3. Informal Attempt to Resolve

a. Any grievant may be represented at all stages of the grievance procedure by himself/herself, or at his/her option, by a representative(s) of his/her choice.

b. The Association shall have the right to be present and present its position in writing at all hearing sessions held concerning the grievance, and shall receive a copy of all decisions rendered.

c. The Board and the Association shall assure the individual freedom from restraint, interference, coercion, discrimination, or reprisal in presenting his/her appeal with respect to his/her personal grievances.

9. Separate Grievance File

2. The fees and expenses of the arbitrator are the only costs which will be shared by the two parties and such costs will be shared equally.

3. Time lost by any grievant due to the arbitration proceedings shall be charged to personal time or shall be without pay unless the grievant prevails in such proceedings.

1. The termination of or nonrenewal of the contract of a non-tenured administrator.

2. In matters where a method of review is prescribed by law, or by any rule or regulation of the State Commissioner of Education or the State Board of Education.

3. In matters where the Board is without authority to act.

4. In matters where the discretion of the Board may not be unlimited but where, after the exercise of such discretion, a further review of the Board's action is available to administrators under provisions of State Law.

B. Released Time for Meetings

Whenever any member of the Association is mutually scheduled by the parties to participate during working hours in negotiations, he/she shall suffer no loss in pay and/or benefits.

C. Use of School Buildings

Representatives of the Association shall be permitted to transact official Association business on school property at all reasonable times provided that this shall not interfere with or interrupt normal school operations.

D. Use of School Equipment

The Association shall have the right to use school facilities and equipment, including typewriters, other duplicating equipment, calculating machines, and all types of audio-visual equipment at reasonable times, when such equipment is not otherwise in use. The Association shall pay for the reasonable cost of all materials, supplies, and equipment repair incident to such use.

E. Exclusive Rights

The rights and privileges of the Association and its members as set forth in this Agreement shall be granted only to the Association as exclusive representative of the administrators, as defined in the unit, and to no other organization.

1. All administrators shall be allowed twelve (12) days’ absence as of July 1 in any school year for personal illness, without deduction of pay, with the exception of ten (10) month employees, who shall be allowed ten (10) days. For employees in their first year who join the District on other than a July 1^st, one day of sick leave shall be credited upon hire for each full calendar month left in the year. “Year” is defined as July 1 through June 30. The number of unused days in any year shall accumulate from year to year, as long as the employment is continuous.

2. When an administrator retires from the Cherry Hill School District pursuant to the provisions of the State Pension Annuity Fund, such administrator shall be paid $60.00 per day for each day of accumulated unused sick leave days that have accumulated as a result of employment in the Cherry Hill School District. In the event of the death of an administrator while under contract on sabbatical leave or on leave of absence, the money for the accumulated unused sick leave will be given to his or her estate.

1. In the event of a death in the immediate family, an allowance of up to five (5) days' leave shall be granted. “Immediate family” shall be husband, wife, child, stepchild, father, mother, brother, sister, father-in-law, mother-in-law, or any member of the administrator’s immediate household. Effective with the mutual ratification of the 2009-2012 Agreement, the same amount of leave shall be allowed in the event of death of a grandchild.

2. An allowance of one (1) day shall be granted to attend the funeral of other relatives of the administrator. This leave may be extended by the use of personal leave provided for in Section B-3.

3. Absence of three (3) days per year may be granted to an administrator for personal business which cannot be performed other than during employment hours. A maximum of two (2) unused personal days per school year shall accumulate for the purpose of sick leave from year to year, and the third personal day shall be non-accumulative; provided, however, that the two accumulative days shall be utilized first in any school year, and administrators may not use the third personal leave day in any school year until the two accumulative days have been exhausted.

4. In case of required jury duty, an administrator shall be allowed time off for jury service. He/she shall be paid the difference between his/her regular pay and jury pay.

5. In the event of required appearance in a court of law involving no moral turpitude on the part of the administrator.

6. Administrators may make application to the Board for leave to attend professional conventions, conferences and meetings. The Board may, in its discretion, approve such applications which may include reimbursable expenses.

