2. WORK YEAR AND HOURS

2.1 WORK YEAR

2.1.1 The work year shall be 201 days for ten month teachers, 206 days for ten and one-half month teachers, 216 days for eleven month teachers, and 253 days for twelve month teachers as determined by the School Board Calendar.

2.1.2 Teachers assigned to new positions during the regular school year may be required to attend additional inservice orientation sessions. Sessions shall be conducted within the regular workday.

2.1.3 Teachers shall not be required to attend any meetings away from the school center on the teacher workday as designated by the official school calendar. This day is specifically set aside to enable teachers to work on classroom duties.

2.1.4 New or vacant positions contracted for eleven or twelve months shall be advertised on the job line.

2.1.5 Teachers shall be afforded professional discretion regarding the use of professional days. Each teacher shall have the option to select from in-service meetings within his/her present area of assignment/certification.

2.1.6 School Social Workers and Student Services Personnel shall be provided specialized in-service training on designated professional planning days.

2.1.7 In addition to regular Pre-K training and in-service, Pre-K teachers shall be afforded the same opportunities as regular classroom teachers to attend in-service training on professional study days.

2.1.8 Teachers shall be granted the right to utilize flexible working hours on non-student days, other than professional planning days, with the approval of the site administrator.

2.1.9 The District shall establish three early release days. These days will be assigned to the last day of the first nine weeks, the last day of the third nine weeks, and the last day of the school year. Early release days shall be designated as teacher work time. This will establish a work period at the end of every nine weeks. There already exists a full work day at the end of the first semester (second nine weeks). The scheduling of early release days may be changed upon consultation agreement between the School District of Hillsborough County and the Hillsborough Classroom Teachers Association.

2.2 VACATIONS FOR TWELVE-MONTH TEACHERS

2.2.1 All twelve-month teachers with up to five years continuous service will be entitled to thirteen days annual vacation; teachers with five to ten years continuous service shall be eligible for 16.25 days vacation annually; teachers who have ten or more years of continuous service shall be eligible for 19.5 days vacation annually. Vacation leave is cumulative, not to exceed eighty (80) days. Accrued vacation will be paid out at the time of termination in accordance with normal payroll schedules and subject to the payout limitations under state statutes.

2.2.2 Employee vacation requests shall be granted whenever possible. Vacations shall normally be taken during the summer months and on non-student days during the regular school year.

2.3 HOLIDAYS

2.3.1 The school holidays and the school year shall be determined by the Board when it adopts the annual school calendar and shall be named in the calendar. If emergency holidays are granted, the time missed must be made up by reduction of time designated as "vacation" on the annual calendar.

2.3.2 The Board shall grant to all teachers working less than twelve months six paid holidays each school year.

2.3.3 Teachers must be working or be on paid leave or illness beyond accrued sick leave for less than thirty (30) working days to receive paid holidays. Teachers cannot begin employment nor return from extended leave on a paid holiday. If teachers resign (except for retirement) on a non-work day, the effective date of resignation will be at the end of their last work day.

2.4 DUTY HOURS

2.4.1 The duty day for teachers shall be seven hours and thirty-five minutes, except for those positions contracted for an eight hour duty day as agreed to by the Board and the Association.

The normal hourly duty day for seven hours and thirty-five minute teachers shall be followed during pre-planning. On other non-student work days, the length of day for seven hour and thirty-five minute teachers shall be six hours including one hour for lunch.

On election days in Hillsborough County, no faculty or other school related meetings shall be held beyond the normal workday.

2.4.2 Compensation on the basic salary schedule shall be based on seven hours and thirty-five minutes of scheduled time. The Association and Board agree to develop criteria for the payment of supplemental salaries for teachers over and above the amount reflected in the contracted, basic salary schedule.

2.4.3 Teaching time in secondary schools shall be a maximum of 300 minutes per day. This should include classes in not more than two subject areas nor more than three teacher preparations except in cases where unusual circumstances require exception. Such exceptions must be approved by the appropriate assistant superintendent after the Association has been advised of the unusual circumstance.

2.4.4 An accounting procedure related to teachers reporting for work shall be developed and implemented by Department Heads, Team Leaders or Grade Chairmen working in conjunction with their teachers. Such procedure shall be submitted to the building administrator for approval prior to implementation.

2.5 TEACHING AN ADDITIONAL PERIOD FOR COMPENSATION

2.5.1 Current teachers may be employed, on a voluntary basis, to teach an additional period when the need exists.

2.5.2 When the need exists teachers presently employed full-time may be employed for an additional period provided that their regular day is extended by the equivalent of one period.

