IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have set their hands and seals, or caused this instrument to be duly executed by their proper officers and their seals affixed, the day and year first above written.

BLOOMFIELD BOARD OF BLOOMFIELD PRINCIPALS’
EDUCATION ASSOCIATION




_____________________________ ___________________________
President President


Attest:

_____________________________ ___________________________

Secretary Secretary

WHEREAS, Chapter 303 of the Laws of 1968, as amended by Chapter 123, P.L. 1974, provides that an association which enrolls the majority of public employees in a specific category of employment is the legal negotiating unit for such employees;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Bloomfield Board of Education recognizes the Bloomfield Principals’ Association as the official negotiating unit for those persons on the principals’ salary guide’ that is, principals, vice-principals, and assistant principals, who were under contract to the Bloomfield Board of Education for the school year 1996-1997.

The parties agree to enter into collective negotiations in accordance with Chapter 303, Public Laws of 1968, as amended by Chapter 123, P.L. 1974, in a good faith effort to reach an Agreement on matters concerned with the terms and conditions of administrative employees’ employment and grievance procedures. Such negotiation shall begin not later than ten (10) school days after written request by the Association to the Board. Any Agreement so negotiated shall apply to all administrative personnel in the unit, be reduced to writing, and be signed by the Board and the Association.

During negotiations, the Board and the Association shall present relevant data, exchange points of view and make proposals and counter-proposals. The Board agrees to make available to the Association, in response to reasonable requests, any public information or other information to which the Association is legally entitled.

Neither party in any negotiations shall have control over the selection of the negotiating representatives of the other party. The parties mutually pledge that their representatives shall be authorized to make proposals, consider proposals, and make counterproposals in the course of negotiations; however, final authority to approve proposals shall rest with the Board of Education and the Bloomfield Principals’ Association.

The representatives of the Board and the representatives of the Association’s negotiating committee shall met upon request for the purpose of reviewing the administration of the Agreement, and to resolve problems that may arise. These meetings are not intended to bypass the grievance procedure.

All meetings between the parties shall be scheduled to take place at a mutually convenient time.

Should a mutually acceptable amendment to this Agreement be negotiated by the parties, it shall be reduced to writing and submitted to the Board and to the Association for consideration.

This Agreement represents and incorporates the complete and final understanding of the parties and the settlement of all bargainable issues which were, or could have been, the subject of negotiations. During the term of this Agreement, neither party shall be required to negotiate over any matter whether or not covered by this Agreement and whether or not within the knowledge or contemplation of either both parties at the time they negotiated or signed this Agreement. This Agreement shall not be modified in whole or in part, nor shall additional items be added by the parties except by an amendment in writing approved by the Board and the Association.

If the Board and the Association cannot reach an Agreement, then either party may request that the matter shall be referred to the New Jersey Public Employment Relations Commission advisory mediation. The mediator shall be selected by mutual Agreement.

ARTICLE 4

Definitions

A “grievance” is a claim based upon an event or condition which affects the welfare and/or terms and conditions of employment of an employee or group of employees and/or the interpretation, meaning or application of any of the provisions of this Agreement.

An “aggrieved person” is the person or persons making the claim or the Association making the claim.

A “party in interest” is the person or persons making the claim and any person who might be required to take action or against whom action might be taken in order to resolve the claim.



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Two classes of grievances shall be considered:

A Class A grievance shall be an informal, personal, individual grievance. This grievance shall be one brought by an individual, and only an individual, on behalf of himself or herself alone, in which the aggrieved person judges that his or her interests are best served by keeping the grievance confidential.

Class B grievance shall constitute all other grievances.

Purpose

The purpose of this procedure is to secure, at the lowest possible level, equitable solutions to the problem which may from time to time arise affecting the welfare or terms and conditions of employment of employees. Both parties agree that these proceedings will be kept as informal and confidential as may be appropriate at any level of the procedure.

Nothing herein contained shall be construed as limiting the right of any employee having a grievance to discuss the matter informally with any appropriate member of the administration and having the grievance adjusted without intervention of the Association, provided the adjustment is not inconsistent with the terms of this Agreement.

Procedure

Each employee has a right to be heard by his or her immediate supervisor, assistant superintendents, Superintendent, and Board of Education, on conditions concerning his or her employment. It is understood that he or she will proceed through the levels outlined in this procedure. Grievances shall be submitted on the appropriate form.

