CLASSIFIED ADVISORY COUNCIL MINUTES

February 22, 2005

MEMBERS PRESENT: Phyllis Abernathy, Gail Grime – Paraeducators; Fay Isaacs – Secretary/Clerical; Marcus Dobbs, Bob Glass, Scott LaFollette (alt.) – Transportation; Jo Ann Bright, Scott O’Hair – Custodial; Linda Stewart – Food Service; Terri Horn – Plant Operations; Doug Botkin – Maintenance; Jim Adams- Technology.

ADMINISTRATORS PRESENT: Stu Silberman, Superintendent; Mary Browning, CFO; Elizabeth Simpson, Human Resources.

OLD BUSINESS

No old Business

NEW BUSINESS

CUSTODIAL

Scott O’Hair asked why custodians are being told to paint certain areas of the building and use other chemicals (e.g. denatured alcohol). There was one school in particular where this was happening (Rosa Parks). Mary Browning indicated she would check on it.

Scott O’Hair indicated that custodians are told they have to monitor children at after school events. Stu responded that custodians should not be asked to supervise students.

MAINTENANCE

Doug Botkin asked if Fayette County would be getting any additional SEEK money from the State. Stu responded that maybe we would get a break this year – it’s up to the legislators but we should keep our fingers crossed.

PARAEDUCATORS

Gail Grimes indicated that a Paraeducator had expressed the concern that by only being scheduled for 180 days per year if they have one day without pay then they do not earn a full 12 months of retirement credit. That one day without pay could prove to be very expensive as they would have to purchase their summer months in order to get a full 12 months of service. Mary indicated that they might be able to work a flex time schedule or work on a PD/Conference Day (with Principals’ approval) to make up the day.

The following is a DRAFT description and explanation of flex time scheduling:

March 7, 2005 Draft

Guidelines for Flexible Scheduling of Hourly Employees

Policy (03.2332) stipulates that hourly employees shall follow work schedules prepared by their immediate supervisor and approved by the board appropriate manager. Each hourly employee must punch a time clock or keep a daily record of time on duty and leave taken. The district has established a workweek of Monday through Sunday Saturday through Friday.

Persons responsible for establishing work schedules include building principals, directors, managers and supervisors. In establishing a work schedule the supervisor should consider:

1. The need for and nature of services required
2. The date and time the service is required
3. The cost to his/her budget and to the district
4. The interests of the employee

An individual’s work schedule can be altered at any time the supervisor determines the need for the alteration provided approval of the superintendent or designee is received. The cost of rescheduling is borne by the school or department that supervises the affected employee.

Scheduling employee requires active management. Flexible scheduling can impact the scheduling of leave. The basic principle for scheduling leave is that the district does not pay twice for the same hour. An hour is either worked or it is leave. It is never both. Overtime is paid when an employee works more than 40 hours in a workweek.

For hourly employees, leave may be taken in increments as small as a quarter hour. Leave can never be added to hours worked to cause the total to exceed the normal workweek for the employee.

If an employee is scheduled to work on an “X” day or holiday, the employee may reschedule the leave at a later time. The rescheduled leave must equal the number of hours/days worked that the district identified as an “X” day or holiday. Holidays and “X” days may be schedule up to six months after the end of the current fiscal year.

Sometimes, the employee and the supervisor agree upon a flexible schedule over an extended period for the benefit of the employee and the district. The most often used example is a schedule of 4 ten-hour days per week. During this period sick, emergency, personal and vacation as appropriate may be taken in the number of hours needed to report a full weeks schedule.

Holidays and ”X” days are a fixed number of hours. If a normal minimum workday is 8 hours then the employee can only use 8 hours for this leave. The same is true if the normal minimum workday is 6 hours. Holiday and “X” days are then limited to 6 hours.

Other discretionary (personal or vacation) leave may be taken to make a full day.

Flexible Schedules - Frequently Asked Questions

1. During the winter break, I was contacted by my supervisor and told to report to work to ensure that the building systems were functioning and to prevent possible damage to the facility. When I turned my timesheet in, I put 8 hours for my “X” day and 4 hours for the time I spent working. Is this the correct way to complete my timesheet?
   
   No, the correct way to report that day would be 4 hours “X” day and 4 hours work. You would note on your sheet that you have banked 4 hours of “X” leave. An hour is either worked or it is leave. It is never both.
   
2. Tax collection reaches a peak during spring break. To close the tax office during that week would be a major inconvenience for the taxpayers and possibly cause the district to lose tax revenue. Therefore, the Associate Director for Tax Collection with the approval of the Director of Financial Services required that all tax office employees report to work that week. Does that mean that the tax office employees do not get a spring break?
   
   No. The supervisor must allow the tax office employees to schedule their break at another time of the year but no later than 6 months after the end of the fiscal year. If an employee is scheduled to work on an “X” day or holiday, the employee may reschedule the leave at a later time.
   
3. Who pays the cost of rescheduling staff?
   
   The school or department that authorized the rescheduling. However, if a flexible schedule is used, there should be no additional cost.
   
4. I normally work 8 hours per day Monday through Friday. Last week Tuesday was a holiday but my supervisor made me report to work. I get paid for 48 hours of which 8 is overtime, right?
   