2.5.3 Each school shall secure a list of all teachers in the school who desire to teach an extra paid period.

2.5.4 When a department needs an additional class taught, certified teachers outside of the department may teach the additional class only if no one in the department is available.

2.5.5 Teachers teaching an additional period shall be compensated for an extra hour per day based on their regular hourly rate.

2.5.6 Teachers teaching an additional period shall receive pay while on professional duty elsewhere.

2.6 LENGTH OF DAY FOR SUPPLEMENTED TEACHERS

2.6.1 Supplemented teachers, including Patrol Sponsor, as identified in the Hillsborough County Salary Schedule Supplement list, are to be on duty for eight hours daily, including lunch. Excluded from the eight hour schedule are club sponsors (not Patrol Sponsor), music directors, and Middle School team leaders.

2.6.2 District Administrative Resource Teachers are to be on duty for eight hours and forty-five minutes daily, including lunch. School-based Administrative Resource Teachers are to be on duty eight hours, including lunch.

2.6.3 Department heads shall be limited to one all day out of school group meeting per month except in cases of emergency.

2.7 PLANNING AND LUNCH PERIODS

2.7.1 Teachers shall have planning time during which they will not be responsible for students, attendance at faculty meetings, or be assigned to other duties except for emergencies. The school office shall maintain a duty roster available for teacher examination, to ascertain the equity of emergency assignments.

2.7.2 Secondary teachers (6-12) shall have a scheduled planning period of at least one full period during one-half the school year. During the other half, their planning period may be shortened to forty-five consecutive minutes in order to complete duty assignments, as may be necessary to ensure student safety. Such duty assignments shall be posted. (Exceptions may be necessary during lunch period supervision if other alternatives have been exhausted).

2.7.3 Secondary teachers in schools with seven student instructional periods shall have a scheduled planning period of at least one full period per day.

Planning time for Middle school teachers, working on teams, shall normally be scheduled to accommodate team planning.

2.7.4 Except for Tuesdays, all elementary teachers shall have a scheduled block of at least 35 minutes planning period per day before or after the student day. Tuesdays may be used for necessary school related meetings, including but not limited to, principal called faculty, building committee, and grade level meetings. In addition to the Tuesday meetings, the principal shall have the right to call one additional faculty/grade level meeting per month for any given teacher.

2.7.5 Elementary teachers shall be provided with a weekly minimum of two and one-half hours of planning time within the student day (equivalent to thirty minutes per day). Elementary teachers’ planning time shall take place before or after the student day and during the day when students are with special services teachers.

2.7.6 Whenever possible, elementary teachers shall not be required to teach more than three hours without a break.

2.7.7 It is normal for teachers to be in their work area during their planning period. However, they shall not be restricted to their room or work area during the entire planning period.

2.7.8 Each teacher shall be provided a minimum of thirty minutes for a duty-free lunch period.

2.7.9 In addition to the time specified for planning and lunch, Department Heads shall be provided with a minimum of one full period per day of non-student contact time.

2.7.10 Secondary homeroom assignments shall be distributed fairly.

2.7.11 Teachers shall not be assigned office duties except as voluntary duty or in case of emergency.

2.8 SCHEDULE NOTIFICATION

2.8.1 Teachers shall be notified of their tentative program schedule, or grade level assignment for the ensuing year prior to the initial spring transfer period. In addition, they will be notified of any changes in their tentative program, schedule, or grade level assignment for the ensuing year, including the schools to which they will be assigned, as soon as practicable.

2.8.2 Teacher schedules shall be made without regard to age, race, creed, color, national origin, gender, marital status, or membership in any teacher organization. Qualifications and experience levels of teachers will be given consideration in terms of school, schedule, program, or grade level assignment.

Normally, no more than four (4) consecutive classes shall be assigned to special services teachers.

2.8.3 A faculty shall be given at least three days' notice before a change is made in a school's class or bell schedule except in emergency cases.

2.9 STUDENT SERVICES

2.9.1 Student Services personnel shall normally be assigned to no more than three school sites.

2.9.2 Student Services personnel shall not be subject to quotas regarding assessments or reports.

2.9.3 Student Services personnel shall be offered extended year and day contracts and supplemented services contracts appropriate to the district needs prior to the district contracting out.

2.10 SCHEDULES FOR MULTI-SCHOOL TEACHERS AND CERTIFICATED SUPPORT PERSONNEL

2.10.1 In arranging schedules for personnel who are assigned to more than one school, an effort shall be made to limit the amount of interschool travel. Such personnel shall be notified of any change in their schedules by June 1st of each year. Any exception to this must be approved by the appropriate Assistant Superintendent. Personnel shall have their schedules arranged so that on paydays they are assigned to their respective home schools.

