WEST RUSK CCISD
2008-2009
EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK
Introduction
BE AWARE: While
creating the webpage the page numbers from the original handbook have been
changed OR DELETED.
The
purpose of this handbook is to provide information that will help with
questions and pave the way for a successful year. Not all district policies and procedures are
included. Those that are have been
summarized. Suggestions for additions
and improvements to this handbook are welcome and may be sent to Jerry Nicks
This
handbook is neither a contract nor a substitute for the official district
policy manual. Nor is it intended to alter the at-will status of non-contract
employees in any way. Rather, it is a
guide to and a brief explanation of district policies and procedures related to
employment. These policies and
procedures can change at any time; these changes shall supersede any handbook
provisions that are not compatible with the change. For more information, employees may refer to
the policy codes that are associated with handbook topics, confer with their
supervisor, or call the appropriate district office. Policy manuals are located in the
superintendent’s office and are available for employee review during normal working
hours. The policies may also be found on
the district’s web site at http://www.westrusk.esc7.net
Employee
Handbook Receipt
Name_____________________________________
Campus/department_____________________________________
I
hearby acknowledge receipt of my personal copy of the West Rusk CCISD
Employee
Handbook. I agree to read the handbook and abide by the standards, policies,
and procedures defined or referenced in this document.
The
information in this handbook is subject to change. I understand that changes in district
policies may supersede, modify, or eliminate the information summarized in this
booklet. As the district provides
updated policy information, I accept responsibility for reading and abiding by
the changes.
I
understand that no modifications to contractual relationships or alterations of
at-will relationships are intended by this handbook.
I
understand that I have an obligation to inform my supervisor or principal of
any changes in personal information, such as phone number, address, etc. I also accept responsibility for contacting
my supervisor or principal if I have
questions
or concerns or need further explanation.
_______________________________ _______________________
Signature
Date
*Note: Please sign and date this copy and return to
your principal or immediate supervisor ASAP.
District
Information
Policy
AE
The West Rusk CCISD public education system is
devoted to ensuring that all its children, regardless of race, color, national
origin, gender or handicap, have access to a quality education by providing a
well-balanced curricula in a safe environment, free of drugs, violence, and
fire arms, designed to equip students with the tools and understanding
necessary to successfully negotiate the challenges to work and life as
presented by an ever changing society.
Goal # 1: By
2013-2014, all students will reach high standards, at a minimum
attaining proficiency or better in reading/language/arts and math.
Goal # 2: All limited English proficient students
will become proficient in English
and reach high standards, at a
minimum attaining proficiency or better
in reading/language arts and mathematics.
Goal # 3:
All students will be taught by highly qualified teachers.
Goal # 4:
All students will be educated in learning environments that are safe,
drug-free, and conducive to learning.
Goal # 5: All
students will graduate from high school.
Policies BA, BB, BD, and BE
series
The
board of trustees is elected by the citizens of the district to represent the
community’s commitment to a strong educationally program for the district’s
children. Trustees are elected annually
for three-year terms. Trustees serve
without compensation, must be registered voters, and must reside in the
district.
Board
members:
Jerry
Brown, president
Kenneth
Copeland, vice president
Sandra
Smith, secretary
Corey
Bobbitt
Ronnie
Gaudet
Will Sudweeks
Jerry
Walden
The
board meets the third Monday of each month unless changed by Board action. Meetings are held in the Board Room of the
All
meetings are open to the public. Under
the following circumstances,
Administration:
Superintendent……………………………….Mike King
Special Programs Director…….. …………...Jerry
Nicks
Business Manager……………………………Belinda Walker
High School Principal………………………..Wes Wood
Middle School Principal……………………..Leah Bobbitt
West Rusk Elementary Principal……......... Gwen Gilliam
Athletic Director……………………….. ….. John Frazier
Women’s Athletic Coordinator………….. Tommy Fields
Special Education Director ………………. Stephanie Hawkins
Diagnostician………………………………. Cheryl Cates
Technology
Coordinator……………………Alan Rowe
Maintenance Directors
Director
of transportation…………………..Bruce Mason
Director
of Maintenance…………………… Joe Summy
Integrated
Asbestos
Designated Person………………..Joe Summy
Equal Employment
Policies DAA, DIA
The
West Rusk ISD does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for
employment because of race, color, religion, gender, age, national origin,
disability, military status, or any other basis prohibited by law. Employment decisions will be made on the
basis of each applicant’s job qualifications, experience, and abilities.
Employees
with questions or concerns about discrimination on the basis of race, color,
religion, sex, national origin, or age should contact the superintendent.
Employees with questions or concerns relating to discrimination on the basis of
a disability should contact Jerry Nicks.
To the extent possible,
announcements of job vacancies by position and location are distributed on a
regular basis and posted at the central administration building and in the
campus buildings.
Employment
after retirement
Policies DC, DCA, DCB, DCC,
DCD, DCE
Probationary
Contracts. Nurses and full time professional employees
new to the district and employed in positions requiring SBEC certification must
receive probationary contracts during their first year of employment. Former employees who are hired after at least
a two-year lapse in district employment also may be employed by probationary
contract. Probationary contracts are
one-year contracts. The probationary
period for those who have been employed as a teacher in public schools for at
least five of the eight years preceding employment with the district may not
exceed one school year. For those with
less experience, the probationary period will be three school years (i.e.,
three one-year contracts) with an optional fourth school year if the board
determines it is doubtful whether a term or continuing contract should be
given.
Term
contracts. The board has chosen to
employ by term contracts, the following categories of full-time SBEC certified
professional employees: certified
central office and campus administrators, teachers, counselors, diagnosticians,
librarians, special education director, and full-time nurses. Campus principals and central office
administrators are employed under 2-year term contracts. The terms and conditions of employment are
detailed in the contract and employment policies. All employees will receive a copy of their
contract and employment policies.
Paraprofessional and
auxiliary employees. All paraprofessional and
auxiliary employees, regardless of certification, are employed at will and not
by contract.
Employment
is not for any specified term and may be terminated at any time by either the
employee or the district.
Searches and alcohol and
drug testing
Policy DHE
Non-investigatory
searches in the workplace, including accessing an employee’s desk, file
cabinets, or work area to obtain information needed for usual business purposes
may occur when an employee is unavailable.