7. On religious holidays when schools are closed, administrators are entitled to take the religious holiday without being charged a personal day or vacation day.

1. Due to a medical disability, an employee shall be granted an extended leave of absence without pay (subject to paragraph 4 hereof) if any one of the following conditions exist:
a. A notable and substantial decrease in work performance , as determined in the judgment of the Board’s central office administration, in conjunction with a legitimate medical condition capable of causing such decrease;

b. The production of a certification from a medical doctor that the employee is medically unable to continue to work.

2. The Board shall have the right to have such an employee examined by its own physician and in the event of a disagreement between the Board’s physician and the employee’s physician on such ability or inability, the question shall be referred to a physician selected by the Board’s physician and the employee’s physician who shall make a final and binding determination. This third physician shall be jointly paid by the employee and the Board.

3. During the period of the employee’s personal medical disability, accumulated sick leave benefits in accordance with Section A. 1. above shall be paid until such benefits are exhausted or the personal medical disability has terminated.

4. When the seeking of an extended leave of absence for medical disability can be anticipated, an employee shall file a written request for such leave with the Superintendent or his/her designee at least thirty (30) days in advance of the anticipated date on which said leave is to commence.

The request shall specify therein the date upon which, subject to medical confirmation, the employee proposes to return. Upon the termination of the medical disability, (subject to paragraph 3 above) the employee shall return to work, resign, retire or apply for other leave. In the event of disagreement, the date of said termination shall be established as set forth in paragraph 2 above.
5. Applications for extended medical disability shall not be granted beyond June 30 of the current school year. In the event an employee wishes to continue on extended medical disability for all or part of the ensuing school year, an application for such status shall be made during the month of June accompanied by appropriate medical certification and shall be granted by the Board. In the event the continued extended medical disability is for a part of the ensuing year and there is a change in the employee’s medical status during the school year, the Board shall, upon submission of an additional application and appropriate medical certification, make appropriate changes in said leave. In the event of a question concerning the certification it shall be resolved in accordance with paragraph 2 above.

6. This section shall not be construed to require the Board to grant the extended leave as set forth above if such leave may result in the acquisition of tenure by the administrator.

An employee may make application to the Board for an unpaid child rearing leave of absence. Upon application, said leave shall be granted by the Board for a period not to exceed one (1) calendar year from the date of birth of the child. The date of requested return by the employee may be adjusted by the Board, in its discretion, to commence in January or September following the end of the requested leave.

The parties agree to freeze sabbaticals and to suspend the application of this Article 9 for the period of this Agreement and for any succeeding period during which the professional development plan (“PDP”) described in Article 12, B is in effect, it being understood that the provisions of Article 9 and Article 12, B. are mutually exclusive and will not at any time coexist. In the event there is no continuation of the PDP at the conclusion of the term of this Agreement, then the provisions of Article 9 shall become effective immediately at such time.

1. All twelve month administrators are entitled to twenty (20) vacation days per contract year, to accrue during the year, to be taken during the subsequent contract year and to be non-cumulative. In the case of an employee who joins the District on other than a July 1^st, two (2) vacation days employment for each full calendar month left in the year shall be credited on the July 1^st following commencement of employment up to a maximum of 20 days. “Year” is defined as July 1 through June 30.” Scheduling must be approved by the immediate supervisor. All vacations shall be credited on July 1^st.

2. Unit members may carry over all unused vacation days they have as of June 30 until July 31. No unused vacation from the prior year may be used or compensated for after July 31.


At the unit member’s option, he/she may be paid for up to four (4) unused vacation days that they have remaining as of June 30 at 1/250^th per day.
3. In the event that the long-term paid sick leave absences of an administrator exceed 40 work days in the year, the amount of vacation to be credited in the next year shall be prorated. Absences of 40 days or less shall not result in prorated vacation crediting.
Proration shall occur in this manner: all paid sick leave days beyond 40 shall be totaled up in the year. Ten (10) paid sick leave days equal .85 credited vacation days.

