EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK

School District 4171-07 Staff Handbook Board Approved Date: July 27, 2019

1

TABLE OF CONTENTS

I. SCHOOL DISRICT VALUES (Page 6) 1. Vision Statement 2. Mission Statement 3. Expectations

II. GENERAL POLICIES (Pages 7 – 23) 1. Equal Opportunity – pg. 7 2. School District and Religion – pg. 7 3. At will nature of our employment relationship – pg. 7 4. Immigration Law Compliance – pg. 7 5. Employee concerns/conflict resolution – pg. 7 6. Orientation and Training – pg. 8 7. – pgs. 8-10 8. Bullying – pg. 10 9. Harassment and violence – pg. 10 10. – pg. 11 11. Sexual Violence – pg. 11 12. Racial Harassment – pg. 11 13. Racial Violence – pg. 11 14. Assault- pg. 12 15. Religious Harassment – pg. 11 16. Religious Violence – pg. 12 17. Harassment or Violence as Abuse –pg. 12 18. Reporting Procedures – pg. 12 19. Reprisal – pg. 12 20. Disability Management/Americans with Disabilities Act – pg. 12-13 21. Substance Abuse – pgs. 13 22. Reports of Student Substance Abuse – pg. 13-14 23. Mandated Reporting of Child Neglect or Physical or Sexual Abuse – pg. 14 24. Solicitation, Distribution and Loitering by Non-Employees – pgs. 14 25. Solicitation, Distribution and Loitering by Employees – pg. 14-15 26. Solicitation, Distribution: Charitable and Events – pg. 15 27. Smoking Policy – pg. 15 28. Employee – pg. 15 29. Engaging In Other Employment – pgs. 15 30. Hiring of Relatives – pg. 15 31. Employee with Children Enrolled at The School District-pg. 16 32. Confidential Information – pg. 16 33. Communications and Computer Use Policy – pgs. 16-17 34. Use of School Property and Equipment Policy – pg. 18 35. Internet/Intranet Usage at The School District – pg. 18 36. Internet/Intranet Etiquette and Utilization – pg. 18 37. Inappropriate Use – pg. 18 38. Employee Violations – pg. 18 39. Employee Monitoring and Inspections – pg. 18 40. Social Media –pgs. 19-20 41. Telephone Message During Work Hours – pg.20 42. Dress Code – pg. 20 A. Jewelry, Makeup, Perfume, and Cologne – pg. 20 B. Hats and Head Covering – pg. 20-21 43. Announcements – pg. 21 44. Gifts/Conflict of Interest – pg. 21 45. Romantic Relationships pg. 21-22 46. Violence – pgs. 22 47. Policy Prohibiting Weapons – pg. 22-23 School District 4171-07 Staff Handbook Board Approved Date: July 27, 2019

2

48. Work Product Ownership – pg. 23 49. Disclosure Protections- pg. 23

III. EMPLOYMENT RECORDS (Page 23-24) 1. Change of - pg. 23 2. Personal Records- pg. 23 3. Performance - pg. 24 4. Staff Meetings and Staff Development-pg. 24 5. Strategic Planning-pg. 24-25

IV. STANDARD OF CONDUCT (Pages 25 – 29) 1. Minnesota Teachers Code of Ethics – pg. 25 2. School District Expectations of Personal Conduct – pgs. 25 3. Staff/Faculty—Student Relationship – pg. 26 4. Employer Expectation – pg. 27 5. Attendance and Punctuality – pg. 27 6. Staff Absence – pgs. 27-29 7. Substitute Plans-pg. 27 A. Scheduled Absence – pg. 28 B. Excused Absence- pg. 28 C. Unexcused Absence-pg. 28 D. Excused tardy – pg. 28 E. Unexcused tardy – pg. 29 F. Personal days- pg. 29 8. Corrective/Disciplinary Procedures – pg. 29

V. COMPENSATION AND HOUR POLICIES (Pages 29 – 31) 1. Employee Definition and Status – pg. 29 2. Employment Type – pg. 30 A. Full-Time Employee – pg. 30 B. Part-Time Employee – pg. 30 C. Temporary labor (Substitutes and Interns) – pg. 30 D. Casual Labor – pg. 30 3. Employee Classification – pg. 30 A. Exempt – pg. 30 B. Non-Exempt – pg. 30 C. Offer of Continued Employment for the Following School Year – pg. 30 D. Contract Labor – pg. 30 E. Time Sheets – pg. 30 F. and Direct Deposit – pg. 30 G. Payroll – pg. 30 H. Payroll Deductions – pg. 31 4. Holidays – pg. 31 A. Full Time Employee – pg. 31 B. Temporary Employee – pg. 31 5. Inclement Weather – pg. 31

VI. SAFETY & SECURITY (Pages 31-32) 1. Emergency Procedures – pg. 31 2. Work-Related Injury – pg. 31 3. Continuation of Insurance due to work related Injury – pg. 32 4. Personal Property – pg. 32

VII. BENEFITS (Pages 32-39) 1. TRA (Teachers Association) – pg. 32 2. PERA (Public Employees Retirement Association) – pg. 32 School District 4171-07 Staff Handbook Board Approved Date: July 27, 2019

3

3. 403(b) and/or 457 Plan – pg. 32 4. Continuation of Medical Coverage Insurance (COBRA) – pg. 32 5. Return to Work – pg. 33 6. Medical Information (HIPAA) – pgs. 33-34 7. Genetic Information Nondisclosure When Requesting Leave Time – pg. 33-34 8. Family Medical Leave Act – pg. 34 A. Employee Eligibility – pg. 34 B. Leave entitlement – pg. 34 C. Maintenance of Health Benefits – pg. 34 D. Restoration – pg. 34 E. Notice and Certification – pg. 35 9. Military Family Leave Entitlements – pg. 35 10. Military Caregiver Leave – pgs. 35 A. Qualifying Exigency Leave – pg. 35 B. Qualifying Exigencies include- pg. 35 11. Minnesota Parenting Leave – pg. 36 12. Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) – pg. 36-37 13. Pregnancy Accommodations- pg. 37 14. Nursing Mother Accommodations – pg. 37 15. School Activities Leave – pg. 37 16. Short Term Absences – pg. 37 17. Bereavement – pg. 37 18. Jury Duty – pg. 38 19. Witness Leave – pg. 38 20. Voting Leave – pg. 38 21. Bone Marrow – pg. 38 22. Leave – pg. 38-39

VIII. SEPARATION FROM EMPLOYMENT (Page 39-40) 1. Voluntary Termination-pg. 39 2. Involuntary Termination-pg. 39 3. : Reduction in Force-pg. 39-40 4. Return of Property-pg.40

IX. GENERAL SCHOOL PROCEDURES (Pages 40-42) 1. Food – pg. 40 2. Keys – pg. 40 3. Personal Appliances in the Workplace—pg. 40 4. Multicultural Awareness – pg. 40 5. Workshops – pg. 40 6. Identification Badges – pg. 40 7. School Events – pg. 41 8. Visitors – pg. 41 9. Safety and Security Policy- pg. 41 10. Volunteers – pg. 41

School District 4171-07 Staff Handbook Board Approved Date: July 27, 2019

4

Handbook Acknowledgment

This was adopted by School District 4171-07, known as the “School District” to help you understand some of the personnel policies and guidelines that affect your employment. This handbook supersedes any and all previous handbooks, oral statements, prior policies, practices, (promises), or writings in any form, regarding your employment, except express written employment agreements signed by the Logistics Officer and/or Academic Officer.

In addition, "At Will" employment is a law in Minnesota. What this means is that you are not required to work for the School District for any set period of time and may terminate your employment at any time for any reason. This "At Will" law is also applicable to the employer, meaning the School District can terminate your employment at any time for any reason that does not violate local, state or federal law.

All employees are requested to respect the confidentiality of the work that the school does. All of us must preserve this confidentiality at all times.

This Employee Handbook does not constitute a contract of employment. It is a guide to provide you with information on policies and procedures. Adherence to these policies and procedures are required by our employees. If you do not comply disciplinary actions may be pursued.

By signing below, you, the employee, are stating that you have read and understand the content of the handbook.

The School District reserves the right to change, add to or deviate from any of the policies or guidelines.

Date:

Print Name:

Signature:

School District 4171-07 Staff Handbook Board Approved Date: July 27, 2019

5

NOTICE

The policies and procedures contained in this handbook are a guideline for the employment relationship between the employee and the school district and are subject to revision without notice. This handbook is intended to provide the employee with general information regarding important benefits and policies of the school district. This handbook supersedes and revokes all previous handbooks, past practices, or other written or oral statements of policy and procedure. Please read this handbook thoroughly and retain it for future reference.

This Employee Handbook and the policies contained herein do not in any way constitute, and should not be construed as, a binding contract of employment or a promise of continued employment between the school district and the employee.

This Employee Handbook does not alter the at-will employment relationship between the school district and its employees. Please see the at-will employment relationship section for further details.

The policies and procedures outlined in this handbook are not intended to create any contractual rights or duties, and will be applied at t h e School District’s discretion. The School District can deviate from the policies and procedures, or change, modify, supplement, withdraw, or revoke them, at any time, with or without notice.

Only the Logistics Officer or designee can make changes to the Employee Handbook and submit to the Board of Directors for final approval. Any agreements contrary to this policy must be in writing and signed by the Logistics Officer or designee.

I. SCHOOL DISTRICT VALUES

VISION STATEMENT: We believe that each student will reach his/her highest potential through an educational program building upon their learning styles, language development, life experiences, and cultural backgrounds. Each student will be able to identify with their own culture and its invaluable significance, resulting in the knowledge of who they are, where they come from and ultimately developing them into social and academic maturity in today’s society.

MISSION STATEMENT: The mission of the School District is to provide quality, relevant and multicultural education for all students. The unique framework is relevancy, which is a critical component for the learning process if and when the students can build on their prior knowledge. Learning makes sense and is more connected when students can relate to the content and/or topics being taught. This school district will serve students ages 5- 14 in the metro areas. The School District will focus on these four cornerstones surrounding the educational philosophy of the School District:  A rigorous educational program focusing on core content areas and standards mandated by the state of Minnesota in reading, writing, mathematics, science, and social studies  Hmong Heritage (native) language and culture  Responsive Classroom/social curriculum  State of-the-Art Technology

SCHOOL DISTRICT EMPLOYEE EXPECTATIONS: Our purpose as educators is to provide our students with the best possible education – not settling for mediocrity or anything less.

Our continuous goal is to close the achievement gap by providing a healthy learning environment where all students have the opportunity to rise to success in everything they execute…. past, present and future…resulting in all students will going out into the world with the confidence and knowledge to soar to great heights and live out their dreams.

We can only achieve this if we all work together and are committed, dedicated and passionate leaders who have the desire to help children help themselves by believing in themselves.

School District 4171-07 Staff Handbook Board Approved Date: July 27, 2019

6

II. GENERAL POLICIES

Equal Employment Opportunity The School District is an equal opportunity employer. T he School District provides equal opportunity to all employees and applicants for employment in accordance with all federal, state, and local laws. The School District will not refuse to hire any individual, discharge any individual, or otherwise discriminate against any individual by reason of an employee’s race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, disability, age, marital status, familial status, status with regard to public assistance, or any other characteristic protected by law. Employment-related decisions at the School District are based only on the applicant or employee’s qualifications with respect to the requirements of the job.

If you feel you have an equal opportunity concern, you are encouraged to bring the matter to the attention of your or any member of management. An employee may raise concerns and make reports without fear of reprisal. Anyone found to be engaging in any type of unlawful discrimination will be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment.

The School District and Religion By virtue of the fact that charter schools are part of the public education system in Minnesota, charter schools are covered by the First Amendment. Thus, charter schools are subject to the Establishment Clause of the United States Constitution, which is often referred to as the “separation of church and state.”

The School District will not promote a particular religion or faith. The School District believes that while public education and religious institutions both seek to instill civic and moral ideals in young people, public charter schools and religious institutions have different, distinct, and unique roles in the development of young people.

Employment-At-Will The School District and its employees have an employment relationship known as “employment-at-will.” This means that either the employee or School District is free to terminate the employment relationship at any time, with or without cause. Compensation for employment stops the day of termination. Statements on job applications, this employee handbook, training manuals, or other School District documents are not employment contracts and are not intended to create contractual obligations of any kind.

Note that no manager, employee or representative of the School District, other than the Logistics Officer or designee, is authorized to enter into any oral or written agreements inconsistent with the foregoing and no such agreement shall be enforceable unless it is in writing and signed by the Logistics Officer or designee and the employee.

Immigration Law Compliance The School District complies with the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 by employing only United States citizens and non-citizens who are authorized to work in the United States. All employees are asked on their first day of employment to provide original documents verifying the right to work in the United States and to sign a verification form required by federal law (Form I-9). If an individual cannot verify his/her right to work within three days of hire, the School District must terminate employment.

Employee Concerns/Conflict Resolution In order to provide the students of the School District with a positive, effective educational environment, the administration of the School District is committed to resolving problematic situations quickly and effectively.

Any investigations resulting from employee concerns will be treated with the highest level of confidentiality. Anonymous complaints are not an acceptable way of handling issues. Without the ability to discuss the concern or issue being presented, it is unlikely that there is adequate information to successfully resolve the issue.