2.10.2 Teachers with multi-school assignments shall be assigned extra duties as would be appropriate to any other faculty member on a pro-rata basis.

2.10.3 A multi-school teacher or certificated support personnel's geographical area of assignment shall be considered permanent for a school year. Personnel may be transferred administratively as contained in Section 11.3. If a program is to be increased or decreased during the year, geographical area changes may be made.

2.10.4 When a teaching vacancy exists for a cluster assignment, personnel within the department may apply for a transfer to such vacancy.

2.11 JOB SHARING

2.11.1 Purpose Of The Program

The Hillsborough County Job Sharing Program is intended to assist in recruiting and maintaining qualified teachers in the district.

2.11.2 Eligibility Criteria

A. A teacher returning from maternity, adoption, family care, or medical leave.

B. A teacher anticipating retirement within one year of the year for which he/she applies for consideration for this program.

C. A teacher seeking certification in a critical shortage area.

D. A retiree from Hillsborough County Schools who has satisfied the statutory time limitations necessary for full employment.

E. A teacher desiring a temporary half-time position for maternity, adoption, family care, personal, or medical reasons.

2.11.3 Conditions of Employment for Job Sharing Candidates

The conditions of employment for participation in the Job Sharing Program shall be as follows:

A. The period of assignment shall be 1/2 of the scheduled hours per day for an aggregate of 1/2 of the work week. Any deviation from this schedule must be approved in advance by the Division of Human Resources.

B. The schedule of duties and assignment shall be made at the building level by the principal, consistent with the certification and experience of the teacher.

C. A job sharing participant shall be eligible to teach a minimum of 3 hours or three (3) periods of instruction.

D. The teacher must be fully certificated to teach in the area in which he/she is to be considered for placement.

E. A candidate must indicate his/her interest in participation in the program by July 15 of the fiscal year for consideration. Application shall be made on forms available through the Division of Human Resources.

F. A teacher may participate in the Job Sharing Program upon recommendation of the principal. The teacher must reapply and be approved by the Board each year.

G. Teachers on job share will not be granted long-term leaves, except for unforeseen medical emergencies.

H. Job share teachers would substitute for absent partner when possible and receive a half day of substitute pay for the additional service.

I. The job sharing applicants are responsible for finding their own partners. If either partner leaves the job share, then the job share is dissolved and the remaining partner must assume full responsibility of that position.

J. In the event of retirement or death of a job share participant, the terminal pay shall be computed as a full share equivalent.

K. The school that loses a job share partner will hold that teacher’s position for two years.  At the inception of a third year of job share, that partner shall be placed in the district level pool for placement upon return to full time.

2.11.4 Computation of Salary for Job Sharing Participants

The period of service for purposes of this program shall be 201 days. Payment and benefits for this period of employment shall be computed as follows:

A. Payment shall equal 50 percent of the individual's salary based on degree and experience for 190 days and 100 percent of the individual's salary for 11 non-pupil days.

B. In addition to the above salary amounts, the teacher shall also receive:

1. Sick leave computed at the rate of one-half day per month for each month worked.

2. Five half-days of personal leave charged to accumulated sick leave per year.

C. One job share teacher may elect Board-provided single employee coverage, subject to the Board's cap on contributions, while the other job share teacher must elect to forego Board-provided single employee medical coverage. (Note: An employee who is not eligible for Board-provided single employee medical coverage is also not eligible for dependent medical coverage.) Applicants may choose to split the cost of the Board-sponsored single employee premium. If this option is elected, the premium for each job share teacher shall be one-half of the job share teacher's single employee medical coverage. This option may not be changed during the school year.

D. Non-optional employee benefits (Social Security, Medicare, Retirement, workers' compensation, unemployment compensation and life insurance) shall be based upon the reduced salary. Negotiated time off benefits (sick leave, vacation, paid holidays) will accrue on a pro rata (50 percent) basis, based upon the reduced salary.

E. Assignments will constitute, for salary purposes, more than one-half of the school year thus entitling the teacher to one year of service on the salary schedule (it should be noted that years of service in this program shall not satisfy the three year requirements for tenure).

2.11.5 Notification of Applicants

Upon receipt of the names of those selected, each teacher will be assigned and given a notice of employment outlining the period of service and the salary as defined above.

2.12 SCHOOL CHOICE

2.12.1 Teachers shall be permitted to enroll or transfer their children, or children for whom they are legally responsible, in a school of their choice, space permitting. This will not exempt them from existing eligibility requirements.

2.13 DRESS CODE

2.13.1 The School Board and the Association agree that although there is no official dress code for teachers, teachers are to be professional in their dress and personal grooming.