher in an acute shortage area without a reduction in their annuities Acute teach ing shortage areas are determined by the Board of Trustees based on Commissioner of Education guidelines When filling acute shortage area positions the district must give hiring preference to certified applicants who are not retirees To be eligible for full TRS benefits a retiree must meet the fol lowing criteria
6 Have not been subject to a reduction in benefits for retirement at an early age or retired under disability provisions
7 Have a 12month continuous break in public school service since retirement
8 Be appropriately certified for the position in the applicable school year
Employees can contact the MPISD Human Resources Office for additional information or contact TRS by calling 8002238778 or 5123976400 TRS information is also available on the Web (wwwtrsstatetxus)
Contract and noncontract employment
Policies DC DCA DCB DCC DCD DCE
State law requires the district to employ all fulltime professional employees in positions requir ing a certificate from State Board of Educator Certification (SBEC) and nurses under probationary term or continuing contracts Employees in all other positions are employed atwill or by a contract that is not subject to the procedures for nonrenewal or termination under Chapter 21 of the Texas Education Code The paragraphs that follow provide a general description of the employment arrangements used by the district
Probationary contracts Nurses and fulltime professional employees new to the district and employed in positions requiring SBEC certification must receive probationary contracts during their first year of employment if they have not been previously employed by the district Former employees who are hired after at least a two year lapse in district employment also may be employed by probationary contract The pro bationary period for those who have been employed in public schools for at least five of the eight years preceding employment with the district may not exceed one school year For those with less experience the probationary period will be three school years with an optional fourth school year if the board determines it is doubtful whether a term or continuing contract should be given
Term and continuing contracts Fulltime professionals employed in positions requiring certifi cation and nurses will be employed by term or continuing contracts after they have successfully completed the probationary period Mount Pleasant ISD has no teachers employed through continuing contract Cam pus principals and central office administrators are employed under two year term con tracts Terms and conditions of employment are detailed in the contract and employment policies All employees will receive a copy of their contract and employment policies
Paraprofessional and auxiliary employees All paraprofessional and auxiliary employees regardless of certification are employed at will and not by contract Employment is not for any specified term and may be terminated at any time by either the employee or the district
Payroll Information Before a paycheck can be issued to a new employee all required forms must be completed and on file with the Payroll Department andor the Personnel Department
Searches and alcohol and drug testing
Policy DHE
Noninvestigatory searches in the workplace including accessing an employee’s desk file cabinets or work area to obtain information needed for usual business purposes may occur when an employee is unavailable Therefore employees are hereby notified that they have no legitimate expectation of privacy in those places In addition the district reserves the right to conduct searches when there is reasonable cause to believe a search will uncover evidence of workrelated misconduct Such an investigatory search may include drug and alcohol testing if the suspected violation relates to drug or alcohol use The district may search the employee the employee’s personal items work areas lockers and private vehicles parked on district premises or worksites or used in district business
Employees required to have a commercial driver’s license Any employee who is required to have a commercial driver’s license (CDL) is subject to drug and alcohol testing This includes all drivers who operate a motor vehicle designed to transport 16 or more people counting the driver drivers of large vehicles or drivers of vehicles used in the transportation of hazardous materials Teachers coaches or other employees who primarily perform duties other than driving are sub ject to testing requirements when their duties include driving
Drug testing will be conducted before an individual assumes driving responsibilities Alcohol and drug tests will be conducted when reasonable suspicion exists at random when an employee returns to duty after engaging in prohibited conduct and as a follow up measure Testing may be conducted following accidents Return to duty and follow up testing will be conducted when an employee who has violated the prohibited alcohol conduct standards or tested positive for alcohol or drugs returns to duty
All employees required to have a CDL who are subject to alcohol and drug testing will receive a copy of the district’s policy the testing requirements and detailed information on alcohol and drug abuse and the availability of assistance programs Employees with questions or concerns relating to alcohol and drug policies and related educational material should contact the MPISD Human Resources Office
First aid and CPR certification
Policy DBA
Head marching band directors head coaches or chief sponsors of an extracurricular athletic activity (including cheerleading) that is sponsored or sanctioned by the district or the University Interscholastic League must maintain and submit to the district proof of current certification in first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) Certification must be issued by the American Red Cross the American Heart Association or another organization that provides equivalent training and certification
Reassignments and transfers
Policy DK
All personnel are subject to assignmentreassignment by the Superintendent Reassignment is a transfer to another position department or facility that does not necessitate a change in the employment contract Campus reassignments must be approved by the principal at the receiving campus When reassignments are due to enrollment shifts or program changes the Superintendent has final placement authority Extracurricular or supplemental duty assignments may be reassigned at any time Employees who object to a reassignment may follow the process for employee complaints as outlined in policy DGBA (Local)
Employees with the required qualifications for a position may request a transfer to another campus or department A written request for transfer must be completed and signed by the employee and the employee’s supervisor Teachers requesting a transfer to another campus before the school year begins must submit their request by June 1 of that year Requests for transfer during the school year will be considered only when the change will not adversely affect students and after a replacement has been found All transfer requests will be coordinated by the employee’s supervisor and must be approved by the receiving supervisor All such transfers are subject to approval by the Superintendent of Schools
Workload and work schedules
Policy DL
Professional employees Professional and administrative employees are exempt from overtime pay and are employed on a 10 11 or 12month basis according to the work schedules set by the district A school calendar is adopted each year designating the work schedule for teachers and all school holidays Notice of work schedules including required days of service and scheduled holi days will be distributed each school year
Classroom teachers will have planning periods for instructional preparation and conferences The schedule of planning periods is set at the campus level but must provide at least 450 minutes within each twoweek period in blocks not less than 45 minutes Teachers and librarians are enti tled to a dutyfree lunch period of at least 30 minutes The district may require teachers to super vise students one day a week when no other personnel are available
Paraprofessional and auxiliary employees Support employees are employed at will and will be notified of the required duty days holidays and hours of work for their position on an annual basis Paraprofessional and auxiliary employees are not exempt from overtime and are not autho rized to work in excess of their assigned schedule without prior approval from their supervisor
Notification of parents regarding qualifications
Policy DBA DK EHBD
Texas law requires that parents be notified if their child is assigned for more than 30 consecutive days to a teacher who does not hold an appropriate teaching certificate Inappropriately certified or uncertified teachers includes individuals serving with an emergency permit (including individ uals waiting to take the EXCET exam) or individuals who do not hold any certificate or permit No later than the 30th instructional day after the date of assignment the Superintendent or desig nee will send a written notice to parents Information relating to teacher certification will be made available to the public upon request
In schools receiving Title I funds the District is also required by the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) to notify parents at the beginning of each school year that they may request information regarding the professional qualifications of their child’s teacher NCLB also requires that parents be notified if their child has been assigned or taught for four or more consecutive weeks by a teacher who is not highly qualified Employees who have questions about their certification status can call the MPISD Human Resources Office
Performance evaluation
Policy DN DNA DNB
Evaluation of an employee’s job performance is be a continual process that focuses on improvement Performance evaluation is based on an employee’s assigned job duties and other jobrelated criteria All employees will participate in the evaluation process with their assigned supervisor at least annually Written evaluations will be completed on forms approved by the district Reports correspondence and memoranda also can be used to document performance information All employees will receive a copy of their written evaluation have a performance conference with their supervisor and get the opportunity to respond to the evaluation
Employee involvement
Policy BQA BQB
At both the campus and district levels Mount Pleasant ISD offers opportunities for involvement in matters that affect employees As part of the district’s planning and decisionmaking process employees are elected to serve on district or campuslevel advisory committees Plans and detailed information about the shared decisionmaking process are available in each campus office or from District Central Administrative Building
Staff development
Policy DMA
Staff development activities are organized to meet the needs of employees and the Mount Pleasant ISD Staff development for instructional personnel is predominantly campusbased related to achiev ing campus performance objectives addressed in the campus improvement plan and approved by a campuslevel advisory committee Staff development for noninstructional personnel is designed to meet specific licensing requirements (eg bus drivers) and continued employee skill develop ment Individuals holding renewable SBEC certificates are responsible for obtaining the required training hours and maintaining appropriate documentation
Compensation and benefits
Salaries wages and stipends
Policy DEA
Employees are paid in accordance with administrative guidelines and a pay structure established for each position The district’s pay plans are reviewed by the administration each year and adjusted as needed All district positions are classified as exempt or nonexempt according to fed eral law Professional and administrative employees are generally classified as exempt and are paid monthly salaries They are not entitled to overtime compensation Other employees are gen erally classified as nonexempt and are paid based on hourly wages or provided compensatory time for each overtime hour worked (See Overtime page 18)
Salaries and wages are reviewed on an annual basis and adjusted according to the budgeted amounts approved by the board All employees will receive written notice of their pay and work schedules before the start of each school year Classroom teachers fulltime librarians fulltime nurses and fulltime counselors will be paid no less than the minimum state salary schedule Contract employees who perform extracurricular or supplemental duties may be paid a stipend in addition to their salary according to the district’s extraduty pay schedule