No employee will be retaliated against in any way for bringing concerns to the Administration. Any employee who retaliates against or intimidates any employee for bringing their concerns to the administration will be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination.

Professional behavior is expected at all times. and rumors will not be tolerated.

School District 4171-07 Staff Handbook Board Approved Date: July 27, 2019

7

Orientation and Training To help you become familiar with the School District, your assigned responsibilities, and the skills required for efficient job performance, the School District may periodically conduct orientation and training programs. In order to keep you informed and up-to-date on changes that may affect your position, additional and/or training programs may be encouraged and/or required.

Professional Development Purpose The School District realizes the importance of a knowledgeable staff and encourages their growth and development through participation in job related staff development and training programs.

Staff members have a goal to continue to develop themselves professionally to enhance their excellence as staff and to fulfill their roles as members of the professional learning community.

All professional development support for training and conferences is predicated on the availability of funding and can be decreased or increased at any given time during a fiscal year due to a budget decrease or to a change of budget priorities.

There are two basic types of staff development:  Training-These types of sessions are job specific and necessary to obtain a specific subset of skills, to update previous skills or to learn current techniques.  Continuing Education: These are professional activities necessary to implement strategic planning and to develop the School District’s vision for future operations.

Staff who attends conferences will be expected to give a summary report and to share the information gained with other department members and/or the entire staff. Management and Supervisory staff will incorporate the information into in-house training programs. This concept is commonly known as “train the trainer.”

Guidelines for attending a conference or training session 1. Submit a staff development request and absent request forms to the Academic Officer for in-state travels. The forms are due to the Logistics Officer or designee for out-of-state travels. Out-of-country travels, these forms are due to the Board Chair. Prior approval must be received before attendance at any training session or conference. 2. Attendance at any outside training session or conference within the state of Minnesota must be approved by immediate supervisor on recommendation of the Curriculum Department. 3. Attendance at any national training session or conference outside the State of Minnesota must be approved by the Logistics Officer or designee. 4. Attendance at any national training session or conference outside the United States must be approved by the Board of Directors.

Final Approval A copy of the staff development request and absence request leave forms will be returned to the requesting staff member as soon as possible after a decision is made, indicating: a. approval of funding and amount approved b. request denied and an explanation of reason for denial.

There are two basic types of Travel: • Administrative Travel – Travel by staff for the purpose of conducting general school business. (e.g., attendance as official representative of the school at meetings of associations, other organizations, etc.). • Non-Administrative Travel – Travel to a conference to present a session, to participate in a panel discussion, to serve as an elected/appointed officer or committee member of a scholarly or attendance to broaden a staff member’s perspective and to stay abreast of developments in the educational field. This also includes travel to participate in workshops, institutes, seminars, etc. in order to promote, improve or enhance job-related skills.

Scope of Travel • In-State Travel– Travel within the state of Minnesota. • Out-of-State Travel – Travel outside the state of Minnesota but within the United States.

School District 4171-07 Staff Handbook Board Approved Date: July 27, 2019

8

• Out-of-Country Travel—Travel outside of the United States.

The School District maintains a fixed mileage chart that will be used to calculate mileage to typical locations for school related meetings. This chart is available in the Administrative .

Prepayment The School District will pre-pay an event registration, pre-conference, etc. if a registration form or invoice is submitted one or more months prior to the event.

Air Travel It is expected that staff will have their airlines reservation arrangements made through the School District’s Administration Office. If the staff member is making his or her own reservations, the passenger receipt coupon portion of the airline ticket is the accepted form of receipt. Reservations should be made for economy class fare. Reimbursement for business or first-class airfare is not allowed.

Other forms of transportation (Railroads, Buses, etc.) – These forms of transportation are allowed but should not exceed the commercial airfare that would be reimbursable for the same trip.

Rental Automobile A rental automobile may be used when renting in a specific situation is considered to be more advantageous than other means of transportation.

Ground Transportation Costs for local transportation to and from destinations will be reimbursed. Transportation between the staff member’s hotel and meeting sites will also be reimbursed if not within walking distance. If free shuttles are available, staff member should use this mode of transportation.

Lodging The School District will reimburse the staff member the actual cost of accommodations within a reasonable level. When a staff member is attending a conference and conference rates are given at various hotels or motels, the staff member should make reservations at one of these locations. Other lodgings may be booked but should not exceed the cost of hotel or motel conference rates.

Movies, exercise facilities, or other forms of entertainment are not reimbursable travel expenses.

Meals Staff members are expected to make reasonable selections when ordering meals. The School District does allow a flex per diem for meals and non-alcoholic beverages of $50.00-$100.00 per day. The flex is allowed to accommodate cities where the cost- of-living is deemed higher. Charges for alcohol are not eligible for reimbursement.

Parking Fees Reasonable and necessary costs for automobile parking will be reimbursed. The least expensive parking at the airport is required unless there is a physical or business reason to justify an exception.

Tips Reasonable and necessary tipping will be reimbursed. The amount of the tip should not exceed 20% of total meal cost.

Telephone Calls Local calls associated with the trip will be reimbursed but should be kept at a minimum if there is a charge.

Miscellaneous Other expenses will be reimbursed if determined to be reasonable and necessary and if supporting receipts, documents, etc. are provided as set forth in the above guidelines.

Reimbursement Within one week of the staff member’s return, all “original” receipts for expenditures should be submitted to the student account specialist. The student account specialist will then prepare a voucher form to be expedited in the normal manner and in School District 4171-07 Staff Handbook Board Approved Date: July 27, 2019

9 accordance with the purchasing guidelines. Receipts that are not submitted in a timely manner may lose their eligibility for reimbursement.

Original receipts must be submitted for the staff member to receive reimbursement. Only photocopies of registration forms and personal checks used in place of receipts will be accepted. If you cannot supply a receipt, your expense will not be reimbursed.

The School District will not reimburse any expenses incurred for non-employee members. If a staff brings family members along, it is the responsibility of the staff member to cover all expenses.

Bullying The School District is committed to a safe and civil educational environment for all students, employees, volunteer and patrons, free from harassment, intimidation or bullying.

“Harassment, intimidation or bullying” means any intentional written, verbal, or physical act, when the intentional written, verbal, or physical act:

• Physically harms an individual or damages the individual’s property; or • Has the effect of substantially interfering with a student’s education; or • Is severe, persistent, or pervasive that it creates an intimidating or threatening educational environment; or • Has the effect of substantially disrupting the orderly operation of the school.

Nothing in this policy requires the affected student to possess a characteristic that is a perceived basis for the harassment, intimidation, or bullying, or other distinguishing characteristic.

Harassment, intimidation or bullying can take many forms including: slurs, rumors, jokes, innuendo’s, demeaning comments, drawing cartoons, pranks, gestures, physical attacks, threats, or other written, oral or physical actions. “Intentional acts” refers to the individual’s choice to engage in the act rather than the ultimate impact of the action(s).

This policy is not intended to prohibit expression of religious, philosophical, or political views, provided that the expression does not substantially disrupt the education environment. Many behaviors that do not rise to the level of harassment, intimidation, or bullying may still be prohibited by other school district policies or building, classroom, or program rules.

Counseling, corrective discipline, and/or referral to law enforcement will be used to change the behavior of the perpetrator and remediate the impact on the victim. This includes appropriate intervention(s), restoration of a positive climate, and support for victims and others impacted by the violation. False reports or retaliation for harassment, intimidation or bullying also constitutes violations of this policy.

The Superintendent is authorized to direct the development and implementation of procedures addressing the elements of this policy.

Harassment and Violence

The School District is committed to providing a working and learning environment that is free from harassment of any nature. Harassment based upon a person’s race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, familial status, age, disability, or other characteristic protected by law, is unlawful. Harassment for any reason is unacceptable. In keeping with this commitment, the School District strictly prohibits unlawful or unacceptable harassment in any form, including verbal, physical, sexual and visual harassment.

This policy is designed to provide a safe work environment, free from unreasonable interference, intimidation, hostility or offensive behavior on the part of , managers, co-workers or visitors. This includes a prohibition against posting, wearing or distributing items that may be considered offensive. It also acknowledges that harassment, sexual or otherwise, is against the law and will not be tolerated.

School District 4171-07 Staff Handbook Board Approved Date: July 27, 2019

10

Sexual Harassment Sexual harassment consists of unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, sexually motivated physical conduct or other verbal or physical conduct or communication of a sexual nature when:  submission to that conduct or communication is made a term of or condition, either explicitly or implicitly, of obtaining or retaining employment or of obtaining an education; or • submission to or rejection of that conduct or communication by an individual is used as a factor in decisions affecting that individual’s employment or education; or that conduct or communication has the purpose to effecting substantially or unreasonably interfering with an individual’s employment or education, or creating an intimidating, hostile or offensive employment or educational environment.

Sexually harassing behavior may include, but is not limited to:  unwelcome or offensive sexual innuendo;  subtle pressure for sexual activity or coercion to date;  sexist remarks about a person’s body or their private life;  degrading remarks, posters, graffiti, or other objects in the workplace that contribute to an intimidating work environment;  making an individual the object of sexist, degrading, or humiliating jokes;  demanding sexual favors accompanied by implied or overt threats concerning pay or other aspects of employment;  physical assault or unnecessary touching.

Sexual Violence Sexual violence is a physical act of aggression, force or the threat thereof which involves the touching of another’s intimate parts or forcing a person to touch any person’s intimate parts. Intimate parts, as defined in Minn. Stat. 609.341, includes the primary genital area, groin, inner thigh, buttocks or breast, as well as the clothing covering these areas.

Sexual violence may include, but is not limited to: • touching, patting, grabbing or pinching another person’s intimate parts, whether that person is of the same or opposite sex;  coercing, forcing or attempting to coerce or force the touching of anyone’s intimate parts;  coercing, forcing or attempting to coerce or force sexual intercourse or a sexual act on another; or  threatening to force or coerce sexual acts, including the touching of intimate parts or intercourse, on another.

Racial Harassment Racial harassment consists of physical or verbal conduct relating to an individual’s race when the conduct:  has the purpose or effect of creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working or academic environment;  has the purpose or effect of substantially or unreasonably interfering with an individual’s work or academic performance; or • otherwise adversely affecting an individual’s employment or academic opportunities.

Racial Violence Racial violence is a physical act of aggression or assault upon another because of, or in a manner reasonably related to, race or ethnicity.

Religious Harassment Religious harassment consists of physical or verbal conduct which is related to an individual’s religion when the conduct:  has the purpose or effect of creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working or academic environment;

School District 4171-07 Staff Handbook Board Approved Date: July 27, 2019

11

 has the purpose or effect of substantially or unreasonably interfering with an individual’s work or academic performance; or  otherwise adversely affecting an individual’s employment or academic opportunities.

Religious Violence Religious violence is a physical act of aggression or assault upon another because of, or in a manner reasonable related to, religion.

Assault Assault is:  an act done with intent to cause fear in another person of immediate bodily harm or death;  the intentional infliction of or attempt to inflict bodily harm upon another; or  the threat to do bodily harm to another person with present ability to carry out the threat.

Any one of the above stated conducts may result in disciplinary action, up to and including termination.

Harassment or Violence as Abuse Under certain circumstances, alleged harassment or violence may also be termed possible abuse under Minnesota law. If so, the duties of mandatory reporting under Minn Stat. 626.556 are applicable.

Nothing in this policy will prohibit the School District from taking immediate action to protect victims of alleged harassment, violence or abuse.

Reporting Procedures If you believe you are being/or have been harassed by a coworker, supervisor, manager, student, parent, vendor or any other individual associated with the School District, you should immediately report the alleged acts to the Personnel Specialist. If for any reason you are uncomfortable reporting to the Human Resources Specialist, you may report to any other member of the senior administrative team.

The School District encourages the reporting party to use the official report form available from the district office, but oral reports shall be considered complaints as well.

Upon reporting an allegation of harassment, a prompt investigation will be conducted. Information will be kept confidential while ensuring a thorough investigation. Fair consideration will be given to all facts presented.

The result of the investigation of each filed complaint will be reported in writing to the individual bringing the complaint.

Reprisal No employee who reports possible harassment will be retaliated against in any way. Any employee who retaliates against or intimidates any employee making such a complaint will be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination.

Disability Management/Americans with Disabilities Act The School District will not discriminate against qualified individuals with disabilities because of the disabilities of such individuals in regard to job application procedures, hiring, advancement, discharge, compensation, job training and other terms or conditions and privileges of employment.

The School District is committed to complying with the American with Disabilities Act (ADA). In accordance with the federal and state law, the School District provides reasonable accommodation to known physical or mental limitations of an otherwise qualified employee with a disability unless the accommodation would impose an undue hardship on the school. Employees must notify their manager or supervisor or the Administrations Department of the need for an accommodation. If possible, the employee should suggest potential or desired accommodations. The School District is not required to implement the suggested or desired accommodation, but will work with the employee to identify an accommodation that best addresses the needs of both the School District and the employee. Upon an employee’s request for an accommodation, the School District may ask the employee for reasonable documentation about his or her disability and functional limitations. T h e School District may also request the employee to sign a release allowing it to question the employee’s health care professional School District 4171-07 Staff Handbook Board Approved Date: July 27, 2019

12 about his or her condition and the need for reasonable accommodation.

