ARTICLE	TITLE	PAGE NUMBER
1	RECOGNITION	1
2	SALARY SCHEDULE/WORK YEAR AND WORK SCHEDULE	2
3	SALARY GUIDE PROVISIONS	4
4	MEDICAL PLANS	6
5	LEAVES OF ABSENCE	7
6	POLICIES RELATING TO PROFESSIONAL NEGOTIATIONS	11
7	GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE	12
8	TEACHER EVALUATION	15
9	PERSONAL FILES	15
10	SEPARABILITY	15
11	TUITION REIMBURSEMENT	15
12	DUTY-FREE LUNCH	16
13	DURATION OF AGREEMENT	17
	SIGNATURES OF THE PARTIES	17
	APPENDIX A-1: SALARY GUIDE: 2007-2008	18
	APPENDIX A-2: SALARY GUIDE: 2008-2009	19
	APPENDIX A-3: SALARY GUIDE: 2009-2010	20
	APPENDIX A-4: TEACHER SALARY GUIDE STEP MOVEMENT	21
	APPENDIX B: HOURLY RATES FOR SUPPORT STAFF	22

1. The school year will consist of a maximum of 185 days. Teachers will arrive in the morning fifteen minutes before the opening of school. They are expected to be in their rooms or in preparation prior to opening. During regular dismissal, teachers may leave in the afternoon ten minutes after the last group is dismissed. In cases of inclement weather, teachers will remain in their rooms supervising the students and may leave immediately following dismissal. Deviations in the above schedule may occur due to teacher meetings or in-service work. A responsible attitude in such cases should be assumed. Full consideration time-wise will be made for teachers taking outside course work; instances whereby schedules cannot be met require advance notification to the Superintendent.

2. The day before Thanksgiving shall be an early dismissal day for teachers. The work day before the winter recess shall be an early dismissal day for teachers. On the days when parent-teacher conferences are scheduled for that night, there shall be an early dismissal day for students and a full work day for teachers. Teachers shall work three (3) nights per year without additional compensation. These nights shall include Back to School Night and Parent/Teacher Conferences or a school meeting/event as designated by the administration.

The Administration will limit the number of prep times used for child study team meetings to two per month. A twenty four (24) hour notice will be provided prior to child study team meetings/conferences, except for emergency situations.

1. Custodial personnel will be given the following days off with pay:

a. New Year's Eve Day
b. New Year's Day
c. Dr. Martin Luther King Day
d. President's Day (if school is not in session - one day only)
e. Good Friday
f. Easter Monday
g. Memorial Day
h. Independence Day
i. Labor Day
j. Thanksgiving Day
k. Friday immediately following Thanksgiving Day
l. Christmas Eve Day
m. Christmas Day

2. If it is necessary to have school in session on any of the above days, the custodial staff will have to report for work at regular pay.

3. If the school is closed for snow, the custodians must report for work unless the school administration notifies the custodians not to report.

4. If a custodian is called to work on any of the holidays stated in section #1, and if the school is not in session, the custodian will be paid time and one half. Custodians will be paid double time for work on Sundays.

5. Vacation allowances for custodians shall be as follows:

a. following the first year of employment: one week
b. following the second year of employment: two weeks
c. following ten years of employment: three weeks
d. following fifteen years of employment: four weeks

Custodians will be allowed to carry over no more than 5 vacation days into the next year, whether earned in the preceding year or in any earlier year.

6. In the event that an employee is called to work for any emergency reason such as, but not limited to, snow emergency, repairs, etc., the custodian shall be paid a minimum of three (3) hours pay. Said custodian shall be paid time and one-half for this work if this time worked shall cause his weekly hours of actual time paid (including paid leave) to exceed forty 40 hours.

7. Cafeteria Workers and Custodians who work 20 hours or more per week shall receive up to $100 annually for work shoes.

1. Secretaries work year shall follow the school calendar and also provide paid holiday leave on Labor Day and Independence Day.

2. Twelve (12) month secretaries qualify for twenty (20) days paid vacation after the completion of the first year of employment.

Employees shall be informed, whenever practical, of vacancies in positions (including summer school teacher), supervisory, or extra-pay positions by posting notice on the faculty bulletin board in each of the schools during the school year or, during the summer, by including posted vacancies in the regular summer mailings. The Association President will receive notice of any vacancy immediately upon its posting.

