GCK PROFESSIONAL STAFF ASSIGNMENTS
AND TRANSFERS
GCK Teaching Assignments and
Employment Qualifications
The Superintendent shall be responsible for the assignment of all staff members. Assignment of personnel to existing vacancies shall be based on District needs consistent with stated goals and objectives. Voluntary participation of staff members in the selection process by involvement in screening, interviewing, and other means shall be encouraged and implemented to the extent practical, given time lines and other logistical considerations. Given the preeminence of District goals, staffing of existing vacancies is determined on the basis of personnel who:
● Meet the requirements necessary to implement the educational program of the school.
● Possess the qualifications, skills, and competencies necessary for the position and are highly qualified.
● Contribute to the ethnic and gender balance of the school whenever possible.
● Desire to teach in a particular school.
Staff members are individually responsible for maintaining a valid Arizona certificate for their assigned position. Certificates shall be recorded with the Coconino County School Superintendent's office and the District Human Resources office by March 23,2010. Failure to fulfill this responsibility may result in suspension from contract duties and a loss of salary.
Staff members shall not be assigned duties outside the scope of their teaching certificates or major or minor fields of study, except in emergency situations.
Each school year, teachers shall be consulted by their principal regarding the subjects or grade level they would prefer to teach. The principal shall then develop a teaching schedule based upon consideration of the staff member's stated preference, professional preparation and teaching experience, and qualifications to the greatest extent possible. Each teacher shall be notified of his assignment by the principal. A staff member who does not agree to his assignment is encouraged to meet with the principal to appeal for a change in assignment.
Principals shall make every effort to inform teachers of their assignments for the ensuing school year prior to the closing of the school year then in progress. If changes in teaching assignments must be made after that time, the principal shall attempt to contact the teacher as soon as possible.
Any assignments in addition to the normal teaching schedule, such as those enumerated in the Extra Pay for Extra Services Schedule, shall be made with the consent of the teacher. Such assignments shall be listed in a separate contract.
Any teacher who has reached continuing status and who has been placed in a supervisory or administrative position and who is later returned to teacher status shall be entitled to such rights as teachers have under District policies. Previous salary placement shall be restored to the teacher by step advancement consistent with the District salary schedule with steps awarded during years serving in an administrative position.
Assignment Reduction
Continuing secondary teachers who are interested in assignment reduction (part-time employment) shall present their proposals to their principals for review and recommendation to District administration for approval. The needs of the school and students will take priority in these decisions. If an assignment consisting of less than two-fifths (2/5) is offered to the teacher, the teacher will be advised, prior to acceptance of the assignment, that loss of continuing teacher status will ensue. Return to full-time employment shall be at the discretion of the District. All rights, benefits, and privileges granted to part-time continuing teachers will be granted to teachers who have selected reduced-assignment contracts [A.R.S. 15-502].
Teacher Vacancies and Transfers
Vacancies
A vacancy is the availability of a teaching position previously held by a staff member or a newly created teaching position, except those filled via the Reassignment "Within School" or the "Mutual Transfer" sections below. Positions held at the end of the individual's term of contract that hold "balance of the year," "one year only," or "job shared" contracts become vacancies at the discretion of the Superintendent after all District-initiated transfers, if any, are complete.
For purposes of transfer, a school shall be identified by its state identification number.
Once a vacancy is determined the District shall open it to all interested persons both in and out of District at the same time. Principals may interview any applicants for a vacancy who possess the qualifications, skills, and competencies necessary to implement the educational program of the school.
During the school year, the Superintendent shall distribute to the Association and all schools notice of vacancies that occur. Such notices shall be posted on designated areas at each site and shall include a description of the position, qualifications, site, grade level and/or subject level, and other pertinent information.
As soon as practical, the Superintendent shall provide the Association and all schools with a written list of known vacancies to occur during the following school year.
All vacancies will be posted at all sites and posted on the Internet on a weekly basis year-round. Teachers interested in applying for posted vacancies shall have the responsibility for applying to Human Resources for any position for which the teacher is interested and qualified.
Reassignment within schools
Principals may reassign full-time, continuing teachers within the building based on staffing needs. Principals shall make these reassignments following discussions with the affected individuals within the school staff and shall notify the Superintendent of such reassignments.
Mutual transfer requests
Teachers and/or the District may initiate mutually agreeable transfers in accordance with this section. Such mutually agreeable transfers must be consistent with "Teacher Assignments and Employment Qualifications" and must be agreeable to the teachers being transferred, the Superintendent or the Superintendent's designee, and administrators of the affected schools.
District-initiated transfer
A District-initiated transfer of certificated personnel, including supervisors or administrators who are returning to teacher status may be made by the District if it is deemed necessary to prevent overstaffing of a building or to prevent disruption of the educational program.
The District will seek volunteers for a District-initiated transfer. If an involuntary transfer becomes necessary, the individuals will be transferred based on the teacher's qualifications meeting the building, program, or department requirements and the least length of certificated service in the District according to the actual date of hire. Length of service in the District must be consistent with the Seniority Index.
No District-initiated transfer shall be arbitrary, capricious, or without basis in fact. The provisions listed under "District-initiated transfers" are subject to the Grievance Procedure.