Employees should contact the MPISD Human Resources Office for more information about the district’s pay schedules or their own pay
Paychecks
All employees are paid monthly During the school year paychecks are delivered to each campus Paychecks will not be released to any person other than the district employee whose name is on the check without the employee’s written authorization During summer breaks paychecks will be picked up at the employee’s home campus or supervisor’s office
An employee’s payroll statement contains detailed information including deductions withholding information and the amount of leave accumulated
The schedule of pay dates for the 20032004 school year follows
August 20 2003 January 20 2004
September 19 2003 February 20 2004
October 20 2003 March 19 2004
November 20 2003 April 20 2004
December 19 2003 May 20 2004
June 17 2004
July 20 2004
August 20 2004
Automatic payroll deposit
Employees can have paychecks electronically deposited into an account at a financial institution of their choice A notification period of one month is necessary to activate this service With automatic deposit an employee’s pay is immediately available on the pay date Contact the MPISD Employee Benefits Office for more information If an employee has elected the option of direct deposit the last check due an employee will be a standard paper check and may be picked up at the Administration Office or their campus
Payroll deductions
Policy CFEA
Automatic payroll deductions for the Texas Teacher Retirement System (TRS) and federal income tax are required for all fulltime employees Medicare tax deductions slso are required for all employees hired after March 31 1986 Temporary and parttime employees who are not eligible for TRS membership must have 457 contributions deducted
Other payroll deductions employees may elect to include deductions for the employee’s share of premiums for health dental life and vision insurance annuities the Texas Tomorrow Constitu tional Trust Fund higher education savings plans and savings deposits and loan payments Employees also may request payroll deduction for payment of mem bership dues to professional organizations Salary deductions are automat ically made for unauthorized or unpaid leave
Overtime compensation
Policy DEA
The district compensates overtime for nonexempt employees in accordance with federal wage and hour laws All employees are classified as exempt or nonexempt for purposes of overtime com pensation Professional and administrative employees are ineligible for overtime compensation Only nonexempt employees (hourly employees and paraprofessional employees) are entitled to overtime compensation Nonexempt employees are not authorized to work beyond their normal work schedule without advance approval from their supervisor
Overtime is legally defined as hours worked in excess of 40 hours weekly and is not measured by the day or by the employee’s regular work schedule Employees who must work beyond their normal schedule but less than 40 hours per week will be compensated in straighttime pay or equivalent time off in the same workweek Employees must work more than 40 total hours in a week to earn overtime compensation For the purpose of calculating overtime a workweek begins at 1201 am Sunday and ends at midnight Saturday Employees may be compensated for overtime at timeandahalf rate with compensatory time off (comp time) or direct pay The following applies to all nonexempt employees
9 Employees can accumulate up to 60 hours of compensatory time
10 Comp time must be used in the duty year that it is earned
11 Use of comp time may be at the employee’s request with supervisor approval as workload permits
12 An employee may be required to use comp time before using any other available paid leave (eg sick personal vacation)
13 Weekly time sheets will be maintained on all designated nonexempt employees for the purpose of wage and salary administration
Travel expense reimbursement
Policy DEE
Before any travel expenses are incurred by an employee the employee’s supervisor and Superintendent must give approval For approved travel employees will be reimbursed for mileage and other travel expenditures according to the current rate schedule established by the District Employees must submit receipts to be reimbursed for expenses other than mileage Trip requests are available in the Principal’s Office
Health dental and life insurance
Policy CRD
Group health insurance coverage is provided through TRSActiveCare the statewide public school health insurance program The District’s contribution to employee insurance premiums is determined annually by the Board of Trustees Employees eligible for health insurance coverage include the following
· Employees who are active contributing TRS members
· Employees who are not contributing TRS members and who are regularly scheduled to work at least 10 hours per week
TRS retirees and employees who are not contributing TRS members that are regularly scheduled to work less than 10 hours per week are not eligible to participate in TRSActiveCare
The insurance plan year is from September 1 through August 31 New employees have 30 days from the first day of employment to select health insurance coverage through TRSActiveCare Current employees can make changes in their insurance coverage during open enrollment periods each fall Detailed descriptions of insurance coverage employee cost and eligibility requirements are provided to all employees in a separate booklet Employees should contact the District’s Employee BenefitsRisk Manager for more information
Supplemental insurance benefits
Policy CRG
At their own expense employees may enroll in supplemental insurance programs for specific coverages areas Insurance plans are available in areas such as dental vision supplemental life catastrophic illness disability and cancer Premiums for these programs can be paid by payroll deduction Employees should contact the Employee BenefitsRisk Manager’s Office for more information
Cafeteria plan benefits (Section 125)
Employees may be eligible to participate in the Cafeteria Plan (Section 125) and under IRS regu lations must either accept or reject this benefit This plan enables eligible employees to pay cer tain insurance premiums on a pretax basis (ie disability accidental death and dismemberment cancer and dread disease dental) A thirdparty administrator handles employee claims made on these accounts New employees must accept or reject this benefit during their first month of employment All employees must accept or reject this benefit on an annual basis and during the specified time period
Unemployment compensation insurance
Policy CRE
Employees who have been laid off or terminated through no fault of their own may be eligible for unemployment compensation benefits under the Texas Unemployment Compensation Act Employees are not eligible to collect unemployment benefits during regularly scheduled breaks in the school year or the summer months if they have employment contracts or reasonable assurance of returning to service Employees with questions about unemployment benefits should contact the Employee BenefitsRisk Manager’s Office
Teacher retirement
Policy DEG
All personnel employed on a regular basis for at least onehalf of the normal work schedule are members of the Texas Teacher Retirement System (TRS) For new employees there is a 91 day waiting period before membership in TRS begins Substitutes not receiving TRS service retirement benefits who work at least 90 days a year are also eligible for TRS membership and to purchase a year of creditable service TRS provides members with an annual statement of their account showing all deposits and the total account balance for the year ending August 31 as well as an estimate of their retirement benefits
Employees who plan to retire under TRS should notify the Employee Benefits Office as soon as possible Information on the application procedures for TRS benefits are available from the Employee Benefits Office Addi tional inquiries should be addressed to Teacher Retirement System of Texas 1000 Red River Street Austin TX 787012698 or call 8002238778 or 5125426400 TRS information is also available on the Web (wwwtrsstatetxus) See page 12 for information on restrictions of employment of retirees in Texas public schools
Taxsheltered annuity – 403(b)
This benefit allows employees to reduce their taxes by deferring their salary into a retirement fund
What is a TaxSheltered Annuity A TaxSheltered Annuity (TSA) is a retirement plan authorized by the Internal Revenue Service under Section 403(b) Through two types of plans Section 403(b) allows employees to reduce their salary before taxes by an elected deferral
What is the difference in the 403(b) Annuity and the 403(b)7 Annuity The 403(b) a fixed annuity is available from insurance companies with some consumer guarantees Interest rates are shown at guarantees and current rates Make sure both interest rates (current and guaranteed) and any bonus andor additional interest on firstyear deposits and annuity payouts are disclosed by the agent or financial planner The 403(b)7 can be a variable annuity or a mutual fund These plans are available from only insurance companies brokers and financial service organizations certified by the Teacher Retirement System (TRS)
How it works The amount you contribute to a TSA is deducted before taxes from your salary The MPISD does not match contributions by employees into a 403(b) plan The minimum amount of contribution is usually determined by the investment company The maximum contribution is determined by the exclusion allowance formula This calculation’s limits are governed by years of service gross income prior contributions etc Contributions can be increased decreased started andor stopped any time throughout the calendar year If a plan is surrendered a new plan can not be started until the next calendar year
Supplements retirement income A TSA provides an excellent supplement to the Teacher Retirement System (TRS) of Texas without changing that plan’s benefits You may get income from your TSA at any retirement age selected You may choose when and how you want to receive retirement income benefits from several options
Immediate tax break taxdeferred earnings cash accumulation TSA contributions are excluded from your taxable income for an immediate tax reduction Your TSA accumulates earnings on a axdeferred basis Earnings are not taxed until withdrawn The accumulated value of your TSA will depend on the amount of contributions account earnings and the period of accumulation
Withdrawal Restrictions You may not withdraw any part of your account balance before employment termination except for one of these reasons Attainment of age 59½ death disability use of funds to pay medical expenses to the extent the medical expenses are deductible on your federal income tax return early retirement at age 55 or later use of funds to buy a lifetime payout annuity divorce settlement or financial hardship Withdrawals are subject to taxation There could be an annuity surrender charge for early withdrawal For a withdrawal because of employment termination before age 55 except for death or disability or for financial hardship other than major medical expenses a 10 federal penalty tax will be charged
Other benefit programs
Policy DEB
Leaves and absences
Policy DEC
The district offers employees paid and unpaid leaves of absence in times of personal need This handbook describes the basic types of leave available and restrictions on leaves of absence Employees having personal needs requiring long leaves of absence should call the Employee Benefits Manager’s Office for counseling about leave options continuation of benefits and communicating with the District
Employees who take an unpaid leave of absence may continue their insurance benefits at their own expense The District will continue to pay its share of health care benefits for employees on leave authorized under the Family and Med ical Leave Act Otherwise the district does not make benefit contributions for employees who are not on active payroll status
Employees must follow district and department or campus procedures to report or request any leave of absence and complete the appropriate leave request form Any employee who is absent more than two days because of a personal or family illness must submit a medical certification from a qualified health care provider confirming the specific dates of the illness the reason for the illness and in the case of personal illness—the employee’s fitness to return to work
Personal and local sick leave is earned on an annual basis Leave is available only for the employee’s benefit If an employee leaves the district before the end of the work year the cost of any unearned leave days taken shall be deducted from the employee’s final pay
check
Personal leave
