Welcome—or welcome back—to Brookesmith ISD. The purpose of this Employee Handbook is to inform you of important information about your employment in the district and about working with students of the Brookesmith ISD. This Handbook does not replace the school district’s board-adopted policy manual, which contains all the official policies that govern the operation of the district and your employment in the district. This Handbook is not a "contract," and we can make changes to it at any time.

Nothing in this Handbook supersedes or contradicts any district policy or changes any aspect of the employment relationship between you and the district or any terms and conditions of that relationship. All district employees serve on an at-will basis unless they have received, signed, and returned a written contract authorized by the board of trustees or a written employment agreement authorized by the board of trustees or the superintendent.

We have tried to make this Handbook easy to read and understand. When we say "you" or "your," we mean the employee; when we say "we" or "our," we mean the school district.

Employee’s Name: _____________________________________________________

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Employee’s Signature: _______________________________________________

Campus Assigned: _____________________________________________________

Date: ______________________________

The following pages contain several notices about your rights and responsibilities as a school employee. Please complete each form and return it to the superintendent’s office within 5 days after you receive this Handbook. We recommend that you keep a copy of your signed forms for your own records.

Texas Government Code, Section 552.024, states that "each employee or official of a governmental body and each former employee or official of a governmental body shall choose whether to allow public access to the information in the custody of the governmental body relating to the person’s home address, home telephone number, or social security number, or that reveals whether the person has family members."

Please indicate below whether you wish your home address, home telephone number, or social security number, or information that reveals whether you have family members to be disclosed to the public by the school district.

I wish to allow public access to

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Date

The Brookesmith ISD publishes its entire policy manual at the following website http://www.tasb.org/policy/pol/private/025908/. You also have the right to obtain a paper copy of the district’s employment policies if you make a request for them. If you wish to receive a paper copy of employment policies, please sign below and submit this form to the principal so that the office will know how many sets of policies to prepare.

I wish to receive a paper copy of the district’s employment policies.

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(Printed Name) (Position)

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(Signature) (Date)

I have read the Network and Internet Use policy [CQ (LOCAL)] included in this Handbook and understand the conditions for use of the network and Internet resources provided by the Brookesmith ISD for the purpose of promoting educational excellence and supporting instructional goals.

By my signature below, I agree that any use of the network and Internet under my user ID or account will be consistent with that policy. I understand that district employees have the authority to and will monitor network usage, including electronic messages sent and received to ensure compliance with the policy. Furthermore, I understand that I am responsible for any transactions that occur under my user ID or account and that any violation of the district’s policy will be considered misconduct and a violation of the employee standards of conduct.

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Employee’s Signature Date

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Employee’s Name, Printed Campus

Board Policy Links:

The board of trustees meets monthly. All meetings are open to the public and employees are encouraged to attend if they have an interest in the topics for a particular meeting. Agendas will usually be posted the Friday prior to the Wednesday meeting at the central administrative office.

Brookesmith ISD is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate in employment based on sex, race, religion, national origin, age, disability, or status as a veteran.

The District’s Title IX coordinator is Bryan Swartz. Our ADA Coordinator is Cari Miller. Employees with disabilities may contact the ADA coordinator or campus principal to initiate interactive reasonable accommodation plans when necessary or appropriate.

All employees enjoy the right of association and are free to participate or not participate in professional or political organizations of their own choosing. No district administrator will require or coerce you to participate or not participate in any professional or political organization. No employment-related decisions will be made based on participation or nonparticipation in any professional or political organization.

School facilities and equipment, however, cannot be used for any political or partisan purpose, except as authorized by the principal or superintendent under district policy. We also will not permit partisan political activity or campaigning by employees in the classroom or other instructional settings or at school-sponsored or school-sanctioned activities or events, including wearing campaign buttons.

Under the Texas Public Information Act and because you are a public employee, most of the records we have and keep related to your employment, including your salary, are available to anyone upon written request. Employees may direct that their home addresses and telephone numbers not be released by completing the form, "Personal Information Election," at the beginning of this Handbook. Official written evaluations for teachers and administrators are confidential and will not be released. If we receive a request for copies of your personnel records, we will consult with the school’s attorneys to determine which records must be released and will take the necessary steps under the Public Information Act to withhold records that are confidential.

Professional employees who obtain additional certification while employed with the District must provide copies of those certificates to the central office. If you agree to obtain additional certification at our request, you must submit transcripts and TExES registration forms and test scores related to that additional certification to the central office.

We will maintain the following personnel records at the central administrative offices.

