Table of Contents

WHEREAS, the Board has an obligation pursuant to Chapter 123, Public Laws 1974, to negotiate with the Association as the representative of employees hereinafter designated, with respect to the terms and conditions of employment, and

WHEREAS, the parties have reached certain understandings, which they desire to confirm in the Agreement, be it

RESOLVED, in consideration of the following mutual covenants, it is hereby agreed as follows:

Unless otherwise indicated, the term "teacher", when used hereinafter, shall refer to all professional employees represented by the Association in the negotiations unit defined above.

ARTICLE #2
NEGOTIATION OF SUCCESSOR AGREEMENT

This Agreement shall not be modified in whole or in part by the parties except by an instrument in writing duly executed by both parties.

Neither party, in any negotiations, shall have control over the selection of the negotiating representatives of the other party.

B. With respect to the grievance, the employee shall be assured freedom from restraint, interference, coercion, discrimination, or reprisal in presenting the appeal. The employee shall have the right to present their own appeal or designate the representatives of the Association, or any other representative of their own choosing, to appear with them or for them at any step in the appeal after the informal meeting with the Superintendent, up to and including Step 4 outlined in the following procedures:

C. PROCEDURE

STEP 1 Any employee who has a grievance shall discuss it first with the
Superintendent (within five (5) days of the occurrence of the incident) in an attempt to resolve the matter informally at that level.
STEP 2 If, as a result of this discussion, the matter is not resolved to the satisfaction of the employee within ten (10) or less school days, the employee may set forth the complaint in writing to the Superintendent. This letter shall contain a request for a meeting with the Superintendent within ten (10) school days after the receipt of this complaint. The employee may request representation at this meeting by any member of the Association. Following this meeting, the Superintendent shall communicate the decision to the employee in writing within five (5) school days.
STEP 3 If the grievance is not resolved to the employee's satisfaction, the employee may request a review by the Board. The request for review shall be submitted in writing through the Superintendent who shall attach all related papers and forward the request to the Board. The Board shall, before the next regular Board meeting, or within fifteen (15) days of the receipt of the request, review the grievance, hold a hearing with the employee(s) if requested, and render a decision as quickly as possible, but within a period not to exceed thirty (30) calendar days.
STEP 4 If the grievance involves the interpretation of the language of this contract, the grievant may submit said grievance to binding arbitration within fifteen (15) school days after receipt of the decision of the Board. Within (10) ten school days, after such written notice of submission to binding arbitration, the Board and the grievant and/or the representative, shall attempt to agree upon a mutually acceptable arbitrator and shall obtain a commitment from said arbitrator to serve. If the parties are unable to agree upon an arbitrator or to obtain such a commitment within a specified period, a request for a list of arbitrators shall be made to the American Arbitration Association by either party. The parties than shall be bound by the rules of the American Arbitration Association in selection of an arbitrator. The arbitrator so selected shall confer with the representatives of the Board and grievant and shall hold hearing promptly. The arbitrator shall be requested to issue the decision not later than thirty (30) days from the date of the close of hearing, or if the oral hearings have been waived, then from the date the final statements and proofs on the issues are submitted to him/her. The arbitrator's decision shall be in writing and shall set forth the findings, reasoning, and conclusions on the issues submitted. The arbitrator shall be without power to make any decision which required the commission of an act prohibited by law or which violates the terms of this Agreement. The decision of the arbitrator shall be final and binding upon the parties. The cost for services of the arbitrator shall be shared equally by the Board and the grievant and any other expenses incurred shall be paid by the party incurring same.

ARTICLE #4
TEACHING HOURS AND LOAD

The teacher/student instructional day shall remain unchanged. There will be a change in the arrival and dismissal time for both teachers and students. Teachers will arrive no later than 8:05 a.m. and may leave the building at the end of the school day at 3:05 p.m. Non-instructional time shall be five (5) minutes before school and eight (8) minutes after school for teachers. Pupil contact time will remain five (5) hours and thirty-five (35) minutes. Effective January 1. 2005 the work day shall be extended an additional seven (7) minutes. The teachers shall leave fifteen (15) minutes after the students.

C. Teachers may leave the building without requesting permission during their scheduled duty free lunch periods.

Classroom teachers shall have two (2) daily preparation times in addition to their lunch period in which they shall not be assigned to any other duties. Effective ?s soon as possible, teachers are required to receive prior approval from the superintendent should they want to leave the building during a prep time. Requests shall not be unreasonably denied. Teachers are to remain in the building if not approved to leave.

