ARTICLE NUMBER	TITLE	PAGE NUMBER
	Preamble
1	Recognition
2	Negotiating Successor Agreement
3	Grievance Procedure
4	Unit Member Rights
5	Association Rights and Privileges
6	Salaries
7	Employment Practices
8	Work Day
9	Work Year
10	Class Size
11	Non-Teaching Duties
12	Transfers, Assignments and Reassignments
13	Unit Member Evaluation
14	Sick Leave
15	Long-Term Leaves of Absence
16	Temporary Leaves of Absence
17	Association Payroll Dues Deduction
18	Insurance Protection
19	Professional Development and Education Improvement
20	Summer School
21	General Provisions
22	Board’s Rights
23	Facilities
24	Reimbursement Upon Retirement for Unused Accumulated Sick Days
25	Longevity
26	Duration of Agreement
Appendix A	Grievance Report
Appendix B	Authorization To Deduct Association Membership Dues
Appendix C	Non Tenure Non Renewal
Appendix D-1	Teacher Salary Guide – 2010-2011
Appendix D-2	Teacher Salary Guide – 2011-2012
Appendix D-3	Teacher Salary Guide – 2012-2013
Appendix E	Extracurricular Stipends
Appendix F	Assistant Salary Guides – 2010-2011, 2011-2012, AND 2012-2013
Appendix G	Miscellaneous Stipends – 2010-2011, 2011-2012, AND 2012-2013

1. Superintendent
2. School Business Administrator
3. Board Secretary
4. Principals
5. Building and Grounds Supervisor
6. Secretaries
7. Substitute Teacher

B. Upon reasonable request by the Association, the Board agrees to make known to the Association when and where the Association may inspect such documents, as the Board is required by law to release and make available to the public. It is understood by the parties that the budget annually adopted by the Board of Education, the Board minutes and any document required to be filed in report form with the Department of Education or any agency of the State of New Jersey shall fall within the definition of public records for the purpose of this Agreement.

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

D. Pursuant to NJSA 34:13-1 et seq., the Board agrees not to negotiate concerning said employees in the negotiating unit, as defined in ARTICLE 1 of this Agreement, with any organization other than the Association for the term of this Agreement.

E. This Agreement incorporates the entire understanding of the parties on all matters which were the subject of negotiation. During the term of this Agreement neither party shall be required to negotiate with respect to any such matter whether or not covered by this Agreement and whether or not within the knowledge or contemplation of either or both of the parties at the time they negotiated or executed this Agreement.

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

1. A grievance shall mean a complaint by an employee that there has been to him a personal loss, injury or inconvenience because there has been a violation, misinterpretation, misapplication or infringement upon the provisions of this Agreement, or that there has been a personal loss, injury or inconvenience because there has been a violation, misinterpretation or misapplication of established board policy, or as a result of an administrative decision pertaining to board policy or this Agreement.

a. An individual Unit Member
b. A group of Unit Members having the same grievance.

1. Any employee who decides either alone or after seeking the assistance of the Association that he or she has a grievance, he or she shall discuss it with his immediate superior in an attempt to resolve the matter informally at that level. To be considered under this grievance procedure, a grievance must be initiated at this informal level within twenty (20) school days of the event that gave rise to the grievance.

2. If, as a result of the discussion, the matter is not resolved to the satisfaction of the employee within five (5) school days of such discussion, he or she shall set forth his grievance in writing to the principal or if the grievance results from an action of a school official higher than the rank of principal, the grievant may set forth his grievance in writing to that official, specifying:

a. The nature of the grievance including the specific provisions of this Agreement alleged to have been violated.

b. The results of previous discussions.

c. That he/she is dissatisfied with decisions previously rendered.

d. The remedy sought.

The principal or such official shall give his decision to the employee in writing within five (5) school days of receipt of the written grievance.

3. The employee may within five (5) school days of receipt of the decision of the principal or other official appeal the decision to the Superintendent of Schools. The appeal to the Superintendent must be made in writing and shall be in the form set out in Appendix A. The Superintendent shall give his decision in writing to the employee and the principal within ten (10) school days of receipt of the written grievance.