Attendance and Absences: Punctual and consistent attendance at work is a fundamental requirement of your employment in Brookesmith ISD. Excessive absences or repeated tardiness in reporting for duty can result in the termination of your employment. "Excessive" absences are any that are not in compliance with our policies and procedures for taking available local, state, or federal leave. If you are going to be absent or late for work, you must contact James Oliver or Bryan Swartz no later than 7:00 a.m. This contact must be made every time you are absent or late unless you have provided James Oliver or Bryan Swartz with more specific long-term information from your treating health care provider.

We do not have a category of leave called "leave without pay." If you are absent in excess of the number of days of leave you have available under district policy, you are simply absent and will not be paid for those days. Employees who are compensated on a salary basis will have appropriate deductions made from the regular salary payment for days of absence in excess of accumulated leave. If you do not comply with our policies and procedure for notice of an absence or for requesting leave, you will not be paid for those days of absence even if you have leave available.

Basic Leave Information The complete text of the policy on leaves and absences [DEC (LEGAL) and (LOCAL)] is included in the Appendix, but we are providing a brief summary of the most commonly used kinds of leaves in this Handbook.

All full-time employees receive 5 days of state personal leave each year. Part-time employees or those who work less than a full year receive a pro-rated number of days. Additionally, the district provides 2 days of local leave each year. Refer to DEC (LOCAL) for specifics on using each kind of leave. You can always use accumulated state or local leave for your personal illness or injury or the illness or injury of an immediate family member.

Days taken as "personal leave" must be requested 5 days in advance. You cannot use personal leave during the first and last weeks of a semester, immediately before or after a holiday, or during state or local testing periods. Only 4 employees at a campus or department may be absent for personal leave at one time. We will try always to honor timely requests for personal leave that comply with policy requirements, but the superintendent or principal may withdraw approval if unforeseeable absences among other staff (bad weather, flu or other transmittable disease) would affect the efficient and effective operation of the campus or department.

Medical Certification We have the right to and will ask you to provide periodic information from your treating doctor to verify the need for family medical leave or other medical absences and to give us some idea of when you will be able to return to duty. We will provide forms for your doctor to complete. Your failure to provide the necessary information to us can affect your eligibility for leave and will be treated as a failure to follow district policy and procedures.

Medical Examinations We have the right to and will ask you to have a medical or psychological examination paid for by the district if we believe that your condition is interfering with the performance of your regular duties. Your failure to cooperate in this situation will be treated as a failure to follow district policy and comply with directives.

On-the-Job Injuries If you are injured while performing your duties for the district, you must notify your supervisor immediately so that we can comply with our responsibilities under workers’ compensation laws. We provide workers’ compensation coverage for all employees. If an injury at work causes you to be absent, it is your responsibility to inform us whether you wish to use accumulated leave in order to receive full pay during your absence to the extent of accumulated leave or whether you wish to save your accumulated leave and receive only the temporary income benefits that are available under the workers’ compensation laws. If you do not inform us of your choice, we will NOT charge your absence to accumulated leave and you will receive only temporary income benefits. If absence because of a work-related injury also qualifies as a serious health condition under family medical leave, you will also be charged with family medical leave during your absence.

Jury Duty You will be paid your regular rate of pay and will not use accumulated leave while you are responding to a call for jury duty. But if you are selected to serve, you must endorse your jury pay to the district to help defray the cost of a substitute.

Vacations and Holidays: Only employees in 12-month positions receive paid vacation. We encourage eligible employees to schedule and take vacation they have earned.

The annual district calendar published at the beginning of this Handbook shows the days scheduled as paid holidays.

Compensation, Benefits, and Pay Schedules: The board of trustees annually will adopt or approve salary and pay schedules for all classes of employees in conjunction with the annual budget adoption process. The superintendent will make decisions about where to assign individual employees within the ranges and positions set in the schedules. The business office will notify you at the beginning of the school year of your anticipated pay rate and whether you are classified as exempt or non-exempt for purposes of providing overtime or compensatory time. This notice is not a contract; it is provided for your information only. If we discover during the school year that either you or we made an error in that information, we will make adjustments to remaining salary or pay to correct the error. This correction during the payment term may increase or decrease your regular pay check.

We pay employees monthly on the 25 of each month.

Professional employees (teachers, administrators, counselors, librarians, nurses, supervisors, etc.) earn a monthly salary based on the number of months required under their contracts or assignments. Employees with 10- or 11-month contracts or assignments will have a portion of that monthly salary set aside each month to provide a regular paycheck during the one or two months in the summer when they are not actively providing service to the school district. All other employees are paid for hours actually worked during a pay period and will not have pay set aside for this purpose.

Overtime/Compensatory Time If you are an employee who is covered by the minimum wage and overtime requirements of the Fair Labor Standards Act, you must keep accurate records of all time worked for the district. This means that you must record on the documents or through the system that we provide the actual time that you begin work each day, the time you take for lunch, and the time you stop working each day. We generally expect that non-exempt employees will not work more than 40 hours in a work week.