Therefore, employees are hereby notified that they have no legitimate
expectation of privacy in those places. In
addition, the district reserves the right to conduct searches when there is
reasonable cause to believe that a search will uncover evidence of work-related
misconduct. Such an investigatory
search may include drug and alcohol testing if the suspected violation relates
to drug and alcohol use. The District
may search the employee, the employee’s personal items, work areas including
computers, lockers, and private vehicles parked on District premises or
worksites or used in District business.
Employees required to have
a commercial driver’s license. The
purpose and alcohol drug testing is to ensure safety and prevent accidents and
injuries resulting from the misuse of alcohol and drugs by drivers of
commercial motor vehicles. Any employee who
is required to have a commercial driver’s license is subject to drug and
alcohol testing. This includes all
drivers who operate a motor vehicle designed to transport 16 or more people,
counting the driver; drivers of large vehicles; or drivers of vehicles used in
the transportation of hazardous materials.
Teachers, coaches, or other employees who primarily perform duties other
than driving are subject to testing requirements when their duties include
driving.
First aid CPR, and AED certification
Policies DBA, DMA
Certain
employees who are involved in physical activities for students must maintain
and submit to the district proof of current certification on first aid,
cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), and the use of an automated external
defibrillator (AED). Certification must
be issued by the American Red Cross, the American Heart Association, or another
organization that provides equivalent training and certification. Employees subject to this requirement must
submit their certification to Jerry Nicks by the first day day of school.
Reassignments
and transfers
Policy DK
All
personnel are subject to assignment and reassignment by the superintendent or
designee when the superintendent determines that the assignment or reassignment
is in the best interest of the district.
Reassignment is a transfer to another position, department, or facility
that does not necessitate a change in the employment contract. Campus reassignments must be approved by
the principal at the receiving campus except when reassignments are due to
enrollment shifts or program changes.
Extracurricular or supplemental duty assignments may be reassigned at
any time unless an extra curricular or supplemental duty assignment is part of
a dual assignment contract. Employees who object to a reassignment may follow
the district process for employee complaints as outline in this handbook. The district policy DGBA (Local) may be found
on the West Rusk web page at http://www.westrusk.esc7.net. A hard copy may be reviewed in the
superintendent’s office.
Employees
with the required qualifications for a position may request a transfer to
another campus or department. A written
request for transfer must be completed and signed by the employee and the
employee’s supervisor. Teachers
requesting a transfer to another campus before the school year begins are
encouraged to submit their request by the last day of the school year. Requests for transfer during the school year
will be considered only when the change will not adversely affect students and
after a replacement has been found. All
transfer requests will be coordinated by the superintendent’s office and must
be approved by the receiving supervisor.
Policies DEA, DL
Professional
employees. Professional and
administrative employees are exempt from overtime pay and are employed on a
10-, 11-, or 12-month basis, according to the work schedules set by the
district. A school calendar is adopted
each year designating the work schedule for teachers and all school
holidays. Notice of work schedules
including required days of service and scheduled holidays will be distributed
each school year.
Classroom
teachers will have planning periods for instructional preparation and
conferences. The schedule of planning
periods is set at the campus level but must provide at least 450 minutes within
each two-week period in blocks not less than 45 minutes within the
instructional day. Teachers and
librarians are entitled to a duty-free lunch period of at least 30
minutes. The district may require
teachers to supervise students during lunch one day a week when no other
personnel are available.
Paraprofessional and
auxiliary employees. Support employees are employed at will and
will be notified of the required duty days, holidays, and hours of work for
their positions on an annual basis.
Paraprofessional and auxiliary employees are not exempt from overtime
and are not authorized to work in excess of their assigned schedule without
prior approval from their supervisor.
In
all schools receiving Title I funds, the district is required by No Child Left
Behind Act (NCLB) to notify parents at the beginning of each school year that
they may request information regarding the professional qualifications of their
child’s teacher. NCLB also requires that
parents be notified if their child has been assigned, or taught for four or
more consecutive weeks by a teacher who is not highly qualified.
Employees
who have questions about their certification status can call Jerry Nicks in the
Central office.
Outside employment and
tutoring
Policy DBD
Employees
are required to disclose in writing to their immediate supervisor any outside
employment that may create a potential conflict of interest with their assigned
duties and responsibilities or the best interest of the district. Supervisors will consider outside employment
on a case-by-case basis and determine whether it should be prohibited because
of a conflict of interest.
Policies DN, DNA, DNB
1.
Have
been employed by the District for three years;
2.
Have
been proficient on his or her most recent appraisal; and
3.
Have
the approval of the appropriate administrator;
Eligible
teachers shall be appraised every other year.
The annual appraisal of District teachers not eligible for less frequent
evaluations shall be in accordance with the Professional Development and
Appraisal System (PDAS).
The
District shall establish an appraisal calendar each year.
At
both the campus and district levels, West Rusk CISD offers opportunities for input
in matters that affect employees and influence the instructional effectiveness
of the district. As part of the district’s
planning and decision-making process, employees are elected to serve on
district-or campus-level advisory committees.
Plans and detailed information about the shared decision-making process
are available in each campus office or from Central office.
Staff
development activities are organized to meet the needs of employees and the
district. Staff development for
instructional purposes is predominantly campus-based, related to achieving
campus performance objectives, addressed in the campus improvement plan, and
approved by district-and campus-level advisory committees.
Individuals
holding renewable SBEC certificates are responsible for obtaining the required
training hours and maintaining appropriate documentation.
Salaries, wages, and stipends
Policies DEA, DEAA
Employees
are paid in accordance with administrative guidelines and a pay structure
established for each position. The
district’s pay plans are reviewed by the administration each year and adjusted
as needed. All district positions are
classified as exempt or non exempt according to federal law. Professional and administrative employees are
generally classified as exempt and are paid monthly salaries. They are not entitled to overtime
compensation. Other employees are
generally classified as nonexempt and are paid an hourly wage or salary and
recieve compensatory time for each overtime hour worked. Nonexempt employees shall not work overtime without
prior approval of their supervisor.
Salaries
and wages are reviewed on an annual basis and adjusted according to the
budgeted amounts approved by the board.