Examples:

An administrator was employed for the entire year and was on paid sick leave for 80 days during the year. The first 40 do not result in proration of vacation. The next 40 equal 3.4 days of vacation. Crediting on the next July 1 shall be for 16.6 days (20 days less 3.4).

If the same administrator was on paid sick leave for 90 days, he/she would be credited with vacation the next July 1 in the amount of 15.75 days (20 days less 4.25 days).

1. An administrator who is entitled to vacation days and who dies while on sabbatical leave, on leave of absence or before his/her contract period is completed shall have payment for his prorated vacation days given to his/her estate.

2. An administrator who is entitled to vacation days and who resigns or retires during the contract year shall receive severance pay equal to his/her prorated vacation days.

It is further understood that reimbursable costs shall be for graduate study directly related to the improvement of the administrator in his/her employment by the Cherry Hill Board of Education. The Superintendent of Schools shall, and is hereby authorized to, eliminate from recommendation for reimbursement those graduate studies considered contrary to the intent of this policy statement.

All courses must meet the requirement of the Administrative Code.

A unit member who receives reimbursement and who then leaves the District’s employment within two (2) years of the receipt of the reimbursement, except in a retirement situation, a separation due to disability, death, or a reduction-in-force shall reimburse the District 100% of that reimbursed amount. The application form for reimbursement shall contain an acknowledgement by the applying unit member that the provisions of the prior sentence are in effect and that the unit member shall reimburse the District pursuant to it, and that the above monies may be withheld from the final paycheck(s) of the departing unit member.

1. All administrative professional development shall be directly related to the District Goals and Job Accountabilities established pursuant to the performance compensation plan (“PCP”) established in Article 13. Attendance at or participation in activities such as courses, conferences, workshops, seminars and similar functions shall be conditioned upon the administrator submitting to his or her supervisor written request to attend the function and obtaining the supervisor’s approval. The written request shall be made on the appropriate District form, shall be submitted prior to attendance at the event or activity, and shall demonstrate how and why such attendance or participation will advance District Goals and relevant Job Accountabilities. Approval of any such request shall be made in the sole discretion of the administrator’s supervisor. When in the supervisor’s judgment an administrator’s performance indicates a need for attendance at courses, conferences, workshops, seminars or similar events, the supervisor may require the administrator to attend or participate in such functions.

2. All unit members, irrespective of their tier performance rating established pursuant to the PCP, shall be eligible for reimbursement of up to $2,500 per school year for attendance at activities or events intended to improve their professional development and their performance as administrators in the District, such as courses, conferences, workshops, seminars and similar functions, or for attendance at or participation in such functions as may be directed by the administrator’s supervisor and/or for professional memberships related to public education.

In the sole discretion of the unit member’s supervisor, the $2,500 annual reimbursement may instead be applied towards the purchase of technology for the unit member. The following will apply to any such purchase:

a. Only one such purchase per unit member may be made during the term of this Agreement;

b. The order will be placed by the District through its purchasing department. A unit member may contribute to the purchase price of technology costing in excess of $2,500 by tendering payment to the District for the excess amount prior to the order being placed;

c. The technology purchase shall be subject to such other procedural purchasing rules as may be promulgated by the District’s Assistant Superintendent-Business.

d. Technology purchases are governed by the terms contained in Appendix 2.

3. Administrators rated Proficient or Satisfactory pursuant to the evaluation procedures described in Article 13, may be granted additional reimbursement in such amounts and for such purposes as the Superintendent in his/her sole non-reviewable discretion may determine, for items directly related to the administrator’s professional duties, such as, by way of description only, enrollment in an additional academic course.

4. Sunset provision: Unless otherwise agreed to by the parties, the provisions of this Article 12, B. shall expire at the conclusion of the term of this Agreement. It is understood that should the parties agree to continue the compensation plan referenced in Article 13, A. 4. beyond the expiration of the current Agreement’s term, then the provisions of Article 12, B. shall also be continued for the same duration.