4. If the grievance is not resolved to the employee's satisfaction, he or she may appeal within ten (10) school days of receipt of the Superintendent's decision to the Board of Education. The request shall be submitted in writing through the Board Secretary who shall attach all related papers and forward the request to the Board. The Board, or a committee thereof, composed of not less than three (3) members shall hold a hearing with the employee within twenty (20) school days of receipt of the written grievance and render a decision in writing within ten (10) school days of the hearing.

5. In the event a grievance shall not have been settled under the Procedure above, and only if such grievance involve a claim or infringement upon the provisions of the Agreement, the aggrieved may proceed directly to arbitration, which shall be binding subject to the limitation of statute. However, no matter shall be considered a grievance subject to arbitration if it pertains to:

a. Any matter for which a method of review is prescribed by law or any rule or regulation of the State Commissioner of Education, or any matter which according to law is either beyond the scope of Board authority or limited to action by the Board alone.

b. A complaint of a non-tenure employee which arises by reason of his or her not being re-employed.

c. A complaint by any certificated personnel occasioned by appointment to or lack of reappointment to, retention in or lack of retention in any position for which tenure is either not possible or not required.

6. Arbitration shall be initiated by certified letter from the grievant bearing the written approval to proceed, of the President of the Association, addressed to the Superintendent of Schools. Such letter shall be mailed within twenty (20) school days of receipt of the written decision of the Board. Such request can be honored only if the grievant(s) and the Association waive the right, if any, in writing of said grievant(s) and the Association to submit the underlying dispute to any other administrative or judicial tribunal except for the purpose of enforcing the arbitrator's award.

7. The grievant, or the person designated by the grievant to represent him or her in the grievance and the Superintendent, or the person designated by the Board to represent it in the grievance shall promptly attempt to agree upon and engage an arbitrator, but if either party determines that no purpose will be served by the attempting or continuing to attempt to so agree, either may submit the choice of arbitrator to the American Arbitration Association.

8. The arbitrator shall hear and decide only one grievance in each case. He or she shall be bound by and must comply with all the terms of this Agreement. He or she shall have no power to add to, delete from or modify in any way any of the provisions of this Agreement. The decision of the arbitrator shall be binding upon the parties subject to the limitation of the statutes and this contract. Fees and expenses of the arbitration shall be borne equally by both parties.

1. Any grievance not processed in accordance with the time limits specified herein shall be deemed relinquished by the grievant.

2. Administration failures at any step of this procedure to communicate a decision within the specified time limits shall permit the grievant to proceed promptly to the next step. The time limits specified at any step may be extended in any particular instance by agreement between the Superintendent or his designee and the grievant.

3. Copies of all written grievances, responses and notices shall be mailed to the Association. Meetings held under this procedure shall be conducted at a place which will afford a fair and reasonable opportunity for all proper persons to be present. Such persons are defined as the aggrieved, the appropriate Association and Board representatives and witnesses. Association and Board counsel shall be permitted at C. 4. and C. 5. If, at the option of the Board, hearings are held during school hours, persons proper to be present shall be excused without loss of pay.

4. Nothing in this Agreement shall be construed as compelling the Association to submit a grievance to arbitration.

5. No reprisals of any kind shall be taken by either party or by any member of the administration against any participants in the grievance procedure by reason of such anticipation.

6. The "Association" and the "Board" agree that differences between the parties shall be settled by peaceful means as provided within this Agreement.

7. It is understood that employees shall, during and notwithstanding the pendency of any grievance, continue to observe all assignments and applicable rules and regulations of the Board until such grievance and any effect thereof shall have been fully determined.

8. Since it is important that grievances be processed as rapidly as possible, the number of days indicated at each level should be considered as a maximum and every effort should be made to expedite the process.

I. Morning and after-school detention supervision responsibilities will be posted. Involuntary assignment will only be made if there are insufficient applicants for the position. The hourly rate for such supervision is $28.00. This rate shall be prorated for periods lasting less than an hour. Teachers and certified assistants are covered by this provision.

J. Effective July 1, 2007, all salaries will be paid by way of direct deposit.

K. If a teacher or certified assistant is assigned to cover a lunch period or an absent teacher’s class and loses their preparation and/or duty-free lunch time, he/she shall be paid $28 per period. Involuntary assignment will be only be made if there are insufficient applicants for the position.