Classroom teachers, full-time librarians, full-time nurses, and
full-time counselors will be paid no less than the minimum state salary
schedule. Contract employees who perform
extra curricular or supplemental duties may be paid a stipend in addition to
their salary according to the district’s extra-pay schedules.
Employees
should contact the business manager, Belinda Walker, for more information about
the district’s pay schedules or their own pay.
Annualized compensation
Policy DEA
The
district pays all salaried employees over 12 months regardless of the number of
months employed during the school year.
Salaried employees will be paid in equal monthly or bimonthly payments,
beginning with the first pay period of the school year. An employee who separates from service before
the last day of instruction or retires under TRS, will receive in his or her
final paycheck, a lump sum payment for wages actually earned from the beginning
of the school year to the date of separation.
Employees that separate after the last day of instruction will continue
to receive paychecks through the end of the summer.
All
employees are paid on the 25th of each month. During the school year, paychecks are
delivered to each campus. Paychecks will
not be released to any person other than the district employee named on the
check without the employee’s written authorization. During summer breaks, paychecks will be mailed
to 10 month employees. An employee’s
payroll statement contains detailed information including deduction,
withholding information, and the amount of leave accumulated.
Payroll deductions
Policy CFEA
Automatic
payroll deductions for the Texas Retirement System (TRS) federal income tax,
medicare tax, and social security are required for all full-time employees. Medicare tax deductions are required for all
employees hired after
Other
payroll deductions employees may elect include deductions for the employee’s
share of premiums for health, dental, life, and vision insurance; annuities;
higher education savings plans; and savings deposits and loan payments through
Rusk County Federal Teachers Credit Union.
Employees also may request payroll deduction for membership dues to
professional organizations. Salary
deductions are automatically made for unauthorized or unpaid leave. All
employees shall have their social security contributions deducted.
The
district compensates overtime for nonexempt employees in accordance with
federal wage and hour laws. Only
nonexempt employees (hourly employees and paraprofessional employees) are
entitled to overtime compensation.
Nonexempt employees are not authorized to work beyond their normal work
schedule without advance approval from their supervisor.
Overtime
is legally defined as all hours worked in excess of 40 hours in a work week and
is not measured by the day or by the employee’s regular work schedule. Nonexempt employees that are paid on a salary
basis are paid for a 40-hour workweek and do not earn additional pay unless
they work more than 40 hours. For the
purpose of calculating overtime, a workweek begins at 12:01 a.m. Sunday and
ends at
Employees
may be compensated for overtime at time-and-a-half rate with compensatory time
off (comp time) or direct pay. The
following applies to all nonexempt employees:
Policy
Before
any travel expenses are incurred by an employee, the employee’s supervisor must
give approval. For approved travel,
employees will be reimbursed for mileage and other travel expenditures
according to the current rate schedule established by the district. Employees must submit receipts, to be
reimbursed for expenses other than mileage.
Group
health insurance coverage is provided through TRS-ActiveCare, the statewide
public school health insurance program.
The district’s contribution to employee insurance premiums is determined
annually by the board of trustees.
Employees eligible for health insurance coverage include the following:
TRS
retirees and employees who are not contributing TRS members that are regularly scheduled to work
less than 10 hours per week are not eligible to participate in TRS-ActiveCare.
The
insurance plan year is from September 1 through August 31. Current employees can make changes in their
insurance coverage during open enrollment each spring. Detailed descriptions of insurance coverage,
employee cost, and eligibility requirements are provided to all employees in a
separate booklet. Employees should
contact Karon Elder or Belinda Walker in the central office for more
information.
Supplemental insurance
benefits
At
their own expense, employees may enroll in supplemental insurance programs for
dental, cancer, life and etc. Premiums
for these programs can be paid by payroll deduction. Employees may contact Karon Elder or Belinda
Walker in the central office for more information.
Cafeteria plan benefits
(Section 125)
Employees
are eligible to participate in the cafeteria Plan and, under IRS regulations,
must either accept or reject this benefit.
This plan enables eligible employees to pay certain insurance premiums
on a pretax basis.
New
employees must accept or reject this benefit during their first month of
employment. All employees must accept or
reject this benefit on an annual basis and during the specified time period.
Policy CRE
The
district, in accordance with state law, provides workers’ compensation benefits
to employees who suffer a work-related illness or are injured on the job. Benefits help pay for medical treatment and
make up for part of the income list while recovering. Specific benefits are prescribed by law
depending on the circumstances of each case.
All work-related accidents or injuries should be reported immediately to
Karon Elder or Belinda Walker. Employees who are unable to work due to a
work-related injury will be notified of their rights and responsibilities under
the Texas Labor Code.
Unemployment compensation
insurance
Policy CRF
Employees
who have been laid off or terminated through no fault of their own may be
eligible for unemployment compensation benefits. Employees with questions about unemployment
benefits should contact Karon Elder or Belinda Walker in the central office.
Teacher retirement
Policy DEG
All
personnel employed on a regular basis for at least four and one-half months are members of the Texas
Teacher Retirement System (TRS). For new
employees, there is a 91-day waiting
period before TRS membership begins.
Substitutes not receiving TRS service retirement benefits who work at
least 90 days a year are also eligible for TRS membership and to purchase a
year of creditable service. TRS provides
members with an annual statement of their account showing all deposits and the
total account balance for the year ending August 31, as well as an estimate of
their retirement benefits.
Employees
who plan to retire under TRS should notify the superintendent as soon as
possible. Additional inquiries should be
addresses to: Teacher retirement System
of
Policy DEC
The
district offers employees paid and unpaid leaves of absence in times of
personal need. Paid leave shall not be approved for more workdays than have
been accumulated in prior years plus those earned during the current year. This
handbook describes the basic types of leave available and restrictions on
leaves of absence. Employees who have
personal needs that will require long leaves of absence should call the
superintendent for counseling about leave options, continuation of benefits,
and communicating with the district.
Employees
must follow district and department or campus procedures to report or request
any leave of absence and complete the appropriate leave request form.
Personal leave
State
law requires that all employees receive five days of paid personal leave per
year. Each employee shall earn state personal leave
at the rate of one-half workday for each 18 workdays of employment, up to the
statutory maximum of five workdays annually.