Substance Abuse The School District recognizes that chemical use and abuse constitutes a grave threat to the physical and mental well-being of students and staff and significantly impedes the learning process. Chemical use and abuse also creates significant problems for society in general. T he School District believes that the school has a role in education, intervention and prevention of chemical use and abuse.

The School District strives to maintain a drug and alcohol free workplace in order to provide for a safe, healthy, productive and pleasant working environment. To promote this goal, the School District has adopted and implemented a Substance Abuse Policy and requires pre-employment drug screening and requires employees to report to work in appropriate mental and physical condition to perform their job in a satisfactory manner.

All school district employees and job applicants will be required to undergo drug testing in accordance with federal law and the applicable provisions of this policy. Drivers may be requested and/or required to submit to drug and alcohol testing in accordance with the Minn Stat. 181.950-181.957.

While on the School District premises and while conducting business-related activities off School District premises, no employee may use, possess, distribute, sell, or be under the influence of alcohol or illegal drugs. The legal use of prescribed drugs is permitted on the job only if it does not impair an employee’s ability to perform the essential functions of the job effectively and in a safe manner that does not endanger other individuals in the workplace. Employees under the influence of alcohol are prohibited from entering or remaining on school district property.

Based on reasonable suspicion, the School District retains the right to test any staff member at any time for drugs and/or alcohol.

Post-accident testing Employees are subject to testing when they cause or contribute to accidents that seriously damage a School District vehicle, equipment, or property and/or result in an injury to themselves or another employee requiring off-site medical attention. A probable belief circumstance will be presumed to arise in any instance involving a work-related accident or injury in which an employee who was operating a motorized vehicle (including, but not limited to a School District vehicle) is found to be responsible for causing the accident. In any of these instances, the investigation and subsequent testing must take place within two (2) hours following the accident, if not sooner.

Under no circumstances will the employee be allowed to drive himself or herself to the testing facility.

Failure to submit to the test is grounds for .

Violations of this policy may lead to discipline, up to and including termination of employment. Employees with questions or concerns about substance dependency or abuse may wish to discuss these matters with their supervisor or Administration to receive appropriate resources in the community.

Employees with questions on this policy or issues related to drug or alcohol use in the workplace should raise their concerns or questions with their supervisor or Administration.

Reports of Student Substance Abuse In the event that a staff member knows or suspects that a student is abusing, possessing, transferring, distributing or selling chemicals on the School District premises or at school functions, a report will be made immediately to the Superintendent or an alternate member of senior administrative staff if the Superintendent is not available.

The administrator will notify the student’s parents. If there is a medical emergency, the administrator will notify outside medical personnel as needed.

The administrator will notify law enforcement officials and the necessary support personnel. School District 4171-07 Staff Handbook Board Approved Date: July 27, 2019

13

The administrator and law enforcement officials will confiscate the chemicals and/or search of the student’s person, effects, locker, vehicle, or areas within the student’s control. Searches by the School District shall be in accordance with the School District board policies regarding search and seizure.

This policy applies to all employees and non-employees and is designed to prevent disruption in facility operation and inconvenience to employees and visitors. Failure to comply with this policy may subject to disciplinary measures, up to and including termination of employment.

Mandated Reporting of Child Neglect or Physical or Sexual Abuse Minnesota educators are mandatory reporters. State law requires educators to report physical abuse, sexual abuse or neglect of children to authorities.

Minnesota Statutes Section 626.556 defines physical abuse as any physical injury, mental injury or threatened injury, inflicted by a person responsible for the child’s care on a child other than by accidental means, or any physical or mental injury that cannot reasonably be explained by the child’s history of injuries, or any aversive or deprivation procedures, or regulated interventions, that have not been authorized under the law.

Sexual abuse means the subjection of a child by a person responsible for the child’s care, by a person who has a significant relationship to the child, or by a person in authority, which constitutes criminal sexual conduct. “Neglect” means failure by a person responsible for a child’s care to supply a child with necessary food, clothing, shelter, health, medical or other care required for the child’s physical or mental health or failure to provide for necessary supervision or age appropriate child care.

The statute provides that abuse does not include reasonable and moderate physical discipline of a child administered by a parent or legal guardian which does not result in an injury.

Any employee – licensed or non-licensed - who knows or has reason to believe a child is being neglected or abused must:

1. Must notify the administration prior to making the report so that the School District is prepared to handle any communications from the school community or authorities about the matter.

2. Immediately report to appropriate county Child Protection Unit, AND

3. Complete and submit the Suspected Child Abuse/Neglect form to the unit

Solicitation, Distribution and Loitering by Non-Employees Solicitation and distribution of literature or other materials by non -employees for any purpose is prohibited at all times anywhere on school district premises. School premises includes, but is not limited to, all enclosed buildings, parking areas, walkways, driveways, grounds and other common areas.

Loitering in facility buildings is prohibited at all times.

Solicitation, Distribution and Loitering by Employees Solicitation and distribution is of literature or other materials by employees for any purposes are prohibited during . Distribution is also prohibited at all times in working areas. Failure to comply with this policy may subject employees to disciplinary measures, up to and including termination of employment.

Employee postings of any type and in any location on the School District premises must first be presented to and approved by the Logistics Officer or designee. The School District reserves the right to limit the size of postings.

Although incidental or occasional personal use of electronic communications (including email and the internet) may occur, such use will be subject to this policy and is prohibited during working time. Incidental or occasional personal use is only allowed when it does not interfere with an employee’s work performance, interfere with any other employee’s work performance, unduly impact the operation of any electronic communications system, or violate any other provision of this or any other district policy.

School District 4171-07 Staff Handbook Board Approved Date: July 27, 2019

14

Employees are never allowed to use any electronic communications to solicit for commercial activities, religious or political causes, outside organizations or other non-school district related matters.

Solicitation and Distribution: Charitable Organizations and Events The above notwithstanding, the School District will support charitable organizations and events that endorse or support the mission of the School District. Information promoting an event such as a benefit walk may be posted on departmental bulletin boards or other visible areas consistent with this policy and after approval from Logistics Officer or designee. Only banners, flyers, and letters provided by organizations approved by the Logistics Officer or designee will be allowed for distribution.

Organizations and events will be pre-approved on an individual basis.

Smoking Policy In compliance with the Minnesota Clean Air Act, the School District is dedicated to providing a safe and healthy environment for students, staff, faculty, and visitors. Smoking in school district buildings or on school grounds is strictly prohibited.

Employee Background Check All offers of employment are conditional upon the results of a background check. A comprehensive background check may consist of prior employment verifications, professional reference checks, education confirmation, driving history, criminal and credit check.

The School District reserves the right to conduct background checks regarding current employees or applicants with verbal or written consent of such individuals.

Generally, an applicant will not commence employment until results of the background check have been received. Should employment begin prior to receiving background check and information contained in the background check once received is not acceptable, employment may be terminated immediately.

Engaging In Other Employment Employees will not engage in other employment that will conflict with their commitments to the School District. It is part of every staff member’s responsibility to participate in school, community and cultural events such as Hmong New Year, parent/teacher conferences, etc.

In general, outside work activities are not allowed when they: . Prevent the employee from fully performing work for which he or she is employed at the School District, including assignments,

. Involve organizations that are doing or seek to do business with the School District, including actual or potential vendors or customers, or . Present a conflict of interest or have an adverse impact on the School District.

In addition, employees are strictly prohibited from performing work for outside employment during school/work hours.

Hiring Of Relatives Usually, the School District will not refuse to hire someone simply because he or she is related to one of our current employees. There are times however, when employing relatives is inappropriate and has the potential to affect the morale of other employees and to create conflicts of interest for the relatives involved. Therefore, we will not hire relatives of our current employees where one relative will have to supervise the other. If two employees become related while working for the School District, and if one of them is in a position of supervision over the other, only one of the employees will be allowed to keep his or her position. The other will have to transfer to another position or leave the School District.

Under this policy, the term “relatives” encompasses husbands, wives, live-in partners, domestic partners, parents, children, siblings, in-laws, cousins, aunts and uncles. This policy covers biological relationships, marriage relationships and step relationships.

School District 4171-07 Staff Handbook Board Approved Date: July 27, 2019

15

Employee with Children Enrolled at the Same School Site Employee with children enrolled at the same school site will have children stay in the designated supervised area during the employee’s scheduled work hours. Should the School District choose to provide onsite daycare services during non-school hours that the employee is scheduled to work, children of the employee may be provided with the services for a minimal fee that is to be determined.

Confidential Information Confidentiality is extremely important. Employees agree that they will not disclose or use any of the School District’s confidential information, either during or after their employment. Employment with the School District assumes an obligation to maintain confidentiality even after an employee has left the School District.

Employees must observe the following at all times:

 Employee will not, at any time, use or disclose any Confidential Information pertaining to either students, School District employees, except as required by employee’s duties in connection with his/her employment with the School District. The only exception to this would be disclosures that are required by law.

 Student, teacher or any other sc ho o l records are the property of the School District and cannot be removed from school property without the consent of the Logistics Officer or designee.

 The employee agrees that during employment they will have acquired or developed confidential information and/or documents, many of which relate to students. The employee agrees that they will not disclose such information or documents to any person or entity, nor allow any person or entity to copy such information. The employee agrees to return any such information to the School District upon termination of employment.

 The failure of either party to this agreement to require strict compliance with all of its terms at any given time shall not constitute a waiver by that party of its right to strictly enforce the agreements in all respects at any time thereafter.

 The Minnesota Data Practices Act defines information collected and created by t he School District. The Act requires that student data only be divulged to employees that need to know the information as part of their employment duties. It is a violation of the Act to divulge student data to the general public. Any employee who violates the Act may be subject to discipline up to and including termination.

 For knowingly and willingly disclosing and/or obtaining any records under false pretenses or maintaining records without meeting public notice requirement, is classified as a misdemeanor criminal charge and may be fined up to $5,000 along with immediate termination.

 Sharing assigned login, copier code, or any given/created passwords to other employee, other than his/her supervisor or students is prohibited.

Communications and Computer Use Policy The School District provides its computer and telephone systems, including its electronic mail (e-mail) and internet access (internet) systems, to employees to facilitate the betterment of the School District. The computer and telephone systems, and all communications and information transmitted by, received from, or stored in these systems, are corporate assets and are the property of t he School District. The telephone, e-mail and internet systems are business tools, and are intended for business-related purposes, i.e. professional communication, research relevant topics and to obtain useful business information.

Although the School District does not make it a practice of monitoring these systems, management reserves the right to retrieve voicemail or e-mail contents for legitimate reasons and to monitor and record all internet usage. No employee should have any expectation of as to his or her computer or communications systems usage.

Under no circumstances should an employee allowed to upload any information on a CD, DVD, or floppy disks into the School District’s computer system. This is a good way to bring viruses into the network and anyone discovered bringing School District 4171-07 Staff Handbook Board Approved Date: July 27, 2019

16 virus into the School District. The School District’s network could be disciplined up to and including termination.

The School District purchases and licenses the use of various computer software for business purposes and does not own the copyright to this software or its related documentation. Unless the software developer authorizes us, we do not have the right to reproduce the software for use on more than one computer.

You may only use software on local area networks or on multiple machines according to the software license agreement. The School District prohibits the illegal duplication of software and its related documentation.

The communications and computer systems at the School District are primarily for business use and for the convenience of the School District’s employees. Personal use of telephone, e-mail or internet systems by employees is NOT permitted. Management reserves the right to determine what constitutes reasonable personal use.

Employees must reimburse the School District for the cost of any personal long distance telephone calls. Misuse of email or internet systems can result in disciplinary action, up to and including termination. Examples of misuse include, but are not limited to, the following:

 Use of the internet during classroom sessions is prohibited

 Laptop computers will not be removed from the building without authorization from the IT Support and Logistics Officer or designee.

 Transmission or display of any obscene, profane, disparaging or offensive material over any School District communication system.

 Transmission or display of any messages, jokes or forms that violate the School District ’s harassment policy or create an intimidating or hostile work environment.

 The use of the School District communications systems to set up personal businesses, personal e-mail addresses or to send chain letters.

 Forwarding of the School District confidential messages to locations outside of the School District.

 Displaying or downloading any kind of sexually explicit image or document on any the School District system is a violation of our policy on sexual harassment. In addition, sexually explicit material may not be archived, stored, distributed, edited, or recorded using our network or computing resources.

 Breaking into the system or unauthorized use of a password/mailbox.

 Using the School District ’s internet facilities or computing resources to knowingly violate the laws and regulations of the United States or any other nation, or the laws and regulations of any state, city, province or local jurisdiction in any material way.

Management is responsible to ensure the efficient use of systems according to this policy. Where issues arise, management will deal directly with the employee and notify his or her supervisor where appropriate. The School District reserves the right to revise this policy at any time, with or without notice to the employee.

