SCHOOL BOARD 3
ADMINISTRATION 3
RULES AND REGULATIONS CONCERNING SUPPORT STAFF PERSONNEL 4
EMPLOYMENT 5
EMPLOYMENT YEAR 5
JOB CLASSIFICATIONS 5
SALARY SCHEDULE 5
SUBSTITUTE PAY 6
COMPENSATION 6
PAYROLL 6
TIME CLOCKS 6
OVERTIME 6
COMPENSATORY TIME 7
WEATHER DAYS 7
PHYSICAL OR MENTAL EXAMINATION 7
TERMINATION OF EMPLOYMENT 7
COMPENSATION UPON TERMINATION 7
FRINGE BENEFITS 7
HEALTH INSURANCE 7
12 Month Employees 7
9-11 Month Employees 8
LONG-TERM DISABILITY INSURANCE 8
403B Tax Sheltered Savings 8
RETIREMENT 8
HOLIDAY PAY 8
PAID VACATIONS 9
ACTIVITY PASSES 9
LEAVES 9
SICK LEAVE 9
Immediate Family 9
Number of Days; Accumulation 10
Unused Sick Leave 10
Reduction of Sick Leave Entitlement 10
Use for Family Members and Dependent Children 10
Certification of Illness, Disability, or Ability 10
PERSONAL LEAVE 10
Number of Day; Accumulation 11
Leave Without Pay 11
Unused Personal Leave 11
Grandparents Leave 11
PROFESSIONAL LEAVE 11
BEREAVEMENT LEAVE 11
Approval of Leave 11
Reduction of Bereavement Leave Entitlement 12
ADOPTION/MATERNITY LEAVE 12
BOARD OF EDUCATION POLICIES 12
ACCIDENTS TO EMPLOYEES 12
ASBESTOS ABATEMENT 12
ALCOHOL AND DRUG FREE WORKPLACE 12
SMOKING 13
DISCRIMINATION GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE 13
SEXUAL HARASSMENT 13
OTHER WORK REGULATIONS 15
DEFINITIONS OF TERMS 16
PERSONAL CONDUCT 16
COMPUTER USAGE 16
PHONE USAGE 17
HONESTY 17
PERSONAL APPEARANCE 17
EQUIPMENT CARE 17
SAFETY 17
PROHIBITED PRACTICES 17
DISCIPLINE 18
OTHER TERMS OF EMPLOYEMENT 18
NON-SCHOOL EMPLOYMENT 18
RECEIVING AGENTS OR SALESMEN 18
PURCHASING 19
PERSONNEL RECORDS 19
TEMPORARY AND PART-TIME PERSONNEL 19
EVALUATION OF PERFORMANCE 19
VOLUNTARY TERMINATION 19
NONDISCRIMINATION IN EDUCATION 20
Crete Public Schools
SCHOOL BOARD
Matt Hanson, President 826-4835
Bill Lorenz, Vice-President 826-5278
Laura Ebke, Secretary 826-4704
Tom King 826-3835
Dennis Isernhagen 826-9099
Thad Sears 862-5605
ADMINISTRATION
Kyle McGowan, Superintendent 826-5855 or 877-826-1011
Valorie Foy, Director of Instruction 826-5855 or 877-826-1011
Sandra Rosenboom, Business Manager 826-5855 or 877-826-1011
Bret Schroder, Elementary Principal 826-5822 or 877-826-1017
Diane Bruha, Elementary Asst. Principal/Dir. of Sp. Ed. 826-5833 or 877-826-1017
Kim Jacobson, Middle School Principal 826-5844 or 877-826-1018
Tim Conway, High School Principal 826-5811 or 877-826-1019
Steve Teget, MS-HS Asst. Principal 826-5811 or 826-5844 or 877-826-1019
Jim Moore, Activities Director 826-5811 or 877-826-1019
Crete Public Schools
RULES AND REGULATIONS CONCERNING SUPPORT STAFF PERSONNEL
The Board, upon recommendation of the Superintendent, shall employ, assign, transfer, reclassify, and terminate the service of support staff personnel and approve rules and regulations governing their employment.
This handbook is intended to provide general information about the operation, practices, and procedures of the school district. It is not a contract, and should not be relied upon as such. The Board of Education may change policies at any time, and the administration may change rules, regulations or handbook provisions at any time. Copies of board policies are available in each school building, and those who have questions about the handbook should refer to the policies, or direct their questions to the building principal or superintendent of schools.