A day of earned personal leave is equivalent to an assigned
workday. There is no limit on the
accumulation of state personal leave, and it can be transferred to other
Nondiscretionary Leave that is taken for personal or family
illness, emergency, a death in the family, or active military service is
considered nondiscretionary leave. This
type of leave allows very little or no advance planning and will be granted to
employees in the same manner as state sick leave.
Discretionary Leave that is taken at an employee’s discretion and
that can be scheduled in advance is considered discretionary leave. An employee wishing to take discretionary
personal leave must submit a notice of the request in advance of the
anticipated absence to his or her principal or supervisor. Discretionary personal leave will be granted
on a first-come, first-served basis. The
effect of the employee’s absence on the educational program or department
operations, as well as the availability of the substitutes, will be considered
by the principal or supervisor.
Previously
accumulated sick leave is available for use and may be transferred to other
school districts in
Sick
leave may be used for the following reasons only:
·
Employee
illness
·
Illness
in the employee’s immediate family
·
Family
emergency (i.e. natural disasters of life-threatening situations)
·
Death
in the immediate family
·
Active
military service
The
term “immediate family” shall include:
·
spouse
·
son
or daughter, including a biological, adopted, or foster child, a son-or
daughter-in-law, a stepchild, a legal ward, or child for whom the employee
stands in loco parents.
·
Parent,
stepparent, parent-in-law or other individual who stands in loco
parantis.
·
Sibling,
stepsibling, sibling-in-law
·
Grandparent
and grandchild
·
Any
person who may residing in the employee’s household at the time of illness or
death
For
purposes of the Family and Medical Leave Act, the definition of “family” shall
include only items 1, 2, and 3 on the above list, but shall exclude son-or
daughter-in-law and parent-in-law.
Temporary disability
Any
full-time employee whose position requires certification from the State Board
for Educator Certification (SBEC) is eligible for temporary disability
leave. The purpose of temporary
disability leave is to provide job protection to full-time educators who cannot
work for an extended period of time because of a mental or physical disability
of a temporary nature. A full-time educator
may request to be placed on temporary disability leave or be placed on
leave. Pregnancy and conditions related
to pregnancy are treated the same as any other temporary disability.
Employees
must request approval for temporary disability leave. The leave request must be accompanied by a
physician’s statement confirming the employee’s inability to work and
estimating a probable date of return. If
disability leave is not approved, the employee must return to work or be
subject to termination procedures.
If
an employee is placed on temporary disability leave involuntarily, he or she
has the right to request a hearing before the board of trustees. The employee may protest the action and
present additional evidence of fitness to work.
When
an employee is ready to return to work, the superintendent should be notified
at least 30 days in advance. The return
to work notice must be accompanied by a physician’s statement confirming that
the employee is able to do the job.
Professional employees returning from leave will be reinstated to the
school to which they were previously assigned as soon as an appropriate
position is available. If a position is
not available before the end of the school year, professional employees will be
reinstated at the beginning of the following school year.
Family and medical leave
(FMLA)
Eligibility:
Employees who have been employed by the
district for at least 12 months, and have worked at least 1,250 hours in the 12
months immediately proceeding the need for leave are eligible for family and
medical leave. Eligible employees can
take up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave each year for the following reasons:
Intermittent
leave: Use of intermittent family and
medical leave shall be permitted for the care of a newborn child or upon the
adoption or placement of a child with the employee; or to care for a covered
military service member.
Military
service family leave: An eligible employee is entitled to leave to care for an
active duty military service member who incurs a serious illness or injury in
the line of duty. The service member must
be the employee’s spouse, child, parent, or next of kin. An eligible employee may take up to 26 weeks
on a one-time basis to provide care to a covered service member.
Requests
for FMLA: When the need for family and
medical leave is foreseeable, employees must provide 30 days advance notice to
the district. When the need for leave is
not foreseeable, employees must contact the direct supervisor as soon as
possible. Employees may be required to
provide the following:
Employees
requiring family and medical leave should contact Belinda Walker for details on
eligibility, requirements, and limitations.
An
employee receiving workers’ compensation wage benefits for a job-related
illness or injury may choose to use accumulated sick leave or any other paid
leave benefits. An employee choosing to
use paid leave will not receive workers’ compensation weekly income benefits
until all paid leave is exhausted or to the extent that paid leave does not
equal the pre-illness or –injury wage.
If the use of paid leave is not elected, then the employee will only
receive workers’ compensation wage benefits for any absence resulting from a work-related illness
or injury, which may not equal his or her pre-illness or injury wage.
Assault
leave provides extended job income and benefits protection to an employee who
is injured as the result of a physical assault suffered during the performance
of his or her job. An injury is treated
as an assault if the person causing the injury could be prosecuted for assault
or could not be prosecuted only because that person’s age or mental capacity
renders the person non-responsible for purpose of criminal liability.
An
employee who is physically assaulted at work may take all the leave time
medically necessary (up to two years) to recover from the physical injuries he
or she sustained. At the request of an
employee, the district will immediately assign the employee to assault
leave. Days of leave granted under the assault leave provision
will not be deducted from accrued personal leave and must be coordinated with workers’ compensation
benefits. Upon investigation the
district may change the assault leave status and charge leave used against the
employee’s accrued paid leave. The
employee’s pay will be deducted if accrued paid leave is not available.
Employees
will receive leave with pay and without loss of accumulated leave for jury
duty. Employees will be granted paid leave to comply with a valid subpoena to
appear in a civil, criminal, legislative, or administrative proceeding. Absences for court appearances related to an
employee’s personal business must be taken as personal leave or leave without
pay (if no personal leave is available).
Employees may be required to submit documentation of their need for
leave for court appearances.
Paid leave for military
service. Any employee who is a
member of the Texas National Guard, Texas State Guard, or reserve component of
the United States Armed Forces will be granted a paid leave of absence without
loss of any accumulated leave for authorized training or duty orders. Paid military leave will not exceed 15 days
each fiscal year (October 1-September 30).
In addition, an employee is entitled to use available state and local
personal or sick leave during a time of active military service.
Re-employment
after military leave. Employees who leave the district to enter
into the
Continuation of health
insurance. Employees who perform
service in the uniformed services may elect to continue their health plan
coverage at their own cost for a period not to exceed 18 months. Employees should contact Karon Elder in the
central office for details on eligibility, requirements, and limitations.
