BOE adopts policy on interim assignment, 5 other rules

The Board of Education adopted yesterday a policy on interim assignments and five other proposed rules as final regulations for the Public School System.

Based on the newly approved rules, an employee appointed on an interim assignment shall receive a salary at the rate of the vacant position, effective on the date of the appointment.

Once an applicant is chosen to fill the vacant position, the employee shall go back to his or her original post at the same rate of pay as they were receiving when they accepted the initial interim appointment.

The new policy states that interim appointments should not exceed one year. Any successive interim appointments for an additional year may be approved in concurrence with the board.

This proposal is now published in the Commonwealth Register for public comments prior to formal adoption.

The BOE also adopted final regulations on the evaluation system for teachers and school administrators that will go into effect in school year 2011-2012. The purpose of the policy is to assess classroom teachers and administrators in relation to PSS professional teaching and leadership standards and to design a plan for professional growth. The performance evaluation shall be done every year on the teacher’s and administrator’s anniversary date.

Administrators are principals and vice principals.

According to PSS, the principal or designee will conduct the evaluation process, during which the teacher will participate through the use of self-study assessments, reflection, presentation of artifacts, and classroom demonstration.

For school administrators, the performance evaluation will be done by the education commissioner.

The proposed policy indicates that the teacher or administrator must be given opportunity to comment on the summary rating before any recommendation for contract renewal is submitted.

The board also tightened its policy on bullying and adopted a formal rule establishing expulsion and dismissal from service as among the serious consequences of bullying against students and employees.

BOE prohibits bullying, harassment, or intimidation of any person on school property or at school-sponsored functions or by the use of electronic technology at a public school. The regulation also prohibits reprisal or retaliation against individuals who report such acts or who are victims, witnesses, or bystanders or others with reliable information about such acts.

The board also adopted as final regulation a policy on head lice. Students and adults who are found infected with head lice and nits will be barred from entering public school campuses as a way to prevent the disease from spreading. The new policy bars students and employees from attending classes until they are treated.

The board also approved as final regulation the proposed policy on child-abuse reporting, where it designated a liaison officer at each school to curb the crime.

The new regulation mandates all PSS employees who knows or has reasonable cause to suspect that an instance of child abuse has occurred or will occur to report that knowledge. Failure to do so may expose the employee to disciplinary action.

A procedure for reporting was also adopted stating that immediately upon becoming aware that an act of child abuse has occurred, or developing a reasonable cause to believe that an act of child abuse has occurred or will occur, the PSS employee shall contact the Department of Public Safety within 24 hours.