B. The in-school work year for teachers shall not exceed one hundred eighty eight (188) days, exclusive of days on which schools are closed for the NJEA Convention. Said convention days will no longer be considered as part of the school calendar; therefore, teachers will not be required to account for their time during NJEA Convention days.

C. The in-school work year for Assistants shall not exceed one hundred eighty eight (188) days, exclusive of days that are closed for the NJEA Convention. Assistants at their option may attend workshops.

D. On the first student day of each school year unit members shall work a full day, but shall not be responsible for direct supervision or instruction of students after the early dismissal time for students. During the last two (2) days of the school year unit members shall work a normal school day unless dismissed early by the Administration but shall not be responsible for direct supervision or instruction of students after the early dismissal time for students.

E. Back to School Night and a two (2) hour evening session conference shall be mandatory for all Unit Members. Assistants shall be compensated if they are required to attend Back-to-School-Night. Back to School Night shall be a full teacher work day. Teachers shall be permitted to leave on the evening session conference days after student dismissal.

1. A Unit Member returning from a leave of absence due to pregnancy or birth shall be entitled to all benefits to which Unit members returning from other types of sick or disability leave would be entitled. No Unit Member shall be barred from returning to work after the birth of her child solely on the ground that there has not been a stated or prescribed lapse of time between the birth and her desired date of return.

2. All regularly appointed unit members are requested to notify the Superintendent of their pregnancy as soon as it is medically confirmed and not later than five (5) months prior to the expected birth. Accumulated sick leave shall be available to said Unit Members who suffer disability on account of Unit Member’s pregnancy twenty (20) days before the projected due date and twenty (20) days after delivery, based on official notification by the employee. Accumulated sick leave shall be available to said Unit Members who suffer disability on account of Unit Member’s pregnancy on the same terms, as it is available for all types of disability. The same type of physician’s certificate may be requested under NJSA 18:30-4 for pregnancy as for other disabilities.

3. A Unit Member covered by this Agreement and returning from a leave of absence caused by pregnancy or birth shall be entitled to all benefits to which employees returning from other types of sick or disability leave would be entitled. No Unit Member, covered by this Agreement, shall be barred from returning to work after the birth of a child solely on the ground that there has not been a stated or prescribed lapse of time between birth and the desired date of return.

4. The Board shall not remove any unit member from her duties during pregnancy, except on any one of the following basis:

a. Performance: Her unit member performance has substantially declined from the time immediately prior to her pregnancy.

b. Physical Incapacity: Her physical condition or capacity is such that her health would be impaired if she were to continue teaching, and which physical incapacity shall be deemed to exist only if:

1) The pregnant unit member fails to produce a certification from her physician that she is medically able to continue teaching, or

2) The Board of Education's physician and the unit member's physician agree that she cannot continue teaching, or

3) Following a difference of medical opinion between the Board's physician and the unit member's physician, the Board may request expert consultation in which case a third impartial physician, agreed upon by the unit member and the Board, shall be appointed to examine the unit member and whose medical opinion shall be conclusive and binding on the issue of medical capacity to continue teaching. The unit member and the Board shall share the expense of any examination by an impartial third physician under this paragraph equally.

c. Just Cause: Any other "just cause" as defined in NJSA Title 18A.

1. Any unit member may return to work within the school year in which the leave begins, provided he or she shall have requested to do so in the application for a leave of absence and shall have specified the return month and provided that the Board has agreed to the return date. Any extension or reduction of the date of return within the same school year shall only be allowed at the discretion of the Board provided application is made following the original grant of the leave of absence but prior to the announced commencement date. Such extension or reduction may be granted by the Board for an additional reasonable period of time for reasons associated with the pregnancy or birth or for other proper cause provided that such extension or reduction will not substantially interfere with administration of the school. Any tenure unit member or non-certified unit member granted a leave of absence with a return date during the same school year who wishes to extend said leave beyond the school year in which it commences shall be permitted to do so if she makes application at least three weeks prior to the commencement date of her leave of absence and subject to the provisions of C. 1. c.

