Advocacy Committee

OVERAGE PAY DETERMINATION

The current PAT/PPS contract states, “Student loads will be calculated on the third Monday in October and the third Tuesday in February.” (Article 8.3.2.1)

This year, the third Monday in October is Monday, October 21st, 2024. 

All professional educators should save a copy of their Synergy class lists, and of their course preparation lists, on Monday, October 21st, and then keep a copy of that record.  PPS has two weeks to remedy the overage. If it does not get remedied, save a second copy class lists and course preparations again on Monday, October 29th. PPS will make overage payments in the November check. 

If any professional educator does not receive payment for an overage, claims can be submitted to PPS in December.

COMPETE YOUR REQUIRED TRAININGS BY OCTOBER 31st

Don’t forget, Article 7.13.3 of the PAT/PPS contract states that “Professional educators will be responsible for completing District mandatory online training during any administrative directed time. For high school educators, there will be no staff meetings on at least two (2) Tuesdays between the start of the school year and the due date of the mandatory online training.” 

The due date for completion is OCTOBER 31st! 

All educators will be automatically assigned the 2024-25 courses under “My Current Courses” in Pepper, the District’s Professional Learning Management System. You can access Pepper at pepper.pps.net.

REMEMBER TO TURN IN YOUR EDUCATIONAL CREDITS BY OCTOBER 31ST

If you have earned educational credits over the summer, or if you are a new hire and have yet to submit your educational background, you must submit the official documentation to HR no later than October 31st  if you want the credits to count from the start of the year.

The CBA states in Article 12:

“12.2.1.3  In order to receive a salary adjustment retroactive to the beginning of the current school year, a professional educator must, by October 31st, provide the Human Resources Department with proof of completion of coursework. Adjustments based upon proof received after October 31st will be made effective the first day of the next pay period.”

If you submit the credits to HR after October 31st, they will move you on the salary schedule but the credits will not be counted retroactively to the start of the school year.

HELP A COLLEAGUE IN NEED - DONATE TO THE SICK LEAVE BANK!

The PAT Sick Leave Bank (see PAT/PPS contract Article 17.2.1.2) provides aid for colleagues who have exhausted their accumulated leave balances but are unable to work due to extended or recurring personal illness. With the help of the Sick Leave Bank, they are able to avoid the additional hardships of lost salary and lost insurance coverage during their illness. 

The Sick Leave Bank is funded completely by voluntary contributions of sick leave days from PAT educators. PAT may solicit voluntary contributions up to 4000 hours each year. Thanks to your generosity, in the school year 2023-4 the hours you donated allowed us to help many colleagues in need. 

Members can donate up to 40 hours of sick leave annually. Employees who have submitted notice of resignation are exempted from this maximum limit and may contribute more. 

It’s a new school year with a new Sick Leave Bank to fill. Help us reach the maximum of 4000 hours.  Please donate here and thank you!

ADVANCING ON THE SALARY SCHEDULE

Did you take coursework for salary credit this summer? 

If you completed coursework necessary to advance to another level on the salary schedule, proof of completion must be submitted to Human Resources (HR) by October 31st for salary adjustment retroactive to the beginning of the current school year. (Article 12.3.3).

If you miss this deadline, the salary adjustment will be effective the first day of the next pay period after verification is received by PPS HR. Contact Human Resources to confirm what verification is required and confirm verification of your coursework has been received by the HR Department.

SALARY PLACEMENT FOR NEW HIRES: CREDIT FOR TEACHING EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION LEVEL

Newly hired professional educators (including temporary educators) shall be placed on the PPS salary schedule based on their prior work experience and education/training level as provided in Article 12.2 of the PAT/PPS contract.

Proof of completion of work experience, coursework or degrees attained must be provided to the PPS Human Resources (HR) Department by October 31st to receive the salary adjustment retroactive to the beginning of the year. If proof is received after October 31st, the adjustment will be effective the first day of the next pay period after receipt by PPS HR.

Previous work experience relevant to your current role or in a PK-12 setting with responsibility like that of PPS educators may also be credited in placement on the PPS salary schedule. Review contract Article 12.2.2 to see if your prior experience is eligible for credit. Official verification must be submitted to the PPS Human Resources Department. Experience verified within sixty (60) days of the start of employment will be retroactive to the first day of employment.

USING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FUNDS

The PAT/PPS contract provides funds for professional development as well as tuition reimbursement (Article 22). The Professional Improvement Fund allows educators to spend $2200 over three years for transportation, meals, lodging, and registration costs to attend a conference, provided it has a legitimate pedagogical purpose.

In our last contract negotiations, we ensured that these funds are also available to temporary teachers whose positions are expected to exist for more than 135 days.

You will need to follow these guidelines to access the Professional Improvement Fund. The District will also reimburse professional educators for tuition cost up to six (6) non-cumulative hours in a 12-month period for which graduate credit is granted by a college or university. See the PAT/PPS contract for details and the PPS website for how to access your tuition reimbursement.

PARENT/TEACHER CONFERENCES Your building may already be creating a schedule for Parent/Teacher Conferences in the fall. Evening conferences shall last no longer than three (3) hours and conclude by 8:30pm. A duty-free dinner break of at least sixty (60) consecutive minutes shall be scheduled prior to evening conferences. (Article 6.7.2)