All employees, including grievant or grievants, shall continue under the direction of the Superintendent regardless of the pendency of the grievance until such grievance is officially resolved. The continuance of duty will not constitute an agreement as to the disposition of the grievance.

It is the intent of both parties in interest to process all grievances as expeditiously as possible.
In the event a grievance is filed at such time that it cannot be processed through all the steps in this grievance procedure by the end of the school year, and, if left unresolved until the beginning of the following school year, should result in irreparable harm to a party in interest, the time limits set forth herein shall be reduced, so that the grievance procedure may be exhausted prior to the end of the school year or as soon thereinafter as is practicable.
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For Class A Grievances

Level 2

If no resolution has been reached at Level 1, the grievance may be submitted in writing to the Superintendent of Schools within ten (10) work days. The Superintendent must rule on the grievance within ten (10) work days. If the Superintendent does not deem the grievance personal enough to fall within the Class A grievance category, it may only be continued under the Class B category and shall be resumed at Level 2.

Level 3

If no resolution has been reached at Level 2, the grievance may be submitted in writing to the Board within ten (10) work days. The Board must rule on the grievance within fifteen (15) work days. A party in interest may not be represented by any minority organization nor shall the minority organization present or process his or her grievance.

For Class B Grievances

Level 1

Any aggrieved person may present their grievance to his or her immediate supervisor within thirty (30) work days of the occurrence. After discussion of the grievance, the immediate supervisor must reach a decision within six (6) work days of the date on which the grievance was presented.

Level 2

If no resolution has been reached after the six (6) work day period, the aggrieved person may present his or her grievance to the Association within ten (10) work days. This presentation will be made for the purposes of studying the merit of the grievance and/or to see if the grievance can be resolved through the grievance committee. The grievance committee reserves the right to consult with the aggrieved person’s immediate supervisor in order to facilitate resolution of said grievance. A decision must be reached at this level within six (6) work days. 5

Level 3

If no resolution has been reached at Level 2, the grievance may be submitted in writing to the Superintendent of Schools within ten (1) work days. The Superintendent must rule on the grievance within ten (10) work days. He or she shall respond, after hearings, within this period in a written communication, a copy of which shall be forwarded to the Association.

Level 4

If no resolution has been reached at Level 3, the grievance may be submitted in writing to the Board within ten (10) days. The Board must rule on the grievance within fifteen (15) days. The Board shall respond in writing within this period to the individual or group presenting the grievance and shall inform the Association of its action.

Level 5

If Level 4 does not result in resolution, the aggrieved person may request in writing within ten (10) days that the Association, through the proper officers and/or committees, submit the grievance to advisory mediation. If the Association feels that the grievance is meritorious, it may submit the grievance to mediation within ten (10) days after receipt of this request by the aggrieved person.

The Board and the Association will each name one advisor. A third member, who shall be chairman, shall be named by the first two.

This advisory board shall report recommendations for settlement within ten (10) days. The recommendation shall be submitted to both parties and shall be made public.

Each advisor shall be paid by the party selecting him or her and the expense of the chairman shall be shared equally by the Board and the Association.

Level 6

If the grievance is not resolved, the grievance shall be presented to the New Jersey public Employment Relations Commission (PERC) for fact-finding and/or advisory mediation.

Miscellaneous

If, in the judgment of the Association grievance committee, a grievance affects a group or class of employees, the grievance committee may submit such grievance in writing to the Superintendent directly and the processing of

such grievance shall be commenced at Level 3. The Association grievance committee may process a grievance through all levels of the grievance procedure even though the aggrieved person does not wish to do so.
Decisions rendered at Level 1, under Class B. Grievances which are unsatisfactory to the aggrieved person, shall be in writing, setting forth the decision and the reasons therefore and shall be transmitted promptly to all parties in interest and to the chairman of the appropriate Association committee.
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All documents, communications and records dealing with the processing of a grievance shall be filed in a separate grievance file and shall not be kept in the personnel file of any participants.

Forms for filing grievances, serving notices, taking appeals, making reports and recommendations, and other necessary documents shall be prepared jointly by the Superintendent and the Association and given appropriate distribution so as to facilitate operation of the grievance procedure.