In the event of a District-initiated transfer, whether voluntary or not, the District will assume the responsibility for moving teacher materials to the assigned setting. If notification is less than two (2) weeks before date of transfer, a transferred teacher shall have up to two (2) working days without instructional duties to prepare for the new assignment.
Following are the guidelines for District-initiated transfer:
● In making District-initiated transfers, the District will consider any previous District-initiated transfer and - other factors being equal - will select the least-recently District-initiated transferred individual for transfer. A teacher who volunteers to become a District-initiated transfer to another school shall be included when considering the least recently transferred individual.
● Each principal shall provide the District a list of vacant positions along with a description of and the qualifications for each position within the building and/or the number of staff members unassigned.
● District-initiated transfers shall be provided a list of all known vacancies in the District. If multiple transfer positions are available, District-initiated transfers may designate up to four (4) positions of transfer and the order of preference. The District will offer the teacher one (1) of the four (4) requested positions, considering the best interest of the District, and with input from the receiving principal, the qualifications, skills, and competencies necessary to implement the educational program of the school and for which they have identified a preference. The position will be offered by the Superintendent or the Superintendent's designee.
● Each District-initiated transfer shall be encouraged to schedule an interview with the principal for the vacant position for which s/he indicates a preference.
● Should two (2) or more teachers designate the same preferred position(s), the Superintendent or the Superintendent's designee, with input from the receiving principal, shall offer the position consistent with the teacher's qualifications, skills, and competencies necessary to implement the educational program of the school and the Seniority Index.
● Teachers without assignments within the District and whose preferred position(s) of transfer no longer exist shall be assigned by the Superintendent or designee consistent with the "Teaching Assignments and Employment Qualifications" outlined above.
● The District shall continually provide to these teachers a list of known vacancies. The teacher may designate preferred position(s) of transfer. No transfer may be made after the first day of instruction of a school year except in emergency situations or when mutually agreed upon by the teacher and the District in the best interests of the students. Other exceptions may be granted by the Superintendent on a case-by-case basis.
● A Leave of Absence (LOA) does not start until August of the following year; therefore, a teacher may be assigned to another position within the building or to a different building prior to the effective date of transfer.
● If a District-initiated transfer opts for a one-year-only position over a continuing position, the individual will be considered a District-initiated transfer the next year.
● For special-area programs, including special education self-contained, that move to a new location in the District, the move is not a District-initiated transfer.
● Fulltime continuing special education resource, or self-contained teachers shall be considered building staff members if the program is collapsed, partially collapsed, or the school principal offers a position based on staffing needs.
● District-wide assignments include the following program areas: Elementary Art, Elementary Gifted/TAG, Elementary P.E., Elementary Music/Band/Strings, Nurses, Occupational Therapists, Physical Therapists, Speech Therapists, and other multiple assignments that may require travel between schools/buildings.
■ For the purpose of determining which teacher is transferred from a program area, if two (2) or more teachers possess the qualifications, skills, and competencies necessary to implement the educational program at the new school, length of certificated service in the program area shall be the determining factor.
■ A transfer is defined as a voluntary or involuntary change of assignment and/or building. A teacher will be transferred to a new building based on the teacher's qualifications meeting the building program and course of department requirements.
Teacher-initiated transfer
Staff members who desire a change in grade level and/or subject assignment and/or building shall submit a transfer request to their principal and the personnel office prior to the application deadline for the vacancy. Such request shall be considered an application for the vacancy; however, staff members are strongly encouraged to submit a new application, resume, and supplemental information as deemed appropriate. In addition, staff members may have access to interview training materials available in the human resources office.
Consideration of all teacher-initiated transfer requests shall be consistent with the "Teaching Assignments and Employment Qualifications" section and "Vacancies and Transfers" section of this handbook with the following exceptions:
● No teacher-initiated transfer may be made after the first day of instruction of a school year, unless such transfer would result in an increase in salary for the transferred employee. Exceptions may be granted by the Superintendent.
● No teacher-initiated transfer for one-year-only assignments will be made to a vacancy created by a staff member's transfer to a one-year-only assignment. A teacher transferring to a one-year-only assignment must agree to return to his/her previous assignment the following year.
No teacher-initiated transfer request shall be administered in a manner that is arbitrary, capricious, or without basis in fact. The provisions herein listed under "Teacher-initiated transfers" are subject to the Grievance Procedure.
In the event of a teacher-initiated transfer, the District will assist the staff member by moving such large personal items as file cabinets and furniture.
Notice shall be provided each in-District staff member who applies for a transfer (vacancy) and is not selected for the vacancy. Such notice may be verbal or written and shall advise the staff member why another individual was selected, and shall be provided in a timely manner.
The District will periodically provide principals and other administrators with written reminders that they are to comply with the above agreed-to interview conference/notice in a timely manner. The District will also provide the Association annually with a statistical summary of the number of transfer requests and the number of successful transfers.
Administrative and Supervisory
Personnel
Principals, assistant principals, supervisors, and directors wishing to transfer or move from one (1) building or position to another building or position should submit written requests to the Superintendent. All such requests shall be given due consideration, and all transfers and moves will be made on the basis of the following:
● The best interests of the students and educational programs.
● The needs of the District.
Such transfers and moves will not necessarily be granted on the basis of seniority.
Adopted: March 11, 2010