State law entitles all employees to five days of paid personal leave per year Personal leave is earned at a rate of onehalf workday for each 18 days of employment up to the statutory maximum of five workdays annually A day of earned personal leave is equivalent to an assigned workday There is no limit on the accumulation of state personal leave and it can be transferred to other Texas school districts and is generally transferable to education service centers There are two types of personal leave nondiscretionary and discretionary
Nondiscretionary Leave that is taken for personal or family illness emergency military leave or a death in the family is considered nondiscretionary leave This type of leave allows very little or no advance planning and will be granted to employees in the same manner as sick leave
Discretionary Leave that is taken at an employee’s discretion and that can be scheduled in advance is considered discretionary leave An employee wishing to take discretionary personal leave must submit a notice of the request ten working days in advance of the anticipated absence to his or her principal or supervisor Discretionary personal leave will be granted on a firstcome first served basis The effect of the employee’s absence on the educational program or department operations as well as the availability of substitutes will be considered by the principal or supervisor
Discretionary personal leave will be subject to the following limitations
· A maximum of 10 campus employees will be permitted to take discretionary personal leave at the same time
· Discretionary leave may not last for more than two consecutive workdays except with special approval for extenuating circumstances
· Discretionary leave may not be taken on the following days
o The day immediately preceed or following a scheduled holiday
o Days scheduled for endofsemester or endofyear exams
o Days scheduled to TAKS tests and
o Days of scheduled teacher inservice or teacher workdays
Sick leave
Previously accumulated state sick leave is available for use and may be transferred to other school districts in Texas Sick leave can be used only in twoday increments except when coordinated with family and medical leave taken on an intermittent or reducedschedule basis or when coordinated with workers’ compensation benefits If an employee uses more sick leave than he or she has earned the cost of unearned sick leave will be deducted from the employee’s next paycheck
Sick leave may be used for the following reasons only
14 Employee illness
15 Illness in the employee’s immediate family
16 Family emergency (ie natural disasters or lifethreatening situations)
17 Death in the immediate family
Note Immedate family is defined as spouse sibling children parents inlaws grandparents or grandchildren Each employee must submit an Absence from Duty Report immediately after returning to duty A written statement from the attending physician or pactitioner must be submitted for an absence of three or more continuous workdays when caring for an ill member of the employee’s immediate family
Use and recording of sick leave
For purposes of personal illness illness in the immediate family family emergency or death in the immediate family available leave shall be used in the following order
1 State sick leave accumulated prior to the 19951996 school year
2 Local sick leave accumulated prior to the 19911992 school year
3 State personal leave
4 Local personal
Local leave
All employees shall earn additional five equivalent workdays of local personal leave each school year concurrently with state personal leave Local personal leave time shall accumulate to a maximum of 40 equivalent workdays Employees called to active military may use available local sick in addition to other leave opportunities
Sick Leave Pool
A sick leave pool is a voluntary donation of sick days by employees to assist a fellow employee who after exhausting all paid leave has a personal illness or disability including pregnancyrelated disability or has an immediate family member who has a personal illness or disability
The pool shall be established at the time of a request for assistance initiated by the Superintendent or designee upon written request and created from voluntary contributions by employees for a pool for a specific individual Employees wishing to begin a sick leave pool for a fellow employee should begin by approaching a campus principal who will then request the establishment of the pool by the Superintendent Once the pool has been established volunteers may then donate to the pool
The following restrictions shall apply to the establishment and use of a sick leave pool
· Employees may donate no more than two sick leave days each school year
· An eligible employee may draw from the pool until he or she has used up to 60 days in any school year
· Five days may be activated at any one time for any specific empoloyee only once each year
· The sick leave pool may be accessed by an individual employee only once each school year
The pool shall cease to exist when the employee has used 60 days or voluntary donations reach the twoday maximum contribution and the sick leave pool is exhausted Unused sick leave pool days shall revert back to donors and shall be divided proportionately among individuals according to the number of sick initially contributed
Temporary disability
Certified employees Any fulltime employee whose position requires certification from the State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC) is eligible for temporary disability leave The pur pose of temporary disability leave is to provide job protection to fulltime educators who cannot work for an extended period of time because of a mental or physical disability of a temporary nature A fulltime educator may request to be placed on temporary disability leave or be placed on leave Pregnancy and conditions related to pregnancy are treated the same as any other tempo rary disability
Employees must request approval for temporary disability leave The leave request must be accompanied by a physician’s statement confirming the employee’s inability to work and estimat ing a probable date of return If disability leave is approved the length of leave is no longer than 180 calendar days If disability leave is not approved the employee must return to work or be subject to termination procedures If an employee is placed on temporary disability leave involuntarily he or she has the right to request a hearing before the board of trustees The employee may protest the action and present additional evidence of fitness to work
When an employee is ready to return to work the Employee BenefitsRisk Manager’s Office should be notified at least 30 days in advance The returntowork notice must be accompanied by a physician’s statement con firming that the employee is able to do the job Professional employees returning from leave will be reinstated to the school to which they were previously assigned as soon as an appropriate posi tion is available If a position is not available before the end of the school year professional employees will be reinstated at the beginning of the following school year
Absence from duty forms
No matter the reason all employees shall complete an Absence From DutyLeave form if they are not present at their assigned campus or department This includes professional conferences and workshops discretionary and nondiscretionary leave Family and medical leave
Employees employed by the district for at least 12 months and have worked at least 1250 hours in the 12 months immediately proceeding the need for leave are eligible for fam ily and medical leave Eligible employees can take up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave each year beginning on the first duty day of the school year (12 month period) for the following reasons
18 The birth adoption or foster placement of a child
19 To care for a spouse parent or child with a serious health condition
20 An employee’s serious health condition
A husband and wife who are both employed by the district are subject to limits in the amount of leave that they can take to care for a parent with a serious health condition or for the birth adop tion or foster placement of a child
Eligible employees are entitled to continue health care benefits under the same terms and conditions as when they were on the job and are entitled to return to their previous job or an equivalent job at the end of their leave Under some circumstances teachers who are able to return to work at or near the conclusion of a semester may be required to continue their leave until the end of the semester
Family and medical leave runs concurrently with accrued sick and personal leave temporary dis ability leave and absences due to a workrelated illness or injury The district will designate leave as family and medical leave if applicable and notify the employee that accumulated leave will run concurrently
In some circumstances employees may take family and medical leave in blocks of time or by reducing their normal weekly or daily work schedule Intermittent leave may be taken under the following circumstances
21 An employee is needed to care for a seriously ill spouse child or parent
22 An employee requires medical treatment for a serious illness
23 An employee is seriously ill and unable to work
24 An employee becomes a parent or has a foster child placed in his or her home
When the need for family and medical leave is foreseeable employees who want to use it must provide 30day advance notice of the need When the need for leave is not foreseeable employ ees must contact the Employee BenefitsRisk Manager’s Office as soon as possible Employees may be required to provide the following
25 Medical certification from a qualified health care provider supporting the need for leave due to a serious health condition affecting the employee or an immediate family member
26 Second or third medical opinions and periodic recertification of the need for leave
27 Periodic reports during the leave regarding the employee’s status and intent to return to work
28 Medical certification from a qualified health care provider at the conclusion of leave of an employee’s ability to return to work
Employees requiring family and medical leave should contact the Employee Benefits Office for details on eligibility requirements and limitations
Workers’ compensation insurance
Policy CRE
The district in accordance with state law provides workers’ compensation benefits to employees who suffer a workrelated illness or are injured on the job Workers’ Compensation benefits help pay for medical treatment and make up for part of the income lost while recovering Specific benefits are prescribed by law depending on the circumstances of each case
All workrelated accidents or injuries shall be reported immediately to the Employee BenefitsRisk Manager’s Office Employees who are unable to work due to a work related injury will be notified of their rights and responsibilities under the Texas Labor Code
In the event of a lost time injury empolyee’s regular wages from the District cease at the end of the day of the injury and the employee may elect in writing to
· use accrued personal leave to offset loss of earnings during the time heshe is absent because of an injury but at no time may the injured employee receive more than a full day’s pay for each day absent If the employee electes to use accrued sick leave the sick leave benefits will begin and end as requested by the employee or
· Workers’ Compensation benefits only Any employee electing to receive Workers’ Compensation beneftis only will not receive compensation benefits (regular wages) during the seven calendar days immediately following an accident The amount of Workers Compensations benefits paid to the employee will be deducted from the employee’s pay check if an election is made to use accrued sick leave
Once an employee’s Workers’ Compensation claim has been filed and approved employees shall provide information to the Employee Benefits Office about pertinent medical services received related to the claim
Assault leave
Assault leave provides extended job income and benefits protection to an employee who is injured as the result of a physical assault suffered during the performance of his or her job An injury is treated as an assault if the person causing the injury could be prosecuted for assault or could not be prosecuted only because that person’s age or mental capacity renders the person non responsible for purposes of criminal liability
An employee who is physically assaulted at work may take all the leave time medically necessary (up to two years) to recover from the physical injuries he or she sustained At the request of an employee the district will immediately assign the employee to assault leave Days of leave granted under the assault leave provision will not be deducted from accrued personal leave and must be coordinated with workers’ compensation benefits Upon investigation the district may change the assault leave status and charge leave used against the employee’s accrued paid leave The employee’s pay will be deducted if accrued paid leave is not available