All meetings and hearings under this procedure shall not be conducted in public and shall include only such parties in interest and their designated or selected representatives, heretofore referred to in this section.

grievance proceedings, conferences or meetings, he or she shall suffer no loss of pay.

official Association business on school property at all reasonable times, provided that this shall not interfere with or interrupt normal school operations.

otherwise in use. The Association shall provide materials and supplies incident to
such use. 7

A. Pursuant to Chapter 303, Public Laws 1968, the Board hereby agrees that every employee of the Board in an administrative capacity (exclusive of the Superintendent of Schools) shall have the right freely to organize, join and support the Association and its affiliates for the purpose of engaging in collective negotiations and other concerned activities for mutual aid and protection. As a duly selected body exercising governmental power under the Laws of the State of New Jersey, the Board undertakes and agrees that it shall not directly or indirectly discourage or deprive or coerce any Administrator in the enjoyment of any rights conferred by Chapter 303, Public Laws 1968 or other laws of New Jersey or the Constitution of New Jersey or the Constitution of the United States that it shall not discriminate against any Administrator with respect to hours, wages, or any terms or conditions of employment by reason of his or her membership in the Association and its affiliates, his or her participation in any activities of the Association and its affiliates, collective negotiations with the Board, or his or her institution of any grievance, complaint, or proceeding under this Agreement or otherwise with respect to any terms or conditions of employment

Nothing contained herein shall be construed to deny or restrict to any Administrator such rights as he or she may have under New Jersey School Laws or other applicable laws and regulations. The rights granted to Administrators hereunder shall be deemed to be in addition to those provides elsewhere.

No Administrator shall be prevented from wearing pins or other identification of membership in the Association or its affiliates.

No Administrator shall be subject to coercion, discrimination, or reprisal for participation in local, county, state, or national administrators’ association sponsored activities, including those of the parent organizations. No administrator will be subject to coercion, discrimination or reprisal for non-participation in the above.
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ARTICLE 8

The initial calendar will be adopted by the Board. Once adopted by the Board, any changes due to emergency closings during the school year shall be discussed with the Association during the development of the new calendar and prior to adoption by the Board.

Work Year
Senior High School Principal and Assistant Principal (1) and Middle School Principal shall work a twelve (12) month contract and be granted twenty (20) vacation days.

Elementary Principals, High School Assistant Principals and Middle School Assistant Principals shall work a ten (10) month contract and shall be granted all school vacation periods. Contractual responsibilities shall be assumed September 1^st, and shall end four days after the last work day for all teaching personnel, not to exceed June 30^th except where noted in Article 8B4.

Each Principal and Assistant Principal shall provide a telephone number at which they can be reached whenever school is in recess.

All ten-month Principals and Assistant Principals shall assume their contractual responsibilities any five (5) workdays prior to the first workday for all non-administrative ten-month employees. Such days shall be scheduled with the approval of the Superintendent.

All ten-month Principals and Assistant Principals may be assigned oversight responsibilities for curriculum and textbook revision including, but not limited to, serving as chairperson of committees established to address these oversight responsibilities. Instructional leadership will focus on the core content areas as designated by the Superintendent of Schools. These oversight responsibilities will occur during the school year (September 1 through June 30).

High School Association members shall participate in the Bloomfield High School commencement ceremonies exclusive of the five (5) additional workdays during the month of August.

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All principals and assistant principals employed on a twelve-month basis shall not be required to work during the holiday recess. The holiday recess includes December 25^th, January 1^st and all days in between. This agreement is in lieu of two (2) vacation days that have already been reflected in Article 8, B-1.

Promotion

All Principals should be consulted concerning extra compensation for non-administrative personnel. This will include non-classroom jobs, curricular and non-curricular. All administrative and supervisory vacancies shall be posted. Any Bloomfield Principal or Assistant Principal who is appointed to another administrative position within the district shall not be compensated with a salary which is less than he/she is being paid under the contract prior to appointment to the new position.