Use of School Property and Equipment Policy It is the policy of the School District that private use of school property, facilities, and equipment for personal use is prohibited. School equipment including computers, copiers, fax machines and other technical equipment, shall be operated only by authorized personnel for education -related purposes. Copy machines may not be used for any volume work that is not school related. Employees shall not produce personal materials using school or district equipment or use school property for non-school purposes without express authorization from the principal or immediate supervisor. All authorized personal use of equipment of employees shall take place outside of regular contract hours. Employees shall pay for any materials used at standard commercial rates. The property of the School District, whether physical or intellectual, is acquired and maintained for the sole purpose of furthering the School District ’s mission. The School District employees will not use property or materials owned, acquired, or produced by the School District for personal use, or to further political, personal, School District 4171-07 Staff Handbook Board Approved Date: July 27, 2019

17 or religious causes, or any in way, that would reflect negatively on the School District.

Internet/Intranet Etiquette and Utilization Use of the School District ’s Internet/Intranet access is a privilege, not a right. Use of the School District ’s Internet/Intranet is voluntary on the part of student, teachers, administrators, and the community. All users of the School District’s computers and networks are expected to abide by accepted rules of network etiquette. The rules of acceptable behaviors are as follows:

 Personal information shall not be revealed.  Communication and information are considered private property or copyrighted. Unlawful/Inappropriate information shall not be placed and or downloaded on any network system.  Use of t he School District ’s Internet/Intranet may be terminated without notice at any time. The School District shall not be held liable for individual(s) actions on the Internet/Intranet.

Use of the Internet/Intranet is for the School District academic purposes only. Inappropriate use includes, but is not limited to: online chatting, personal emailing, viewing of inappropriate and/or obscene sites, on-line message forums, and/or on-line shopping. Establishing individual accounts on t he School District ’s Internet is strictly prohibited.

Information available via Skyward is for academic purposes only. Any information viewed is confidential and shall not be used for any other purpose.

Skyward cannot be copied to any device unless authorized by senior administrative staff. Improper use can result in the denial of privileges or disciplinary action.

Transmission of any material in violation of any international, United States or state law is prohibited. This includes, but is not limited to: copyright materials; threatening, harassing, or obscene materials, and personal usage. Use of the Internet for commercial (for profit) activities or product advertisement is prohibited. Forgery of electronic mail messages, changing, files belonging to users and downloading of any files (i.e. movies, games, etc.) into the School District ’s computers is prohibited.

Inappropriate Use Inappropriate use includes, but is not limited to:

 Illegal or inappropriate activity  Specifically named violations in this policy  Violation of the School District regulations  Other use that hampers the integrity of security of the School District ’s computer network or any computer networks connected to the Internet/Intranet.

Employee Violations Violations of the Internet/Intranet policies may be subject to disciplinary action up to and including termination of employment based on the severity of the situation. Illegal activity will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.

Employee Monitoring and Inspections The School District reserves the right to investigate and to interview employees in the course of implementing and enforcing its policies. The School District may provide desks, lockers, workstations, furniture, and/or other storage devices for the convenience of employees. Any equipment and/or storage device provided by the School District remains the sole property of t he School District. As a result, any agent or representative of the School District may inspect such property, as well as any articles found within such property, at any time, either with our without prior notice.

School District 4171-07 Staff Handbook Board Approved Date: July 27, 2019

18

Social Media Policy At the School District, we understand that social media can be a fun and rewarding way to share your life and opinions with family, friends and co-workers around the world. However, use of social media also presents certain risks and carries with it certain responsibilities. To assist you in making responsible decisions about your use of social media, we have established these guidelines for appropriate use of social media.

Guidelines In the rapidly expanding world of electronic communication, social media can mean many things. Social media includes all means of communicating or posting information or content of any sort on the Internet, including to your own or someone else’s web log or blog, journal or diary, personal web site, social networking or affinity web site, web bulletin board or a chat room, whether or not associated or affiliated with the School District, as well as any other form of electronic communication.

The same principles and guidelines found in the School District policies and three basic beliefs apply to your activities online. Ultimately, you are solely responsible for what you post online. Before creating online content, consider some of the risks and rewards that are involved. Keep in mind that any of your conduct that adversely affects your job performance, the performance of fellow employees or otherwise adversely affects families, students, suppliers, people who work on behalf of the School District or the School District ’s legitimate business interests may result in disciplinary action up to and including termination.

Know and follow the rules Carefully read these guidelines, the Minnesota Teachers Code of Ethics, the School District Communications and Computer Use Policy and the Harassment Prevention Policy, and ensure your postings are consistent with these policies. Inappropriate postings that may include discriminatory remarks, harassment, and threats of violence or similar inappropriate or unlawful conduct will not be tolerated and may subject you to disciplinary action up to and including termination.

Be respectful Always be fair and courteous to fellow employees, families, students, suppliers or people who work on behalf of the School District. Also, keep in mind that you are more likely to resolve work-related complaints by speaking directly with your co- workers or by utilizing our Open Door Policy than by posting complaints to a social media outlet. Nevertheless, if you decide to post complaints or criticism, avoid using statements, photographs, video or audio that reasonably could be viewed as malicious, obscene, threatening or intimidating, that disparage families, students, employees or suppliers, or that might constitute harassment or bullying. Examples of such conduct might include offensive posts meant to intentionally harm someone’s reputation or posts that could contribute to a hostile work environment on the basis of race, sex, disability, religion or any other status protected by law or company policy.

Be honest and accurate Make sure you are always honest and accurate when posting information or news, and if you make a mistake, correct it quickly. Be open about any previous posts you have altered. Remember that the Internet archives almost everything; therefore, even deleted postings can be searched. Never post any information or rumors that you know to be false about the School District, fellow employees, families, students, suppliers, and people working on behalf of the School District or competitors.

Post only appropriate and respectful content

 Maintain the confidentiality of the School District trade secrets and private or confidential information. Trades secrets may include information regarding the development of systems, processes, products, know-how and technology. Do not post internal reports, policies, procedures or other internal business-related confidential communications.  Respect financial disclosure laws. It is illegal to communicate or give a “tip” on inside information to others so that they may buy or sell stocks or securities. Such online conduct may also violate the Insider Trading Policy.  Do not create a link from your blog, website or other social networking site to the School District website without identifying yourself as a School District employee.  Express only your personal opinions. Never represent yourself as a spokesperson for the School District. If the School District is a subject of the content you are creating, be clear and open about the fact that you are an employee and make it clear that your views do not represent those of the School District, fellow employees, families, customers, suppliers or people working on behalf of the School District. If you do publish a blog or post online related to the work you do or subjects associated with the School District, make it clear that you are not speaking on behalf of the School District 4171-07 Staff Handbook Board Approved Date: July 27, 2019

19

School District. It is best to include a disclaimer such as “The postings on this site are my own and do not necessarily reflect the views of the School District.”

Using social media at work Refrain from using social media while on work time or on equipment we provide, unless it is work-related as authorized by your manager or consistent with the Communications and Computer Use Policy. Do not use the School District email addresses to register on social networks, blogs or other online tools utilized for personal use.

Retaliation is prohibited The School District prohibits taking negative action against any employee for reporting a possible deviation from this policy or for cooperating in an investigation. Any employee who retaliates against another employee for reporting a possible deviation from this policy or for cooperating in an investigation will be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination.

Media contacts Employees should not speak to the media on the School District ’s behalf without contacting the Logistics Officer or designee. All media inquiries should be directed to him/her.

For more information If you have questions or need further guidance, please contact Human Resources.

Telephone Messages During Work Hours The main office will not transfer outside calls to any teachers during class hours due to disruption, unless it is during the teacher’s prep time, lunch time or an emergency. Students should not be answering the classroom phone.

School phones are for s c h o o l business. We recognize the need for some personal phone calls; however, staff should try to limit outside calls.

Non-emergency calls will be written down and messages will be placed in the teacher’s mail box or transferred directly into his/her voicemail. School phones are for business only.

Use of cell phones is strictly prohibited at all times when students are present. Staff is expected to use good judgment regarding personal calls during the school day.

Dress Code

The School District expects employees to dress appropriately in business attire in order to reflect a professional education institution and promote a positive image to our students, parents, co-workers, and community visitors. Business attire is required when school is in session.

In addition, torn, dirty, or frayed clothing is unacceptable. All seams must be finished. Any clothing that has words, terms, or pictures that may be offensive to other employees is unacceptable. Clothing that is sexually provocative that reveals too much cleavage, your back, your chest, your feet, your stomach or underwear is not appropriate for a place of business.

Enforcement of this policy for employees is the responsibility of the administration. Failure to comply with the dress code policy may result in disciplinary action.

No dress code can cover all contingencies so employees must exert a certain amount of judgment in their choice of clothing to wear to work. If you are uncertain about acceptable, professional business attire for work, please ask one of the administrative staff members.

Jewelry, Makeup, Perfume and Cologne Should be in good taste, with limited body piercing. Remember that some employees are allergic to chemicals in perfumes and make-up so wear these substances with restraint.

Hats and Head Coverings Hats are not appropriate. Head Covers that are required for religious purposes or to honor cultural tradition are allowed. School District 4171-07 Staff Handbook Board Approved Date: July 27, 2019

20

If clothing fails to meet appropriate standards, as determined by the employee’s supervisor, the employee may be sent home to change clothes and will be subjected to disciplinary action.

Gifts/Conflict of Interest The purpose of this policy is to avoid the appearance of impropriety or the appearance of a conflict of interest with respect to gifts given to staff.

The School District recognizes that students, parents, and other may wish to show appreciation to staff. However, we discourage gift giving to employees and encourage donors to write letters and notes of appreciation or give small tokens of gratitude as memorabilia.

It is a violation of t he School District ’s policy for any employee to solicit, accept, or receive a gift from a student, parent, vendors or other individual or organization of greater than $ 50 in value. Gifts received that are in excess of $50 will be donated to charity.

Teachers may accept publisher’s free samples of textbooks and related teaching material.

Acceptance of gifts, gratuities, or favors from vendors may create a potential conflict of interest, and should not be accepted if it is determined that their acceptance could influence a decision that is not in the best interest of the School District.

Romantic Relationships Consenting "romantic" or sexual relationships between a supervisor/manager and an employee or between co-workers may at some point lead to unhappy complications and significant difficulties for all concerned - the employee, the supervisor/manager and the School District. Any such relationship may, therefore, be contrary to the best interests of the School District.

Accordingly, the School District strongly discourages such relationships and any conduct (such as dating) that is designed or may reasonably be expected to lead to the formation of a "romantic" or sexual relationship.

By its discouragement of romantic and sexual relationships, the School District does not intend to inhibit the social interaction (such as lunches or dinners or attendance at entertainment events) that are or should be an important part or extension of the working environment; and the policy articulated above is not to be relied upon as justification or excuse for a supervisor's/manager's refusal to engage in such social interaction with employees.

If a romantic or sexual relationship between a supervisor/manager and an employee should develop, it shall be the responsibility and mandatory obligation of the supervisor/manager promptly to disclose the existence of the relationship to Human Resources. The employee may make the disclosure as well, but the burden of doing so shall be upon the supervisor/manager. If the relationship is among co-workers it is encouraged that one or both of the employees inform Human Resources in a reasonable time frame.

The School District recognizes the ambiguity of and the variety of meanings that can be given to the term "romantic". It is assumed, or at least hoped, however, that either or both of the parties to such a relationship will appreciate the meaning of the term as it applies to either or both of them and will act in a manner consistent with this policy.

Human Resources shall inform the Logistics Officer or designee and others with a need-to-know of the existence of the relationship, including in all cases the person responsible for the employee's work assignments.

Upon being informed or learning of the existence of such a relationship, the Logistics Officer or designee may take all steps that it, in its discretion, deems appropriate. At a minimum, the employee and supervisor/manager will not thereafter be permitted to work together on the same matters (including matters pending at the time disclosure of the relationship is made), and the supervisor/manager must withdraw from participation in activities or decisions (including, but not limited to, hiring, evaluations, promotions, compensation, work assignments and discipline) that may reward or disadvantage any employee with whom the supervisor/manager has or has had such a relationship.

In addition, and in order for the School District to deal effectively with any potentially adverse consequences such a relationship may have for the working environment, any person who believes that he or she has been adversely affected by School District 4171-07 Staff Handbook Board Approved Date: July 27, 2019

21 such a relationship, notwithstanding its disclosure, is encouraged to make his or her views about the matter known to Human Resources.

This policy shall apply without regard to gender and without regard to the sexual orientation of the participants in a relationship of the kind described.

Workplace Violence Prevention The School District is committed to preventing and to maintaining a safe work environment. We have adopted the following guidelines to deal with intimidation, harassment, or other threats of (or actual) violence that might occur during business hours or on our premises.

All employees, including supervisors and temporary employees, should be treated with courtesy and respect at all times. Employees are expected to refrain from fighting, “horseplay,” or other conduct that may be dangerous to others. We prohibit firearms, weapons, and other dangerous or hazardous devices and substances from the premises of the School District without proper authorization.

The School District will not tolerate conduct that threatens, intimidates, or coerces another employee, a customer, or a member of the public at any time, including off-duty periods. This includes all acts of harassment, including harassment that is based on an individual's sex, race, age, or any characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.

All threats of (or actual) violence, either direct or indirect, should be reported as soon as possible to your supervisor or any other member of management. This includes threats by employees as well as threats by customers, vendors, solicitors, or anyone else. When reporting a threat of violence, you should be as specific and detailed a possible.