1. Prior experience in public schools may be creditable up to their full experience.

2. Military service will be creditable up to four years.

3. Private, parochial school teaching, or clinical experience may be creditable at the discretion of the Board of Education.

4. Effective July 1, 2007, when the Board determines initial placement on the guide for a new teaching staff member, no new teaching staff member shall be hired beyond Step 18 of the salary guide in 2007-2008 and 2008-2009 or beyond Step 16 beginning with the 2009-2010 salary guide.

C. Unit members who, as of March 7, 2007, were paid a salary above Step 18 on the 2006-2007 salary guide shall be red-circled at their respective salary amount and their salary shall be frozen for the duration of this Agreement.

D. Teacher assistants upon initial hire will receive an additional $.25 to their base salary for an associate degree and an additional $.25 (total of $.50) for a bachelor degree. Effective July 1, 2007, that instructional aides who were not paid a stipend for the associates’ degree or BA/BS upon hire, shall have a 25 cent per hour stipend for an attained associates degree or a 50 cent per hour stipend for an attained BA/BS degree added to their base on the July 1 following attainment of the degree, but in any event, no earlier than July 1, 2007.

E. Effective July 1, 2007, the titles of the two unit members who function as instructional aides in office settings shall have their job titles changed to “Office Clerical Assistant”. For 2007-2008, each of these two employees shall have 25 cents per hour added to the hourly rate computed for aides. Using this new 2007-2008 hourly rate, an additional 25 cents per hour shall be added after the computation of the 2008-2009 hourly rate for aides. That new rate shall be the base for computing the 2009-2010 hourly rate.

F. Longevity in the Mansfield Township School District:

1. Teachers will begin receiving a longevity increment of $200 with the beginning of their 15th year in the district and thereafter until they reach their 20th year in the district.

2. Upon reaching their 20^th year in the district, teachers will receive an additional increment of $500 per year or a total of $700 above the guide until they reach their 25th year in the district.

3. Upon reaching their 25th year in the district, teachers will receive an additional increment of $500 per year or a total of $1200 above the guide.

1. Pursuant to the provisions of Chapter 233, Laws of 1969 (NJSA 52:14-15.9e), and in accordance with rules and regulations of the State Board of Education and State Department of Education, the Board agrees to make deductions from an employee's salary for the purpose of paying dues to the Mansfield Township Education Association, the Burlington County Education Association, the New Jersey Education Association, and the National Education Association, when said employee individually and voluntarily authorizes the Board to deduct.

2. An employee desiring payroll deductions for organizational dues shall submit to the secretary of the Board of Education a signed and dated authorization statement.

3. Any such written authorization may be withdrawn by the employee at any time by the filing of written notice of such withdrawal with the secretary of the Board of Education. The filing of notice of withdrawal shall be effective to halt deductions as of July 1 or January 1 next succeeding the date on which notice of withdrawal is filed.

4. For all employees in the bargaining unit who do not pay dues in accordance with NJSA 52:14-15-9E above. The Board shall deduct a representation fee equal to eighty five per cent of the appropriate dues as certified by the Association. It is agreed that the Board shall have no other obligations or liability, financial or otherwise, other than as set forth herein because of any action arising out of the understandings expressed in the language of this section. It is further understood that once funds deducted are remitted to the Association, the disposition of such funds shall be the full and exclusive responsibility of the Association. The Association shall indemnify and save the Board and its agents harmless against any and all claims, and/or representation fees resulting from any action arising out of the provisions of this section or in reliance upon any list or notice furnished by the Association.

5. The secretary of the Board shall transmit to the Mansfield Township Education Association all monies deducted for dues for the above named organizations, together with a record of any corrections, by the 15^th of each month following the monthly pay period in which deductions were made. The Association treasurer shall disburse such monies to the appropriate Association(s).

6. Each of the Associations named 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.

Professional staff eligibility is 20 hours or more per week. The Board agrees to pay the total premium for single coverage for full-time ten month support staff employees (6 or more hours per day, 30 or more hours per week), and the total premium for single and dependent coverage for full-time twelve month support staff employees (7 or more hours per day, 35 or more hours per week). (One ten month support staff employee is grandfathered for full family benefits.)

