GRAND COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT

1. to raise the quality of instruction and educational services;
2. to raise the standards of the teaching profession as a whole;
3. to aid the individual teacher to grow professionally.

A. Educators on continuing contract shall be evaluated by March 15th every other year. All licensed personnel will be evaluated by their building principal. When an educator works in more than one building he/she will be notified as to which building principal will evaluate them.

2. An educator who is not satisfied with an evaluation has 30 days after receiving the written evaluation to request a review of the evaluation. If a review is requested, the District Superintendent or his/her designee shall appoint a person, not an employee of the District, who has expertise in teacher or personnel evaluation, to review and make recommendations to the Superintendent regarding the educator's evaluation. Nothing in this section prevents the educator and District Superintendent or his/her designee from agreeing to another method of review.
   
3. Principals will visit each instructional area in his/her building during regular or scheduled times, as well as making unannounced visits throughout the school year, in order to assist educators and evaluate performance, recommend appropriate educational strategies, or to engage in other activities designed to improve the instructional climate.
   
4. Any educator may request that a member of the Grand Education Association, or a staff member, be present at all conferences and meetings conducted in connection with the evaluation process.

1. Grand County School District places personnel on a "continuing contract" after they have served a satisfactory three-year provisional period.
   
2. Licensed employees who begin service with the District after August 1, 1997 with fewer than three (3) years previous experience shall be considered provisional employees for a period of three years.
   
   Newly employed teachers with three or more years of satisfactory experience in another district will be required to serve a minimum of one year as a provisional teacher provided they are hired within three years of their previous teaching experience.
   
3.  The Board of Education mandates that all provisional personnel will be evaluated three times per year during provisional status. The three evaluations are to be completed by October 31st, December 15th and February 28th respectively. Evaluations are to specify strengths and weaknesses.

1. When the principal determines an educator is not meeting or demonstrating expected performance standards and that the principal's assistance has not been effective, the principal shall inform the educator that he/she is being placed in formal remediation.
   
2. The principal shall inform the educator needing assistance by conference and in writing, stating the specific reasons he/she is recommending formal remediation. The principal will then inform the Superintendent that he/she is initiating remediation assistance for the identified educator.
   
3. The principal will form a Remediation Committee composed of herself/himself, one educator selected by the building principal, and one educator selected by the educator needing assistance. The principal of the educator being remediated will chair this committee.
   
4. The educator recommended to receive remediation assistance may request that a member of the Grand Education Association, or a staff member, be present at any or all conferences and meetings conducted in connection with the remediation process, and specify that this person also be part of the Remediation Committee.
   
5. The principal will continue to observe, evaluate and make recommendations for instructional and performance standards improvement throughout the formal remediation procedure.

1. Within five (5) instructional days after initiation of formal remediation, the Remediation Committee shall meet to review the principal's written statement of concerns, and to select a Remediation Specialist to assist the educator. The Remediation Specialist will be an experienced educator with similar training. The Remediation Specialist may or may not be a member of the Remediation Committee at the time of selection; however, he or she will become part of the Remediation Committee if not previously a member.
   
2. Within three (3) instructional days, after assignment of the Remediation Specialist, the principal will meet with the Specialist and the educator needing assistance to review the concerns, and to facilitate the scheduling of times for the Specialist to observe the performance of and to consult with the educator.
   
3. The Remediation Specialist will conduct a period of preliminary review for no less than five (5), and no more than ten (10) instructional days. The Remediation Specialist will prepare, in written form, a summary of his/her findings regarding the observations on the area(s) of concern. This summary will be submitted to the Remediation Committee and to the identified educator by the end of this review period.
   
4. Within three (3) instructional days following the receipt of the findings of the Remediation Specialist, the principal will schedule a conference with the educator and Remediation Specialist. During this conference, all written statements regarding the area(s) of concern will be reviewed and discussed. The Remediation Specialist, in consultation with the principal and the educator being remediated, will develop a written plan designed to assist the educator in reaching acceptable performance standards.
   
5. For the next twenty (20) instructional days the Remediation Specialist and principal will work with the educator in an attempt to insure remediation activities are conducted in accordance with the established plan. The principal will ensure that adequate time is provided during contract hours to provide for observations and consultation between the educator and Remediation Specialist.
   
6. Within three (3) instructional days following the above 20-day implementation period, the principal will hold a conference with the Remediation Committee and the identified educator in order to evaluate progress towards improvement. If the Committee determines that satisfactory performance has been obtained, the principal will terminate the formal remediation process and will inform the Superintendent of his/her action. If satisfactory performance has not been obtained, the remediation plan will be reviewed and may be adjusted, as recommended by the principal, Remediation Specialist or identified educator. An additional twenty (20) instructional days of remediation assistance will be conducted as outlined in Steps 5 and 6 of "Formal Remediation."