All overtime must be approved in advance by your supervisor. Although you will be compensated for all time you work, working overtime without prior authorization is insubordination and may result in the termination of your employment.

Insurance We will hold meetings with all staff at the beginning of each school year to explain and provide complete information about all of the insurance programs that are available to you, including optional coverage for long-term and short-term disability, additional group life insurance, vision and dental coverage. We make a contribution to the basic health coverage for all employees and will make this contribution so long as you are using accumulated paid leave. If you have an illness or injury that exhausts all paid leave, you may continue to participate in our health insurance for a period not to exceed 6 months by paying your own premiums in advance; and continue through CORBA for another 18 months. At the end of that time, you will be offered the opportunity to pay for continuation coverage.

Payroll Deductions We will make all required state and federal deductions from your gross pay each pay period. We will comply with any court order to deduct child support payments from your gross pay and with any valid orders to deduct federal school loan payments. Other regular deductions may include:

Duties and Responsibilities:. All employees are subject to assignment and reassignment. At the campus level, the principal will ultimately determine your assignment. The superintendent can make assignments and reassignments between campuses and positions. Teachers may be assigned to any teaching assignment for which they are or can be qualified.

Your principal or supervisor can assign additional duties if needed in order to make sure that the campus or department is running effectively and efficiently. Ordinarily, you will not receive any additional compensation for those duties.

The work day is not the same as the instructional day. The superintendent or principal may set hours of work for employees that require you to be on duty before daily instruction begins and after daily instruction ends. The work day for employees is

If you wish to leave campus during the school day for any reason other than taking a duty-free lunch, you must receive permission from the principal or your direct supervisor and sign out in the office indicating the time and purpose for leaving campus and sign in when you return.

Visitors to the Workplace Any visitor for you during the working day must check in with the principal or supervisor and receive permission to go to your work site. Ordinarily we will not allow personal visitors to disrupt classroom instruction, so teachers should inform potential visitors of the time scheduled for a conference period or lunch period. We will not allow frequent or lengthy visits by friends or family to interfere with your performance of your assigned duties.

Duty-free Lunch All teachers the librarian will receive a 30-minute duty-free lunch at least four days each week. During this time, teachers and the librarian have no responsibilities related to supervising students and may leave campus, provided they return within the allotted 30 minutes. If we are experiencing a personnel shortage, economic conditions that limit our ability to hire lunchroom monitors or support staff for this purpose, or in unforeseen circumstances, we may have to assign teachers and librarians to supervise students during their lunch no more than one day per week. We will make efforts, though, to provide lunch room supervision using parent volunteers or support staff so that teachers and the librarian can be provided a duty-free lunch each school day.

Faculty/Staff Meetings The principal will periodically schedule meetings for all teachers and other professional staff and sometimes for all staff. These meetings will usually be in the afternoon after students have been released for the day. Important information about district and campus operation and programs at the campus is communicated in these meetings, which also provide an opportunity for employees to communicate ideas and issues to the administration. You must attend these meetings unless you have contacted the principal in advance and received permission to be absent.

Conference Period All teachers will receive planning/prep period that provides not less than 450 minutes over a two-week period. The purpose of the conference period is for teachers to plan and prepare instruction, to grade student work, to hold meetings with parents, and to hold meetings with students. We cannot require you to do anything else during your conference period; however, you are required to use your conference period for those stated purposes. You will not ordinarily be permitted to leave campus during your conference period to run errands, keep doctor or other appointments, or for any other purpose. Occasionally, we may allow teachers to oversee another teacher’s classroom during a conference period to provide for an unexpected absence or other administrative reason.

Staff Development A prepared, well-trained professional and instructional support staff is essential to our providing a quality education to all the students of Brookesmith ISD. We have scheduled 6 days of professional development into the annual calendar. On these days students will not be present, and professional and instructional support staff must participate in training and development opportunities, under the conditions and guidelines described here.

Two of the scheduled professional development days are mandatory for all professional and instructional support staff to attend. During these days, all staff will participate in training in topics or areas that have been identified either in our annual district improvement plan or in your campus improvement plan. The district calendar identifies the mandatory professional development days.

On the remaining 4 professional development days, we will provide a range of opportunities for training. However, teachers and other professional staff who have obtained training and professional development on their own may be permitted to substitute those training hours. In order to substitute individual professional development for required days, you must request the substitution from the superintendent in advance. Your principal will review your request in view of training areas and topics targeted in the campus improvement plan and in view of your assignment and need for training. Employees who have not made arrangements to substitute individual training or professional development must be present and participate in the training and development opportunities.