Policy
DGBA
In
an effort to hear and resolve employee concerns or complaints in a timely
manner and at the lowest administrative level possible, the board has adopted
an orderly grievance process. Employees are encouraged to discuss their
concerns or complaints with their supervisors or an appropriate administrator
at any time.
The
formal grievance process provides all employees with an opportunity to be heard
up to the highest level of management if they are dissatisfied with an
administrative response. Once all administrative
grievance procedures are exhausted, employees can bring concerns or complaints to
the board of trustees. The district’s policy concerning the process
of bringing concerns and complaints, (DGBA (Local), may be found on the district’s web site, http://www.westrusk.esc7.net. A hard copy may be reviewed in the
superintendent’s office.
Employee conduct and
welfare
Standards of conduct
Policy DH
All
employees are expected to work together in a cooperative spirit to serve the
best interests of the district and to be courteous to students, one another,
and the public. Employees are expected
to observe the following standards of conduct:
·
Recognize
and respect the rights and property of students, parents, other employees, and
members of the community.
·
Maintain
confidentiality in all matters relating to students and coworkers.
·
Report
to work according to the assigned schedule.
·
Notify
their immediate supervisor as early as possible (preferably in advance) in the
event that they must be absent or late.
Unauthorized absences, chronic absenteeism, tardiness, and failure to
follow procedures for reporting an absence may be cause for disciplinary
action.
·
Know
and comply with department and district procedures and policies.
·
Express
concerns, complaints, or criticism through appropriate channels.
·
Observe
all safety rules and regulations and report injuries or unsafe conditions to a
supervisor immediately.
·
Use
district time, funds, and property for authorized district business and
activities only.
All
district employees should perform their duties in accordance with state and
federal law, district policy, and ethical standards for professional
educators. Alleged incidents of certain
misconduct by educators, including having a criminal record, must be reported
to SBEC not later than the seventh day the superintendent first learns of the
incident.
The
Code of Ethics and Standard Practices for
Texas Educators, adopted by the State Board for Educator Certification,
which all district employees must adhere to, is reprinted below:
Statement of Purpose
The
conduct toward students, professional colleagues,
school officials, parents, and members
of the community and shall safeguard academic freedom. The
Professional Standards
1.
Professional Ethical Conduct, Practices, and Performance
Standard 1.1 The educator shall not knowingly engage in
deceptive practices regarding official policies of the schoo9l district or
educational institution.
Standard 1.2
The educator shall not knowingly misappropriate,
divert, or use movies, personnel, property, or equipment committed to his or
her charge for personal gain or advantage.
Standard 1.3
The educator shall not submit fraudulent requests
for reimbursement, expenses, or pay.
Standard 1.4 The
educator shall not use institutional or professional privileges for personal or
partisan advantage.
Standard 1.5 The
educator shall neither accept nor offer gratuities, gifts, or favors that
impair professional judgment or to obtain special advantage. This standard shall not restrict the
acceptance of gifts or tokens offered and accepted openly from students,
parents, or other persons or organizations in recognition or appreciation of
service.
Standard 1.6 The educator shall not falsify records, or
direct or coerce others to do so.
Standard 1.7 The
educator shall comply with state regulations, written local school board
policies, and other applicable state and federal laws.
Standard 1.8
The educator shall apply for, accept, offer, or
assign a position or a responsibility on the basis of professional
qualifications.
2.
Ethical Conduct toward Colleagues
Standard 2.1 The
educator shall not reveal confidential health or personnel information
concerning colleagues unless disclosure serves lawful professional purposes or
is required by law.
Standard 2.2
The
educator shall not harm others by knowingly making false statements about a
colleague or the school system.
Standard 2.3 The
educator shall adhere to written local school board policies and state and
federal laws regarding the hiring, evaluation, and dismissal of personnel.
Standard 2.4 The
educator shall not interfere with a colleague’s exercise of political,
professional, or citizenship rights and responsibilities.
Standard 2.5 The
educator shall not discriminate against or coerce a colleague on the basis of
race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, disability, or family status.
Standard 2.6 The
educator shall not use coercive means or promise of special treatment in order to influence professional
decisions or colleagues.
Standard 2.7 The
educator shall not retaliate against any individual who has filed a complaint with
the SBEC under this chapter.
3.
Ethical Conduct toward Students
Standard 3.1 The
educator shall not reveal confidential information concerning students unless disclosure serves
lawful professional purposes or is required
by law.
Standard 3.2 The
educator shall not knowingly treat a student in a manner that adversely affects
the student’s learning, physical health, mental health, or safety.
Standard 3.3
The educator shall not deliberately or knowingly
misrepresent facts regarding a student.
Standard 3.4
The educator shall not exclude a student from
participation in a program, deny benefits to a student, or grant an advantage
to a student on the basis of race, color, sex, disability, national origin,
religion, or family status.
Standard 3.5
The educator shall not engage in
physical mistreatment of a student.
Standard
3.6 The educator shall not solicit or engage in
sexual conduct or a romantic relationship with a student.
Standard 3.7 The
educator shall not furnish alcohol or illegal/unauthorized drugs to any student
or knowingly allow any student to consume alcohol or illegal/unauthorized drugs
in the presence
of the educator.
Discrimination, harassment, and retaliation
Policies DH, DIA
Employees
shall not engage in prohibited harassment, including sexual harassment, of
other employees or students. While
acting in the course of their employment, employees shall not engage in
prohibited harassment of other persons, including board members, vendors,
contractors, volunteers, or parents. A
substantiated charge of harassment will result in disciplinary action.
Employees
who believe they have been discriminated or retaliated against or harassed are
encouraged to promptly report such incidents to the campus principal,
supervisor, or appropriate district official.
If the campus principal, supervisor, or district official is the subject
of a complaint, the employee should
report the complaint directly to the superintendent. A complaint against the superintendent may be
made directly to the board.
The
district’s policy that includes definitions and procedures for reporting and
investigating discrimination, harassment, and retaliation is DIA LOCAL and may
be found on the West Rusk web site at http://www.westrusk.esc7.net. A hard copy may be reviewed in the
superintendent’s office.