2. The Board shall not be required to extend the leave of nontenure unit members beyond the school year for which they were hired. Nontenure unit members wishing to return for the following school year shall be considered by the Board for reemployment for the following year.

3. Any tenured unit member or non-certified employee may return to work subsequent to the school year in which her leave begins, provided he or she shall have requested to do so in the application for a leave of absence. Any such employee shall be permitted to return to work at the beginning of any of the two school years following the school year in which the leave commences, provided such employee has given the Board written notice of their intention to do so not less than six (6) months prior to the beginning of the school year in which he or she wishes to return.

4. Except as otherwise provided in this Article, no unit member shall be barred from returning to work after the birth of their child by any prescribed waiting period between the date of birth and the date of return to work; however, each such employee shall be required to file, at least two weeks prior to the date of return or at the time of giving the required notice of intention to return, a certificate from her physician stating that she is physically capable of resuming her full duties.

5. Any unit member granted leave of absence under this Article shall be eligible for an increment in the following year (or in a subsequent year) provided he or she has completed more than ninety (90) days of service to the district in the year in which the leave commences.

6. Any unit member adopting any infant child shall receive similar leave which shall commence upon receiving de facto custody of said infant, or earlier if necessary to fulfill the requirements for the adoption.

1. Unused personal leave of absence days with pay shall be added to the sick leave of the employee the following year.

2. This leave must be approved by the Superintendent at least five school days in advance, except in emergencies.

3. In the case of a disagreement between unit member and Administrator regarding approval, the unit member may be excused for this day, but the Board will determine if salary is to be paid for the absence. Such a disagreement shall be subject to the Grievance Procedure set forth in Article 3.

4. Approved personal reasons:

a. to appear in Court;
b. to settle a house;
c. to settle a will;
d. to hospitalize a member of the immediate family (husband, wife, children, or relative living in the same household);
e. to conduct personal business that cannot be completed at any other time;
f. religious holidays.

Subject to appropriate notification as set forth above, an employee may take personal leave for three (3) days allowed herein without being required to stipulate the reason for taking such leave except that she/he is taking it under this section. After the third (3rd) day, a reason is needed.

Personal days will be for full school days only.

1. Absence for not more than five days due to death in the family of the employee. Family is defined as father, mother, son, daughter, sister, brother, wife, husband, father or mother of wife or husband, grandchild, or any relative living in the same household as that of the unit member.

2. Absence of one day to attend the funeral of a relative other than the immediate family of the employee, not to exceed two such absences in the contract year.

3. The above leaves are not cumulative from year to year.

4. An exception to the five-day per year requirement set forth in B. 1. above shall be made in the event of an additional death of one of the following in the same year: father, mother, children, or spouse. In such event, up to five (5) additional days shall be allowed in each instance.

B. Each of the associations named above shall certify to the Board, in writing, the current rate of its membership dues. Any association that shall change the rate of its membership dues shall give the Board written notice prior to the effective date of such change.

C. Employees shall complete and submit to the Board Secretary Appendix B if they elect to have dues deducted pursuant to this Article.

D. If an employee who is covered by the recognition clause does not become a member of the Association that is covered by this Agreement, said employee will be required to pay a representation fee to the Association for that membership year. The purpose of this fee shall be to offset the employee’s per capita cost of services rendered by the Association as majority representative.

Prior to the beginning of each membership year, the Association will notify the Board in writing of the amount of the regular membership dues, initiation fees and assessments charged by the Association to its own. Fees to be paid by non-members will be equal to the maximum allowed by law.

In order to adequately offset the per capita cost of services rendered by the Association as majority representative, the representation fee should be equal in amount to the regular membership dues, initiation fees and assessments charged by the Association to its own members, and the representation fee has been set at the maximum presently allowed by law. If the law is changed in this regard, the amount of the representation fee automatically will be changed to the maximum allowed, said change to become effective as of the earliest effective date set by law.

B. Any employee opting out of the health insurance program shall be entitled to 30% of the insurance cost. The Board shall adopt Section 125 of the IRS code. Employees have the option on a year-to-year basis.

