Review
the tips below to protect yourself from unnecessary employment
stresses.
Review
Your File
If
district policy allows it, from time to time it is a good idea
to review your personnel file in the district's central
office. It may be necessary to make an appointment to do so.
Make a list of all items in your file and make copies of
important documents. Leave one copy of the "inventory" list
signed and dated by you (and your witness, if allowed by policy)
in the personnel folder. Retain your file inventory list and
copies for your private records.
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Take
Notes
Always
take notes at or soon after the time of meetings with any
supervisor during the year. Include witnesses' reports and
date all materials. (Do not overlook brief visits or
observations.)
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Keep Copies and Notes
Keep
copies of everything you give to your evaluator/principal as
well as copies of everything given to you by your evaluator
during the evaluation cycle.
Keep any notes concerning student or parent conferences in a
file where you easily can find and retrieve them, yet in a
location that is not accessible to others. Remember that
significant privacy rights are extended to many types of student
records.
Ask for copies of any parent or student complaint lodged against
you, including the names, dates and specifics of the complaint.
Ask your administrators for copies of any records about you they
may have in their files. (You may be refused or have difficulty
getting these, but ask anyway. Ask for both positive and
negative items.)
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Respond
to Evaluations After Study
As
you receive formative evaluations, memos, professional
development plans or summative evaluations, remember to ask for
time to study them and to prepare a written response later if
you need to. When you attach statements or comments on a
separate sheet (the space provided on the form is usually
small), write on the original, "See attached teacher
comments." Always keep copies of what you attach. When you do
sign the forms, include the date. If the evaluator has filled in
an earlier date, ask that it be changed to reflect the correct
current date. Remember, your signature on a professional
improvement plan or evaluation indicates only that you have
received and read the document, not that you agree with it.
Don't risk making a delicate situation worse by refusing to
sign.
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Contact
NWPE Prior to Job Performance Meetings
Contact
NWPE for advice before attending any meeting that might deal
with your job security. You
may request permission to bring along a witness for any meeting
that might deal with your job security, but understand there may
be no legal requirement that you be permitted to do so. Phrase
your request professionally. Explain that your witness will not
participate in the meeting, but is there only to listen and take
notes during the conference. If you are not allowed to have a
witness, make notes during the meeting or immediately after and
sign and date them.
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Professional
Demeanor
Always
maintain a calm and professional demeanor. Try not to react
defensively or in anger, no matter how justified you may feel in
doing so. You will not communicate or advocate effectively on
your own behalf if you are agitated. If necessary, request a
moment to prepare yourself, or make an appointment to come back
at a later time when you can better proceed with the meeting.
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Technology
Policies
In
addition to following required school district rules and
procedures regarding use of Internet and email, you can further
minimize your risk of violating technology policies. Log
off your computer when you're not using it and whenever you
leave the room. Don't share your password and, if
feasible, arrange to change it periodically. If you
receive inappropriate communications or discover other
inappropriate uses of district technology, report it to your
supervisor or building administrator immediately. If
something would be inappropriate to say or share in person, it
is probably inappropriate to send via email or other
medium. Monitor student use of the Internet or email
closely. If students access inappropriate information, you
may be held accountable.
Employers may monitor employee communications and, so long as
you have been notified that it will occur, there is no
requirement that your employer get your consent to do so.
Electronic communications can be monitored, stored, retrieved,
viewed or listened to by your administrators - even those
messages you delete or never send. This includes voice
mail, text messages, faxes and your access to Internet sites.
In conjunction with your district's technology policies, you
must establish yourself as the professional adult in any
situation involving students. Set the appropriate boundary
lines, and make sure that neither you nor your students cross
them. Do not become involved inappropriately with your
students in chat rooms, locker rooms or classrooms. Know
and stick to your district's staff/student relations policy.
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Resignation
Request
If
you are asked by an administrator to resign, NEVER do so before
you have contacted NWPE. Regardless of attempts to pressure or
persuade you to resign immediately or by the end of the day, you
cannot be required to do so if you have a contract for a
specified term that is not at-will.
It is always better to defer submitting your decision until you
have had adequate time to review your legal rights. It is
legally impossible to be fired on the spot without being given
the due process to which you are entitled, so don't let
implications or suggestions to the contrary influence you into a
hasty resignation before you have had the opportunity to consult
with a legal representative.
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Abuse
Accusations
If
you receive a notice from a school administrator, a person in
law enforcement, an investigator or any other person that you
are the subject of an investigation, call NWPE immediately for
legal advice. Be polite and cooperative with the
administrator or official who has contacted you, but inform that
person that you will need to consult with your legal counsel
before you arrange for an interview or give a statement.
(This includes your principal or superintendent.) Obtain
the person's name, title, and telephone number, and state that
you or your attorney will be in contact with them as soon as
possible. Generally, you cannot be forced to give a
statement, so do not let anyone intimidate you or lull you into
believing everything will go away if you will talk to them right
now.
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