E. Substitute teachers shall be provided for all subject area teachers when they are absent. In the event that a substitute is not obtained and a teacher is required to cover a class, such teacher shall be reimbursed at the rate of S20.90 in the first year, S21.88 in the second year and S22.89 in the third year for a missed preparation period.

F. Any teaching staff member who shall be assigned lunchroom duty shall be compensated at the rate indicated on the attached Supplemental Position Schedule for each lunch period.

G. Unit members shall not be required to drive students to activities, which take place away from the school building.

H. Unit members who provide bedside instruction shall be paid at the rate of S26.00 in the first year, S27.22 in the second year and $28.47 in the third year.

Teachers requested by the Superintendent, to attend professional workshops, which are outside of the contractual workday, shall be reimbursed at the rate of S100.00 for a full day’s attendance.

All teachers must attend Back - To - School Night and evening Parent - Teacher Conferences, as has been past practice. Supervising teacher(s) shall be required as has been past practice, to attend the following listed activities after school and/or evenings; Gym Show, Holiday Program, Science Fair, Art Show:, Spring Musical, Graduation.

K. Evening conferences shall be set aside for the convenience for parents who are unable to attend day sessions. These terms must be mutually agreeable to parents, teachers, and the Superintendent.

Staff meetings will be held once a month and will be one half (1/2) hour in duration.

A. The Board agrees when possible, to hire only fully certified teachers holding/standard certificates issued by the New Jersey State Board of Examiners for every teacher in assignment.

B. The Board may grant teachers with previous teaching experience in this district, upon returning to the system, credit on the salary guide for Board approved teaching experience. Peace Corps, VISTA, or National Teacher Training Corps, work and time spent on a Fullbright Scholarship up to a maximum set forth in the salary guide.

Teachers shall be notified in writing of their contract and salary status for the ensuing year no later than April 30^th.

ARTICLE #6
SICK LEAVE AND OTHER LEAVES OF ABSENCE

B. Teachers shall be given written account of accumulated sick leave days not later than September 30^th of each school year.

C. Commencing with the 1982 - 1983 contract year, all unused personal leave days shall accumulate as sick days at the end of each school year.

Teachers shall be entitled to the following temporary, non-accumulative leaves absence with full pay:

Up to five (5) days bereavement leave shall be granted for members of the immediate family and three (3) days for in-laws.
Three (3) days leave per year, for personal, legal business, household or family matters, which require absence during school hours. Application to the Superintendent for personal leave shall be made at least three (3) days before taking such leave except in emergency. The Superintendent may require a change of date if granting such leave would result in more than two classroom teachers being absent on the requested day(s).
Effective January 1, 2006, no personal days may be used immediately before or after a school recess.
3. Teachers shall be provided opportunities to visit other schools and to attend meetings or conferences of an educational nature for the development of increased competence beyond that which they may attain through the performance of their assigned duties.

Up to six (6) consecutive calendar days at anyone time in the event of serious illness of a teacher's spouse, child, parent, brother, sister, or any other member of the family unit living in the same household.

2. One (1) day in the event of the death of a teacher’s friend or relative outside the teacher's immediate family.

3. In the event the death of a teacher, staff member, or a student of this system, the Superintendent, may grant to an appropriate number of teachers sufficient time off to attend the funeral.

ARTICLE #8
EXTENDED LEAVES OF ABSENCE

1. A leave of absence without pay of up two (2) years may be granted to any tenured teacher who joins the Peace Corp, VISTA, National Teacher Corps, Project Hope or serves as an exchange teacher to overseas, and is a full time participant in either.
2. A leave of absence without pay of up to two (2) years may be granted to a teacher who is adopting an infant child. Such leave shall commence upon the receipt of de facto custody of said infant, or earlier, if necessary to comply with State and Federal regulations and laws.
3. A leave of absence without pay of up to two (2) years maybe granted for the purpose of child birth and child care to a teacher who is pregnant, subject to the following provisions:
a) A teacher who becomes pregnant shall notify the Superintendent of the pregnancy at least three (3) months prior to the expectant date.
b) The Board has the right to require a medical certificate of a pregnant teacher's fitness to continue working or to return to work after pregnancy.
c) The leave shall start at the teacher's option, but must commence when the teacher can no longer work, and extends for the remainder of the current school year. In the case of a tenured teacher, if it is requested, said leave shall include the following school year if the request for extension is made by March 15^th of the current year. In any case, the teacher’s return must coincide with the beginning of the school year. The teacher must notify the Superintendent of the desire to return by March 15'^h of the year prior to the return.
d) There will be no compensation for maternity leave.

e) No experience credit on the salary guide is granted for the prior of maternity leave, nor shall credit toward accrual of longevity be granted for maternity leave.