Be sure to report any suspicious person or activities as soon as possible to a supervisor. Do not place yourself in peril. If you see or hear a commotion or disturbance near your work area, do not try to intercede or see what is happening.

We will promptly and thoroughly investigate all reports of threats of (or actual) violence and of suspicious individuals or activities. The identity of the person who made the report will be protected to the extent practical. To maintain workplace safety and the integrity of its investigation, the School District may suspend an employee, either with or without pay, pending investigation.

Any person who violates these guidelines will be subject to corrective action, up to and including termination of employment. Violations include making a threat of violence or actually committing a violent act.

If you are having a dispute or difference with another employee, we encourage you to discuss it with your supervisor or Human Resources before the situation escalates into potential violence. The School District is eager to assist in the resolution of employee disputes and we will not discipline an employee for raising these types of concerns.

Policy Prohibiting Weapons in the Workplace The School District is committed to providing its employees, contractors, families, students, vendors and other visitors with an appropriate and safe workplace environment. As a part of the process, the School District prohibits all employees from carrying, concealing, using or storing any weapons or ammunition on the School District premises, vehicles or a property the School District provides to employees.

Employees are also prohibited from carrying, concealing, using or storing any weapon or ammunition at any time the employee is acting within the course and scope of his or her employment, regardless of whether the employee is on the School District premises or a client's premises, or whether the employee is using the School District provided vehicle. The School District “premises” includes all buildings, storage areas, work areas and outdoor lots. A “weapon” includes, without limitation guns, pistols, knives, clubs and any other item the purpose of which is to threaten or inflict bodily harm upon any person.

This policy applies, without limitation, to concealed weapons for which a valid permit has been issued and to all persons to whom a valid permit to carry a concealed weapon has been issued. An employee who has a valid permit to carry a concealed weapon may, when not acting within the course and scope of his or her employment, carry or possess that weapon in the parking area the School District provides for employees, but in no other location on the School District premises or a client's premises. Weapons other than concealed weapons for which a valid permit has been issued are prohibited in the employee parking area. Employees who violate this policy are subject to corrective action up to and including termination of School District 4171-07 Staff Handbook Board Approved Date: July 27, 2019

22 employment.

The School District ’s policy banning weapons and ammunition from the premises also applies to non-employees, including those with proper licenses to carry a concealed weapon. Persons with lawful permits to carry guns may carry or possess the weapon in the parking areas provided by the School District, but in no other location on the School District ’s premises.

Work Product Ownership All School District employees must be aware that the School retains legal ownership of the product of their work. No work product created while employed by the School District can be claimed, construed, or presented as property of the individual, even after employment by the School District has been terminated or the relevant project completed. This includes written and electronic documents, audio and video recordings, system code, and also any concepts, ideas, or other intellectual property developed for the School District, regardless of whether the intellectual property is actually used by the School District.

Although it is acceptable for an employee to display and/or discuss a portion or the whole of certain work product as an example in certain situations (e.g., on a resume, in a freelancer's meeting with a prospective client), one must bear in mind that information classified as confidential must remain so even after the end of employment, and that supplying certain other entities with certain types of information may constitute a conflict of interest. In any event, it must always be made clear that work product is the sole and exclusive property of the School District. Freelancers and temporary employees must be particularly careful in the course of any work they discuss doing, or actually do, for a competitor of the School District.

Wage Disclosure Protections

The School District will not prohibit employees from discussing his or her as a condition of employment. Further the School District will not require an employee to sign a waiver or other document that takes away their right to disclose their wages.

The School District will not take any adverse employment action against an employee for disclosing the employee's own wages or discussing another employee's wages which have been disclosed voluntarily.

However, nothing in this section shall be construed to:  Create an obligation for the employer or employee to disclose wages;  Permit an employee, without the written consent of the employer, to disclose proprietary information, trade secret information, or information that is otherwise subject to a legal privilege or protected by law;  Diminish any existing rights under the National Labor Relations Act under United States Code, title 29; or  Permit the employee to disclose wage information of other employees to a competitor of their employer.

We will not retaliate against an employee for asserting their rights or remedies under this MN Statute.

In addition to the above, an employee may bring a civil action against the company for a violation of these wage disclosure protections.

III. EMPLOYMENT RECORDS

Change of Personal Data It is the responsibility of the employee to report any changes in their name, address, phone, marital status, dependents and whom to notify in the event of an emergency to the Administration as soon as available or effective. The School District will only provide official notifications, including tax returns, to the last home address reported.

Personnel Records The School District creates and maintains personnel files for each employee. The file contains information that is used to administer employment activities and information that is required by law. It is the employee’s responsibility to notify the School District of any changes in one’s personal information, such as name, mailing address, phone number or emergency

School District 4171-07 Staff Handbook Board Approved Date: July 27, 2019

23 contact information.

Personnel files belong to the School District. Generally, only supervisors and management personnel of the School District who have a legitimate reason to review information in a file are allowed to do so in accordance with state law.

Employees who wish to review their own file should contact the Human Resources Department. With reasonable advance notice, employees may review their own personnel file one time in any six-month period.

Within seven working days of receiving your request (or within 14 working days if your personnel records are stored out of state), we will make available for your review either your original file or an accurate copy of your file. You will have access to your file during normal operating hours either at your job site or at a nearby location. We may require that this review take place in the presence of a school representative. After you have had an opportunity to review your file, you may make a written request for a copy of the record. If you make such a request, we will provide you with a copy of your file at no charge to you.

After your separation from employment (for whatever reason), you may review your file once annually for as long as we maintain the record. If you make a good faith, written request to review your file after your employment with us has ended, we will provide a copy of your file at no cost to you.

If, after reviewing your file, you dispute specific information contained in the record, we may agree to remove or revise the disputed information. If no such agreement is reached, you are entitled to submit a written statement of no more than five pages explaining your position. This position statement will be included in your file, along with the disputed information, for as long as we maintain the record.

We will not retaliate against you for asserting your rights under the Minnesota Personnel Records Statute.

Performance Evaluations Performance evaluations are an opportunity for employees, supervisors, and the School District to formally assess an individual's job performance. Supervisors will complete performance evaluations for the employees who report to them. The performance evaluation will be used for identifying strengths and improvement areas in an employee's performance, and as a factor in considering potential increases and promotions. Performance evaluations are not to be confused with wage adjustments. A wage adjustment may or may not be made concurrently with a performance evaluation. It is also the School District ’s discretion to determine ongoing compensation programs.

All performance evaluations will be conducted on an annual basis with the opportunity for a wage adjustment. Individualized Strategic Plans (or a similar equivalent) will be assessed annually. ISPs will be reviewed in conjunction with annual performance evaluations.

Staff Meetings Staff meetings are held every Thursday from 8:00 to 8:30 A.M. The purpose of these meetings is to discuss information pertinent to all students and staff. A staff member may include an agenda item by informing the Logistics Officer or immediate supervisor at least one day before the actual meeting. All licensed staff are required to attend staff meetings. There may be relevant meetings that we will include the Educational Assistants, Office staff, and Engineers. Any staff member who is not present at the meeting is held responsible for finding out information discussed at the meeting.

Strategic Planning All licensed staff including appropriate EAs are required to arrive at the start of the strategic planning meetings listed below.

• Every Monday (Team Planning): 8:00 am-8:30 am • Every Tuesday (PLC): 8:00 am-8:30 am • Every Wednesday (Book Study): 8:00 am-8:30 am • Every Thursday (Staff Meeting/Newsletter): 8:00 am-8:30 am • Every Friday (Grade Level Data Meeting): 8:00 am-8:30 am

Staff Development (PLC) sessions are held every Tuesday. Staff who cannot attend a session or part of a session must do School District 4171-07 Staff Handbook Board Approved Date: July 27, 2019

24 the following: ▪ Fill out the Activity Form ▪ Advise Logistics Officer or designee of absence and reason ▪ Be aware of information presented/discussed at the missed session ▪ Be aware of a 1.5 hour time without pay that will be charged

IV. STANDARDS OF CONDUCT

Minnesota Teachers Code of Ethics Minnesota statute 8710.2100

All School District Staff shall adhere to:

Subpart 1. Scope. Each teacher, upon entering the teaching profession, assumes a number of obligations, one of which is to adhere to a set of principles which defines professional conduct. These principles are reflected in the following code of ethics, which sets forth to the education profession and the public it serves standards of professional conduct and procedures for implementation. This code shall apply to all persons licensed according to rules established by the Minnesota Board of Teaching (BOT).

Subpart 2. Standards of Professional Conduct. The standards of professional conduct are as follows:

A. A teacher shall provide professional education services in a nondiscriminatory manner. B. A teacher shall make reasonable effort to protect the student from conditions harmful to health and safety. C. In accordance with state and federal laws, a teacher shall disclose confidential information about individuals only when a compelling professional purpose is served or when required by law. D. A teacher shall take reasonable disciplinary action in exercising the authority to provide atmosphere conducive to learning. E. A teacher shall not use professional relationships with students, parents, and colleagues to private advantage. F. A teacher shall delegate authority for teaching responsibilities only to licensed personnel. G. A teacher shall not deliberately suppress or distort subject matter. H. A teacher shall not knowingly falsify or misrepresent records or facts relating to that teacher’s own qualifications or to other teachers’ qualifications. I. A teacher shall not knowingly make false or malicious statements about students or colleagues. J. A teacher shall accept a contract for a teaching position that requires licensing only if properly or provisionally licensed for that position.

School District Expectations of Personal Conduct The School District expects all employees to practice common sense and sound judgment and to act in a respectful, responsible and business-like manner at all times while at work. The following are examples of unacceptable conduct that would violate this policy and may result in disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment. Unacceptable conduct includes, but is not limited to:

 Professional behavior is expected at all times. Gossip and rumors will not be tolerated.  Personal relationships of any nature other than “teacher/student” with students.  Unprofessional conduct  Failure to observe rules, regulations, policies and standards of the School District and/or directives and orders of the administration  Continuing neglect of duties in spite of prior warnings  Use of illegal drugs, alcohol or any other chemical substance on the job or any use off the job which impacts the employee’s performance  Deliberate and serious violation of the rights and freedoms of other employees, students, parents or other persons in the the School District community School District 4171-07 Staff Handbook Board Approved Date: July 27, 2019

25

 Activities of a criminal nature relating to the fitness or effectiveness of the employee to perform the duties of the position  Failure to follow the canons of professional and personal ethics  Falsification of credentials and experience  Theft or inappropriate removal, use or possession of property or property of another employee.  Fighting or threatening violence in the workplace.  Boisterous or disruptive activity in the workplace, including swearing, yelling, etc.  Possession of firearms or other weapons on property.  Possession, use or sale of intoxicating liquors, drugs, hallucinogens, or controlled substances on property. Reporting to work under the influence of liquor, drugs, or controlled substances.  Insubordinate conduct or speech  Restricting or interfering with others in the performance of their job, adversely distracting or disrupting the well- being of others.  Removing, without authorization, papers or other information from t he School District premises  Excessive absences or tardiness  Falsifying, altering or destroying any School District reports or records  Failure to comply with School District’s policies as outlined in the employee handbook  Sharing confidential issues with staff or students is prohibited  Disparagement of the School District mission statement and philosophy  Filing false charges against the School District or any employee of the School District

The foregoing rules are not intended to be all inclusive of the proper standards of conduct or obligations which employees must observe at all times. If it is unclear as to what conduct is inappropriate under this policy, please talk to Logistics Officer or designee. Discipline or corrective action in any individual case will be determined in the sole discretion of the School District.

Staff/Faculty – Student Relationships The School District is committed to an educational environment in which all students are treated with respect and dignity. Every School District employee is to provide students with appropriate guidance, understanding and direction, while maintaining a standard of professionalism, and acting within accepted standards of conduct.

The following further address types of relationships: 1. Applies to all School District employees at all times whether on or off duty and on or off premises. 2. At all times, students will be treated by Staff/Faculty with respect, courtesy and consideration and in a professional manner. Each employee is expected to exercise good judgment and professionalism in all interpersonal relationships with students. Such relationships must be and remain on a staff-student basis or faculty-student basis. 3. Teachers must be mindful of their inherent positions of authority and influence over students. Similarly, other the School District employees also may hold positions of authority over students of the School District and must be mindful of their authority and influence over students. 4. Sexual relationships between School District employees and students, without regard to the age of the student, are strictly forbidden and may subject the employee to criminal liability. 5. Other actions that violate this policy include, but are not limited to the following: a. Having any interaction/activity of a sexual nature with a student. b. Committing or attempting to induce students or others to commit an illegal act or act of immoral conduct which may be harmful to others or bring discredit to the School District. c. Social activities outside of sponsored functions, unless specifically authorized by the Administration and parents/guardians d. Transporting students in personal vehicles without authorization from both parents and the Academic Officer. e. Requesting a student babysit an employee’s child(ren) without authorization from both parents and the Academic

School District 4171-07 Staff Handbook Board Approved Date: July 27, 2019

26

Officer.

6. Supplying alcohol or any illegal substance to a student, allowing a student access to such substances, or failing to take reasonable steps to prevent such access from occurring.