Evaluations/Appraisals: All employees will be evaluated or appraised in writing by their supervisors. Teachers will be appraised annually. You will have an opportunity for a conference with your supervisor to discuss your evaluation and expectations for performance. An important part of your supervisor’s job is overseeing and assessing employee performance throughout the school year, and your supervisor may provide written documentation to you of both good and problem performance as he or she determines appropriate.

Teachers are appraised using the state Professional Development Appraisal System (PDAS) and will receive orientation to the system early each school year.

Transfers/Reassignments: The superintendent has the authority under state law and district policy to transfer or reassign any employee in the district.

We will usually post vacancies within the district in the central administrative office and on the TASA website. All current district employees are eligible to apply for other jobs in the district, but we will not consider any applicant for any position who does not meet the minimum requirements posted for the position. If a current employee is selected for an interview, the employee will be notified and an interview time scheduled. The final decision whether a position will be posted is up to the superintendent, who may exercise his authority to assign and reassign personnel without opening a position to the application process.

Safety: We strive to maintain a safe and healthy work environment. All employees share the responsibility for helping to keep the workplace safe and to avoid injury to themselves or others. Violating safety standards pertinent to your assignment can result in disciplinary action.

We comply with the state Hazard Communication Act and maintain current lists of hazardous chemicals used in the district and current Material Safety Data Sheets. If you want or need this information, please contact your principal or supervisor.

Periodically, district buildings and grounds are treated by licensed or trained individuals to control unwanted pests, such as insects and rodents. We will post notices of those treatment dates as required by law and will schedule treatment times when students or employees are least likely to be in the building or on the grounds.

Maintenance and Repairs: We strive to keep all our facilities clean, well maintained, and in good repair. Teachers and other employees must ensure that they do not store items in their classrooms or offices that will attract pests of any kind. If your classroom or office needs maintenance or a repair, contact your principal or supervisor. If you believe that your work area or classroom is not being adequately cleaned, contact your principal or supervisor. Do not take it on yourself to direct the work schedule or activities of our maintenance staff.

Standards of Conduct: We expect all district employees to treat each other, students, parents or other patrons of the district with common courtesy and respect at all times. We hold our students to a high standard of conduct, as expressed in the Student Code of Conduct, and we expect no less of our employees. All district employees serve as role models for our students and must conduct themselves at work and in public as honest, law-abiding citizens.

The Educators’ Code of Ethics is included in the Appendix of the Handbook. By law, it applies to all district employees who hold a certificate issued by the State Board of Educator Certification. By local policy, it applies to all employees in the district. You should read and be familiar with the standards and expectations expressed there because these are the standards and expectations we will impose on you.

If you are arrested for or convicted of a felony or any crime of moral turpitude, you must report that fact to your principal or immediate supervisor within 3 calendar days. Offenses involving moral turpitude include without limitation theft or attempted theft of any kind, fraud of any kind, sexual offenses, any assaultive or violent offense, bribery, perjury, drug or alcohol offenses, offenses constituting abuse or neglect under the Texas Family Code, or any other offense contrary to justice, honesty, modesty, or good morals.

Sexual Harassment/Inappropriate Conduct We do not allow employees to engage in sexual harassment of other employees, students, parents, patrons, or vendors to the school. No district employee is permitted to have a sexual or romantic relationship with a student, regardless whether the student or parent welcomes or approves of the relationship.

Sexual harassment is any unwelcome conduct of any kind that is based on a person’s sex or that would not occur but for the sex or gender of the person and that is so severe or pervasive that it deprives a person of the benefit of his or her job or education. Isolated incidents of inappropriate sexually charged conduct may not amount to sexual harassment, but they are still prohibited under our standards of conduct and should be reported to an administrator so that he or she can look into the situation.

If you believe you are the victim of sexual harassment or any other inappropriate conduct by a co-worker or even a student, you should contact the Title IX coordinator or principal to discuss the matter and perhaps to file a complaint. Our complete policy on sexual harassment and the process for bringing a complaint is included in the Appendix to this Handbook.

Other Harassment We do not allow employees to harass each other based on race, national origin or ethnicity, religion, age, or disability. If you always conduct yourself in the workplace with common courtesy and respect for your co-workers, this will never be a problem for you. You should be sensitive to the desires of your co-workers in making or displaying personal religious expressions in the workplace and should not engage in unwelcome religious discussions or proselytizing in the workplace.

Tobacco Use We do not allow any use of any tobacco product on school property, indoors or outdoors, at any time by any person. This prohibition includes any tobacco use in a school-owned vehicle. Because you are a role model for students, we also prohibit you from using any tobacco product in the presence of students when you are serving in any school-related capacity. If you are a tobacco user, you must leave school property—with the permission of your supervisor—in order to smoke or otherwise use a tobacco product.