F. Unit members who, as of March 7, 2007, were paid a salary above Step 18 on the 2006-2007 salary guide shall not be eligible for coverage under Article 4 in accordance with their terms and conditions of employment upon initial hire.

1. The Board agrees to apply maternity leave as required by law and the appropriate administrative agencies.

2. An employee shall give at least three (3) months notice where possible regarding child rearing leave plans.

3. Upon completion of a maternity leave of absence, the employee may arrange a child rearing leave of absence with the Superintendent.

4. Upon requesting of said leave, the Board shall grant said leave for the remainder of the school year.

5. On or before April 1st of the current year, the employee on said leave shall notify the Superintendent in writing of her intention to return to her duties in September of the following school year, or seek an extension of the child rearing leave for an additional school year.

6. Upon return from a maternity or child rearing leave of absence, the employee shall be reinstated in her same position or a similar position for which she is certified.

7. The Board is under no compulsion to continue the employment of a non-tenured employee beyond the contracted period so long as the non-renewal of employment is not based solely upon a condition of pregnancy or childbirth. The child rearing leave period shall not be counted for tenure purposes.

8. Advancement on the salary guide shall be based upon the date of commencement of the leave of absence for childrearing. The employee will be granted a full salary guide step if she works more than 90 teaching days. Working 90 days or less shall result in no advancement on the salary guide.

1. Sick leave is defined to mean the absence of any person from his or her post of duty because of personal disability due to illness or injury or because of exclusion from school by the school district's medical authorities as a result of contagious disease or by being quarantined for disease in the immediate household.

2. Sick Leave Allowance

a. Ten (10) month, five (5) days per week employees: ten (10) days per year (July 1 to June 30). Twelve (12) month, five (5) days per week employees: twelve (12) days per year (July 1 to June 30). Ten (10) month, less than 5 days per week; prorated portion of ten days, based on the percentage of a five day week they work. Twelve (12) month, less than five (5) days per week employees: prorated portion of twelve days, based on the percentage of a five day week they work.
b. All unused days shall accumulate without limit for use in future years. Accumulated days earned while working in a position with fewer than a full day's work hours shall count only for the number of hours worked at the time earned, if the employee moves to a full work day position.

c. Nothing in this act shall affect the right of the Board of Education to fix, either by rule or by individual consideration, the payment of salary in cases of absence not constituting sick leave. The legal provision guarantees ten days sick leave per year, this allowance is expanded by local Board of Education policy permitting additional absence for other reasons with limitations as specified in the personal leave policy.

3. Schedule of Pay Deductions - When absences exceed the annual sick leave and the accumulated sick leave, the Board of Education may pay any such person each month's salary less the pay of a substitute if a substitute is employed or the estimated cost of a substitute if none is employed for such length of time as may be determined by the Board of Education in each individual case.

4. Physician's Certificate - In case of extended illness or illness requiring the services of a physician, it is recommended that a physician's certificate be attached to the absence report.

5. The Board secretary will provide to each employee a statement of the number of days sick leave accumulated as of September 1st.

1. Up to five days for death in the "immediate family" without deduction of pay. By "immediate family" is meant spouse, child or parent.

2. Up to three days when necessary for death of brothers or sisters, grandparent or grandchild without deduction of pay.

3. Up to two days when necessary for death of mother-in-law or father-in-law without deduction of pay. One day when necessary for the death of siblings-in-law and children-in-law.

4. Up to three days per school year for other reasons without deduction of pay with the following provisions:

a. A minimum of 24 hours notice should be given whenever possible to the Superintendent.

b. No more than one person per job title (as listed in Article 1, "Recognition") per school building will be granted personal leave on a particular day except on approval of the Superintendent.

c. Unused personal leave days coming under this category will be transferred to sick leave and accumulated in addition to those permitted under section B of this agreement.

d. Personal leave for part time employees will be prorated in the same way as sick leave is prorated.

5. Teachers may take up to four additional days per school year with a deduction in the amount equivalent to the per diem rate of substitute pay for personal reasons.

6. Full deduction (one two-hundredth of the annual contract salary) if absence is in excess of seven days for personal reasons granted under items 4 and 5.