Employer Expectations All staff are expected to provide the following services in a proper professional and satisfactory manner:

1. Strive to understand the philosophy and mission statement of the , to model the ideals expressed therein, and to inspire students to do the same; 2. Accept and follow the policies and procedures of the School District as set by the administration and the Board of the School District ; 3. Work collegially with the entire staff, in a spirit of cooperation and peace, as a team for the good of the children and the community; 4. Recognize the parents/guardians as the child’s primary educator and to work in partnership with them; 5. Take part in curriculum planning and development and to teach to the outcomes that are adopted; 6. Continue to grow professionally through participation in ongoing staff development during the assigned days and two hours per week beyond the ending of the school day; 7. Maintain accurate and complete records for each student; 8. Maintain responsible care of classroom materials, furnishings, and all property and to inspire students to do the same; 9. Contribute to the life of the community outside the classroom (i.e. community New Year/cultural events); and 10. Assess students and monitor student academic progress on a regular basis. 11. Devote complete attention to students and the School District during the work day

Attendance and Punctuality and tardiness place a burden on other employees, students and the School District. In the instances when employees are unable to work as scheduled, it is the employee’s responsibility to contact the logistics officer and the Human Resources Specialist and confirm that they will not be in so arrangements for a substitute can be made.

All scheduled absences must follow the absence request procedures as outlined in the staff handbook.

In the instances when employees cannot avoid being late to work employees must call in no later than 6:00 AM to notify the logistics officer or designee.

Regular teaching staff work hours are from 8:00 AM until 4:15 PM. Teaching staff must be ready to begin instruction at 8:45 A.M. Office staff work hours are from 8:00 AM to 4:30PM. Excessive tardy or absence may be cause for disciplinary action up to and including termination of employment.

Staff must scan their HID access cards when they arrive and when leaving the building. Cards can be scanned at any location with a card reader.

When a staff returns from an unexpected absence, he/she MUST immediately fill out the Absence Report Form and turn it in to the Human Resources Specialist.

Staff Absence

Substitute Plans The School District reserves the right to request a Doctor’s verification of illness. In addition to notifying the Logistics Officer and the Human Resources Specialist of your absence, teachers are required to have a current “Sub Plan” on Dropbox AND a hard copy turned in to HR. Employee computer login information must not be disclosed and employee must provide lesson plans that do not require technology use. The following information must be included in the substitute plan: School District 4171-07 Staff Handbook Board Approved Date: July 27, 2019

27

1. Class List (for attendance to be taken manually) 2. Class schedule 3. Emergency exit procedures 4. Classroom/school guidelines, policies and procedures 5. Special instructions regarding individual students 6. Name of 2 to 3 reliable students who can assist teacher with procedures 7. Class Life 8. Busing information 9. Lunch information 10. Attendance procedure 11. 5 days of lesson plans in order to provide sufficient detail to a substitute

Each absence of either half day (4 hours) or whole day (8 hours) is classified into one of the following three types:

1. Scheduled absence occurs when the employee requests, at least one week in advance, to be excused from work and the supervisor approves and schedules it. Requests with ample notice to be excused (i.e., a religious observance day) will generally be granted as scheduled absences.

For scheduled absence(s), the teacher must work with the Human Resources Specialist to find a classroom substitute If there are no substitutes available, your request may or may not be granted.

2. Excused absence occurs when the supervisor excuses the employee because the reason on its face is acceptable and the supervisor has been properly notified. In no case will an absence be classified as excused if notification is more than one-half hour after starting time.

Excused absences include: a. personal business needs, medical or dental appointments; b. occasional sickness or non-work-related accident or injury; c. sickness or death in the family; d. severe weather conditions; or e. any absence mutually arranged between the supervisor and the employee.

Excused absences are considered as ordinary events which, however, can accumulate into critical below-average attendance requiring appropriate disciplinary action.

3. Unexcused absence occurs when there has not been proper notification, or when a satisfactory reason for the absence has not been given. Unexcused absences are considered serious negative events, each of which may require appropriate disciplinary action, up to and including termination.

Each tardy is classified into one of the following three types:

4. Excused tardy occurs when the supervisor excuses the employee because the reason on its face is acceptable and the supervisor has been notified properly. In no case would calling more than one-half hour after starting time be acceptable. Excused tardy include: a. occasional sickness or non-work-related accident or injury; b. sickness or death in the family; c. severe weather conditions; or d. any absence mutually arranged between the supervisor and the employee.

Excused tardy are considered as ordinary events which, however, can accumulate into critical below-average attendance School District 4171-07 Staff Handbook Board Approved Date: July 27, 2019

28

requiring appropriate disciplinary action.

5. Unexcused tardy occurs when there has not been proper notification, or when a satisfactory reason for the tardy has not been given. Unexcused tardy are considered serious negative events, each of which may require appropriate disciplinary action, up to and including termination.

6. Personal Days that have been accrued may be used for scheduled and excused absences with the following conditions: a) Personal days must be taken in 4 hour increments or 8 hour increments. b) Unused personal days must be cashed out at the end of each year. c) Once personal days have been used up, documentation for absences including a doctor’s note may be required. d) Personal days cannot be used the day prior to or following a holiday and/or . e.) The Superintendent and Deputy Superintendent reserves the right to deny requests for time off based on business necessity.

Corrective/Disciplinary Procedure To ensure effective and orderly operations through cooperation of all employees under a system of policies and rules applied fairly and uniformly.

Standards of performance and conduct for employees are necessary at the School District. If standards are violated, disciplinary action will be taken by supervisor(s) in order to maintain effective operations and to provide employees with an opportunity to correct their shortcomings.

Any employee conduct that violates the School District rules or that in the opinion of the School District can interfere or adversely affect our business is sufficient grounds for corrective action. Corrective action can range from coaching to immediate discharge. Our general policy is to take corrective steps in the following order:

 Verbal warnings  Written warnings  Corrective Action Plans  Performance Improvement Plans (PIP’s)  (with or without pay)  Termination

However, we reserve the right to alter the order described above, to skip corrective steps, to eliminate corrective steps or to create new or additional corrective steps depending on the facts and circumstances of each individual case. In choosing the appropriate corrective action we may consider any number of factors including, the seriousness of your conduct, your history of misconduct, your employment record, your length of employment, the strength of evidence against you, your ability to correct the conduct, your attitude about the conduct, actions we’ve taken for similar conduct by other employees, how your conduct affects the School, its families, students and your coworkers, and other circumstances related to the nature of the misconduct, to your employment with the School and the effect of the misconduct on the business of the School District .

You should remember that your employment is at the mutual consent of you and the School District. This policy does not change this fact. This means that you or the School District can terminate the at will employment relationship at any time, with or without cause and with or without advanced notice so long as no state, federal or local laws are violated. As a result the School District reserves its right to terminate your employment at any time, for any lawful reason including reasons not listed above. You will also have the right to end your employment at any time.

V. COMPENSATION AND HOUR POLICIES

Employee Definition and Status Employee Classifications Year Employees School District 4171-07 Staff Handbook Board Approved Date: July 27, 2019

29

Year Round Employees Administrative Staff Hourly Staff Non-Licensed Community Expert/variance/Limited Full Time License/others

Employment Type Full-Time Employee Full-time employees are teachers, staff, and administrative employees who are regularly scheduled to work an average of 35 hours per week or more. Full time employees are eligible for benefits including (for applicable class of employment), medical, dental, life, and disability.

Part-Time Employee Part-time employees are those who work less than an average of 35 hours per week on a regular basis. Part time employees are not eligible for benefits.

Temporary Labor (Substitutes and Interns) Full-time or part-time employees acquired by the , that may be through an employment service, work on an as needed or irregular basis. These employees are not eligible for benefits.

Casual Labor Full-time or part-time employees hired by the School District to work on a seasonal or irregular basis not to exceed 6 months. These employees are not eligible for benefits.

Employee Classifications All employees are classified either exempt or non-exempt.

Exempt - These employees meet the exempt guidelines as established by FLSA and do not receive overtime pay or compensatory time off for hours worked over 40 hours per work week of Sunday through Saturday. Exempt employees are expected to work the hours necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of their position.

Non-Exempt - These employees do not qualify as exempt employees and are eligible for overtime pay at one and a half hourly rate of pay for every hour worked in excess of 40 hours per work week of Sunday through Saturday.

Offer of Continued Employment for the Following School Year Subsequent to completion of the current school year, the School District will advise employees as to whether they are being offered continued employment.

The School District will make every effort to advise employees as soon as possible as to the status of continued employment. However, the School District is not obligated to nor can the School District commit to providing this information prior to the end of the fiscal year (June 30).

Contract Labor Full-time or Part-time employees hired by the School District to work on a specific project or for a specific period of time (educators may be hired on a Long Term substitute (LTS), or contracted specialty services (i.e., psychologist, pathologist, etc.) basis. These employees will have a specified time period as to when the project will start and end. These employees will not be eligible for benefits.

Time Sheets Timesheets must be submitted to supervisor for approval for every payroll cycle. The School District is not responsible for tracking timesheets and will not be responsible for that employee not being paid due to not submitting timesheets in a timely manner. Employee may be subject to disciplinary action if timesheets are consistently not completed in a timely manner.

Payroll and Direct Deposit As an effort to reduce the use of paper, the School District strongly recommend all employees sign-up for direct deposit for paychecks through the Payroll Department and use Employee Access to view any payroll information.

School District 4171-07 Staff Handbook Board Approved Date: July 27, 2019

30

If payday falls on a holiday, paychecks will be distributed on the last business day preceding the holiday.

Payroll Schedule All employees are paid on the 15th and last day of every month for a total of 24 disbursements.

Payroll Deductions All mandatory deductions (and withholdings), such as federal , Social Security, state, city and/or local income tax and disability, as applicable, as well as all authorized voluntary payroll deductions, such as for , other and other deductions, as arranged with Human Resources, will be withheld automatically from your paycheck. Deductions taken from your paychecks are for the same period as time worked.

Holidays Full Time Employees

Holiday pay is a benefit for only full time year round employees. is included in a salaried employee’s standard monthly compensation.

If a holiday falls on a weekend, the School District will advise staff as to whether the holiday will be observed the Friday before or Monday after the holiday.

Temporary Employees Temporary and hourly part time employees will not receive holiday pay.

INCLEMENT WEATHER

The School District is open for business unless there is a declared State of Emergency by the Logistics Officer or designee. Use common sense and good judgment so you arrive safely to and from work during inclement weather.

The School District will be using the notification system which it has in place to notify staff of school closings or late start.

VI. SAFETY & SECURITY

The School District maintains that the safety and protection of students and employees is one of our greatest concerns. Every effort is made to keep work areas safe and free from hazards. Employees are expected to observe all applicable safety requirements, and to immediately report any unsafe or hazardous condition to his/her supervisor. The supervisor must answer in writing in five working days.

Emergency Procedures: Fire and tornado drills will be held throughout the year. Maps will be posted in all classrooms of evacuation routes. During any emergency drills, teachers are responsible for:

 Red emergency clipboard:(Take this with you when you and the students evacuate the building)  Attendance list  Student contact list  Making sure all students are taken out the building in a calm manner (do head counts)  Take attendance once classroom reach their destination  Teachers are responsible for their classrooms at all times.

Work-Related Injury

School District 4171-07 Staff Handbook Board Approved Date: July 27, 2019

31

The School District provides information to employees about workplace safety and health issues through regular communication channels, such as meetings, bulletin board postings, and other written communications.

Each employee is expected to practice safety exercise caution in all work activities. If an accident results in injury, regardless of how insignificant the injury may appear, employees must immediately notify the Human Resources Specialist.

Continuation of Insurance due to work related Injury During the first 12 weeks an employee must make personal payment to the School District of the active rate of employee contribution. If payments are more than 31 days late, his/her coverage will be terminated and he/she will be notified of his/her COBRA rights of continuation.

If an employee is off work for more than 12 weeks due to a work related injury, he/she will be notified of their right to continuation coverage per COBRA guidelines.

Personal Property All personal belongings that are brought to a r e kept at the risk of the employee. The School District assumes no responsibility for lost or stolen items and recommends that all employees have personal insurance policies covering the loss of personal property left in the office/classroom.

VII. BENEFITS The School District offers a comprehensive benefit package. There may be a required employee contribution in order to participate with some of the benefits.

Eligibility to participate in benefits is based on the average number of hours worked per week.

TRA (Teachers Retirement Association) TRA is a Minnesota statewide public pension fund that provides retirement, disability and death benefits to Minnesota public school teachers. Contribution rates for both employee and the School District are determined by State statute and subject to change by the Minnesota Legislature. Participation is required by law.

PERA ( Public Employees Retirement Association) PERA is the counterpart to TRA for non-teaching staff. As with TRA, membership and contributions by both the School District and eligible employees are automatic and determined by State statute. Participation is required by law.

403(b) and/or 457 Plan Optional to the employee Employee has the option to invest pre-tax dollar of his/her own money to the 403(b) and/or 457 Plan for the first 3 years. The employer will start to match after 3 years of successful services at the School District. The full employer contribution will be distributed in September of the following year to all participants with a valid contract.