Alcohol and Drug Use You are prohibited from using or being under the influence of alcohol or any illegal drug or controlled substance at work or at any school-sponsored activity, whether you have an official role in that activity or not. We conduct pre-employment and random testing for drug and alcohol use for all transportation department employees and other employees in safety sensitive positions. If you are required to have a commercial driver’s license or drive a school-owned vehicle as any part of your assigned duties and responsibilities, you will be subject to drug and alcohol testing. If you have questions about the details of the drug testing program for employees, talk to your supervisor and also see policy DHE (LEGAL) and (LOCAL).

You cannot provide alcohol or illegal or prohibited drugs to students and must not allow students to use alcohol or illegal drugs in your presence, at any time or place. You are also prohibited from providing any type of over-the-counter medication or dietary supplement to students. Only designated school employees may administer prescription medications or over-the-counter medications to students.

Weapons You cannot bring any firearm or any other prohibited weapon on school property unless you have written permission from the principal or superintendent. A list of prohibited weapons and their definitions is in the Code of Student Conduct and in board policy at FNCG (LEGAL).

Dress and Grooming Standards Expectations for employees are higher than those set for students. You must maintain a clean, neat, modest, professional appearance at school and school activities. Food service and maintenance/custodial employees may be required to comply with specific dress and grooming standards for health and safety reasons. Your supervisor will provide more detailed information about these requirements.

Searches We can search you, your work area, your vehicle on school property, or other possessions or property at school with or without your consent if we have a reasonable basis to believe that the search will turn up evidence of work-related misconduct. Any search we conduct will be reasonably related in scope to the circumstances that justified the search in the first place.

Outside Employment: You are free to have employment outside the district so long as those duties do not interfere with your performance of duties for the district and are not inconsistent with your position in the district. Teachers may not tutor their own students for pay during the school year.

Work-Related Travel: the superintendent must approve any travel on our behalf in advance. Reservations and costs for air travel and overnight accommodations will usually be made with district credit cards through the business office. We have an approved per diem rate for meals when traveling on school business. You will not be reimbursed for any amounts in excess of the approved per diem amount. No employee may receive both a per diem allotment and reimbursement for actual meal expenses. No employee may receive a per diem allotment for meals purchased with a district credit card. We will reimburse you for your out-of-pocket expenses for rental cars, parking, and other approved expenses at a rate not to exceed that permitted under the state travel allowance guide provided you submit receipts. We will not reimburse you for alcohol and will not pay for personal charges on hotel/motel rooms such as in-room movies.

District Credit Cards: We will issue district credit cards to certain employees, campuses, and departments. Your principal or supervisor will provide detailed information on use of district cards; however, these cards are for school-related and approved use only. If you are issued or allowed to use a district credit card, you may not use it for any personal expense at any time. It is a violation of the terms under which the card is issued to us and of employee standards of conduct for you to make a personal purchase with the card, even if you reimburse the district at a later time.

Purchases: All purchases with school funds, or for which you will seek reimbursement from school funds, must be approved in advance with an authorized purchase order. We will not pay for or reimburse for any purchases that do not comply with our required procedures. You will be personally responsible for any purchases that do not comply with our required procedures. No school employee other than the superintendent and others specifically designated by the board of trustees can sign a contract that binds the district. All contracts for purchases of goods or services, including vending contracts, yearbook publication contracts, graduation supply contracts, and so on must be submitted to the business office for review and approval before they are signed. If you sign a contract other than in accordance with these requirements, we will not be responsible for any amounts to be paid under that contract and you may be personally responsible.

Complaints and Grievances: We encourage you to attempt an informal resolution of any complaints or concerns you have about the workplace by talking to your principal or supervisor. However, you have the right to bring a written complaint about wages, hours, or conditions of work or if you believe that you have been harmed in some way by the violation of a law or policy. Complaints must be filed within 15 days of the event you are complaining about. We will not entertain untimely complaints. Our policy generally provides for a three-step process, beginning with the principal or immediate supervisor and ending with the board of trustees.

At-will employees may complain about the termination of their employment through this process, and probationary teachers whose employment is terminated at the end of a school year in the best interest of the district may also use this process to present a concern to the board of trustees. All other employees must use the specific processes described in law and policy to raise issues related to contract nonrenewal or termination.

The full text of our DGBA (LEGAL) and (LOCAL) policies regarding complaints and grievances are included in the Appendix to the Handbook.

Resignation from Employment: Any employee who has a probationary, term, or continuing contract must submit a written resignation to the superintendent. Do not submit a resignation to the principal. The superintendent is the only person with authority to accept resignations from contract employees.