Bereavement leave
Use of state andor local leave for death in the immediate family shall not exceed five (5) workdays per occurrence subject to approval of the District
Jury duty
The District may not discharge discipline reduce the salary of or otherwise penalize or discriminate against an employee because of the employee’s compliance with a summons to appear as a juror For each regularly scheduled workday on which a nonsalaried employee serves in any phase of jury service the District shall pay the employee the employee’s normal daily compensation Any employee’s accumulated personal leave may not be reduced because of the employee’s service in compliance with a summons to appear as a juror Education Code 22006
Other court appearances
Employees will be granted paid leave to comply with a valid subpoena to appear in a civil criminal legislative or administrative proceeding Other absences for court appearances related to an employee’s personal business must be taken as personal leave or leave without pay if no personal leave is available Employees may be required to submit documentation of their need for leave for court appearances
Military leave
Paid leave for military service Any employee who is a member of the Texas National Guard Texas State Guard or reserve component of the armed forces will be granted a paid leave of absence without loss of any accumulated leave for authorized training or duty orders Paid military leave will not exceed 15 days per year In addition an employee is entitled to use available state and local personal leave during active military service
Reemployment after military leave Employees who leave the district to enter into the United States uniformed services or state military duty (Texas Natiional Guard or Texas State Guard) may return to employment if they are honorably discharged Employees who wish to return to the district will be reemployed in the same position they would have held if employment had not been interrupted or reassigned to an equivalent or similary position provided they are still qualified to perform the required duties To be eligible for reemployment employees must provide notice of their obligation or intent to perform military service provide evidence of honorable discharge or release and submit an application for reemployment to the Superintendent of Schools within 90 days of discharge or separation
Employees who perform service in the uniformed services may elect to continue their health plan coverage at their own cost for a period not to exceed 18 months Employees should contact the District for details on eligibility requirements and limitations
Employee relations and communications
Employee recognition and appreciation
Policy DJ
Continuous efforts are made throughout the year to recognize employees who make an extra effort to contribute to the success of the district Employees are recognized at board meetings in the district newsletter and through special events and activities Recognition and appreciation activities also include teacher and employee of the year awards luncheons and an end of the year appreciation breakfast
District communications
Throughout the school year the Public Information Office publishes newsletters brochures fliers calendars news releases and other communication materials These publications offer employees and the community information pertaining to school activities and achievements
Complaints and grievances
Policy DGBA
In an effort to hear and resolve employee complaints in a timely manner and at the lowest administrative level possible the board has adopted an orderly process that all employees must follow when bringing formal complaints and grievances Employees are encouraged to discuss problems or complaints with their supervisors or an appropriate administrator at any time
A formal grievance process provides employees with an opportunity to be heard up to the highest level of management if they are dissatisfied with an administrative response Once all administrative grievance procedures are exhausted employees can bring grievances to the board of trustees Policy DGBA provides guidance for employees and administrators
DEFINITIONS
For purposes of this policy days shall mean calendar days
The terms complaint and grievance shall have the same meaning A grievance under this policy may include but shall not be limited to any of the following
1 Grievances concerning an employee's wages hours or conditions of work
2 Specific allegations of unlawful discrimination in employment on the basis of sex (including allegations of sexual harassment) race religion national origin age or disability
3 Specific allegations of unlawful discrimination or retaliation on the basis of the employee's exercise of constitutional rights
4 Whistleblower complaints
OTHER REVIEW PROCESSES
Procedures and information regarding sexual harassment by other employees are found at DHC and information regarding federal nondiscrimination is found at DAA
An employee's dismissal or nonrenewal may be the subject of a grievance under this policy only if the District does not otherwise provide for a review of the matter
The following are governed by other review processes and are not subject to this policy
1 Grievances regarding suspension of a contractual employee without pay DF series
2 Grievances regarding termination of an employment contract governed by Chapter 21 of the Education Code DF series
3 Grievances against a District peace officer CKE
4 Grievances regarding instructional materials EFA
NOTICE TO EMPLOYEES
The principal of each campus and other supervisory personnel shall ensure that employees under their supervision are informed of this policy
FREEDOM FROM RETALIATION
Neither the Board nor the administration shall unlawfully retaliate against any employee for bringing a grievance under this policy [See DG]
`WHISTLEBLOWER' COMPLAINTS
Employees who allege adverse employment action in retaliation for reporting a violation of law to an appropriate authority shall initiate a grievance under this policy within 15 days after the date the alleged adverse employment action occurred or the employee first knew of the alleged adverse employment action The complaint shall first be filed in accordance with LEVEL TWO below Time lines for the employee and the District set out in this policy may be shortened to allow the Board to make a final decision within 60 days of the initiation of the complaint
GENERAL PROVISIONS
A grievance must specify the individual harm alleged An employee is prohibited from bringing separate or serial grievances regarding the same event or action All time limits shall be strictly complied with unless modified by mutual consent Costs of any grievance shall be paid by the party incurring them
CONSOLIDATION
When the Superintendent determines that two or more individual grievances are sufficiently similar in nature and remedy to permit their resolution through one proceeding he or she may consolidate the grievances
DECISIONS
Announcing a decision in the employee's presence constitutes communication of the decision
INITIATING GRIEVANCE
Unless otherwise specified in policy an employee shall initiate a grievance as provided at LEVEL ONE below
LEVEL ONE
An employee who has a grievance shall request a conference with the principal or immediate supervisor by submitting the grievance in writing on a form provided by the District The form must be filed within 15 days of the time the employee first knew or should have known of the event or series of events about which the employee is complaining
The principal or supervisor shall hold the conference within seven days after receipt of the written request The principal or supervisor shall have seven days following the conference within which to respond
LEVEL TWO
If the outcome of the conference at Level One is not to the employee's satisfaction or if the time for a response has expired the employee may request a conference with the Superintendent or designee to discuss the grievance The request shall be in writing on a form provided by the District and must be filed within seven days following receipt of a response or if no response is received within seven days of the response deadline
The Superintendent or designee shall hold the conference within seven days after receiving the written request The Superintendent or designee shall have seven days following the conference within which to respond
LEVEL THREE
If the outcome of the conference at Level Two is not to the employee's satisfaction or if the time for a response has expired the employee may submit to the Superintendent or designee a request to place the matter on the agenda of a future Board meeting The request shall be in writing on a form provided by the District and must be filed within seven days following receipt of a response or if no response is received within seven days of the response deadline
The Superintendent or designee shall inform the employee of the date time and place of the meeting
The Superintendent or designee shall provide the Board with copies of the employee's original grievance all responses and any written documentation previously submitted by the employee and the administration The Board is not required to consider documentation not previously submitted or issues not previously presented
The presiding officer may set reasonable time limits The Board shall hear the grievance and may request a response from the administration The District shall make an audiotape record of the Level Three proceeding before the Board
The Board shall then make and communicate its decision orally or in writing at any time up to and including the next regularly scheduled Board meeting
CLOSED MEETING
If the grievance involves the appointment employment evaluation reassignment duties discipline or dismissal of the employee bringing the grievance it may be heard by the Board in closed meeting unless the employee bringing the grievance requests that it be heard in public
EXCEPTION
However if the grievance involves a complaint or charge against another District employee or a Board member it shall be heard in closed meeting unless an open meeting is requested in writing by the employee or Board member against whom the complaint or charge is brought
Employee conduct and welfare
Standards of conduct
Policy DH
All employees are expected to work together in a cooperative spirit to serve the best interests of the district and to be courteous to students one another and the public All employees are expected to observe the following standards of conduct
29 Recognize and respect the rights and property of students and coworkers and maintain con fidentiality in all matters relating to students and coworkers
30 Report to work according to the assigned schedule
31 Notify their immediate supervisor in advance or as early as possible in the event that they must be absent or late Unauthorized absences chronic absenteeism tardiness and failure to follow procedures for reporting an absence may be cause for disciplinary action
32 Know and comply with department and district procedures and policies
33 Observe all safety rules and regulations and report injuries or unsafe conditions to a super visor immediately
34 Use district time funds and property for authorized district business and activities only
All employees as public servants must follow the Code of Ethics and Standard Practices for Texas Educators as approved by the State Board for Educator Certification which is reprinted below
CODE OF ETHICS AND STANDARD PRACTICES FOR TEXAS EDUCATORS
(Adopted March 1 2002 and Effective September 1 2002)
Statement of Purpose The Texas educator shall comply with standard practices and ethical conduct toward students professional colleagues school officials parents and members of the community and shall safeguard academic freedom The Texas educator in maintaining the dignity of the profession shall respect and obey the law demonstrate personal integrity and exemplify honesty TheTexas educator in exemplifying ethical relations with colleagues shall extend just and equitable treatment to all members of the profession The Texas educator in accepting a position of public trust shall measure success by the progress of each student toward realization of his or her potential as an effective citizen The Texas Educator in fulfilling responsbiliities in the community shall cooperative with parents and others to improve the puboic schools of the community
Enforceable Satandards
1 Professional Ethical Conduct Practices and Performance
Standard 11 The educator shall not knowingly engage in deceptive practices regarding official policies of the school district or educational institution
Standard 12 The educator shall not knowingly misappropriate divert or use monies personnel property or equipment committed to his or her charge for personal gain or advantage