Continuation of Medical Coverage Insurance (COBRA) If an employee participates in the School District 's benefit plans and then loses coverage due to a reduction in hours, disability, termination, divorce, children losing dependent status, death or Medicare entitlement, he/she may continue his/her medical insurance coverage for up to 18, 29, 36 months, or indefinitely, depending on the qualifying event and in accordance with Minnesota Continuation. The employee must elect continuation within 60 days of the qualifying event. It is the employee's responsibility to advise Administrations if dependent coverage is being lost due to any of the above reasons.

It is the employee’s responsibility to send in the total cost stated in the COBRA forms by the beginning of each month. Coverage will be terminated if payments are not received within the allowed time.

Per COBRA guidelines, the employee or his/her dependents will be responsible for the full cost of the plan plus an administrative fee.

School District 4171-07 Staff Handbook Board Approved Date: July 27, 2019

32

Return to Work: Dependent upon the nature of the illness and duration of absence and safety of employee, a fitness for duty certification from the health care provider may be required prior to returning to work.

If the employee continues to have medical restrictions at the end of the leave, the School District will review the employee’s medical conditions and restrictions and determine whether reasonable accommodations can be made to allow the employee to return to work. The School District will comply fully with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

If the employee is not able or chooses not to return to work, the employee will be considered to have voluntarily terminated his/her employment.

Medical Information (HIPAA) The School District has adopted a policy that protects the privacy and confidentiality of protected health information (PHI) whenever it is used by company representatives. The private and confidential use of such information will be the responsibility of all individuals with job duties requiring access to PHI in the course of their .

PHI refers to individually identifiable health information received by the School District ’s group health plans and/or received by a health care provider, health plan or health care clearinghouse that relates to past or present health of an individual or for payment of health care claims. PHI information includes medical conditions, health status, claims experience, medical histories, physical examinations, genetic information and evidence of disability.

The School District has designated the Logistics Officer as the HIPAA Compliance Officer (HCO), and any questions or issues regarding PHI should be presented to the HCO for resolution. The HCO is also charged with the responsibility for a) issuing procedural guidelines for access for PHI; b) developing a matrix for personnel who will need access to PHI; and c) developing guidelines for describing how and when PHI will be maintained, used, transferred or transmitted.

Annually or as necessary, the School District performs enrollment, changes in enrollment and payroll deductions, provides assistance in claims problem resolution and explanation of benefits issues, and assists in coordination of benefits with other providers. Some or all of these activities may require the use or transmission of PHI. Thus, all information related to these processes will be maintained in confidence and employees will not disclose PHI from these processes for employment-related actions, except as provided by administrative procedures approved by the HCO. General rules follow:

 Disclosures that do not qualify as PHI-protected disclosures include: disclosure of PHI to the individual to whom the PHI belongs, requests by providers for treatment and/or payment, disclosures requested to be made to authorized parties by the individual PHI holder, disclosures to government agencies for reporting or enforcement purposes, disclosures to workers’ compensation providers and those authorized by the workers’ compensation providers.  Information regarding whether an individual is covered by a plan for claims processing purposes may be disclosed.  Information external to the health plan is not considered PHI if the information is being furnished for claims processing purposes involving workers’ compensation and/or short- or long-term disability and medical information received to verify ADA or FMLA status. Personnel record and disclosures of PHI will be maintained for a period of six years as required by federal law, unless a state law requires a longer retention period. Records that have been maintained for the maximum interval will be destroyed in a manner to ensure that such data is not compromised in the future in accordance with the School District ’s record destruction policy.

GENETIC INFORMATION NONDISCOLUSRE WHEN REQUESTING LEAVE TIME The Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008 (GINA) prohibits employers from requesting or requiring genetic information of any employee or employee family member. To comply with this law, the School District requests that employees not provide any genetic information when communicating with the School District, such as informing the School District of a need for time off, or any accommodation.

The School District also requests that employees ensure that any physician’s certification of any employee’s health condition not contain such genetic information. “Genetic information,” as defined by GINA, includes an individual’s family medical history, the results of an individual’s or family member’s genetic tests, the fact that an individual or an individual’s family School District 4171-07 Staff Handbook Board Approved Date: July 27, 2019

33 member sought or received genetic services, and genetic information of a fetus carried by an individual or individual’s family member or an embryo lawfully held by an individual or family member receiving assistive reproductive services

FAMILY MEDICAL LEAVE ACT EMPLOYEE ELIGIBILITY To be eligible for FMLA benefits, an employee must: • work for a covered employer; • have worked for the employer for a total of 12 months; • have worked at least 1,250 hours over the previous 12 months; and

LEAVE ENTITLEMENT A covered employer must grant an eligible employee up to a total of 12 workweeks of unpaid leave during any 12-month period for one or more of the following reasons: • for the birth and care of a newborn child of the employee; • for placement with the employee of a son or daughter for adoption or foster care; • to care for a spouse, son, daughter, or parent with a serious health condition; • to take medical leave when the employee is unable to work because of a serious health condition; or • for qualifying exigencies arising out of the fact that the employee’s spouse, son, daughter, or parent is on active duty or call to active duty status as a member of the National Guard or Reserves in support of a contingency operation.

A covered employer also must grant an eligible employee who is a spouse, son, daughter, parent, or next of kin of a current member of the Armed Forces, including a member of the National Guard or Reserves, with a serious injury or illness up to a total of 26 workweeks of unpaid leave during a “single 12-month period” to care for the service member.

Spouses employed by the same employer are limited in the amount of family leave they may take for the birth and care of a newborn child, placement of a child for adoption or foster care, or to care for a parent who has a serious health condition to a combined total of 12 weeks (or 26 weeks if leave to care for a covered service member with a serious injury or illness is also used). Leave for birth and care, or placement for adoption or foster care, must conclude within 12 months of the birth or placement.

Under some circumstances, employees may take FMLA leave intermittently – taking leave in separate blocks of time for a single qualifying reason – or on a reduced leave schedule – reducing the employee’s usual weekly or daily work schedule. When leave is needed for planned medical treatment, the employee must make a reasonable effort to schedule treatment so as not to unduly disrupt the employer’s operation. If FMLA leave is for birth and care, or placement for adoption or foster care, use of intermittent leave is subject to the employer's approval.

“Serious health condition” means an illness, injury, impairment, or physical or mental condition that involves either:  Inpatient care (i.e., an overnight stay) in a hospital, hospice, or residential medical-care facility, including any period of incapacity (i.e., inability to work, attend school, or perform other regular daily activities) or subsequent treatment in connection with such inpatient care; or

 Continuing treatment by a health care provider

MAINTENANCE OF HEALTH BENEFITS A covered employer is required to maintain group health insurance coverage for an employee on FMLA leave whenever such insurance was provided before the leave was taken and on the same terms as if the employee had continued to work.

Employees must continue to pay the active employee rate of contribution to continue benefits while on FMLA. Employers have the right to recover premiums they paid to maintain health coverage for an employee who fails to return to work from FMLA leave.

JOB RESTORATION Upon return from FMLA leave, an employee will be restored to the employee’s original job, or to an equivalent job with equivalent pay, benefits, and other terms and conditions of employment. An employee’s use of FMLA leave will not result in

School District 4171-07 Staff Handbook Board Approved Date: July 27, 2019

34 the loss of any employment benefit that the employee earned or was entitled to before using FMLA leave.

An employee has no greater right to restoration or to other benefits and conditions of employment than if the employee had been continuously employed.

NOTICE AND CERTIFICATION Employee Notice Employees seeking to use FMLA leave are required to provide 30-day advance notice of the need to take FMLA leave when the need is foreseeable and such notice is practicable. If leave is foreseeable less than 30 days in advance, the employee must provide notice as soon as practicable – generally, either the same or next business day. When the need for leave is not foreseeable, the employee must provide notice to the employer as soon as practicable under the facts and circumstances of the particular case. Absent unusual circumstances, employees must comply with the employer’s usual and customary notice and procedural requirements for requesting leave.

Employees must provide sufficient information for an employer reasonably to determine whether the FMLA may apply to the leave request.

Certification Employers may require that an employee’s request for leave due to a serious health condition affecting the employee or a covered family member be supported by a certification from a health care provider. An employer may require second or third medical opinions (at the employer's expense) and periodic recertification of a serious health condition.

Employees may be required to submit a certification that they are able to resume work.

OTHER PROVISIONS The National Defense Authorization Act for FY 2008 (NDAA), Public Law 110-181, amended the FMLA to allow eligible employees to take up to 12 weeks of job-protected leave in the applicable 12- month period for any “qualifying exigency” arising out of the active duty or call to active duty status of a spouse, son, daughter or parent. The NDAA also amended the FMLA to allow eligible employees to take up to 26 weeks of job-protected leave in a “single 12-month period” to care for a covered service member with a serious injury or illness. These two new types of FMLA leave are known as the military family leave entitlements.

MILITARY FAMILY LEAVE ENTITLEMENTS

Military Caregiver Leave There is also a special leave entitlement that permits employees who meet the eligibility requirements for FMLA leave to take up to 26 weeks of leave to care for a covered service member during a single 12-month period. A covered service member is a current member of the Armed Forces, including a member of the National Guard and Reserves, who has been rendered medically unfit to perform his or her duties due to a serious injury or illness incurred in the line of duty while on active duty that may render the service member medically unfit to perform his or her duties for which the service member is undergoing medical treatment, recuperation, or therapy; or is in outpatient status; or is on the temporary disability retired list.

Qualifying Exigency Leave Employees meeting the eligibility requirements described above may be entitled to use up to 12 weeks of their Basic FMLA Leave entitlement to address certain qualifying exigencies. Leave may be used if the employee’s spouse, son, or daughter, is on active duty or called to active duty status in the National Guard and Reserves in support of a contingency operation.

Qualifying exigencies include • Short-notice deployment (up to seven days of leave) • Attending certain military events School District 4171-07 Staff Handbook Board Approved Date: July 27, 2019

35

• Arranging for alternative childcare • Addressing certain financial and legal arrangements • Periods of rest and recuperation for the service member (up to fifteen days of leave) • Attending certain counseling sessions • Attending post-deployment activities (available for up to 90 days after the termination of the covered service member’s active duty status) • Other activities arising out of the service member’s active duty or call to active duty and agreed upon by the company and the employee

FMLA leave may be taken intermittently whenever medically necessary to care for a covered service member with a serious injury or illness. FMLA leave also may be taken intermittently for a qualifying exigency arise out of the active duty status or call to active duty of a covered military member. When leave is needed for planned medical treatment, the employee must make a reasonable effort to schedule treatment as not to unduly disrupt the employer’s operation.

Minnesota Parenting Leave Minnesota law provides to certain eligible employees an unpaid leave of a maximum of twelve weeks for the birth or adoption of a child. This leave can also be used to cover prenatal care, incapacity due to pregnancy, childbirth, or related conditions for female employees. In many cases, those who have previously taken FMLA during a 12-month period will not be entitled to additional parenting leave under Minnesota law during that same 12-month period. However, there may be certain situations in which an employee has exhausted his or her FMLA leave might be eligible for additional Minnesota Parenting Leave. As with all leaves, eligibility will be determined on a case-by-case examination of the employee’s circumstances.

Minnesota parenting leave is available only to a Minnesota resident who has worked for t he School District for at least 12 months preceding the leave request; and for an average number of hours per week equal to one-half the full-time equivalent position in the employee’s job classification during the 12-month period immediately preceding the leave.

The leave may begin anytime within 12 months after the birth or adoption of a child, or within 12 months after the child leaves the hospital, if the child remains in the hospital longer than the mother. If practicable, an employee must provide the School District with at least 30 days of notice before leave is to begin.

Upon returning from leave, an employee will be returned to the employee’s former position or a position of comparable duties, number of hours, and pay plus any automatic adjustments in the employee’s pay scale that occurred during the leave. An employee retains all accrued benefits and seniority as if there had been no interruption in service.

An employee who is returning from a leave that is longer than one month must notify their supervisor at least two weeks prior to returning from leave.

If the School District experiences a layoff during an employee’s leave and the employee would have lost his or her position had the employee not been on leave, the employee is not entitled to reinstatement. If an employee on leave is laid off, the employee retains all rights under the layoff as if the employee had not taken leave.

Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) The School District will grant an unpaid Military Leave to employees who are absent from work because they are serving in the U.S. uniformed services in accordance with the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA). You are required to give your supervisor advance notice of upcoming military service, unless military necessity prevents advance notice or it is otherwise impossible or unreasonable.

Continuation of health insurance benefits is available as required by USERRA based on the length of the leave and subject to the terms, conditions and limitations of the applicable plans for which you are otherwise eligible.

School District 4171-07 Staff Handbook Board Approved Date: July 27, 2019

36

When you return from Military Leave, you will be reinstated to your previous position or a position of like seniority, status and pay you would have attained if you had remained continuously employed. For the purpose of determining benefits that are based on length of service, you will be treated as if you had been continuously employed.

If you have questions about Military Leave, contact Human Resources for more information.

Pregnancy Accommodations The School District will provide reasonable accommodations to an employee for health conditions related to pregnancy or childbirth if she so requests, with the advice of her licensed health care provider or certified doula, unless doing so would impose an undue hardship on the company. “Reasonable accommodation" may include, but is not limited to, temporary transfer to a less strenuous or hazardous position, seating, more frequent restroom, food and water breaks, and limits to heavy lifting.