4. A leave of absence without pay of up to one (1) year may be granted to tenured teachers for reasons of personal or family health. Additional leave may be granted at the discretion of the Board.

An employee on leave of absence may return upon expiration of the leave when there is a position available for which the employee is qualified. Application to return from leave of absence should be filed with the Superintendent not later than March 15^lh preceding the September of the year of return.

All extensions or renewals of leaves shall be applied for and granted in writing.

To pay the full cost of tuition and other reasonable expenses incurred in connection with any courses, workshops, seminars, conferences, in-service training sessions, or other sessions which a teacher is required and/or requested by the administration to take. To pay the reasonable expenses (including fees, meals, lodging and/or transportation) incurred by teachers who attend such sessions.

To reimburse the partial /cost of tuition of courses taken by any teacher for credit in an approved college course at the following rates providing that:

Prior approval for each course has been given by the Superintendent.

A minimum of two (2) credits is taken within the school year.

Reimbursement shall be given after receipt of official notification of successful completion of the course(s).

The maximum reimbursement of the cost of tuition of courses taken by any teacher is one thousand, five hundred ($1,500.00) dollars.

Those teachers who have earned any additional credits or degrees shall be compensated at the rate above the Bachelor Level on the attached salary guide. Teachers earning their MA or M A+30 must submit notification and transcripts to the superintendent's office by August 1 5 to be eligible for movement on the guide as of September 1. Alternatively, teachers may submit notification and transcripts to the superintendent's office by January 1 5^!h to be eligible for movement on the guide as of February 1.

ARTICLE #10

A. The Board shall pay the family contract cost for the N.J.S.H.B.P. for all qualified unit members. The Board Secretary shall administer the plan.

Commencing with the 2001-2002 school year, the Board shall assume the full cost of the family co-payment prescription plan from N.J.S.H.B.P. The co-payment for the prescription insurance will change from $1.00 to $5.00 (generic brands) and from $5.00 to $10.00 (name brands), if permissible by the plan. The Board Secretary shall administer the plan.

C. All current eligible employees will maintain their dental coverage as written by Horizon and the Board Secretary shall administer the plan. Commencing with the 2001-2002 school year, all employees working over (20) hours per week will be offered dental coverage subject to eligibility requirements of the N.J.S.H.B.P. Single dental coverage will be offered for those employees who are not tenured. Full family dental coverage will be offered once tenure is achieved.

Commencing with the 2001-2002 school year, any employee hired after September 1, 2001 and working less than twenty (20) hours per week will not be eligible for any medical, prescription, or dental coverage.

As to rejoining or adding spouse/dependents to the plan due to a change in circumstance or hardship outside of the open enrollment periods (October 1^st to October 31^st), N.J.S.H.B.P. would ask for proof of change or hardship involved and could process the change on a monthly basis, as needed, after receiving proof of the event.

B. The Mon-Oc Credit Union deduction plan:
1. Shall be administered by Mon-Oc Public Employees Federal Credit Union.

2. Shall be voluntarily authorized in writing by the employees.

2004 - 2005 : $42.04
2005- 2006 : $43.93
2006- 2007: $45.95

B. Any individual contract between the Board and an individual unit member, heretofore and hereafter executed, shall be subject to and consistent with the terms and conditions of this Agreement. If any individual contract contains any language inconsistent with this Agreement, this Agreement, during its duration shall control.

Copies of this Agreement shall be printed and expenses shared by the Association and the Board, after agreement with the Association on format, within thirty (30) days after the Agreement is signed. Copies shall be presented to all unit members now employed or hereafter employed.

B. Supplemental Position Schedules are attached.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the panics hereto have caused this Agreement to be signed by their respective representative on this 11th day of April, 2005.

AVON BOARD OF EDUCATION AVON EDUCATION ASSOCIATION

By:___________________________ By:______________________________

By:___________________________ By:______________________________

By:___________________________ By:______________________________