Harassment of students
Policies DF,DH, FFG, FFH
Sexual
and other harassment of students by employees or romantic and inappropriate
social relationships between students and employees are forms of discrimination
and are prohibited by law. Employees who
suspect a student may have experienced prohibited harassment are obligated to
report their concerns to the campus principal or other appropriate district
official. All allegations of prohibited
harassment or abuse of a student will be reported to the student’s parents and promptly
investigated. An employee who knows of
or suspects child abuse must also report his or her knowledge or suspicion to
the appropriate authorities, as required by law. See Reporting suspected child abuse,
page 26
for additional information. The
district’s policy that includes definitions and procedures for reporting and
investigating harassment of students may be on the District’s web site at http://www.westrusk.esc7.net. A hard copy may be reviewed in the
superintendent’s office.
Definition of solicitation
of a romantic relationship in FFH (Local):
Sexual harassment of a student, including harassment committed by
another student, includes unwelcome sexual advances; requests for sexual
favors; or sexually motivated physical, verbal, or
nonverbal
conduct when the conduct is so severe, persistent, or pervasive.
Direct
link for harassment of students is
below:
http://www.tasb.org/policy/pol/private/201914/pol.cfm?DisplayPage=FFH(LOCAL).pdf
Policies DH, DI
West
Rusk CCISD is committed to maintaining a drug-free environment and will not
tolerate the use of illegal drugs in the workplace. Employees who use or are under the influence
of alcohol or illegal drugs as defined by the Texas Controlled Substances Act
during working hours may be dismissed.
The district’s policy on drug abuse and drug-free schools may be found
on the District’s web site at http://www.westrusk.esc7.net A hard copy may be found in the
superintendent’s office.
Policies DF, DG, DH, FFG,
GRA
All
employees are required by state law to immediately report any suspected child
abuse or neglect to Child Protective Services, or appropriate state agency
(e.g.: state agency operating, licensing, certifying, or registering a
facility) within 48 hours of the event that led to the suspicion. Abuse is defined by Texas Family Code and
includes any sexual conduct involving an educator and a student or minor. Reports to Child Protective Services can be
made to a local office (903-657-7511) or the Texas Abuse Hotline (1-800-252-5400)
Under
state law, any person reporting or assisting in the investigation of reported
child abuse or neglect is immune from liability unless the report is made in
bad faith or with malicious intent. In
addition, the district is prohibited from retaliating against an employee who,
in good faith, reports child abuse or neglect or who participates in an
investigation regarding an allegation of child abuse or neglect. Please
note: a certified employee’s failure to
report suspected child abuse may result in disciplinary procedures by SBEC for
a violation of the Educators Code of Ethics and prosecution for the commission
of a Class B misdemeanor.
Employees
who suspect that a student has been or may be abused or neglected should report
their concerns to the campus principal.
Employees are not required to report their concern to the principal
before making a report to the appropriate agencies. In addition, employees must cooperate with
child abuse and neglect investigators.
Reporting the concern to the principal does not relieve the employee of
the requirement to report to the appropriate state agency. Interference with a child abuse investigation
by denying an interviewer’s request to interview a student at school or
requiring the presence of a parent or school administrator against the desires
of the investigator is prohibited.
Refer
to the District’s web site at http://www.westrusk.esc7.net
or refer to the hard copy in the superintendent’s office to find FFG (Exhibit)
for relevant contact information.
Fraud and financial
impropriety
Policy CAA
All
employees should act with integrity and diligence in duties involving the
district’s financial resources. The
district prohibits fraud and financial impropriety, as defined below. Fraud and financial impropriety includes the
following:
Conflict of interest
Policies BFAA, DBD
Employees
are required to disclose to their supervisor any situation that creates a
potential conflict of interest with proper discharge of assigned duties and responsibilities
or creates a potential conflict of interest with the best interests of the
district. This includes the following:
Employees
may not accept gifts or favors that could influence, or be construed to
influence, the employee’s discharge of assigned duties. The acceptance of a gift, favor, or service
by an administrator or teacher that might reasonably tend to influence the
selection of textbooks may result in prosecution of a class B misdemeanor
offense. This does not include staff
development, teacher training, or instructional materials, such as maps or
worksheets, that convey information to students or contribute to the learning
process.
Policy DGA
The
district will not directly or indirectly discourage employees from
participating in political affairs or require any employee to join any group,
club, committee, organization, or association.
Employees may join or refuse to join any professional association or
organization.
An
individual’s employment will not be affected by membership or a decision not to
be a member of any employee organization that exists for the purpose of dealing
with employers concerning grievances, labor disputes, wages, rates of pay,
hours of employment, or conditions of work.
The
use of district resources for political activities is prohibited.
Policy CK
The
district has developed and promotes a comprehensive program to ensure the
safety
of its employees, students, and visitors.
The safety program includes guidelines and procedures for responding to
emergencies and activities to help reduce the frequency of accidents and
injuries. To prevent or minimize
injuries to employees, coworkers, and students and to protect and conserve
district equipment, employees must comply with the following requirements:
·
Observe
all safety rules
·
Keep
work areas clean and orderly at all times
·
Immediately
report all accidents to their supervisor
·
Operate
only equipment or machines for which they have training and authorization
Employees
with questions or concerns relating to safety programs and issues can contact Mike
King, superintendent at 895-4503.
Policies DH, GKA, FNCD
State
law prohibits smoking or using tobacco products on all district-owned property
and at school-related or school-sanctioned activities, on or off campus. This includes all buildings, playground
areas, parking facilities, and facilities used for athletics and other
activities. Drivers of district-owned
vehicles are prohibited from smoking while inside the vehicle. Notices stating that smoking is prohibited by
law and punishable by a fine are displayed in prominent places in all school
buildings.
Criminal history background
checks
Policy DBAA
Employees
may be subject to a review of their criminal history record information at any
time during employment. National criminal
history checks based on an individual’s fingerprints, photo, and other
identification will be conducted on certain employees and entered into the
Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) Clearinghouse. This database provides the district and SBEC
with access to an employee’s current national criminal history and updates to
the employee’s subsequent criminal history.