At a minimum, the School District will offer the following accommodations to the pregnant employee without requiring them to seek advice of her licensed health care provider or certified doula: more frequent restroom, food and water breaks; seating; and limits on lifting over 20 pounds.

The School District will not retaliate against an employee for requesting or obtaining accommodation under this section. Further The School District shall not require an employee to take a leave or accept an accommodation.

Nursing Mother Accommodations The School District complies with state law allowing employees who need to express breast milk for infant children reasonable unpaid break time. If possible, the employee’s break time will run concurrently with any other break time already provided to the employee. The School District will make reasonable efforts to provide a room or other location that is shielded from view, free from intrusion from coworkers and the public and includes access to an electrical outlet for the employee to express her milk in privacy.

The School District will not retaliate against an employee for asserting her rights under this MN statute.

School Activities Leave The School District provides a maximum of 16 hours of unpaid leave during any 12 months’ period for a Minnesota employee to attend conferences or activities related to the School District, child care or pre- kindergarten program of the mployee’s child.

This leave is available only if the conferences or classroom activities cannot be scheduled during non- work hours and the employee must make a reasonable effort to schedule the leave so as not to disrupt the School District operations unduly. When the need for leave is foreseeable, the employee must provide reasonable notice of leave.

Short Term Absences There may be times when you are absent from work on a short-term basis. If your absence has not been previously scheduled, you must personally notify your immediate supervisor or Logistics Officer or designee as soon as you are aware that you will be late or unable to report to work. Leaving a voicemail or a message with another staff member does not qualify as notifying your supervisor – you must personally speak to, send an email, or send a text to him/her. Failure to notify will be misconduct and will be grounds for termination.

When absence is due to illness, the School District reserves the right to require appropriate medical documentation. Excessive absenteeism or tardiness can result in corrective action, up to and including discharge. (Also see the section on Family & Medical Leave for extended leave situations.)

Bereavement All full time employees are allowed paid time off in the event of a death in the family. The purpose of this leave is to supply employees with time to arrange and attend the funeral. The School District may request for proof. Please see the schedule for time off below:

School District 4171-07 Staff Handbook Board Approved Date: July 27, 2019

37

 Up to 5 paid days -- Spouse, Child, Parent, Mother-In-Law, Father-In-Law  Up to 3 days – Sibling

Additional unpaid leave may be granted with the approval of their immediate supervisor.

Jury Duty The School District recognizes that serving as a juror is one of the normal obligations of citizenship. While serving on jury duty, if an employee is excused from jury duty at any time during his/her scheduled work-shift, the employee is expected to return to work. If you are called during a particularly busy period, we may ask you to request a postponement. The School District will provide additional documentation in this regard, if necessary, to obtain such postponement. Salaried employees will be paid the difference between his/her normal wage and the wage received as a juror for up to a two-week work period.

Witness Leave An Employee called to appear as a witness will be permitted time off to appear, but without pay.

Voting Leave The School District encourages all employees to vote. Most polling facilities for elections for public office are scheduled to accommodate working voters. The School District, therefore, requests that employees schedule their voting for before or after their work shift. An employee who expects a conflict, however, should notify his/her supervisor in advance so that schedules can be adjusted if necessary and appropriate.

Bone Marrow Donor Leave An eligible employee is an employee who works an average of at least 20 hours per week. You may request leave to serve as a bone marrow donor if you are a match to someone needing the donation. Notify Human Resources that you need to take leave at least 30 days before the procedure is scheduled to take place. Written medical certification of the need for leave is also required.

Bone Marrow Donor Leave will be paid and may last up to 5 days, including any time needed for testing before the procedure. Leave will not generally be granted more than once in a 12-month period.

The School District will not retaliate against you for requesting or obtaining a Bone Marrow Donor Leave.

SABBATICAL LEAVE: The Board of Directors may grant one sabbatical leave of absence per fiscal year for the purpose of study or research and should the Board of Directors grant the sabbatical, the Human Resource Department will administer the sabbatical leave process. To be eligible for consideration, an employee must have completed seven (7) full consecutive years of service with this District and agree to return to full time employment with this District for at least two (2) consecutive fiscal years. An employee who is within two (2) years of eligibility for retirement shall not be eligible for sabbatical leave. If this employee’s service is discontinued for any reason other than because of incapacity to work or discontinuance of position before the expiration of the two (2) fiscal years, the employee shall pay back to the District the prorated part of the sabbatical allowance.

Applications for sabbatical leave of absence shall be made in writing to the Logistics Officer by March 15. The Logistics Officer or the appropriate administrative designee shall review all applications for sabbatical leave and make a recommendation to the Board of Directors for its consideration.

Employees may receive as a sabbatical leave allowance, at their option, a full year’s salary for one-half (½) of their normal work year or one-half (½) of their regular salary for a leave of absence equal to their normal work year.

Employees may apply for unpaid leaves of absence for any period of consecutive days. Such leaves of absence must be approved by the employee’s immediate supervisor and the Logistics Officer and are wholly discretionary on the part of the immediate supervisor and the Logistics Officer. Applicants must have been employed full-time by the School for at least seven years and must meet the following criteria:  The employee's work performance is superior and on quota.  The employer deems that there are acceptable resources and adequate coverage available during the employee's absence. School District 4171-07 Staff Handbook Board Approved Date: July 27, 2019

38

 The employee provides a detailed description and documentation of the work opportunity.  The employee understands and accepts that this is a leave without pay.  The employee has not taken an unpaid leave of absence in the prior two years.  The employee and supervisor agree and understand that the position will remain open and available when the employee returns. Should the employee fail to return to work at the end of the agreed period of time, the position will be terminated. If an employee has secured an outside work opportunity of longer duration, such as a university fellowship or book contract, the employee may request up to a 12-month leave of absence as long as he/she has been a full-time employee of the School District for five years. The above criteria also apply.

In the case of a fellowship, the leave of absence shall cover the duration of the fellowship only, but may not exceed 12 months. No more than one employee per calendar year may be granted an unpaid leave of absence.

Employees on paid and unpaid leaves of absence may continue health and life insurance. Employees on paid leaves of absence must pay their portion of premium (if any). Employees on unpaid leaves must pay the full premium cost for coverage. Failure to pay premiums when due will cause coverage to lapse. Employees who allow health insurance coverage to lapse while on leave must re-enroll to obtain coverage. An employee who does not re-enroll within 30 calendar days of returning from leave, must wait for the next open enrollment period to enroll.

NOTE: This leave is not intended to be an extension of FMLA, STD/LTD and/or any other current benefit provided by the School. This policy does not constitute a guarantee of continued employment. Rather, employment with the School is on an "at will" basis.

VIII. SEPARATION FROM EMPLOYMENT

Voluntary Termination - voluntary employment termination initiated by the employee and/or employer

If the employee wishes to terminate his/her terms of employment before the end of the year, he/she must obtain a resignation form from the Human Resources Specialist and return the completed form to the Logistics Officer or designee.

Employees who miss two consecutive days without calling to report their absence will be considered a voluntary termination.

Involuntary Termination Involuntary employment termination initiated by t he School District for reasons other than those described below under Layoff, Reduction in Force.

Layoff; Reduction in Force An employee may be laid off under certain circumstances, including but not limited to a lack of work or funds, elimination of position, or changes in the organizational structure or operations of t he School District.

There are no recall or reemployment rights at t he School District, although ex-employees in good standing, who are laid off or subject to reduction in force, are free to apply when t he School District is again seeking applicants.

The School District will seek to provide advance notice to its employees if it becomes necessary to terminate their employment by layoff or reduction in force. However, the School District does not guarantee such notice, and reserves it’s at-will right to terminate for any reason, with or without cause so long as no state, federal or local laws are violated.

Since employment with the School District is based on mutual consent, the School District reserves the right to terminate any employee’s employment at-will, for any reason, with or without cause so long as no state, federal or local laws are violated, at any time. Employees have the same right.

Upon receipt of an employee’s notification of resignation, an may be scheduled to resolve outstanding issues such as final pay, payment of employee debts, return of any property within the employee’s possession, and any concerns

School District 4171-07 Staff Handbook Board Approved Date: July 27, 2019

39 of the employee. The Employer may advance the effective date of resignation to an earlier date.

Terminated employees may be required to sign a release of all claims the law allows against the School District. All properties owned by the School District must be returned prior to release of final paycheck.

If terminated, the School District reserves the right to take any legal action if so required.

Return of Property Any property issued to employees such as computer equipment, keys, parking permits, swipe cards, etc. must be returned to t he School District at the end of the ye a r and on the last day of employee contract or at the time of termination. Employees will be responsible and pay the appropriate assigned fees while in his/her possession in/outside of premises for any lost, stolen, or damaged item(s).

IX. GENERAL SCHOOL PROCEDURES

Keys Employees are responsible for classroom keys. If keys are lost, please advise the Logistics Officer or designee immediately. You will be responsible for replacement costs. Students should not be allowed to use employee’s keys.

Employees who leave the employer of the School District must turn in all keys assigned to them. All staff must return all keys to Administration before leaving for summer break. A checklist of all items needing to be returned to Administration will be provided toward the end of the school year.

Personal Appliances in the Workplace

Personal appliances such as printers and other related technology items that require direct connection to the School District’s properties are not allowed on school premises. Approval from administration will need to be acquired for other personal appliances requiring electrical connection or a power source for operation, including microwaves, refrigerators, and coffee makers. This can be done by completing the Request for Use of Personal Appliance form in the main office. If the application is approved, the employee will be responsible to pay an electricity usage fee of $10 per appliance, per school year.

Multicultural Awareness Each teacher is expected to assure to the best of his or her ability that the cultures, contribution, history and perspectives of all people are accurately represented in the curriculum, classroom décor and in all aspects of the school program. Teachers are expected to be continually growing in their knowledge of the cultures represented at the School District.

“You cannot teach a child who you do not love. You cannot teach a child who you do not respect. You cannot teach a child who you do not understand. You cannot teach a child who you are afraid of. You cannot teach a child if your ‘political baggage’ i.e. sexism and racism, is brought into the classroom. You cannot teach a child without bonding first, which results from love, respect and understanding.” -Jawanza Kunjufu

Workshops Employees may be required to attend various workshops. As a general rule, workshop fees will be paid by the School District. If employment is voluntarily terminated prior to the workshop but after fees have been paid, any financial expense will be deducted from the employee’s final paycheck.

Identification Badges: All School District staff are required to wear their employee identification badges during work hours. There are no exceptions to this policy. If you need a replacement badge, please notify the administrative office. Charges will be assessed if more than one replacement is needed within a school year.

School District 4171-07 Staff Handbook Board Approved Date: July 27, 2019

40

School Events: The School District will have several school events throughout the year. All staff are required to participate in all school events. Dates and times of these events will be communicated to all staff as soon as they have been scheduled.

Visitors All visitors, including family members, spouse, and children, must first be approved of by the Logistics Officer and/or Academic Officer. The employee must inform the Logistics Officer and/or Academic Officer of the date and time in which their visitor(s) will be on the School District premise. Once approved, the visitor(s) may then arrive accordingly.

Safety and Security Policy Providing a safe school environment for our students is of utmost importance for the School District. Schools may not have control over all hazards that impact them or be able to prevent all emergencies. However, schools can take action to minimize their impact and/or reduce the likelihood of such events.

A key component of keeping our students safe is to control who is allowed access to the building and therefore the students. While we realize this can create some inconveniences, we believe the overall goal of safety and security for all students is of paramount importance and therefore warrants precautionary procedures.

In order to control who has access to the building (and therefore the students) all visitors, including parents and volunteers, must stop at the main office to sign in and obtain a visitor’s nametag. In addition, all visitors, including parents must sign out when they leave the building. All visitors must first be approved by the Logistics Officer or designee.

In addition, during school hours all students that are being picked up and dropped off must be signed-in and/or signed-out by a parent or guardian.

When parents need to pick up their child for an appointment, front desk staff will contact the appropriate teacher to release the student to the main office for pick up. At no time should visitors or parents go alone to the classroom without permission.

In cases where parents request to visit a classroom, the teacher must arrange this ahead of time with the parents and notify the Logistics Officer or designee as to the day and time, so that preparations can be made. Safety is everyone’s responsibility. Staff members are expected to question any visitor not displaying a visitor’s nametag, and escort that visitor to the main office or administration for clarification of visit and for assistance.

No person will be allowed to contact students in school. Teachers will refer request by strangers to speak to children or to pick them up from school directly to the Logistics Officer or designee.

Volunteers All volunteers, including family members and chaperones, must be identified at the beginning of the school year by staff. Staff will distribute the Volunteer Application (including a background check form) and Volunteer Guidelines to their appropriate volunteers to complete; these forms are to be turned in to the Personnel/Administrative Specialist to file away. If volunteers/chaperones have not completed these forms prior to their arrival, they will not be granted permission to participate. These forms will be needed two weeks prior to their first volunteer date. An individual’s volunteer status is based on the result of a background check.

School District 4171-07 Staff Handbook Board Approved Date: July 27, 2019

41