B. These are the salary increases for each unit member for the contract’s years:

2012-2013: $2,600
2013-2014: $2,700
2014-2015: $2,800

Increases are retroactive to July 1, 2012.

Unit members who did not appear on the agreed-upon scattergram for the 2012-2015 negotiations shall receive the above negotiated amounts in the year following their initial date of hire. In order to do so, the new unit member must have qualified for an increment according to practice.

D. Salaries shall be paid on the 15th and the 30th of each month.

1. The Board agrees to deduct from the salaries of its administrators, dues for any one or combination of associations as said administrators individually and voluntarily authorize the Board to deduct. Such deductions shall be made in compliance with Chapter 233, New Jersey Public Laws of 1969, (N.J.S.A. 52:14-159e) and under rules established by the State Department of Education. The person designated shall distribute such monies to the appropriate association or associations.

2. Each of the associations shall certify to the Board in writing the current rate of its membership dues. Any association which shall change the rate of its membership dues shall give the Board written notice prior to the effective date of such change.

C. Effective no earlier than July 1, 2010, change the carrier for health/hospitalization to the School Employees Health Benefits Program. Sections A. and B. above are obsolete as of that date.

D. With 90 days’ written notice to the Association by the Board, the health/hospitalization coverage provided by the Board to eligible employees may be changed to either: a) a plan with identical benefits as SEHBP; or, b) a plan which has benefit levels identical to the Horizon PPO which was in place immediately before the shift to the SEHBP. The District shall also offer employees an HMO which has benefit levels identical to the AETNA HMO which was in place immediately before the shift to the SEHBP. Should the HMO premium exceed the Board contribution to health hospitalization under J. below, the employee shall pay the premium difference. Effective the date of a shift from SEHBP, these shall be the only plans available to eligible employees.

E. The Board shall provide an eligible employee and his/her dependents a dental plan as agreed to by the parties.

1. Excluding orthodontia, the maximum benefit level per year per patient will be $3,000.

2. Effective July 1, 2012, the dental orthodontic maximum is changed to $3,000 lifetime.

a. The Board may change the prescription carrier to the SEHBP plan with the lowest patient co-pays.

b. The prescription plan through MEDCO labeled as Option A, without the cost containment features. The employee co-payment shall be $10 for generic drugs; $25 for retail preferred drugs; $40 for retail non-preferred drugs. The retail supply is limited to a 30 day supply. A mail order supply is limited to a 90 day supply. Two (2) co-payments apply for each 90 day mail order supply.

H. Unit members will be permitted to participate voluntarily in the Section 125 FSA Plan established within the district.

I. Since all medical plans are limited in duration, the parties hereto shall participate jointly in selecting any replacement health benefit carriers, with replacement coverage to be substantially equivalent to that currently provided unless otherwise agreed.

J. Effective on July 1, 2003, there is an Employee Assistance Plan for all employees. The maximum Board contribution to such a plan shall be $35.00 per eligible employee.

K. Vision Plan

Effective on the date when SEHBP is effective under C. above, the Board shall provide the benefits described in the VSP eye care plan handout which was shared with the Association during the negotiations for a 2009-2012 Agreement.

D. Any retroactive payments due under this Agreement shall not be paid if they are under $5.00.

If an administrator is given permission to separately purchase technology, he/she must:
a. Must provide proof of receipt of technology and subsequent payment for same (i.e., cancelled check, credit card statement, etc.)

b. Must submit request for reimbursement via form BA-23, Employee Expense Voucher (see attached) with proofs listed above. All requests for reimbursement must be approved by the Board of Education at their monthly public meeting. Please plan ahead.

3. Any amount above $2,500 must be reflected as an employee contribution. A check for the employee’s contribution, if any, must be attached to the purchase requisition.

4. Technology orders will be processed two times per year (July and January) in order to achieve economy of scale and pricing. It is advisable to contact the supervisor of purchasing in advance for the latest pricing information.

5. For tax reporting, the District will reflect on the employee’s year-end W-2 statement an amount of Board of Education contribution up to $2,500 as imputed income upon which tax must be paid.