An
employee must notify his or her principal or immediate supervisor within three
calendar days of any arrest, indictment, conviction, no contest or guilty plea,
or other adjudication of any felony, and offense involving moral turpitude, and
any of the other offenses listed below:
Moral
turpitude includes the following:
Policies FNCG, GKA
Employees,
visitors, and students are prohibited from bringing firearms, knives, clubs or
other prohibited weapons onto school premises (i.e., building or portion of a
building) or any grounds or building where a school-sponsored activity takes
place. To ensure the safety of all
persons, employees who observe or suspect a violation of the district’s weapons
policy should report it to their supervisors immediately. For a detailed list of illegal weapons, see
Policy FNCG (Legal) on the District Web page at http://www.westrusk.esc7.net or refer
to the hard copy in the superintendent’s office.
Policy GKC
All
visitors are expected to enter any district facility through the main entrance
and sign in or report to the building’s main office. Authorized visitors will receive directions
or be escorted to their destination.
Employees who observe an unauthorized individual on the district
premises should immediately direct him or her to the building office or contact
the administrator in charge.
Policy EFE
Employees
are expected to comply with the provisions of federal copyright law relating to
the unauthorized use, reproduction, distribution, performance, or display of
copyrighted materials (i.e., printed material, videos, computer data and
programs, etc.). Rented video-tapes are
to be used in the classroom for education purposes only. Duplication or back-up of computer programs
and data must be made within the provisions of the purchase agreement.
Policy CQ
The
district’s electronic communication systems, including its network access to
the internet, is primarily for administrative and instructional purposes. Limited personal use of the system is
permitted if the use:
Electronic
mail transmissions and other use of the electronic communications systems are
not confidential and can be monitored at any time to ensure appropriate use.
Employees
who are authorized to use the systems are required to abide by the provisions
of the district’s communications systems policy and administrative
procedures. Failure to do so can result
in suspension or termination of privileges and may lead to disciplinary
actin. Employees with questions about
computer use and data management can contact the technology coordinator, Alan
Rowe at ext: 107
Policy CKA
Notices
of planned pest control treatment will be posted in a district building 48
hours before the treatment begins.
Employees
are prohibited from applying any pesticide or herbicide without appropriate
training and prior approval of the integrated pest management (IPM) coordinator,
Joe Summy. Any application of pesticide
or herbicide must be done in a manner prescribed by law and the district’s
integrated pest management program.
Notices
of planned pest control treatment will be posted in a district building 48 hours
before the treatment begins.
General Procedures
Bad weather closing
The
district may close schools because of bad weather or emergency conditions. When such conditions exist, the
superintendent will make the official decision concerning the closing of the
district’s facilities. When it becomes
necessary to open late or to release students early, the following radio and
television stations will be notified by school officials:
Television
Stations:
·
KLTV Channel 7 –
·
KETK
channel 56 –
Radio
Stations:
·
KOOI
- 106.5 -
·
KWRD
- Henderson
·
KDVE
- 99.9 FM - Henderson
·
KYKX
- 105.7 -
·
KNUE
- 101.5 -
Emergencies
Policy CKC
All
employees should be familiar with the evacuation diagrams posted in their work
areas. Fire, tornado, and other
emergency drills will be conducted to familiarize employees and students with
evacuation procedures. Fire
extinguishers are located throughout all district buildings. Employees should know the locations of the
extinguishers nearest their place of work and how to use them.
Purchasing procedures
Policy CH
All
requests for purchases must be submitted to the principal or immediate
supervisor on an official district purchase order form with the appropriate
approval signatures. The district will
not reimburse employees or assume responsibility for purchases made without
authorization. Employees are not
permitted to purchase supplies or equipment for personal use through the
district’s business office. Contact Belinda
Walker in the central office for additional information on purchasing
procedures.
Name and address changes
It
is important that employment records be kept up to date. Employees must notify the school secretary
and Jo Ann Cooper in the central office if there are any changes or corrections
to their name, home address, home telephone number, marital status, emergency
contact, or beneficiary.
Personnel records
Policy GBA
Most
district records, including personnel records, are public information and must
be released upon request. A limited
amount of personal information may be withheld.
Employees may choose not to allow public access to or have the following
information included in a staff directory by submitting a written request to Jo
Ann Cooper in the central office not later than 14 days after employment with
the district begins or ends. Employees
also may request open access to this information be closed at any time:
·
Address
·
Phone
number
·
Social
Security number
·
Information
that reveals whether they have family members
Building use
Policies DGA, GKD
Employees
who wish to use district facilities after school hours must follow established
procedures. The Central Office is
responsible for scheduling the use of facilities after school hours. Contact Jo Ann Cooper to request to use
school facilities and to obtain information on the fees charged.
Termination of employment
Resignations
Policy DFE
Contract employees. Contract employees may resign their position
without penalty at the end of any school year if written notice is received 45
days before the first day of instruction of the following school year. All resignations shall be submitted in
writing to the superintendent. The
employee shall give reasonable notice and shall include in the letter a
statement of the reasons for resigning.
The
Board delegates to the superintendent the authority to accept resignations in
accordance with the requirements of this policy. Once submitted and accepted, a resignation
may not be withdrawn without consent of the Board or its designee.
Contract
employees may not resign during the school year, after active duty has begun,
without the consent of the Board or its designee. Resignation without the consent of the board
may result in disciplinary action by the State Board for Educator Certification
(SBEC).
Non-contract
employees. Non-contract employees may resign their
positions at any time. A written notice
of resignation should be submitted to the Superintendent at least two weeks
prior to the effective date. Employees
are encouraged to include the reasons for leaving in the letter of resignation
but are not required to do so.
Dismissal or non-renewal of
contract employees
Policies DFAA, DFAB, DFBA,
DFBB, DFCA, DFD, DFF
Employees
on probationary contracts can be dismissed during the school year or non-renewed
at the end of the year according to the procedures outlined in district
policies (DBA LOCAL). Contract employees
dismissed during the school year, suspended without pay, or subject to a
reduction in force are entitled to receive notice of the recommended action, an
explanation of the charges against them, and an opportunity for a hearing. The time lines and procedures to be followed
when a suspension, termination, or non-renewal occurs will be provided to a
written notice who given to an employee.