Tuition Reimbursement

The tuition paid for graduate courses shall be reimbursed by the Board of Education beginning in the summer of 1992 subject to the following conditions:
Courses must be in an accredited program, an educational administration program or other program approved by the Superintendent of Schools prior to enrollment. The denial of tuition payment is grievable to the Board but is non-arbitral.
The courses must be completed satisfactorily with a grade of “B” or better. Official transcripts or other sufficient proof shall be submitted.
Tuition shall be paid by the Board of Education up to a maximum of $3,500 per year per Principal.
Evidence of payment of tuition must be presented before reimbursement will be paid. Unless circumstances do not permit, all reimbursements will be made by June 30.
Applicants shall not have received tuition scholarship aid from some other sources which equals or exceeds tuition rate. If aid does not equal the state college rate, reimbursement will be the difference.
The District shall expend no more than $21,000 for tuition reimbursement for each year of this Agreement.
Reimbursement is subject to Internal Revenue Service rules and regulations.
Unit members who are reimbursed for tuition must remain in the Board’s employ for two (2) years after receipt. Failure to do so will require the employee to reimburse the Board a pro-rata share of the Board’s expense.
Principals requesting national conferences will receive a sum not to exceed $2,100 per administrator toward the cost of attending as allowed by statute. 10
A maximum of up to four (4) principals may attend a national conference per year with approval of the Superintendent of Schools.

Professional Dues

Each Principal and Assistant Principal may submit vouchers for up to $200.00 per year for membership dues for non-collective bargaining related professional organizations.

Transfers, Involuntary Transfers and Reassignments

Any Principal and/or Assistant Principal is eligible to request consideration for a transfer to another assignment within the scope of his or her current assignment.
Any involuntary transfer or reassignment shall be made only after written notification and a meeting between the administrator involved and the Superintendent of Schools, at which time the administrator shall be notified of the reasons thereof.
In case of reassignment or involuntary transfer, the administrator involved will be given written notice of their reassignment for the forthcoming school year not later than the end of the first week in June.

The Board will grant twelve (12) days of sick leave per year to each full-time ten month employee without deduction in pay, and fourteen (14) days of sick leave per year to each full-time, twelve month employee without deduction in pay, such leave being credited as of the first day of the school year. Unused sick leave in any year shall be allowed to accumulate.

In case of sick leave claimed, the Board may require a physician’s certificate to be filed with the Secretary of the Board of Education.

Sick leave is hereby defined to mean the absence from his or her post of duty, of the employee because of personal disability due to illness or injury, or because he or she has been excluded from school by the school district’s medical authorities on account of a contagious disease or of being quarantined for such a disease in his or her immediate household.




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Sick leave reimbursement shall be $75.00 per day for every two (2) days of unused sick leave. The maximum allowable accumulation of unused sick leave days shall be 140 (280 – ½) with respect to this provision ($10,500.00 maximum).
At the option of the employee, these monies shall be paid in one of three ways:
100% on July 1 following retirement; or
100% on January 2 following retirement; or
50% on July 1 and 50% on January 2 following retirement.

When absence, under circumstances described above, exceeds the annual leave and the accumulated leave, the Board will consider each cause on its individual merits.

A tenured Principal or tenured Assistant Principal may be granted a leave of absence without pay for up to one (1) year to teach in an accredited college or university.

Military leave shall be granted to any Principal or Assistant Principal who is inducted or enlists in any branch of the armed forces of the United States for the period of said induction of initial enlistment.

Maternity, paternity, sick leave and/or child rearing leave will be granted to Principals or Assistant Principals bearing and raising or adopting pre-school age children in accordance with applicable N.J. law. Consistent with the foregoing, leave without pay will be granted for up to one (1) school year. Child rearing leaves will only be granted immediately following the assumption of custody of the child.

Other leaves of absence without pay may be granted by the Board for a good reason.

The leaves outlined in this Article shall be granted only to tenured Principals and Assistant Principals.

All benefits to which a Principal or Assistant Principal was entitled to at the time his/her leave commenced, including unused accumulated sick leave shall be restored to him/her upon his/her return and he/she shall be assigned to the same position which he/she held at the time said leave commenced, if available, or, if not, to a substantially equivalent position.

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

This policy shall cover brief absences not chargeable to sick leave or for professional reasons directly beneficial to the school system. The provision for leave at full pay stated below shall be for one year, and no unused days shall be accumulated for use in another year.
Death in the Immediate Family – An allowance of up to five (5) days’ leave shall be granted.

