PPS is sending frequent communications about opportunities for summer professional development and training.  We want to make sure that everyone understands their rights. Article 6, Section 3.6 of your PAT/PPS Contract states:

“Professional educators who work beyond the 192-day work year shall be paid a daily rate of pay computed at 1/192 of their annual basic salary. With the exception of Sections 6.3.1, 6.3.3, 6.3.4, 6.3.5, 6.3.7, 6.3.8, and 6.3.9, professional educators shall not be assigned work beyond the standard work year unless there is mutual agreement between the administrator and the professional educator.” 

This is commonly paraphrased as, “summer trainings must be both paid and voluntary.” What you need to know is that you have the right to decline to participate in summer training. Anything that PPS or your administrator requires of you must be offered during your regular work-day and work-year.

Of course, if you would like to do the summer training, you should. But if you’d rather do them in the fall, you have the right to do that, and they have a duty to accommodate that preference. 

If you are feeling pressured to sign up for summer training and do not wish to work beyond your regular work-year, an appropriate reply to an email invitation might be, “I am available to participate in that training on or after August 24.”