A.  Employee Behavior

Hours of Duty
The academy generally operates from 7:30 am until 4:00 pm. Work schedules are determined by the Head of School. 

Professional Conduct
Employees shall not use the classroom, nor any other part of school facilities, as a platform for making disparaging remarks against students, parents, teachers or administrators. Conduct contrary to this policy may constitute grounds for disciplinary action up to and including dismissal.

Ethical Standards
All employees are required to comply with 6A-10.081, Principles of Professional Conduct for the Educational Profession in Florida.

Reporting Requirements
It is the duty of all employees to promptly report to the Head of School and the Human Resources department any alleged misconduct by any employee that affects the health, safety or welfare of a student. Failure of an employee to report such misconduct shall result in disciplinary action. The report may be made verbally, however, the Head of School and Human Resources department may request written an explanation, which the employee shall be required to provide.

Investigation
The Head of School or Human Resources department shall investigate any allegation of misconduct by an employee that affects the health, safety or welfare of a student. In the event that the allegation is made against the Head of School,  the Human Resources department will coordinate with the board chairperson to conduct an investigation, and they may contact the authorizing school district to assist with investigating the situation. Investigations shall be coordinated with the school's human resources department. 

Upon receiving a complaint of misconduct, a prompt preliminary investigation will be undertaken to determine if a reasonable basis exists. If the allegation warrants further investigation, the employee who is alleged to have committed such misconduct shall be reassigned to a position not requiring direct contact with students, or shall be placed on administrative leave with pay pending the outcome of the investigation.

Information related to the alleged misconduct shall be confidential during the investigation.

Legally Sufficient Complaint
The Head of School and Human Resources department shall file any legally sufficient complaint with the Department of Education within thirty (30) days after the date the school became aware of the subject matter of the complaint. A complaint is considered to be legally sufficient if it contains ultimate facts that show that an instructional or administrative employee has committed a violation as provided in 1012.795, F.S., and defined by State Board of Education rule.

Resignation or Retirement in Lieu of Termination
The organization, or any of its employees, shall not enter into a confidentiality agreement regarding terminated or dismissed instructional personnel or administrators, or personnel or administrators who resign in lieu of termination, based in whole or in part on misconduct that affects the health, safety, or welfare of a student, and may not provide instructional personnel with employment references or discuss the personnel's performance with prospective employers in another educational setting, without disclosing the personnel's or administrators' misconduct.

Training
All employees shall be offered the opportunity to go through training on the Principles of Professional Conduct. Annually employees will be reminded of the reporting requirements of this policy and participate in a refresher discussion regarding the Principles of Professional Conduct.

Confidentiality
Employees, volunteers, and board members are bound by ethical and legal codes to protect the confidentiality and privacy of our students and their families and to protect and maintain the confidentiality of all information related to them. Confidential communications include conversations, grades, progress, reports, forms, correspondence, and computer-generated communications with, about or involving in any way any students or their families.

Professional Standards
Employees are expected to observe certain standards of job performance and good conduct. When performance or conduct do not meet organizational standards, the school will endeavor when it deems appropriate to provide the employee a reasonable opportunity to correct the deficiency. If, however, the employee fails to make the correction, he or she will be subject to discipline, up to and including termination.

The rules set forth below are intended to provide employees with notice of what is expected of them. Necessarily, however, such rules cannot identify every type of unacceptable conduct and performance. Therefore, employees should be aware that conduct not specifically listed below but which adversely affects or is otherwise detrimental to the interests of the school’s other employees, students or parents may also result in disciplinary action.

Job Performance
Employees may be disciplined for poor job performance, including but not limited to the following:

• Below-average work quality or quantity;
• Poor attitude (for example, rudeness or lack of cooperation);
• Excessive absenteeism, tardiness, or abuse of break and lunch privileges;
• Failure to follow instructions or school procedures; or
• Failure to follow established safety regulations.
• Failure to follow the assigned schedule.
• Failure to follow the curriculum.