   No to both. You get paid for 40 hours straight time and you have banked a holiday. Leave can never be added to hours worked to cause the total to exceed the normal workweek for the employee. Leave can never be added to hours worked to cause the total to exceed the normal workweek for the employee.
   
5. My supervisor and I have agreed that I can work 4 ten-hour days during the summer. How do I handle the following:

1. Sick day?
2. Holiday?
3. Personal Day?
4. Vacation Day?
5. Emergency Day?
6. “X” Day?
   
   During this period sick, emergency, personal and vacation may be taken in the number of hours needed to report a full weeks schedule. Holidays and ”X” days are a fixed number of hours.

Phyllis Abernathy had received a concern about additional needed training for a paraeducator working with a special needs child and wanted to know whom this person should contact. Stu responded that the para should contact Peggy Blanton’s office (Special Education) to request additional training and support.

Gail Grimes asked about professional development and reimbursement for professional development for paraeducators. Stu indicated that they were looking into a new procedure so that reimbursement of professional development expenses would be speeded up and folks wouldn’t have to wait so long to get their money back. In regards to whether paraeducators could attend professional development, Phyllis indicated that this had been addressed at a previous meeting. Stu said that he would have no problem with para’s using their in-service day for professional development with their principal's approval.

April 2004 Minutes: PD for Classified - “Doug reported that he had spoken with Mike Kennedy about professional development opportunities for Classified personnel which should not impact the budget. Contact Mike Kennedy for specific PD activities to verify the availability and budget implications.”

Phyllis Abernathy asked whom to go to for answers about the Medicare/Medicaid training. Stu responded that Mike Muncy with Special Education was in charge of that program. He indicated that the district will be getting about $600,000 to $1 million dollars for participating in this program and that the training is very important.

Gail had received a concern from a paraeducator at Julius Marks who indicated that Julius Marks has not been getting the usual “good” crop of kids that they had become accustomed to and that they seemed to have a larger number of students than usual with behavior problems. Stu took exception to the fact that the para was labeling students and indicated that all the kids are good kids. He indicated that there may be an issue of principal support at the school and that he would speak with the School Director. Stu indicated that it’s “not the kids that walk into the building, it’s what we do with the kids that walk into the building”. He said that we should all keep an eye on the Booker T. Washington/Academy at Lexington project and predicts that those students are going to rise to be one of the top schools in the state within a few years.

Phyllis indicated that, as good news, Maxwell Elementary has established a seat for a classified employee to be a member (non-voting) on SBDM. Stu thinks that it would be nice if all schools did that – which it sends out a message about being a team. Gail asked whom to contact about getting it changed so that the classified member could be a voting member. Stu indicated that they should contact their legislator to work on getting the law changed.

Gail asked why when a kindergarten para was absent they got a sub the very first day but classroom paras had to be out an entire week before being allowed to get a sub. Could that be changed? Stu indicated that recent discussions had actually been going in the opposite direction of not having a sub at all in order to save the District some money. They are currently looking at different options for substitutes across the board. He doubts that there will be any change towards permitting more subs at this time.

SECRETARY/CLERICAL

Fay Isaacs indicated that secretaries would like to have time to meet and share ideas like the registrars and attendance clerks get. Mary Browning indicated that the Administrative Resources Group had recently been discussing this issue and had identified the need for more training. The Budget Office, for example, is starting a regular monthly meeting and a mailing list for the school bookkeepers. Training needs will continue to be evaluated.

Fay indicated that it had been previously requested that registrars be allowed to work an 8 hour day instead of a 7 hour day and that this was to be scheduled into the spring budget discussions. Stu indicated that George Rogers (Director, Human Resources) had submitted a whole stack of requests for consideration. At this time, however, they are looking towards trimming $2.5 million from the budget and that he was not optimistic about any of the changes being approved.

Fay indicated that many of the secretary/clerical staff members were working over their scheduled times and not getting paid for it because the schools do not have the money. She indicated that they have to work over to get their jobs completed. She asked if they should have to face the consequence of not getting the job done – that it seemed like insubordination to do so. Stu answered that it was actually insubordination for them to stay and work over. He indicated that in some cases this might provide the opportunity to do flex scheduling (see above explanation and description of flex scheduling).

TRANSPORTATION

Marcus Dobbs asked if the meeting time for the Classified Advisory Committee could be moved back to 5:30 instead of 5:45. It had been changed to 5:45 to accommodate the work schedules of the Bus Drivers but they could both be there by 5:30. Everyone agreed that this would be okay.

Scott LaFollette had brought a suggestion from the Transportation Rules Committee to improve the traffic flow at P.L. Dunbar. They are suggesting that a “Do Not Block Intersection” sign be added to an existing sign post marking a pedestrian crossing on Man-O-War Blvd. Mary indicated that it was probably a city sign but that they would contact the city to get permission to add the additional sign to the existing post.

Bob Glass indicated that there is a new requirement (effective 1-1-05) requiring school bus drivers to have an “S” endorsement on their CDL license at an additional cost of $15.00. He asked if the Board could reimburse this. Stu and Mary said they would look into reimbursing Drivers who had been hired prior to 1-1-05 for the expense of adding the endorsement.

The next scheduled meeting is Monday, March 21, 2005 at 5:30 p.m.

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