Definition: Immediate family shall include – spouse, parent, grandparent, parent-in-law, child, sibling; or anyone making his/her home with the family or anyone who actually stands in the position of a member of the immediate family to the employee.

Serious Illness in the Immediate Family – An allowance of up to three (3) days shall be granted. (Immediate family same as 1. above).

Death of a Relative of the Second Degree – An allowance of one (1) days; leave shall be granted.
Definition: Uncle, aunt, niece, nephew, cousin or relative by marriage.

A total of up to four (4) days leave during a school year, with prior approval by the Superintendent of Schools for the reasons listed below. Days granted shall be for the full length of the school day and shall be recorded as full days.

Any other emergencies or urgent reasons, if approved by the Superintendent of Schools or the Board of Education.

A personal day may be taken from the four (4) days allowed under this section.

Except for emergencies or extenuating circumstances as determined by the Superintendent, no leave shall be permitted the day prior to or the day following a school holiday, vacation, or the last contractual day of the school calendar for ten-month employees. It is understood that these days must be for an appropriate purpose and if not, they are subject to denial and/or rescission by the Superintendent of Schools.

Employee’s Absence Report

For the protection of the employee and for the proper payroll accounting and audit, every absence must be accounted for on the regular Board of Education Employee’s Absence Report.
Unused Personal Days

Unit members who do not use any personal days in any school year will have two (2) days added to their accumulated sick leave record. 13

Other Leaves

Other leaves of absence without pay may be granted by the Board and Superintendent for good reason.

1. Coverage is limited to one (1) family premium when more than one (1) member is
employed in the district and enrolled in the current Health Benefits programs. The
Board will insure the uninsured spouse for any losses that occur due to the lack of
coordination of benefits on subsections B-1 through B-6 when both spouses are
employed in the District.

1. A Traditional Indemnity Program with the following benefit features:

Hospitalization: 100%
Medical/Surgical Benefits: 100% of UCR or Current
Schedule of Benefits
Major Medical Deductible: $350 Employee/$700 Family
Major Medical Benefit: 80%
Coinsurance Maximum: $3,000 Employee/$6,000 Family

2. A PPO Program (Preferred Provider Organization) with the following benefit features:

In-Network Office Visit Copay: $15
Out of Network Deductible: $350 Employee/$700 Family
Out of Network Benefit: 80%
Out of Network Coinsurance Maximum: $3,000 Employee/$6,000 Family

3. A POS Program (Point of Service) with the following benefit features:

In-Network Office Visit Copay: $5
Out of Network Deductible: $300 Employee/$600 Family
Out of Network Benefit: 70%
Out of Network Coinsurance Maximum $3,000 Employee/$6,000 Family

4. The Board will continue to pay full premium cost for employee Dental and Prescription Drug insurance coverage with the same conditions stated in A-1.

5. The Board will pay the premium cost for a Prescription Drug Plan with the following copay structure:

Retail: $20 Brand Name Drugs/$10 Generic Drugs

Mail Order: $10 Brand Name or Generic Drugs.

6. Benefit levels shall remain equal to or better than the existing plans if and when the Board changes carriers.

1. Administrators who elect to withdraw from this insurance coverage shall be paid twenty-five per cent (25%) of the premium cost based on family or single coverage at the time of withdrawal, per year and prorated for part of the year.

2. Administrators hired after February 1, 1995 shall receive 25% of the average between two single coverages in medical insurance by the Board’s provider. Teachers who withdraw shall have the right to re-enroll at the next open enrollment period.

3. Administrators who withdraw are permitted re-enroll immediately should they lose their alternate Health Benefits coverage as a result of a “life status” change. Any monies paid in advance to the employee must be refunded to the Board of Education on a prorated basis.

Earned Doctorate – 6^th Year Plus = $2,000

Longevity

$1,000 Additional after 10 years of service with at least 10 consecutive years of service in Bloomfield.

$1,500 Additional (total of $2,500) after 20 years of service, or age 60, with at least 10 consecutive years of service in Bloomfield

$1,200 Additional (total of $3,700) after 25 years of service, with at least 10 consecutive years of service in Bloomfield.

$1,100 Additional (total of $4,800) after 30 years of service, with at least 10 consecutive years of service in Bloomfield.