C. The Board of Education shall appropriate monies annually for the purpose of funding the Board's obligation for a prescription drug insurance plan at one hundred percent (100%) coverage for all unit members, which includes full family coverage. This program shall include a co-pay for all unit members according to the following:

Any onlist prescriptions: $15 for brand name prescriptions.

On-list prescriptions shall be expanded to include additional medications that are not currently on the list.

G. During the “open enrollment” period, unit members may take changes in their basic health or “opt out” of the health insurance program. The Board of Education shall notify unit members of an open enrollment period thirty (30) days in advance or in ten (10) working days of notification from the health carrier.

1. Written approval of the Superintendent of Schools must be obtained prior to registration for an incentive course.

2. Courses must be taken at an accredited college or university.

3. The request to the Superintendent must include a catalog copy of the course description and summary.

4. Requests for tuition reimbursement must be accompanied by an official transcript of grades earned and a receipted copy showing proof of payment of the tuition.

5. Poor or unsatisfactory scholarship will disqualify the teacher from reimbursement.

6. Accepted grades shall be A, B, C, 1, 2, 3, Satisfactory or Pass.

7. The fiscal year shall be defined as 1 July through 30 June of the following calendar year.

8. Requests for reimbursement must be accompanied by an official transcript and must be submitted to the Office of the Board Secretary no later than 90 calendar days following the completion of the course for which reimbursement is sought.

9. Maximum Cap

a. There shall be a maximum cap covering all reimbursements under this Article. The annual cap shall be $13,500. If all tuition reimbursement claims exceed the cap set forth above, all claims shall be prorated. For example, if the cap set forth will cover 95% of all claims, all individual claims will be reimbursed at 95% of the claim amount.

b. The Board shall make all tuition reimbursement payments before the end of July following when the course was successfully completed under the terms of this Article.

A. air conditioners for the faculty room will be provided and maintained.

1. Each eligible Unit Member who is certificated shall be paid at the rate $ 75 per day.

2. Each eligible Unit Member who is not certificated shall be paid at a rate of $50 per day.

3. The maximum payment under D. 1. or 2. to an employee shall be $15,000. If an employee, as of the close of business June 30, 2010, has accumulated days which value at that time exceeds $15,000, the computed value as of that time shall be that employee’s maximum payout under D. 1. or 2.

B. This Agreement shall not be extended orally and it is expressly understood that it shall expire on the date indicated. The parties to the Agreement shall mutually agree upon any extension in writing, and unless such extensions are agreed upon this contract shall expire on the date indicated herein.

C. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Board has caused this Agreement to be signed by its President, attested by its Secretary and its corporate seal to be placed heron and the Association has caused this Agreement to be signed by its President and secretary.



Board of Education for the Borough of Somerdale

________________________________________
BY: President


ATTEST:


_________________________________________
Secretary


Somerdale Education Association


________________________________________
BY: President


ATTEST:


_________________________________________
Negotiations Chair

STEP	STEP	BA	BA+15	BA+30	MA	MA+15	MA+30	MA+45	DOC
09-10	10-11
***	1	46879	47521	48162	49447	50089	50732	52016	53300
1	2	47079	47721	48362	49647	50289	50932	52216	53500
2	3	47446	48088	48729	50014	50656	51299	52583	53867
3	4	47818	48460	49101	50386	51028	51671	52955	54239
4	5	48503	49145	49786	51071	51713	52356	53640	54924
5	6	49196	49838	50479	51764	52406	53049	54333	55617
6	7	49872	50514	51155	52440	53082	53725	55009	56293
7	8	50756	51398	52039	53324	53966	54609	55893	57177
8	9	51695	52337	52978	54263	54905	55548	56832	58116
9	10	53414	54056	54697	55982	56624	57267	58551	59835
10	11	55589	56231	56872	58157	58799	59442	60726	62010
11	12	57855	58497	59138	60423	61065	61708	62992	64276
12	13	59815	60457	61098	62383	63025	63668	64952	66236
13	14	61864	62506	63147	64432	65074	65717	67001	68285
14	15	63853	64495	65136	66421	67063	67706	68990	70274
15	16	66916	67558	68199	69484	70126	70769	72053	73337
16	17	70402	71044	71685	72970	73612	74255	75539	76823
17-18	18	74087	74729	75370	76655	77297	77940	79224	80508