Termination of Employment: Please refer to our policies regarding termination or nonrenewal for the processes involved in ending employment in the district. Generally, at-will employees can be dismissed from employment at any time for any reason or no reason, provided it is not an illegal reason.

We will try to conduct an exit interview with every employee who leaves district employment for any reason. We will delay the delivery of the last paycheck until all district equipment, keys, or any other district-owned property or materials have been returned and accounted for.

Much of the information in this section of the Handbook applies primarily to teachers and other professional employees working directly with students on a daily basis. Some of the information, however, applies to all employees. We will use the term "employees" when we mean everyone and "teachers" when we mean professionals. We will also continue to use "you" and "your" as appropriate.

Student Records and Confidentiality: Education records and information maintained about students that is related to their education are confidential under federal law. You will often learn personal information about your students and their families in the course of your work for the district. You must not discuss students or their families—their conduct, their academic achievement or academic failings, or personal information—with anyone unless you need to share the information with another employee or someone working with the school district for a reason related to the child’s education.

Discipline/Student Supervision and Control: The board-approved Student Code of Conduct contains all the rules and requirements for conduct and discipline. You will receive a copy of the Code and must be familiar with the rules of conduct. Each employee has the responsibility to be mindful of student conduct at all times and to intervene if students are harming each other or school property. In other situations, if you observe student misconduct, promptly inform the principal. In most circumstances, only professional employees will actually impose or administer disciplinary consequences. Employees can use reasonable restraint of students to prevent injury to the student or other students or employees, or to prevent property damage. However, students with disabilities can be restrained only in emergency situations.

Classroom teachers have the authority and responsibility to develop and communicate rules for classroom behavior. We expect you to handle minor disturbances in the classroom through these rules. However, if a student engages in classroom conduct that violates the Code of Conduct, complete a written referral and send the student to the office.

Any employee who observes students acting in any way that could be construed as sexual harassment or abuse must promptly report the conduct to the principal or superintendent and should intervene to correct or stop the conduct when possible. If you reasonably believe the conduct is sexual abuse of a child, then you must also make the required report to Child Protective Services or local law enforcement.

Classroom teachers must not leave students unattended at any time. This rule is particularly important at the elementary grades, but also applies at the secondary grades. If you must leave your classroom during instruction because of an emergency, inform the office so that we can make arrangements to have an adult present in the classroom while you are gone.

Emergency Procedures: We have developed a district-wide plan for use in case of dangerous weather or other emergency or crisis situations. You must be familiar with these procedures and follow them. Your calm demeanor and confidence in dealing with an emergency or crisis situation at school will help your students remain calm so that they can respond as needed. We will conduct emergency procedure exercises periodically—some announced to staff, some unannounced.

In situations where weather conditions may interfere with the school schedule, listen to local radio stations, or watch local Television stations. The superintendent will make all decisions regarding the necessity for an early release or school closure because of the weather.

Reporting Child Abuse or Neglect: All employees have a legal duty to make a report to local law enforcement or to Child Protective Services if they have reason to believe that a child has been or may be abused or neglected. Professionals have a legal duty to make this report orally within 48 hours and to follow that with a written report. You have not fulfilled this duty if you simply make a report to your supervisor. While we want you to inform the principal if you believe a report is required, you must still make the report yourself. If you are not certain whether you have observed child abuse or neglect, you should err on the side of reporting. Professionals can receive sanctions against their certificates and any person can face criminal charges for knowingly failing to make a report of known or suspected child abuse or neglect. Your identity will be protected when you make a good faith report.

School Activities and Functions:

During "Back-to-School" nights at the beginning of the school year, all teachers are required to be present unless you have made advance arrangements with the principal or are too sick to attend. This event is an opportunity to meet parents, explain briefly how you operate your classroom, and give parents an opportunity to ask questions and tell you things they think you need to know about their children.

We will let you know when you are expected to attend other events or activities.

Parent Organizations: We have a parent-teacher club (PTC) in the school district. We encourage teachers to be familiar with and take part in, as they choose, the activities of the parent group at their campus.

Parent Relations: All written and oral communications from teachers or other staff to parents must be professional and courteous and always made with the child’s best interest at heart. Teachers and other professionals must always respond promptly to parent communications to them, either in writing or by telephone.

We provide a conference period so that you can schedule meetings with parents at their request or at yours. We generally encourage parents to visit their children’s classroom occasionally, but parents must make prior arrangements with you and you need to let us know in advance. Parents or other visitors must always check in at the principal’s office.

If for some reason a problem in communication develops between you and a parent, your principal or another administrator will be glad to be present at your conferences with the parent, at your request.