1. Before any educator can be placed on probation, he/she must undergo the formal remediation process. If performance standards set forth in the remediation plan have not been met by the end of the time specified for remediation, the principal will recommend placement of the educator on probation. The probationary period shall be 180 working days, not to exceed twelve (12) calendar months. The probationary period may begin at any time during the school year. The probationary period may entail part of two school years. Educators placed on probation will continue to receive remediation assistance from the Remediation Committee throughout the probationary period.
2. The educator on probation will not advance on the salary schedule and will remain on the same step and at the same salary shown on the previous year's contract. When that the probation is rescinded, the educator will be restored to the salary level at which he/she would have been had he/she not been placed on probation.
3. The principal shall rescind probation when the educator meets the improvement plan objectives. If objectives are not met by the end of the probationary period, the principal shall recommend termination of employment, in accordance with the provisions of the Utah Orderly School Termination Procedural Act 53A-8-101 through 107.
4. Any educator may request that a member of the Grand Education Association, or a staff member be present at any or all conferences and meetings conducted in connection with the probation process.
5. After receiving continuing contract status, no educator shall be placed on probation for the same deficiency more than one time during his/her employment in the Grand County School District. Instead, the educator will be subject to termination without remediation, in accordance with the provisions of the Utah Orderly School Termination Procedural Act 53A-8-101 through 107.

1. If absence is more than three (3) consecutive days for illness of a teacher or a member of his/her immediate family, a health care provider's statement of cause and duration is required to be given to the principal or supervisor upon return to work.
   
2. Misuse or misrepresentation of leave is unethical, unprofessional, and a breach of the teacher's employment obligation and may result in loss of pay, and/or loss of leave privilege, or be cause for dismissal.

1. Upon application for leave for restoration of health the teacher shall present a written statement by a medical doctor to the effect that such leave is necessary for health purposes, stating the length of time such leave of absence is necessary.
2. A written statement must be presented from the medical doctor at the end of each three months period during the leave of absence, to the effect that the leave should continue in force for the best interest of the teacher concerned.
3. At the conclusion of the leave of absence, a statement must be submitted from a medical doctor showing that the health of the teacher concerned is such that he/she is able to return as a full time employee.
4. Any illness or injury of long duration or of unusual frequency shall be evaluated by the Board of Education. Determination of allowances to be made to the person involved will be based upon a physician's statement evaluating the illness or injury and including a statement of causes and confirmation of duration or frequency.
   
   In the event illness or injury disables the person to the extent that he or she cannot perform required duties, full payment of his or her contract salary will be paid up to six months from the date of diagnosis or to the end of the current contract date whichever is earlier. The terms of the above paragraph must be met, and the person involved must continue under the care of a physician and provide a progress report from that physician every three (3) months.

5. In the event an employee is diagnosed with AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome), said employee will be placed on sick leave until such time as a committee can review the medical/job placement status of the employee, the most recent research findings, and the danger of transmission. The committee will be made up of the employee's physician, a representative of the Board of Health, a physician appointed by the District, the employee's principal/supervisor, and a representative of the District administration.
   
6. If, due to illness, a teacher leaves during the first term and does not return for the remainder the school year, the teacher will not advance to the next step on the salary schedule upon their return.
   
7. In the event that a return to position placement is precluded, the employee will be encouraged to apply for benefits available under the District's long term disability policy.

1. accident involving his/her person or property, or involving spouse, mother, father, grandmother, grandfather, grandchild, sister or brother in the family of either the husband or wife, child or anyone who has virtually held the position of spouse, parent or child.
   
2. appearance in court as a litigant; or a witness under official order.
   
3. attendance at grievous illness of someone other than those defined in #1 above.

1. disabilities caused or contributed to by pregnancy, childbirth or related conditions, for all job related purposes shall be treated the same as disabilities caused by other medical conditions under the District's health or disability insurance and sick leave.
   
2. fifteen (15) working days following delivery, the teacher will return to her regular assignment or provide the principal with a physician's statement explaining the medical conditions which prohibit the return to full-time duty.
   
3. salary will not be paid when the leave is extended beyond the fifteen (15) day period and not supported by a physician's statement of medical need.

1. the birth and first-year care of a child;
   
2. the adoption or foster placement of a child.

1. personal leave forms must be submitted to the building administrator, or his/her designee, forty-eight (48) hours prior to requested leave date. If, in emergency situations, leave cannot be arranged forty-eight (48) hours in advance, or scheduling problems occur, the building administrator or his/her designee may consider granting the leave on a case-by-case basis.
   
2. teachers needing more than 2 personal days may petition the Board. Unused personal leave days from the previous year may be requested. Administrative approval must be received before taking the request to the Board.

1. assured eligibility;
   
2. proposed potential for contributing to the applicant's professional growth;
   
3. applicant's prior contribution to the Grand County School District and potential for future contribution;
   
4. merits of the application;
   
5. ability to secure teacher replacement for the leave period; and
   
6. other pertinent factors as established by the committee.