STEP	STEP	BA	BA+15	BA+30	MA	MA+15	MA+30	MA+45	DOC
10-11	11-12
***-1	1	48163	48805	49446	50731	51373	52016	53300	54584
2	2	48530	49172	49813	51098	51740	52383	53667	54951
3	3	48902	49544	50185	51470	52112	52755	54039	55323
4	4	49587	50229	50870	52155	52797	53440	54724	56008
5	5	50280	50922	51563	52848	53490	54133	55417	56701
6	6	50956	51598	52239	53524	54166	54809	56093	57377
7	7	51840	52482	53123	54408	55050	55693	56977	58261
8	8	52779	53421	54062	55347	55989	56632	57916	59200
9	9	54498	55140	55781	57066	57708	58351	59635	60919
10	10	56673	57315	57956	59241	59883	60526	61810	63094
11	11	58939	59581	60222	61507	62149	62792	64076	65360
12	12	60899	61541	62182	63467	64109	64752	66036	67320
13	13	62948	63590	64231	65516	66158	66801	68085	69369
14	14	64937	65579	66220	67505	68147	68790	70074	71358
15	15	68000	68642	69283	70568	71210	71853	73137	74421
16	16	71486	72128	72769	74054	74696	75339	76623	77907
17-18	17	75171	75813	76454	77739	78381	79024	80308	81592

STEP	STEP	BA	BA+15	BA+30	MA	MA+15	MA+30	MA+45	DOC
11-12	12-13
***-1	1	49541	50183	50824	52109	52751	53394	54678	55962
2	2	49913	50555	51196	52481	53123	53766	55050	56334
3	3	50598	51240	51881	53166	53808	54451	55735	57019
4	4	51291	51933	52574	53859	54501	55144	56428	57712
5	5	51967	52609	53250	54535	55177	55820	57104	58388
6	6	52851	53493	54134	55419	56061	56704	57988	59272
7	7	53790	54432	55073	56358	57000	57643	58927	60211
8	8	55509	56151	56792	58077	58719	59362	60646	61930
9	9	57684	58326	58967	60252	60894	61537	62821	64105
10	10	59950	60592	61233	62518	63160	63803	65087	66371
11	11	61910	62552	63193	64478	65120	65763	67047	68331
12	12	63959	64601	65242	66527	67169	67812	69096	70380
13	13	65948	66590	67231	68516	69158	69801	71085	72369
14	14	69011	69653	70294	71579	72221	72864	74148	75432
15	15	72497	73139	73780	75065	75707	76350	77634	78918
16-17	16	76182	76824	77465	78750	79392	80035	81319	82603

STEP	STEP	CERT	NON-CERT
09-10	10-11
***	1	14249	13249
1	2	14449	13449
2	3	14649	13649
3	4	14849	13849
4	5	15331	14331
5	6	15813	14813
6	7	16295	15295
7	8	16777	15777
8	9	17259	16259
9-10	10	17750	16750

For Instructional Assistants with an Associate’s Degree or sixty (60) credits or more, the Board of Education will pay $500 in addition to the base salary, not to be cumulative, but to be consecutive.

STEP	STEP	CERT	NON-CERT
10-11	11-12
***	1	14610	13610
1	2	14810	13810
2	3	15010	14010
3	4	15210	14210
4	5	15692	14692
5	6	16174	15174
6	7	16656	15656
7	8	17138	16138
8	9	17620	16620
9-10	10	18111	17111

For Instructional Assistants with an Associate’s Degree or sixty (60) credits or more, the Board of Education will pay $500 in addition to the base salary, not to be cumulative, but to be consecutive.

STEP	STEP	CERT	NON-CERT
11-12	12-13
***	1	14974	13974
1	2	15174	14174
2	3	15374	14374
3	4	15574	14574
4	5	16056	15056
5	6	16538	15538
6	7	17020	16020
7	8	17502	16502
8	9	17984	16984
9-10	10	18475	17475

For Instructional Assistants with an Associate’s Degree or sixty (60) credits or more, the Board of Education will pay $500 in addition to the base salary, not to be cumulative, but to be consecutive.