Only materials that have been approved by the principal or superintendent can be sent home with students in their backpacks or otherwise. Do not rely on students to deliver important communications from you to their parents, such as progress reports, report cards, requests for a conference, or concerns about the child’s conduct or performance.

Special Education/Section 504 Program: Classroom teachers and other professionals can refer students, based on the teacher’s academic or behavioral observations or concerns, for assessment by a team, to determine if they have a disability that makes them eligible for special education or related services.

If you are a teacher for a student with disabilities, you may be required to attend Admission, Review, and Dismissal (ARD) committee meetings and participate in reviewing or planning the child’s Individualized Educational Program (IEP). Even if you are not a member of the ARD committee, you must follow the IEP for any student with disabilities in your classroom and make sure that you are making any and all the modifications to instruction or the instructional setting that are called for in the IEP. Noninstructional staff must also comply with any administrative directives for handling or working with student with disabilities.

Student Attendance Accounting: We rely on accurate student attendance accounting for state funding and for determining one of the school’s ratings under the Academic Excellence Indicator System (AEIS). You must complete daily attendance records for each class.

The official attendance count for the day is taken during the second class period of each school day.

Accurate record keeping is also necessary because of the attendance for credit law, which requires that students be present for 90% of the days class is taught in order to get credit for the class. The campus attendance committee ultimately determines whether credit will be granted for a student with excessive absences. You may be called on to serve as a member of the attendance committee.

Curriculum/Instruction: Teachers must teach the curriculum approved by the board of trustees, which is focused on the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills adopted by the State Board of Education. The TEKS are aligned with the statewide assessment program for all students, the TAKS, which is administered annually at most grade levels. As you are all aware, campus and district academic ratings rely to a great extent on student achievement as demonstrated through success on the TAKS. For all these reasons, each teacher must devote his or her best energy and efforts to delivering the required knowledge and skills to their students and making sure that students are learning.

Teachers do not have the latitude to select their own instructional materials. You must use the district-provided textbooks and curriculum and must obtain prior approval from your principal to use any other materials in your classroom.

We have included in the Appendix to the Handbook, board policy EFE (LEGAL), (LOCAL), and (EXHIBIT) regarding federal copyright limitations on the use of copied materials in the classroom. Any copying you do for your classes must conform to the fair use guidelines in the EFE (EXHIBIT).

We encourage teachers to be creative in how they impart the essential skills and knowledge but you must obtain prior approval from your principal to conduct any special activity in the classroom that is not covered in the curriculum guide for your subject or grade level.

Lesson Plans: All teachers must prepare lesson plans for each subject or class every week of instruction; a copy is to be turned in to the principal no later than Thursday. We will provide the format for lesson plans, which must indicate the plan of instruction, including TEKS covered, for each day/week in sufficient detail that a substitute teacher could follow through and deliver the scheduled lessons. Lesson plans must also indicate plans and techniques for differentiating instruction and implementing modifications for students with disabilities as required by IEPs or Section 504 plans.

Grade Books/Grading Records: You must maintain timely recorded grades for students in grade books we will issue to you/in the computerized grade recording and reporting system. Any grade books we provide must be turned in to the principal at the end of each school year along with lesson plan books.

Grading Guidelines: You may establish grading standards and guidelines for your classroom, provided they are consistent with the campus and district standards described below. You must communicate your individual requirements and the campus requirements to students at the beginning of each school year or semester. Each teacher will have a minimum of 12 grades, excluding the six weeks test, per six weeks grading period posted in the grade book.

You cannot use grade reductions to discipline students for classroom misconduct, but you can give zeros or grade reductions for work that is not turned in, work that is late, work that does not fulfill the assignment, or for cheating or plagiarism.

Make-up Work Students who have been absent for illness or any other reason have the responsibility to contact you about any make-up work they need to do. Ordinarily, students have the number of days they have been absent to complete and turn in make-up work. That is, a student who misses one day has one day after returning to class to complete the make-up assignment. Make-up assignments should be the same or essentially equal to the assignment or work assigned for students who were present.

Homework We expect teachers to use homework to reinforce skills and concepts introduced in the classroom. You cannot use homework assignments to introduce new concepts or information other than a reading assignment to prepare for instruction the following day. In making homework assignments, keep in mind the balance for students of school, play, and family.

Field Trips: Well-planned and well-executed field trips are a valuable instructional experience for students of all ages. If you want to take students on a field trip, you must first get superintendent approval for the activity and the scheduled date, as well as submit a request for necessary transportation. A proposal for a field trip must be coordinated with the TEKS for the course, define the curricular objectives for the trip, and fit in with the current instructional unit.

