FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

IF YOU CAN’T FIND AN ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION TALK TO YOUR BUILDING REPRESENTATIVE.

QUESTION: Where can I find a copy of the negotiated contract?

ANSWER: Ask your building representative for a copy or there are two online locations; the AEA has it here or you can go to the Auburn School District homepage. Type www.auburn.wednet.edu to access Auburn’s site. From there, to “For Staff”. Scroll down to “Union Agreements.” Our negotiated agreement is labeled “Teachers”. Use the binocular “tool” to help you find the specific word or phrase you are looking for.

QUESTION: What is personal business leave?

Answer: Describes the two Personal Leave Days that each certificated employee receives and is allowed to accrue to a maximum of 5 total days.

QUESTION: How do Work Relief Days occur?

ANSWER: Elementary classroom teachers and secondary teachers of core subject areas have two (2) days of release or four (4) half days for the purpose of work relief. The intent of Work Relief days is to provide staff members the time needed to implement the state and federal requirements from educational reform. Staff who do not fall into the above categories, who wish to access Work Relief Days, need to put their request in writing to the assistant superintendent of Human Resources (Tim Cummings) who will have the authority to grant or deny the Work Relief day. Last year, the Labor Management Team added further clarification to Work Relief Days.
“ In order to accomplish the goal of work relief days, individuals need to be provided with an environment that is conducive to completing the work. This may be a space that is quiet, where interruptions do not occur and that has adequate equipment. Such space may not be available at the worksite. Such space may not be available at the worksite. Should this occur, the administrator and the individual will mutually arrange for an appropriate location for the work relief days to take place.”

QUESTION: Can a staff meeting occur before or after WAC time?

ANSWER: Our contracted work day is 7.5 hours. All meetings with required attendance need to take place within the 7.5 hour work day. A building may choose (by using their Building Based Decision Making Model) to “flex” their WAC time in order to accommodate meetings that may take an extended amount of time.

QUESTION: What is the process for retire/rehire applicants:

ANSWER: Retire/rehire candidates follow the same application, screening and interview process as other applicants for positions in the Auburn School District. During the second year of the retire/rehire candidates selection over a similarly qualified candidate, the interview team completes a statement explaining why the retire/rehire candidate is a better choice over other qualified applicants. Overall in the 2005-2006 school year, there will be fewer retire/rehire candidates than in previous years.

QUESTION: How much do I receive in tuition reimbursement:

ANSWER: The District will reimburse each employee up to $500 per year, for professional improvement as follows:

a. Tuition reimbursement (college credit classes, continuing education units, clock hours)
b. Registration and/or instructor fees for workshops and conferences;
c. Implementation of professional growth plans involving credits and/or clock hours.

QUESTION: How many credits do I receive for each clock hour?

Answer: One college credit hour course on the salary schedule for each 10 clock hours of approved in-service training attended, provided such credit is accepted by OSPI.

QUESTION: How much do I receive for overload pay?

ANSWER: Subsequent to October 1, teachers and long-term substitutes of classes exceeding the limits listed below will receive, at the teacher’s option, twenty dollars ($20) overload pay per week per student or a half-hour per week per student release time retroactive to the tenth (10th) day of school to be sued in the performance of educational responsibilities as agreed between the teacher and principal.

Regular classes: 30/1
American Literature/Writing classes: 27/1 (11th grade only)
High School Writing classes: 25/1
Basic classes: 20/1

QUESTION: What is the Individual Responsibility Contract?

ANSWER: The Individual Responsibility Contract provides compensation to certified employees for responsibilities not covered in the base contract. These individual responsibilities are outlined below:
1) Attendance at meetings (i.e., faculty meetings, Open House, grade-level/department meetings).
2) Individual professional development (i.e., Impact of School Improvement Plans, ESEA, new adoption curricula, education reform, best practice standards).
3) Student assessments
4) Classroom, lesson, and job preparation.
5) Parent contacts.

QUESTION: How long is my lunch period?

ANSWER: No less than thirty (30) continuous minutes per day.

QUESTION: Can I be assigned to do duties during my lunch period?

ANSWER: No. You have a thirty (30) minute duty free lunch period.

QUESTION: How long is my work day?

ANSWER: The workday will consist of 7 ½ hours.

QUESTION: How does taking a leave of absence impact my monthly dues?

ANSWER: As long as an employee is receiving a regular paycheck from the district, normal payroll deductions occur. Once an employee no longer receives a paycheck, those deductions cease.

QUESTION: How many days do I receive for preparing for I.E.P.s?

ANSWER: All special education classroom teachers shall receive four (4) days release time for IEP preparation annually.

QUESTION: What is the districts ability to adjust class size before October 1st? Can students be moved from one class to another so that a para-educator is not hired?

ANSWER: The district has the right to move students before October 1st.

QUESTION: What is the process for notifying staff members once a student has been sent to the office for discipline issues?

ANSWER: The administrator should share with the staff member the action taken in regards to the situation. If staff members have not heard back from their administrator, they should make individual contact with them.

QUESTION: What is the procedure for handling parents who are verbally aggressive to staff?

ANSWER: Our negotiated agreement (pg. 16) states “If a parent visit is thought to be disruptive to an Employee’s work, the Employee may confer with the principal. The employee and principal will work together to resolve the issue. Visits to certain classes may be limited or not permitted by the principal.”

QUESTION: Do years of experience apply to coaching stipends? (If a coach moves from coaching one sport to another do they receive credit for their experience at their previous sport?)

ANSWER: Coaching positions are not continuing contracts. Credit for years of experience accrues for the particular sport, not for years of coaching experience. If a coach were to switch sports their stipend would reflect the coaching experience for that sport.

QUESTION: What is the Family Medical Leave Act?

ANSWER: The Family Medical Leave Act is federal legislation that allows an employee to take leave:
- To care for a child after birth or placement for adoption or foster care.
- To care for a spouse, son, daughter or parent who has a serious health condition.
- For a serious health condition that makes the employee unable to perform the essential functions for their job.