Standard 13 The educator shall not submit fraudulent requests for reimbursment expenses or pay
Standard 14 The educator shall not use institutional or professional privileges for personal or partisan advantage
Standard15 The educator shall neither accept nor offer gratuitiies gifts or favors that impair professional judgement or to obtain special advantage This standard shall not restrict the acceptance of gifts or tokens offered and accepted openly from students parents or other persons or organizations in recognition or appreciation of service
Standard 16 The educator shall not falsify records or direct or coerce others to do so
Standard 17 The educator shall comply with state regulations written local school board policies and other applicable state and federal laws
Standard 18 The educator shall apply for accept offer or assign a position or a responsibility on the basis of professional qualifications
2 Ethical Conduct Toward Professional Colleagues
Standard 21 The educator shall not reveal confidential health or personnel information concerning colleagues unless disclosure serves lawful professional purposes or is required by law
Standard 22 The educator shall not harm others by knowingly making false statements about a colleague or the school system
Standard 23 The educator shall adhere to written local school board policies and state and federal laws regarding the hiring evaluation and dismissal of personnel
Standard 24 The educator shall not interfere with a colleague’s exercise of political professional or citizenship rights and responsbilities
Standard 25 The educator shall not discriminate against or coerce a colleague on the basis of race color religion national origin age sex disability or family status
Standard 26 The educator shall not use coercive means or promise of special treatment in order to influence professional decisions of colleagues
Special 27 The educator shall not retaliate against any individual who has filed a complaint with the SBEC under this chapter
3 Ethical Conduct Toward Students
Standard 31 The educator shall not reveal confidential information concerning students unless disclosure serves lawful professional purposes or is required by law
Standard 32 The educator shall not knowingly treat a student in a manner that adversely affects the student’s learning physical health mental health or safety
Standard 33 The educator shall not deliberately or knowingly misrepresent facts regarding a student
Standard 34 The educator shall not exclude a student from participation in a program deny benefits to a student or grant an advantage to a student on the basis of race color sex disability national origin religion or family status
Standard 35 The educator shall not engage in physical mistreatment of a student
Standard 36 The educator shall not solicit or engage in sexual conduct or a romantic relationship with a student
Standard 37 The educator shall not furnish alcohol or illegalunauthorized drugs to any student or knowingly allow any student to consume alcohol or illegalunauthorized drugs in the presence of the educator
Enforceable standardsCode of Ethics Enforcement
The State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC) has estabished rules for enforcement of the Code of Ethics The principles of ethical behavior contained in the revised Code of Ethics address three (3) categories of educator conduct (1) ethical conduct generally (2) ethical conduct towards professional colleagues and (3) ethical conduct toward students Each Principle is further defined by the inclusion of specific observable standards of conduct that outline behaviors which are unethical and may subject the educator to sanctions Those sanctions may result in loss of Texas teaching credentials
Complaints regarding educators may be recorded on forms available from the Deputy Superintendent of School for Administration Room 214 Administration Building
Harassment
Policies DHB FNCL
Harassment of a coworker or student motivated by race color religion national origin disability or age is a form of discrimination and is prohibited by law A substantiated charge of harassment against a student or employee shall result in disciplinary action The term harassment includes repeated unwelcome and offensive slurs jokes or other oral written graphic or physical conduct relating to an individual’s race color religion national origin disability or age that creates an intimidating hostile or offensive educational or work environment
Employees who believe they have been harassed are encouraged to promptly report such inci dents to the campus principal or supervisor If the campus principal or supervisor is the subject of a complaint the employee shall report the complaint directly to the superintendent An employee who suspects or knows that a student is being harassed by a school employee or by another stu dent shall inform his or her principal or immediate supervisor
Any allegation of harassment of students or employees shall be investigated and addressed An employee may appeal the decision of the principal or supervisor regarding the investigation into the allegations in accordance with the employee complaint and grievance policy and procedures (See Complaints and grievances page 29) To the greatest extent possible complaints shall be treated as confidential Limited disclosure may be necessary to complete a thorough investigation The district will not retaliate against an employee who in good faith reports perceived harassment
Sexual harassment
Policies DHC FNCJ FFG
Employeetoemployee Sexual harassment of a coworker is a form of discrimination and is pro hibited by law Sexual harassment is defined as unwelcome sexual advances requests for sexual favors and other verbal or physical conduct under the following conditions
35 Submission to such conduct is explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of employment
36 Submission to or rejection of such conduct is used as the basis for employment decisions
37 The conduct unreasonably interferes with an individual’s work performance or creates an intimidating hostile or otherwise offensive work environment
Employees who believe that they have been sexually harassed by another employee are encour aged to come forward with complaints The district will promptly investigate all allegations of sexual harassment and will take prompt appropriate disciplinary action against employees found to have engaged in conduct constituting sexual harassment of other employees The district’s pol icy outlining the process of filing complaints of sexual harassment is reprinted below
Mount Pleasant ISD
225902
EMPLOYEE STANDARDS OF CONDUCT
SEXUAL HARASSMENTSEXUAL ABUSE
DHC
(LOCAL)
EMPLOYEETO EMPLOYEE
Employees shall not engage in conduct constituting sexual harassment of other employees [See DHC(EXHIBIT)]
Employees who believe they have been sexually harassed by other employees are encouraged to come forward with complaints District officials or their agents shall investigate promptly all allegations of sexual harassment of employees by other employees and officials shall take prompt and appropriate disciplinary action against employees found to have engaged in conduct constituting sexual harassment of employees
COMPLAINT PROCEDURE
For the purpose of the following complaint process days mean calendar days
An employee who believes he or she has been or is being subjected to any form of sexual harassment shall bring the matter to the attention of the principal immediate supervisor or Title IX coordinator for employees No procedure or step in this policy shall have the effect of requiring the employee alleging harassment to present the matter to a person who is the subject of the complaint
LEVEL ONE
The employee shall request a conference with the principal or immediate supervisor by submitting the complaint in writing or by requesting a conference If the complaint is made orally the supervisor receiving the complaint shall reduce it to writing
The principal or supervisor shall hold the conference as soon as possible but in any event within seven days after receipt of the complaint The principal or supervisor shall ordinarily have seven days following the conference within which to investigate and respond The employee shall be informed if extenuating circumstances delay the investigation
LEVEL TWO
If the outcome of the conference at Level One is not to the employee's satisfaction the employee may request a conference with the Superintendent or designee to discuss the complaint The request should be in writing and shall be filed within seven days following receipt of a written response or if no written response is received within seven days of the response deadline
The Superintendent or designee shall hold the conference as soon as possible but in any event within seven days after receipt of the written request The Superintendent or designee shall have seven days following the conference within which to respond
LEVEL THREE
If the outcome at Level Two is not to the employee's satisfaction or if the time for a response has expired the employee may present the complaint to the Board The Superintendent shall place the matter on the agenda for the next regular Board meeting [See BE(LOCAL)]
The Superintendent or designee shall provide the Board with copies of the employee's original complaint all responses and any written documentation previously submitted by the employee and the administration
The Level Three proceeding before the Board shall be recorded by audiotape The presiding officer shall allow a reasonable time for presentation of the complaint The Board shall consider the grievance and shall request a response from the administration
CLOSED MEETING
The Board may hear the allegation of sexual harassment in closed meeting if posted in accordance with law unless an open hearing is requested in writing by the employee or Board member against whom the complaint or charge is brought
EMPLOYEETO STUDENT
Employees shall not engage in conduct constituting sexual harassment or sexual abuse of students Sexual harassment includes any welcome or unwelcome sexual advances requests for sexual favors and other verbal (oral or written) physical or visual conduct of a sexual nature [See DHC(LEGAL)] Romantic relationships between District employees and students constitute unprofessional conduct and are prohibited
REPORTING REQUIREMENTS
Any District employee who receives information about sexual harassment or sexual abuse of a student that may reasonably be characterized as known or suspected child abuse or neglect shall make the reports to appropriate authorities as required by law [See FFG(LEGAL)]
An employee who suspects or knows that a student is being sexually harassed or sexually abused by a school employee or by another student shall inform his or her principal immediate supervisor or Title IX coordinator The District shall notify parents of any incident of sexual harassment or sexual abuse by an employee
INVESTIGATIONS
Any allegations of sexual harassment or sexual abuse of students shall be investigated and addressed
In considering and investigating allegations that an employee has sexually harassed or sexually abused a student [see DHC (LEGAL)] the investigation shall proceed from the presumption that the employee's conduct was unwelcome
[See also FNCJ (LOCAL) which contains the complaint procedure for students alleging sexual harassment or sexual abuse by an employee or by another student]
DATE ISSUED 08251999
UPDATE 61
DHC(L)A
Employeetostudent Sexual harassment of students by employees is a form of discrimination and is prohibited by law Sexual harassment of students includes any welcome or unwelcome sexual advances requests for sexual favors and other oral written physical or visual conduct of a sexual nature Romantic relationships between district employees and students are strictly prohib ited Other prohibited conduct includes the following
38 Engaging in sexually oriented conversations for the purpose of personal sexual gratification
39 Telephoning students at home or elsewhere and engaging in inappropriate social relationships
40 Engaging in physical contact that would reasonably be construed as sexual in nature
41 Enticing or threatening students to get them to engage in sexual behavior in exchange for grades or other schoolrelated benefits
In most instances sexual abuse of a student by an employee violates the student’s constitutional right to bodily integrity Sexual abuse may include but is not limited to fondling sexual assault or sexual intercourse
Employees who suspect a student is being sexually harassed or abused by another employee are obligated to report their concerns to the campus principal All allegations of sexual harassment or sexual abuse of a student will be reported to the student’s parents and promptly investigated Conduct that may be characterized as known or suspected child abuse also will be reported to the appropriate authorities as required by law Employees with questions or concerns relating to the alleged sexual harassment of a student should contact the campus principal or the Office of the Superintendent of Schools