Field trips will always be taken on school transportation and never by private passenger vehicles. Students must submit signed parent permission slips before the trip. We encourage you to enlist the help of parents to assist in supervising students on the field trip.

If you will have certain criteria for students to participate in the field trip, you must communicate those well in advance to students and parents. Any criteria should be designed to maximize student participation. Criteria for participation must not be designed in such a way that all students who are ineligible can be readily identified as students who are failing the class. You must plan an alternate instructional activity for students who are not eligible to participate in the field trip.

Using Films/Movies in Class Movies can be used effectively for instruction in many courses but must never be used in the classroom as a reward or for entertainment.

Movies should always be age-appropriate for the students in the class. As a general rule, R-rated movies will not be used in the classroom. However, with principal permission, specific notice to parents, and specific parent permission, R-rated films may be shown to high school students when they are determined to be of significant instructional value. You must plan an alternate instructional activity that will accomplish the same instructional goals for students who do not have parent permission to view the film.

Tutorials: We provide tutorials in all curriculum areas. Students who have grades below 70 in any subject must attend tutorials.

Textbooks/Instructional Technology: At the beginning of the school year or semester, you will assist in the distribution of state-adopted textbooks or instructional technology to students in your classes. Each teacher shall issue textbooks to the students and the number of each book is to be recorded as issued. Names will be written in books. You will oversee and ensure that all state-adopted textbooks are covered to protect them and ensure they are usable for the life of the adoption cycle. At the end of the year or semester, you are responsible for accounting for the return of textbooks or instructional technology issued to your students. Periodic textbook checks will be made for proper numbers, covers, and care of books. Notify parents after one week if a book is lost.

Fund-Raising: If you are the sponsor of a student group or organization that wishes to conduct a fund-raising campaign, you must get prior approval from the superintendent for the activity. As a sponsor of a student group or organization, you are personally responsible for accounting for all funds raised or collected by students in your group. These amounts must be deposited with the superintendent’s secretary daily for safekeeping and deposited to the activity account for the group or organization.

Extracurricular /UIL Sponsorships: Your principal can assign extra duties related to sponsorship of extracurricular student groups and UIL academic activities. A teacher’s primary responsibility is always the delivery of the required curriculum to students in your classes.

Request for Scheduled Personal Leave

Reporting Child Abuse and Neglect

General Activity/Transportation Permission Form

Board Policies CQ (LEGAL), (LOCAL): Network and Internet Use

Board Policies DEC (LEGAL) and (LOCAL): Leaves and Absences

Educators’ Code of Ethics [Downloaded from SBEC website]

Board Policies DHC (LEGAL), ( LOCAL ) and (EXHIBIT) : Sexual Harassment

Board Policies DGBA (LEGAL), (LOCAL) and (EXHIBIT): Employee Complaints and Grievances

Board Policies EFE (LEGAL), (LOCAL) and ,(EXHIBIT): Copyrighted Materials

Board Policies EIAB (LOCAL): Grading/Progress Reports to Parents, Make-Up Work

Use this form to request personal leave in situations that do not involve your own personal illness or injury or the illness or injury of a member of your immediate family. This form must be turned in to the superintendent at least 5 days before the requested date of absence.

Name: ________________________________________________________________

Assignment: ___________________________________________________________

Beginning Date: ________________

Ending Date: ________________

No more than 4 of the staff may use scheduled personal leave on the same day.

The superintendent may withdraw approval for scheduled personal leave if unforeseeable absences among other staff (bad weather, flu or other transmittable disease) would affect the efficient and effective operation of the campus or department.

For Office Use Only:

Number Days Requested: __________________

Number Days Available: __________________

Number Days Charged: __________________

________________________________________________ __________________

(Last name) (First) (MI) (Phone)

Mailing Address: ________________________________

________________________________

Date of Birth: ______________

Many of Brookesmith ISD’s curricular and extracurricular activities involve transporting students from school to the site of the activity using school buses or other school-owned or –provided vehicles. By my signature below, I consent to my minor child’s participation in those activities and the transportation necessary to participate. I understand that the school district has no liability for any personal injury or death that may occur while my child is participating in curricular and extracurricular activities and that the school district is not responsible for the cost of medical treatment for any injuries that may occur while my child is participating in curricular and extracurricular activities including the cost of emergency care or emergency transportation.

________________________________ _____________________________

(Parent Name—Printed) (Parent Signature)

By my signature below, I authorize the principal or other professional employee who is supervising curricular and extracurricular activities to consent to emergency medical treatment for my minor child’s illness or injury that may occur while my child is participating in curricular and extracurricular activities. I also authorize emergency transport of my child by available emergency medical services.

___________________________________ ______________________________

(Parent Name—Printed) (Parent Signature)