1. Effective July 1, 2004, any employee who retires according to the provisions of the TPAF/PERS in order to receive immediate benefits and not merely "deferred retirement" and has 10 years service in the Mansfield Township School District shall be eligible for payment for unused sick leave.

2. All days accumulated in the Mansfield Township School District shall be eligible for reimbursement for teachers at the rate of $60 per diem with an individual cap of $7,300 and support staff at the rate of $45 per diem with an individual cap of $5,300. In the event of an eligible employee's death while in active service, the payment will be made to the employee's estate.

3. The employee shall notify the Board of his/her intention to retire by January 1 to be eligible for the bonus to be paid on July 1. If the employee notifies the Board after January 1, it may result in payment of the bonus the following year on July 1.

1. To direct employees of the school district.

2. To fire, promote, transfer, assign and retain employees in positions within the school district and to suspend, demote, discharge or take other disciplinary action against employees.

3. To maintain the efficiency of the school district operations entrusted to them.

4. To determine the methods, means and personnel by which such operations are to be conducted.

5. To take whatever actions may be necessary to carry out the mission of the school district in situations of emergency.

1. Members designated by the local educational Association; not to exceed seven members.

2. Three representatives of the Board of Education, approved by its president; not to exceed five members.

3. The representative groups will each bear their own costs or expenses incurred in recording proceedings or happenings that transpire during any meetings. The Association-Board Negotiations Committee shall be created to conduct negotiations in good faith on matters of salaries, personnel policies and fringe benefits.

1. The failure to or refusal of the Board to renew a contract of a non-tenure employee.

2. In matters where a method of review or appeal is prescribed by law, or by any rule, regulation or decision 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 involving the sole and unlimited discretion of the Board.

5. 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 teachers or employees under provisions of State Law.

The term "employee", where applicable, shall mean all certificated personnel and all support staff employees under Board employ excluding the Superintendent, child study team (psychologist, social worker, learning consultant) and supervisory personnel. The term "representative" shall include an organization, agency or person authorized or designated by the local association, the majority representative of the bargaining unit, or by the Board to act on its or their behalf and to represent it or them.

The term "party", besides meaning an aggrieved employee, shall include the Board and the Association.

1. An aggrieved party shall institute action under the provisions hereof within 20 calendar days of the occurrence. Failure to act within the 20 day period shall be deemed to constitute abandonment of the grievance.

2. In the presentation of the grievance, the party shall have the right to present his own appeal or to designate a representative to appear with him or for him in his appeal.

3. Whenever a party appears with a representative, the Board or Association shall have the right to designate a representative to participate at any level of the grievance procedure.

4. The Grievance Procedure shall be as follows:

a. Level One - A party shall first discuss his grievance orally with the Superintendent. A decision shall be rendered within five (5) working days of said discussion.

b. Level Two - If the grievance is not resolved to the party's satisfaction or if no decision has been rendered, the party shall submit his grievance to the Superintendent in writing within ten (10) working days specifying:

1) The nature of the grievance.

2) The results of the previous discussion.

3) The basis of his dissatisfaction with the determination.

4) The redress sought by the aggrieved party.

The Superintendent shall give his decision in writing within ten (10) working days of receipt of the written grievance.

c. Level Three - The Grievant may appeal to the Board of Education within ten (10) days if dissatisfied with the decision of the Superintendent as prescribed in Level 2. Where an appeal is taken to the Board, there shall be submitted by the appellant:

1) The writing set forth in Level Two.

2) A further statement in writing setting forth the appellant's dissatisfaction with the Superintendent's decision.

This data shall be submitted to the president of the Board of Education. The Board shall review the grievance and hold a hearing with the employee(s) and/or representative(s), if requested, within thirty (30) days. The president of the Board of Education shall notify the aggrieved employee and the Superintendent in writing of the Board's disposition of the grievance with five (5) working days after said hearing.

In the event the aggrieved party or the Board is not satisfied with the statement of the other with respect to a grievance, it may, within ten (10) days after receiving the statement, refer the grievance to advisory arbitration. If both parties cannot mutually agree upon a third party, they will call upon and abide by the rules and regulations of the American Arbitration Association to make such appointment.

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.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, THE PARTIES HERETO HAVE CAUSED THEIR President, Secretary, Representative Members, as the case may be, to sign, seal and deliver same on this _______ day of ________, 2007.