Drugabuse prevention
Policies DH DI
The Mount Pleasant ISD is committed to maintaining a drugfree environment and will not tolerate the use of illegal drugs in the workplace Employees who use or are under the influence of alcohol or illegal drugs as defined by the Texas Controlled Substances Act during working hours may be dismissed The district’s policy on drug abuse and drugfree schools follows
Mount Pleasant ISD
225902
EMPLOYEE STANDARDS OF CONDUCT
DH
(LOCAL)
Employees shall be courteous to one another and the public working together in a cooperative spirit to serve the best interests of the District All District employees shall be expected to adhere to the standards of conduct set out in the Code of Ethics and Standard Practices for Texas Educators [See DH(EXHIBIT)]
Employees wishing to express concern complaints or criticism shall do so through appropriate channels [See DGBA]
SAFETY REQUIREMENTS
All employees shall adhere to District safety rules and regulations and shall report unsafe conditions or practices to the appropriate supervisor
TOBACCO USE
Employees shall not use tobacco products on District premises in District vehicles nor in the presence of students at school or schoolrelated activities [See DH and GKA]
ALCOHOL
Employees shall not possess use or be under the influence of alcohol during working hours or at schoolrelated activities outside of usual working hours An employee need not be legally intoxicated to be considered under the influence of alcohol
DRUGS
Employees shall not unlawfully manufacture distribute dispense possess use or be under the influence of a controlled substance or illicit drug as defined in state or federal law during working hours while at school or at schoolrelated activities outside of usual working hours An employee need not be legally intoxicated to be considered under the influence of a controlled substance
NOTICE
Each employee shall be given a copy of the District's notice regarding drugfree schools [See DI(EXHIBIT)]
DRESS AND GROOMING
The dress and grooming of District employees shall be clean neat in a manner appropriate for their assignments and in accordance with any additional standards established by their supervisors and approved by the Superintendent
PASSAGE OF WORTHLESS CHECKS
Any employee who is guilty of passing checks where sufficient funds are not available in the bank at the time the check was written (any such checks after the first one and after being warned) may not be eligible for renewal
PERSONNEL AND DELINQUENT SCHOOL TAXES
Any employee who owes taxes or whose spouse owes taxes to the District that are delinquent for a period in excess of one year may not be eligible for continued employment
If the condition causing the problem is not removed before the next period of teacher election the teacher may not be eligible for renewal Noncontractual employees have one year from date of delinquency (January 31 of following year) to pay taxes
ARRESTS AND CONVICTIONS
An employee who is arrested for any felony or any offense involving moral turpitude must report the arrest to the principal or immediate supervisor within three calendar days of the arrest An employee who is convicted of or receives deferred adjudication for such an offense must also report that event to the principal or immediate supervisor within three calendar days of the event
MORAL TURPITUDE
Moral turpitude includes but is not limited to dishonesty fraud deceit theft misrepresentation deliberate violence base vile or depraved acts that are intended to arouse or gratify the sexual desire of the actor drug or alcoholrelated offenses or acts constituting abuse under the Texas Family Code
VIOLATIONS
Employees shall comply with the standards of conduct set out in this policy and with any other policies regulations and guidelines that impose duties requirements or standards attendant to their status as District employees Violation of any policies regulations and guidelines may result in disciplinary action including termination of employment [See DCD and DF series]
Dietary supplements
Policy DH
District employees are prohibited by state law from knowlingly selling marketing or distributing a dietary supplement that contains performanceenhancing coumpounds to a student whith whom the employee has contact as part of his or her school district duties In addtion employees may not knowlingly endorse or suggest the ingestion intranasal application or inhalation of a performanceenhancing dietary supplement to any student
Reporting suspected child abuse
Policy DG DH FFG GRA
All employees are required by law to report any suspected child abuse or neglect to a law enforcement agency Child Protective Services or appropriate state agency (eg state agency operating licensing certifying or registering a facility) within 48 hours of the event that led to the suspicion Reports to Child Protective Services can be made to a local office or to the Texas Abuse Hotline (8002525400) State law specifies that an employee may not delegate to or rely on another person to make the report
Under state law any person reporting or assisting in the investigation of reported child abuse or neglect is immune from liability unless the report is made in bad faith or with malicious intent In addition the district is prohibited from retaliating against an employee who in good faith reports child abuse or neglect or who participates in an investigation regarding an allegation of child abuse or neglect
The Texas Department of Protective and Regulatory Services has also developed a website designed specificially for school professionals to report abuseneglect PRS asks that the login information not be shared with the general public in order to maintain the integrity of the schol reporting website
The link to the reporting website is httpsreportabusews
Users will then be prompted for a login and password
The login id is educator
The password is report1
Once a report has been filed through the School Internet Reporting System Statewide Intake (SWI) staff will send an email response acknowledging receipt of the informaton and will provide the intake number (ie identification number) for the employee’s files
Remember that this website is not a substitute for reporting lifethrreatenngemergency situations If an employee feels that immediate attention is needed to protect a child the hotline number 8002525400 should be used
An employee’s failure to report suspected child abuse may result in prosecution for the commis sion of a Class B misdemeanor In addition a certified employee’s failure to report suspected child abuse may result in disciplinary procedures by SBEC for a violation of the Educators Code of Ethics
Employees suspecting that a student has been or may be abused or neglected should report concerns to the campus principal This includes students with disabilities who are no longer minors Employees are not required to report concerns to the principal before reporting to the appropriate agencies Employees must cooperate with child abuse and neglect investigators Reporting a concern to a principal does not relieve the employee of the requirement to report to the appropriate state agency Interference with a child abuse investigation by denying an interviewer’s request to interview a student at school or requiring the presence of a parent or school administrator against the desires of the duly authorized investigator is prohibited
Associations and political activities
Policy DGA
The district will not directly or indirectly discourage employees from participating in political affairs or require any employee to join any group club committee organization or association Employees may join or refuse to join any professional association or organization
An individual’s employment will not be affected by membership or a decision not to be a member of any employee organization that exists for the purpose of dealing with employers concerning grievances labor disputes wages rates of pay hours of employment or conditions of work
Meal charges by employees
Employees are permitted to charge a limited amount of meal costs Employees are responsible to pay charges each monthly payday Meal charges shall not exceed 1500 for any employee If an employee should be terminated or resign all meal charges shall be deducted from the last pay check Principals and supervisors will ascertain if an exiting employee has meal charges pending prior to the exit interview
Misuse of compensated time
Policy DH
All employees are assigned specific as well as general job duties and responsibilities as defined in a job description that is published by the District All employees are expected to discharge those assigned duties and comply with general responsibilities as well Employees must be engaged with assigned duties and responsibilities at all times exclusive of authorized breaks
No employee should conduct personal business while at work unless it is an emergency and the applicable supervisor informed Employees shall not sleep on the job misuse district equipment for personal use or otherwise engage in activities that are not related to the best interest of students or the MPISD Employees who misuse compensated time may be subject to disciplinary action including termination
Safety
Policy CK
The district has developed and promotes a comprehensive program to ensure the safety of its employees students and visitors The safety program includes guidelines and procedures for responding to emergencies and activities to help reduce the frequency of accidents and injuries To prevent or minimize injuries to employees coworkers and students and to protect and con serve district equipment employees must comply with the following requirements
42 Observe all safety rules
43 Keep work areas clean and orderly at all times
44 Immediately report all accidents to their supervisor
45 Operate only equipment or machines for which they have training and authorization
The district has made a commitment to maintaining a safe working environment and safety training for all employees Employees will be provided appropriate training opportunities such as
Identifying hazardeous conditiions that might cause workplace injuries
46 Handling hazardeous substances
47 Proper work methods that will reduce the liklihood of injury
48 Accident and injury reporting
The district provides written specific jobrelated safety information and rules to principals and supervisors to assist them with administration of the safety program at each campus or other school facilities Employees with questions or concerns relating to safety programs and issues can contact the Director of Business and Finance or Employee Benefits Office
Tobacco use
Policies DH GKA FNCD
Smoking or using tobacco products is prohibited on all districtowned property and at school related or schoolsanctioned activities on or off campus This includes all buildings playground areas parking facilities and facilities used for athletics and other activities Drivers of district owned vehicles are prohibited from smoking while inside the vehicle Notices stating that smok ing is prohibited by law and punishable by a fine are displayed in prominent places in all school buildings
Employee arrests and convictions
Policy DH
An employee who is arrested for any felony or any offense involving moral turpitude must report the arrest to the principal or immediate supervisor within three calendar days of the arrest An employee who is convicted of or receives deferred adjudication for such an offense must also report that event to the principal or immediate supervisor within three days of the event Moral turpitude includes but is not limited to the following
49 Dishonesty
50 Deceit
51 Theft
52 Fraud
53 Misrepresentation
54 Deliberate violence
55 Base vile or depraved acts that are intended to arouse or gratify the sexual desire of the actor
56 Drug or alcoholrelated offenses
57 Acts constituting abuse under the Texas Family Code
Possession of firearms and weapons
Policies FNCG GKA
Employees visitors and students are prohibited from bringing firearms illegal knives or other weapons onto school premises or any grounds or building where a schoolsponsored activity takes place To ensure the safety of all persons employees who observe or suspect a violation of the district’s weapons policy should report it to their supervisors or call the Superintendent’s Office immediately
Visitors in the workplace
Policy GKC
All visitors are expected to enter any district facility through the main entrance and sign in or report to the building’s main office Authorized visitors will receive directions or be escorted to their destination Employees who observe an unauthorized individual on the district premises should immediately direct him or her to the building office or contact the administrator in charge