EMPLOYMENT
Support staff personnel are hired as “at will” employees and the duties of the employee are subject to the assignment by the Superintendent and the employee’s supervisor. The offer of employment creates no property right in continued employment.
EMPLOYMENT YEAR
The employment year for support staff employees will be from August 1 to July 31.
JOB CLASSIFICATIONS
Classifications of job categories for support staff will be as follows:
1. Technology Specialist
2. Adult Ed/Special Programs Director
3. Bookkeeper
4. Maintenance/Head Custodian
5. Food Service Manager
6. Special Programs Staff
7. Professional Health Employee
8. Custodian
9. Secretary
10. Food Service Technician
11. Para Educator
12. Special Education Para Educator
13. Translators
14. Full-time Substitute Teacher
Employees in categories 1 through 5 will be employed on a salaried basis. Category 6 varies by job assignment. Employees in categories 7 through 13 will be employed on an hourly basis. Category 14 is paid on a daily basis.
SALARY SCHEDULE
All employees placed on the support staff salary schedule shall receive their new salary status and classification in conjunction with the new school year for the school district. New salary and benefits shall be effective beginning with September paychecks of each year and continue without change unless by action of the Board at a regularly scheduled meeting, until the end of the July payroll period.
Initial wage placement for hourly employees will be according to rates determined annually by the Board of Education. Salary adjustments for all support staff will be considered prior to the beginning of the new school year.
New employees must have worked for the district no less than four calendar months to be eligible for the first step on the longevity column of the salary schedule.
SUBSTITUTE PAY
Temporary and substitute employees will be paid according to the salary schedule approved by the Board of Education. All substitutes who work at the same assignment for more than ten consecutive days, will receive the substitute rate of pay plus $.50 per hour beginning with the eleventh day. Leave benefits applying to the job in the care of the substitute, if the substitute has held that position during the entire sixty (60) days, may be thereinafter granted to that substitute.
COMPENSATION
Nine month employees may elect to annualize their compensation over twelve equal installments.
1. Due to recent IRS regulations, you must make a written election to have your compensation annualized.
2. IRS regulations provide that, once you have signed the agreement, you may not revoke it.
All personnel shall be paid once each month on the fifteenth (15th) day of the month or the first working day immediately following the fifteenth (15th). The check reflects time worked from the first of the preceding month to the end of that month.
PAYROLL
All payroll is paid through direct deposit on the 15th of the month or the first working day immediately following the fifteenth (15th) following the month worked. It is the responsibility of the employee to be sure that the account numbers and routing numbers are current and correct.
TIME CLOCKS
Hourly employees shall clock in daily using technology provided. If time management technology is not available in the work area, personnel shall turn in time cards weekly; such cards shall be signed by the employee’s immediate supervisor to verify the work record on the time card. It is the responsibility of the employee to clock in and out and to be sure all necessary information is to the bookkeeper by the end of the month in order to be paid on the 15th of the following month.
OVERTIME
All overtime work must be approved by the immediate supervisor before the work is performed.
Hourly employees will be paid at the rate of one and one-half their normal rate of pay for any work hours exceeding 40 hours in one week.
Meetings scheduled beyond the normal working hours for the day will be paid at the normal rate of pay for the employee except when such hours would result in a total of over 40 hours for the employee’s work week, in which case time and one-half will be paid for the number of hours exceeding the 40 hours.
COMPENSATORY TIME
Compensatory time may be taken in lieu of payment for extra hours worked, if proper forms are filed. No more than 150 hours may be accumulated at any one time. A week shall be defined as Sunday through Saturday.
WEATHER DAYS
When inclement weather or other reasons force a cancellation of school, hourly employees who have not been notified and present themselves for work shall be guaranteed a minimum of pay equal to one hour at their normal rate of pay. Employees asked to remain home, as a usual policy on such days shall not report to work unless specifically requested to do so. No sick leave or other leave will be granted during such days unless the employee has been specifically required to report for work and cannot because of illness or other reasons as allowed by other Rules and Regulations. Personal leave may be granted upon request to hourly employees for weather days. Twelve-month employees may request vacation during school cancellation days unless specifically requested to report to work.
PHYSICAL OR MENTAL EXAMINATION
A physical or mental examination may be required at any time by the Board of Education if a question arises regarding an employee’s health interfering with his or her adequate contractual performance. Such examination shall be at the board’s expense and performed by a physician who shall be named by the board. Results of the examination shall be provided to the Board of Education, in compliance with the Privacy Act.