Advance notification requirements do not apply when a contract employee
is dismissed for failing to obtain or maintain appropriate certification or
whose certification is revoked for misconduct.
Information on the time lines and procedures can be found in the DF
policies. This policy may be found on
the district’s web page at http://www.westrusk.esc7.net. A hard copy is available for review in the
superintendent’s office.
Dismissal of non-contract
employees
Policy DCD
Non-contract
employees are employed at will and may be dismissed without notice, a
description of the reasons for dismissal, or a hearing. It is unlawful for the district to dismiss
any employee for reasons of race, religion, sex, national origin, disability,
military status, any other basis protected by law, or in retaliation for the
exercise of certain protected legal rights.
Non-contract employees who are dismissed have the right to grieve the
termination. The dismissed employee must
follow the district process found in DBA LOCAL.
This policy may be found on the district’s website at http://www.westrusk.esc7.net or a hard
copy may be reviewed in the superintendent’s office.
Exit interviews and
procedures
An
exit interview shall be conducted and a termination report prepared, if
possible, for every employee who leaves employment with the District. These interviews shall be conducted in
accordance with administrative procedures.
All
district keys, books, property, and equipment must be returned upon separation
from employment.
The
dismissal or resignation of a certified employee will be re ported to the SBEC when
the superintendent first learns about an alleged incident of conduct that
involves the following:
·
A reported criminal history
a student or a minor
The
district is required to report the termination of employees that are under
court order or writ of withholding for child support or spousal maintenance to
the court and the individual receiving the support (Texas Family Code
§8.210,158.211). Notice of the following
must be sent to the court and support recipient:
Equal educational
opportunities
Policies FB, FFH
The
West Rusk School District does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion,
color, national origin, gender, or disability in providing education services,
activities, and programs, including vocational programs, in accordance with
Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended; Title IX of the
educational amendments of 1972; and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of
1973, as amended.
Questions
or concerns about discrimination of students on any of the bases listed above
should be directed to Jerry Nicks, Coordinator of Special Programs, P. O. 168,
Student records
Student
records are confidential and are protected from unauthorized inspection or
use. Employees should take precautions
to maintain the confidentiality of all student records. The following people are the only people who
have general access to a student’s records:
·
Parents
of a minor or of a student who is a dependent for tax purposes
·
The
student (if 18 or older or attending an institute of postsecondary education)
·
School
officials with legitimate education interests
The
student handbook provides parents and students with detailed information on
student records. Parents or students who
want to review student records should be directed to the campus principal for
assistance.
Parent and student
complaints
Policy FNG
In
an effort to hear and resolve parent and student complaints in a timely manner
and at the lowest administrative level possible, the board has adopted orderly
processes for handling complaints on different issues. Any campus office or the superintendent’s
office can provide parents and students with information on filing a complaint.
Parents
are encouraged to discuss problems or complaints with teachers or the
appropriate administrator at any time.
Parents and students with complaints that cannot be resolved should be
directed to the campus principal. The
formal complaint process provides parents and students with an opportunity to
be heard up to the highest level of management if they are dissatisfied with a
principal’s response.
Administering medication to
students
Policy FFAC
Only
designated employees can administer medication to students. A student who must take medicine during the
school day must bring a written request from his or her parent and the
medicine, in its original, properly labeled container. Contact the principal or school nurse for
information on procedures that must be followed when administering medication
to students.
District
employees are prohibited by state law from doing the following:
Psychotropic drugs
Policy FFAC
District
employees are prohibited by state law from doing the following:
Recommending
that a student use a psychotropic drug
Suggesting
a particular diagnosis
Excluding
from class or school-related activity a student whose parent refuses to consent
to a psychiatric evaluation or to authorize the administration of a
psychotropic drug to a student
Student discipline
Policies in the FN series
and FO series
Students
are expected to follow the classroom rules, campus rules, and rules listed in
the Student Code of Conduct and Student Handbook. Teachers and administrators are responsible
for taking disciplinary action based on a range of discipline management
procedures that have been adopted by the district. Other employees that have concerns about a
particular student’s conduct should contact the classroom teacher or campus
principal.
Teachers
and staff should be familiar with the district’s policies and procedures for
attendance accounting. These procedures
require minor students to have parental consent before they are allowed to
leave campus. When absent from school,
the student, upon returning to school, must bring a note signed by the parent
that describes the reason for the absence. These requirements are addressed in campus
training and in the student handbook.
Contact the campus principal for additional information.
Bullying
Policy FFI
All
employees are required to report student complaint of bullying to the campus
principal. The district’s policy that
included definitions and procedures for reporting and investigating bullying of
student can be found on the following site:
Students
must have prior approval from the principal or designee for any type of
“initiation rites” of a school club or organization. While most initiation rites are permissible,
engaging in or permitting “hazing” is a criminal offense. Any teacher, administrator, or employee who
observes a student engaged in any form of hazing, who has reason to know or
suspect that a student intends to engage in hazing, or has engaged in hazing
must report that fact or suspicion to the designated campus discipline person.
APPENDIX
Employment Policies
Student Discipline Policies
General Safety Rules (from Claims Administrative Services, Inc.)
APPENDIX
All
policies referenced in this handbook are on-line and may be found on the West
Rusk web site. The web address for West
Rusk is http://www.westrusk.esc7.net
A
hard copy of all Board Policies is located in the superintendent’s office.
Employment
Policies
DAA Equal
Employment
DBAA Criminal history and
credit reports
DBD Conflict of Interest
DC Employment
Practices
DEA
Salaries and
Wages
DEAA Stipends and Incentives
DEC Leaves and Absences
DFAC Return to Probationary
Status
DFB
Series Termination of
Term Contracts
DFD Hearings Before
Hearing Examiner
DFE Resignations
DFF Reduction in Force
DG Employee rights
and privileges
DGBA Employee
Complaints/Grievances
DH Employee Standards
of Conduct
DHE Searches and
Drug/Alcohol
DI Employee Welfare
DIA
Discrimination,
harassment, and retaliation
DK Assignment and
Schedules
DN
Series Performance
Appraisal
Student
Discipline Policies
Additional information on
employee notification can be found in TASB Policy Services Policy Alert issued
April 2008 (www.tasb.org/services/policy/mytasb/alerts/emp_notificaiton.aspx