Copyrighted materials
Policy EFE
Employees are expected to comply with the provisions of copyright law relating to the unautho rized use reproduction distribution performance or display of copyrighted materials (ie printed material videos computer data and programs etc) Rented videotapes are to be used in the classroom for educational purposes only Duplication or backups of computer programs and data must be made within the provisions of the purchase agreement
Intellectual properties
Mount Pleasant ISD
225902
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
RESEARCH AND PUBLICATION
DME
(LOCAL)
STUDENT EMPLOYEE INVOLVEMENT IN RESEARCH
Any employee taking a college course that entails testing of or otherwise involves District students andor employees shall first obtain the permission of the principal and the appropriate associate superintendent If permission is granted the employee shall then obtain the written consent of the parents of students to be involved [See EF]
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS
The Board is aware that professional publication of material by staff members serves to enhance the reputation of the District The Board shall encourage professional development for staff personnel and the sharing of new developments with other districts Instructional materials publications programs computer programs and devices prepared by employees as part of their job assignment shall be the property of the District unless prepared by such employees on their own time without use of District facilities or equipment
The Superintendent or designee shall review materials prepared by staff members prior to application for copyright or patent and before subsequent publication or distribution of the materials On recommendation of the Superintendent the Board may waive all or part of the Board's proprietary rights in favor of the employees preparing such materials
The Board shall authorize the Superintendent to sell instructional materials that have been prepared by the District to other districts organizations or commercial firms desiring to purchase copies or obtain reproduction rights
All staff members shall comply with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act 20 USC 1232g as it concerns the release of any personally identifiable data including pictures and illustrations
DATE ISSUED 03112002
Computer use and data management
Policy CQ
The district’s electronic communications systems including its network access to the Internet is primarily for administrative and instructional purposes Limited personal use of the system is permitted if the use
58 Imposes no tangible cost to the district
59 Does not unduly burden the district’s computer or network resources
60 Has no adverse effect on job performance or on a student’s academic performance
Electronic mail transmissions and other use of the electronic communications systems are not confidential and can be monitored at any time to ensure appropriate use
Employees and students who are authorized to use the systems are required to abide by the provi sions of the district’s communications systems policy and administrative procedures Failure to do so can result in suspension or termination of privileges and may lead to disciplinary action Employees with questions about computer use and data management can contact the Deputy Superintendent for Instruction and Instructional Technology
As it has not been opened to the public by policy or practice a school mail system including the District’s electronic network is not a public forum The District holds ownership to its network and is able to direct its use Employees students and parent volunteers are prohibited from sending universal electronic mail to all other employees Universal messages are those messages that are sent to all computers that are on the Districtwide electronic network If it is deemed necessary to send such messages that are not directly related to a defined school purpose permission to send a message to all computers of the District must be first obtained from the Superintendent’s Office or desiginee
Seasonal decorations
Employees shall not use lighted candles or tapers in any offices classrooms or other spaces in any District property All seasonal decorations shall not be of flammable materials No live seasonal evergreen trees are permitted as they do consititute a serious fire hazard Spotlights may be used to highlight wreaths trees and other celebratory seasonal items Candles may be used in initiation rites
Gifts and favors
Policy DBD
Employees may not accept gifts or favors that could influence or be construed to influence the employee’s discharge of assigned duties The acceptance of a gift favor or service by an admin istrator or teacher that might reasonably tend to influence the selection of textbooks may result in prosecution of a class B misdemeanor offense This does not include staff development teacher training or instructional materials such as maps or worksheets that convey information to stu dents or contribute to the learning process
Asbestos management plan
Policy CKA
The district is committed to providing a safe environment for employees An accredited manage ment planner has developed an asbestos management plan for each piece of district property A copy of the district’s management plan is kept in the District’s Central Office and is available for inspection during normal business hours
Pest control treatment
Policies DI CLB
Notices of planned pest control treatment will be posted in a district building 48 hours before the treatment begins Notices are generally located in a building’s foyer or near the building’s office area Pest control information sheets are available from campus principals or facility managers upon request
Staff shall not bring any pest control chemicals to school or offices to control ants or any other pests Principals and supervisors should be notified when classrooms or office spaces need treatment and the District’s contracted pest control agent or its certified IPM coordinator will provide that service Use of unauthorized pest control chemicals in a classroom or office space violates state and federal laws
If required employees shall notify their principal or supervisor of the need for such services and not apply such chemical agents
Use of district vehicles
Employees whose duties permit them to drive a districtowned vehicle are charged with operating that vehicle for Mount Pleasant ISD business only Many employees have emergency callout responsbilities and drive their assigned vehicle to their residence Schoolowned vehicles checked out to staff must not be driven for personal use during nonworking hours
Commercial drivers license
Employees who are not employed as bus drivers but whose duties require them to drive District’s buses used to transport teams clubs UIL activities etc are required to hold a current Commercial Drivers License (CDL) a Texas School Bus Drivers Training Certificate and a DOT Drivers Physical According to District Policy Department of Public Safety rules and requirements of the District’s automobile insuror such employees are required to maintain a CDL This provision does not apply to the minivans owned and operated by the District
Key Control
Keys to facilities locks and equipment are issued to employees on an asneeded basis by supervisors and principals Keys are the property of MPISD and shall not be copied by key holders nor will holders allow copies to be made of assigned keys Employees shall not lend or provide keys to students and persons not employees of the district If an employee requires additional keys the employee supervisor shall issue the keys When an employee leaves the employ of the district all keys shall be returned to the issuing supervisor or their delegate Final paychecks will be held until all Districtprovided keys are returned
Parking at District Administrative Office (CSS)
Occasionally employees meet at the District Administrative Office at 105 Riddle Street and park vehicles overnight in order to carpool to meetings and conferences In such cases those automobiles should be parked in the lots located east and west of the District Offices and the Receptionist notified as to the owner of vehicles left in the lot overnight Autos are not to be left overnight in the lot immediately in front of the CSS Building
Housekeeping
Employees are responsible to maintain a clean healthy and orderly workplace Classrooms shops district vehicles etc are in view of the public and students so employees should be conscious of the need to maintain good housekeeping Food items should not be stored in classrooms and offices An orderly workplace sets a good example for students provides a safer workplace and demonstrates the District’s awareness of the need to preserve public property
Personal phone calls and cellular telephones
Employees should refrain from making and receiving personal telephone calls during the work day If an employee carrys a cellular telephone while at work no personal calls should be made or received while at a duty station especially when students are present
Animals in District buildings
Other than labatory animals used in Science Agriculture or similar classes no employee or student should bring any animal into school buildings Many students and employees are allergic to animal hair and dander If it is necessary for an animal to be present in a District building the building supervisor must be contacted prior to bringing the animal into the building Supervisors must give approval prior to the animal coming into the building Animals allowed in buildings must have appropriate vacinations Service animals of employees students law enforcement agencies and handicapped visitors are welcome
Rumor control
Spreading rumors in the workplace is inappropriate as rumors may diminish employee morale or can be the basis of misinformation School employees handle a great deal of information about students parents and fellow workers As public employees school workers should understand that they hold a public trust by knowing sensitive information and that they must not spread this information in the form of rumors
General procedures
Bad weather closing
Policy CKC
The district may close schools because of bad weather or emergency conditions When such con ditions exist the superintendent will make the official decision concerning the closing of the dis trict’s facilities When it becomes necessary to open late or to release students early the following radio and television stations will be notified by school officials
KALK 9770
KIMPKPXI 10070
TV Channel 54
Emergencies
Policy CKC
All employees should be familiar with the evacuation diagrams posted in their work areas Fire tornado and other emergency drills will be conducted to familiarize employees and students with evacuation procedures Fire extinguishers are located throughout all district buildings Employees should know the location of the extinguishers nearest their place of work and how to use them
Purchasing procedures
Policy CH
All requests for purchases must be submitted to the department head on an official district purchase order (PO) form with the appropriate approval signatures No purchases charges or commitments to buy goods or services for the district can be made without a PO number The district will not reimburse employees or assume responsibility for purchases made without authorization Employees are not permitted to purchase supplies or equipment for personal use through the district’s business office Contact your campus principal or the Central Purchasing Department for additional information on purchasing procedures
All receipts and invoices MUST be signed and returned promptly to the Central Support Service (Accounting Department) Failure to follow procedures will result in delay of purchases or payments
Name and address changes
It is important that employment records be kept up to date Employees must notify the campus or departmental secretary and the District’s Personnel Office office if there are any changes or corrections to their name home address home telephone number marital status emergency contact or beneficiary Forms to process a change in personal information can be obtained from the campus or departmental office or Personnel Office
Personnel records
Policy GBA
Most district records including personnel records are public information and must be released upon request Employees may choose to have the following personal information withheld
61 Address
62 Phone number
63 Social Security number
64 Information that reveals whether they have family members
The choice to not allow public access to this information may be done at anytime by submitting a written request to the MPISD Personnel Office New or terminating employees have 14 days after hire or termination to submit a request Otherwise personal information will be released to the public