_____________________________	__________________________
Board Secretary	Board President
_____________________________	_________________________
Representative Member	Representative Member

_____________________________	__________________________
Association Secretary	Association President
_____________________________	_________________________
Representative Member	Representative Member

STEP	STEP	BA	BA+9	BA+18	BA+27	MA
07-08	08-09		500	1000	1500	2000
***	1	46231	46731	47231	47731	48231
1	2	46431	46931	47431	47931	48431
2	3	46631	47131	47631	48131	48631
3	4	46846	47346	47846	48346	48846
4	5	47510	48010	48510	49010	49510
5	6	48323	48823	49323	49823	50323
6	7	49722	50222	50722	51222	51722
7	8	51679	52179	52679	53179	53679
8	9	53639	54139	54639	55139	55639
9	10	55597	56097	56597	57097	57597
10	11	57555	58055	58555	59055	59555
11	12	59514	60014	60514	61014	61514
12	13	61473	61973	62473	62973	63473
13	14	63431	63931	64431	64931	65431
14	15	65516	66016	66516	67016	67516
15	16	67505	68005	68505	69005	69505
16	17	72428	72928	73428	73928	74428
17/18	18	77352	77852	78352	78852	79352

STEP	STEP	BA	BA+9	BA+18	BA+27	MA
08-09	09-10		600	1200	1800	2400
***/1/2	1	48221	48821	49421	50021	50621
3	2	48421	49021	49621	50221	50821
4	3	49106	49706	50306	50906	51506
5	4	49947	50547	51147	51747	52347
6	5	51393	51993	52593	53193	53793
7	6	53416	54016	54616	55216	55816
8	7	55441	56041	56641	57241	57841
9	8	57465	58065	58665	59265	59865
10	9	59489	60089	60689	61289	61889
11	10	61513	62113	62713	63313	63913
12	11	63539	64139	64739	65339	65939
13	12	66821	67421	68021	68621	69221
14	13	70103	70703	71303	71903	72503
15	14	73385	73985	74585	75185	75785
16	15	76667	77267	77867	78467	79067
17/18	16	79951	80551	81151	81751	82351

06-07		07-08		08-09		09-10
STEP		STEP		STEP		STEP
					NEW	1
			NEW	1	à	1
	NEW	1	à	2	à	1
1	à	2	à	3	à	2
2	à	3	à	4	à	3
3	à	4	à	5	à	4
4	à	5	à	6	à	5
5	à	6	à	7	à	6
6	à	7	à	8	à	7
7	à	8	à	9	à	8
8	à	9	à	10	à	9
9	à	10	à	11	à	10
10	à	11	à	12	à	11
11	à	12	à	13	à	12
12	à	13	à	14	à	13
13	à	14	à	15	à	14
14	à	15	à	16	à	15
15	à	16	à	17	à	16
16	à	17	à	18	à	16
17	à	18	à	18	à	16
18	à	18	à	18	à	16

2. The Board agrees that appointment to the Group Leader position is on a voluntary basis.

3. The Association agrees that personnel filling the Group Leader position who do work on a regular basis during the regular work day shall not have the hours worked in the after-school program count towards the hours needed for eligibility for Board-paid insurances.

4. Except for grievance enforcement of the above terms, no other provisions of the Agreement between the parties apply to Group Leaders in their positions as Group Leaders. The MTEA may represent a Group Leader in any discipline matter on the same terms that it may represent regular unit members under the Agreement.

For the Mansfield Township For the Mansfield Township
Board of Education: Education Association:


______________________ _______________________

September ___, 2007 September ___, 2007

2. The Board agrees that appointment to the MVP Nurse Leader position is on a voluntary basis.

3. The Association agrees that personnel filling the MVP Nurse Leader position who do work on a regular basis during the regular work day shall not have the hours worked in the after-school program count towards the hours needed for eligibility for Board-paid insurances.

4. Except for grievance enforcement of the above terms, no other provisions of the Agreement between the parties apply to MVP Nurse Leaders in their positions as MVP Nurse Leaders. The MTEA may represent a MVP Nurse Leader in any discipline matter on the same terms that it may represent regular unit members under the Agreement.

For the Mansfield Township For the Mansfield Township
Board of Education: Education Association:


______________________ _______________________

January ___, 2008 January ___, 2008