TERMINATION OF EMPLOYMENT
COMPENSATION UPON TERMINATION
The offer of employment creates no property right in continued employment and may be terminated by either party, with or without cause or hearing, upon giving two (2) calendar weeks notice. The Superintendent may, acting upon his or her own initiative, terminate the employee’s employment and such termination will be effective two (2) calendar weeks from the date of the Superintendent’s notice. (See Current Salary Schedule.)
FRINGE BENEFITS
The professional health employees will receive all fringe benefits and leaves as the staff covered by the negotiated agreement with the Crete Education Association for the current year.
HEALTH INSURANCE
12 Month Employees
Twelve month (full time) employees in categories one through nine will be entitled to family, employee/spouse, employee/child or single coverage as their dependent status requires. Employees may also choose a high deductible plan that allows them to save money for health expenses in a Health Savings Account.
For 12-month employees who work less than 8 hours per day, the district will pay a prorated share of the health insurance premium based on the employee’s percentage of employment.
9-11 Month Employees
Employees who work 9-11 months may choose to receive 50% of a single health insurance plan. The district will pay half of the premium ($2,854.98) for single coverage with a $600 deductible ($1,200 deductible if you take family coverage). The employee would pay the balance of the cost through payroll deductions. Employees may also choose a high deductible plan (HDHP) that allows them to save money for health expenses in a Health Savings Account. The lower premium of the HDHP results in a lower amount the employee pays. If a nine, ten or eleven-month employee works another job in the summer to get to 12 months of employment, this does not entitle that employee to health insurance plan provided twelve month (full time) employees.
LONG-TERM DISABILITY INSURANCE
All support staff employees who work 20 hours a week or more will be covered under the long-term disability insurance plan of the district at no cost to the employee.
403B Tax Sheltered Savings
All employees who work an average of 20 hours per week during the school year may contribute to a 403B approved account through a pre-tax payroll deduction. This allows the employee to save extra money for retirement on a tax-deferred basis. To initiate this deduction see the school business manager or bookkeeper.
RETIREMENT
All support staff are eligible to join the Nebraska School Employee Retirement System (NSERS). According to regulations from NSERS, employees who work fifteen (15) hours a week or more must be enrolled in NSERS. As a member of NSERS employees contribute a percent of their gross compensation. The employee contribution rate is set by the Public Employees Retirement Board. The district is required by retirement law to match the employee contribution at the rate of 101%.
HOLIDAY PAY
All support staff who work 30 hours a week or more will receive leave with pay for approved holidays, which fall in their normal work schedule. If the holiday falls on a Saturday, the Friday before the holiday will be observed as the holiday. If the holiday falls on a Sunday, the Monday following the holiday will be observed as the holiday. Holidays approved are as follows:
· Labor Day
· Thanksgiving Day
· Day after Thanksgiving
· Christmas Day
· New Year’s Day
· Good Friday
· Memorial Day
· Independence Day
Christmas Eve Day will be observed as a paid holiday for all 12-month employees. When Christmas Eve day falls on a Saturday or Sunday, the Friday before will be observed as a holiday. When Christmas Eve Day falls on a Friday, the Thursday before will be observed as a holiday.
PAID VACATIONS
Support staff employees who work twelve months of the year will annually receive ten days paid vacation, fifteen days paid vacation after ten years of continuous service and twenty days paid vacation after twenty years of continuous service. Vacation hours will be credited monthly according to the employee’s time of service (6.67) hours/month for up to 10 years of service, 10 hours/month for 11 to 20 years of service, 13.33 hours/month for 21 or more years of service). No more than five days vacation may be carried over into the next year. Due to the work to be done during summer months and the need for employees to be on duty during scheduled school days, vacations will be arranged with the immediate supervisor. Unused vacation days must be taken before the termination date of voluntary termination of an employee. Employees working a 9-month position and adding a summer position to work all 12 months are not entitled to accumulate vacation.
ACTIVITY PASSES
All staff shall have the opportunity to secure a yearly activity pass for home school activities. To be eligible to receive a personal activity pass, staff must work a minimum of one (1) activity event as assigned by the administration. Staff who wish to secure a spouse pass must work a minimum of two (2) events annually. Staff who wish to secure a family activity pass must work a total of three (3) events. An activity event is defined in the teacher’s negotiated agreement. Support staff will be paid at the same rate as the certified staff. Staff will submit a time card to the Activities Director indicating hours/date of work at activities.
LEAVES
Support staff will be granted sick, personal, professional, bereavement, and adoption leave as listed below.
SICK LEAVE