Process on changing your school site calendar – it cannot be imposed!

Under the VEA/VCUSD Collective Bargaining agreement, the district is responsible for setting the start and end time of our day. However, it is staff at school sites that have the ultimate say in the hours within the day. Under 5.11, any change in the bell schedule has to go through a process, which requires a development of a leadership team (not just selected by site administration), a poll and a vote of all impacted staff.

At the start of the current school year, the district tried to make substantial changes to the calendars used at our middle schools. Specifically, there was an attempt to standardized the minimum days at the middle schools. While VEA doesn’t have an outright problem with this standardization, what we do believe is that ALL members should have a say in this process and a right to vote on any changes on calendars at each school site.

If your site administrator presents any change to the student/teacher work day in the the 2013-14 calendar, remind them of 5.11 of the VEA/VCUSD CBA. VEA recognizes that each school site is unique and their calendar is a reflection of what teachers, support staff, and administration has developed for a variety of reasons. No calendar should be imposed on your staff. It is imperative that any school site that believes they are being forced to change their calendar, contact VEA in order to help you through this process.

Some school sites may choose to retain their current calendar. Even if you are rolling your current calendar over into the 2013-14, school sites are encouraged to still follow the process as defined under 5.11 of the CBA, including voting on maintaining your current calendar. This vote has to take place by May 1st!

Please be advised that each school site should vote on their calendar for the upcoming school year – even if there are no changes. However, if no vote takes place, then your current calendar automatically rolls over into the next school year. NO vote equals maintaining the status quo on your school site calendar.

Please contact your VEA Director for more information.

Elementary:
Teri Nutt
Loree Tackmier
Katie Vevoda

Middle School:
Katherine Catanzarite
Lynette Henley

High School:
Scott Heinecke
Rob Raven

Adult School:
Effie Dudley

Special Education:
Deanna Dunn