Building use
Policy GKD
The campus principal is responsible for scheduling the use of facilities after school hours Contact the Secretary to the Superintendent of Schools to request to use school facilities and to obtain information on the fees charged
Termination of employment
Resignations
Policy DFE
Contract employees Contract employees may resign their position without penalty at the end of any school year if written notice is received 45 days before the first day of instruction of the fol lowing school year A written notice of resignation should be submitted to the Human Resources Office and the campus principal Contract employees may resign at any other time only with the approval of the board of trustees Resignation without the consent of the board may result in disciplinary action by the State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC)
The superintendent will notify SBEC when an employee resigns and reasonable evidence exists to indicate that the employee has engaged in any of the acts listed in Reports to the State Board for Educator Certification on page 33
Noncontract employees Noncontract employees may resign their positions at any time A writ ten notice of resignation should be submitted to the immediate supervisor at least two weeks prior to the effective termination date Employees are encouraged to include the reasons for leaving in the letter of resig nation but are not required to do so
Dismissal or nonrenewal of contract employees
Policies DFAA DFAB DFBA DFBB DFCA DFD DFF
Employees on probationary term and continuing contracts can be dismissed during the school year or nonrenewed at the end of the year according to the procedures outlined in district policies Contract employees dismissed during the school year suspended without pay or subject to a reduction in force are entitled to receive notice of the recommended action an explanation of the charges against them and an opportunity for a hearing The time lines and procedures to be followed when a suspension termination or nonrenewal occurs will be provided when a written notice is given to an employee Information on the time lines and procedures can be found in the DF policies that are provided to employees or in the policy manuals located in each principal’s office Superintendent’s Office or on the MPISD website wwwmpisdnet
Dismissal of noncontract employees
Policy DCD
Noncontract employees are employed at will and may be dismissed without notice a description of the reasons for dismissal or a hearing It is unlawful for the district to dismiss any employee for reasons of race religion sex national origin disability military status any other basis pro tected by law or in retaliation for the exercise of certain protected legal rights Noncontract employees who are dismissed have the right to grieve the termination The dismissed employee must follow the district process outlined in this handbook when pursuing the grievance (See Complaints and grievances page 29)
Exit interviews and procedures
Policy DC
Exit interviews shall be scheduled for all employees leaving the district Information on the contin uation of benefits release of information and procedures for requesting references will be pro vided at this time Separating employees are asked to provide the district with a forwarding address and phone number and complete a questionnaire that provides the district with feedback on his or her employment experience
All district keys books property copy of the Employee Handbook and equipment must be returned upon separation from employ ment All fees and bills owed to the District by the employee must be paid The employee must be cleared by the campus administrator and checkout form must be signed by the administrator The process will continue with the employee clearing through the Employee Benefits Payroll and Human Resources Departments The employee’s final paycheck will be held or automatic deposit stopped until the Exit Interview process is completed The district may withhold the cost of any unreturned items from the final paycheck
Reports to the State Board for Educator Certification
Policy DF
The dismissal or resignation of a certified employee will be reported to the SBEC if there is reasonable evidence that the employee’s conduct involves the following
65 Any form of sexual or physical abuse of a minor or any other illegal conduct with a student or minor without regard to age
66 The possession transfer sale or distribution of a controlled substance
67 The illegal transfer appropriation or expenditure of school property or funds
68 An attempt by fraudulent or unauthorized means to obtain or alter any certificate or permit that would entitle the individual to a professional position or to receive additional compen sation associated with a position
69 Committing a crime on school property or at a schoolsponsored event
Reports concerning courtordered withholding
The district is required to report the termination of employees that are under court order or writ of withholding for child support or spousal maintenance to the court and the individual receiving the support (Texas Family Code §8210 158211) Notice of the following must be sent to the court and support recipient
70 Termination of employment not later than the seventh day after the date of termination
71 Employee’s last known address
72 Name and address of the employee’s new employer if known
Student issues
Equal educational opportunities
Policy FB
The MPISD does not discriminate on the basis of race color religion national origin sex or disability in providing education services activities and programs including voca tional programs in accordance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 as amended Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972 and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended
Questions or concerns about discrimination of students on any of the bases listed above should be directed to the Deputy Superintendent Administration
Student records
Policy FL
Student records are confidential and are protected from unauthorized inspection or use Employ ees should take precautions to maintain the confidentiality of all student records
The following people are the only people who have general access to a student’s records
73 Parents of a minor or of a student who is a dependent for tax purposes
74 The student (if 18 or older or attending an institution of postsecondary education)
75 School officials with legitimate educational interests
Student handbooks provide parents and students with detailed information on student records Parents or students who want to review student records should be directed to the campus principal for assistance
Parent and student complaints
Policy FNG
In an effort to hear and resolve parent and student complaints in a timely manner and at the lowest administrative level possible the board has adopted orderly processes for handing complaints on different issues Any campus office or the superintendent’s office can provide parents and stu dents with information on filing a complaint
Parents are encouraged to discuss problems or complaints with the teachers or the appropriate administrator at any time Parents and students with complaints that cannot be resolved should be directed to the campus principal The formal complaint process provides parents and students with an opportunity to be heard up to the highest level of management if they are dissatisfied with a principal’s response Once all administrative complaint procedures are exhausted parents and students can bring complaints to the board of trustees
Administering medication to students
Policy FFAC
Only designated employees can administer medication to students A student who must take pre scription medication during the school day must bring a written request from his or her parent and the medicine in its original properly labeled container Contact the principal or school nurse for information on procedures that must be followed when administering medication to students
Student discipline
Policies in the FN series and FO series
Students are expected to follow the classroom rules campus rules and rules listed in the Student Code of Conduct and Student Handbook Teachers and administrators are responsible for taking disciplinary action based on a range of discipline management procedures that have been adopted by the district Other employees that have concerns about a particular student’s conduct should contact the classroom teacher or campus principal
Teachers must file a written report with the principal or another appropriate administrator when they have knowledge that a student has violated the Student Code of Conduct A copy of this report will be sent by the principal or administrator to the student’s parents within 24 hours
Student attendance
Policy FDD
Teachers and staff should be familiar with the district’s policies and procedures for attendance accounting These procedures require students to have parental consent before they are allowed to leave campus When absent from school the student upon returning to school must bring a note signed by the parent that describes the reason for the absence These requirements are addressed in campus training and in the student handbook Contact the campus principal for additional infor mation
Hazing
Policy FNCC FO
Students must have prior approval from the principal or designee for any type of initiation rites of a school club or organization Any teacher administrator or employee who observes a student engaged in some form of hazing who has reason to know or suspect that a student intends to engage in hazing or has engaged in hazing must report that fact to the designated campus discipline person
School Safety
Important Notice Never underestimate the seemingly idle threats of students parents or other individuals We need to encourage students to report any and all threats of violence to the appropriate school personnel It is everyone’s responsibility to help ensure the safety of our students and one another
RESOURCES
· 20022003 School Calendar
· Helpful Contacts
Helpful contacts
From time to time employees have questions or concerns If those questions or concerns cannot be answered by supervisors or at the campus or department level the employee is encouraged to contact
the appropriate department All phone numbers have a 903 prefix
Accounts Payable – Joyce Thomas
105 North Riddle 5752000x1016
Athletics – Marc McDaniel
2110 North Edwards 5752034
AtRiskCompensatory – Pam Fite
105 North Riddle 5752000X1025
Bilingual Education – Ana Decious
105 North Riddle 5752000X1040
Budget – Stacie Thompson
105 North Riddle 5752000X1039
Career and Technical Education – Lauren English
2110 North Edwards 5752081
Curriculum – Carol Anderson
105 North Riddle 5752000X1024
Deaf Education – Margo McCarley
405 North Miller 5752079
Disciplinary Alternative Education Program (DAEP)
Hayes Lesher
2110 North Edwards 5752095
Drug Free Schools – James DuBus
105 North Riddle 5752000X1038
Dyslexia504 – Cindy Tomerlin
105 North Riddle 5752000X1036
Early Head Start – Shelly Derrick
201 Gibson 5777645x8607
Even Start – Debbie Malone
201 Gibson 5752130x8522
Federal Programs – Pam Fite
105 North Riddle 5752000X1025
Fixed Assets – Judy Parchman
105 North Riddle 5752000X1015
Food Services – Sharon Cutler
2110 North Edwards 5752096X19
Gifted and Talented – Beth Anne Dunavant
105 North Riddle 5752096X1019
Health Services – James DuBus
105 North Riddle 5752000X1038
Instructional Technology – Margaret Escalera
105 North Riddle 5752000X1018
Human Resources – Suzie Hall 5752000x1035
105 North Riddle
InsuranceHealth Benefits – Kim Newman
105 North Riddle 5752000X1023
KIDNETHomeless Education – Sarah Poskey
2110 North Edwards 5752096
Library Services – Jerri Fortner
2110 North Edwards 5752096
Literacy Cindy Tomerlin
105 North Riddle 5752000X1036
MaintenanceFacilities – Mike Worrell
2110 North Edwards 5752088
Migrant Education – Ana Decious
105 North Riddle 5752000X1040
Payroll – Jeannie Mars
105 North Riddle 5752000X1021
PEIMS – Linda Goolsby
105 North Riddle 5752000X1044
Public Information – Judi Saxton PhD
2110 North Edwards 5752096
Purchasing – Laura Morgan
105 North Edwards 5752000X1026
Security – Hayes Lesher
2110 North Edwards 5752081
Special Education – Margo McCarley
405 North Miller 5752079x6517
Staff Development – Pam Fite
105 North Riddle 5752000X1025
Student Assessment – Beth Ann Dunnavant
105 North Riddle 5752000X1019
Technology Curriculum – Melddie Wahler 5752000x1043
150 North Riddle
Transportation – Ois Kennington
2110 North Edwards 5752090
21st Century Learning Centers – Kim Stovall
2110 North Edwards 5752096
Visually Impaired Education – Tom Boyles
405 North Miller 5752079
Warehouse – Ralph Cutler
101 North Riddle 5752000x01008
文档香网(httpswwwxiangdangnet)户传
《香当网》用户分享的内容，不代表《香当网》观点或立场，请自行判断内容的真实性和可靠性！
该内容是文档的文本内容，更好的格式请下载文档