Misconduct
Employees may be disciplined for misconduct, including but not limited to the following:

• Insubordination;
• Dishonesty;
• Theft;
• Discourtesy;
• Misusing or destroying organization’s property or the property of another on organization’s premises;
• Violating conflict of interest rules;
• Disclosing or using confidential or proprietary information without authorization;
• Falsifying or altering organization’s records, including the application for employment;
• Interfering with the work performance of others;
• Altercations;
• Harassing, including sexually harassing, employees, students or parents;
• Being under the influence of, manufacturing, dispensing, distributing, using, or possessing alcohol or illegal or controlled substances on organization property or while conducting school business;
• Gambling on school premises or while conducting organization business;
• Sleeping on the job or leaving the job without authorization;
• Possessing a firearm or other dangerous weapon on organization property or while conducting organization business; [or]
• Being convicted of a crime that indicates unfitness for the job or raises a threat to the safety or well-being of organization, its employees, students, parents or property; or
• Refusing to submit to testing for drugs and/or alcohol.   
• Spending company time on a personal phone or social media.
• Failure to follow company policy or procedure.
• Having communication with a student outside of school without parental consent.
• Excessive displays of affection.
• Use of inappropriate language.
• Failure to follow company culture. 

Attendance
In addition to the general rules stated above, employees may be disciplined for failing to observe the following specific requirements relating to attendance:

• Reporting to work on time, observing the time limits for rest and lunch periods, and obtaining approval to leave work early; and
• Notifying the employee's supervisor and Human Resources department in advance of anticipated tardiness or absence.

Civility Policies
In order to ensure all individuals associated with the organization behave civilly and with fairness and respect, several policies are in place to ensure proper behavior. Students are obligated to meet school expectations as defined elsewhere in this policy. Adults are subject to the following civility policies:

Civility of Staff 
All employees of the organization shall behave with civility, fairness and respect in dealing with fellow employees, students, parents, patrons, visitors, and anyone else having business with the school. Uncivil behaviors are prohibited. Uncivil behaviors shall be defined as any behavior that is physically or verbally threatening, either overtly or implicitly, as well as behaviors that are coercive, intimidating, violent, or harassing. Examples of uncivil behavior include but are not limited to: use of profanity; personally insulting remarks; attacks on a person’s race, gender, nationality, religion, or sexual preference; or behavior that is out of control. Such interactions could occur in telephone conversations, voice mail messages, face-to-face conversations, or in written communication.

Any uncivil behavior should be reported to the immediate supervisor or the Human Resources department. A record shall be made of the alleged incident and the action taken, which may include disciplinary action as defined in within this policy manual. Confidentiality shall be observed whenever possible to protect the complainant and the alleged offending person. Students and employees may be subject to additional action under other state statue or school policies. Retaliation against a person who reports a claim of uncivil behavior shall be prohibited. Nothing in this policy should be construed to limit open and frank discussions of issues.

Discipline Procedure
Naples Classical Academy’s (the School) progressive discipline policy and procedures are designed to provide a structured corrective action process to improve and prevent a recurrence of undesirable employee behavior and performance issues. Additionally, this progressive discipline policy is intended to provide a progressive discipline model as required by certain Florida laws and administrative rules as they may be amended from time to time. 
 
Outlined below are the steps of the School's progressive discipline policy and procedures. The School reserves the right to combine or skip steps depending on the facts of each situation and the nature of the offense. Some of the factors that will be considered are whether the offense is repeated despite coaching, counseling, or training, the employee’s work record, and the impact the conduct and performance issues have on the organization. 
 
Nothing in this policy provides any contractual rights regarding employee discipline or counseling, nor should anything in this policy be read or construed as modifying or altering the employment-at-will relationship between the School and its employees.
 

1. Procedure.

Step 1: Counseling and verbal warning
Step 1 creates an opportunity for the immediate supervisor to bring attention to the existing performance, conduct, or attendance issue. The supervisor should discuss with the employee the nature of the problem or the violation of policies and procedures. The supervisor is expected to clearly describe expectations and steps the employee must take to improve his or her performance or resolve the problem.
Within five business days, the supervisor will prepare written documentation of the verbal counseling. The employee will be asked to sign this document to demonstrate his or her understanding of the issues and the corrective action.
Step 2: Written warning
The Step 2 written warning involves more formal documentation of the performance, conduct, or attendance issues and consequences.
During Step 2, the immediate supervisor and the Head of School  will meet with the employee to review any additional incidents or information about the performance, conduct, or attendance issues as well as any prior relevant corrective action plans. Administration will outline the consequences for the employee of his or her continued failure to meet performance or conduct expectations.
A formal performance improvement plan (“PIP”) requiring the employee’s immediate and sustained corrective action will be issued within five business days of a Step 2 meeting. The written warning may also include a statement indicating that the employee may be subject to additional discipline, up to and including termination, if immediate and sustained corrective action is not taken.
Step 3: Suspension and final written warning
Some performance, conduct, or safety incidents are so problematic and harmful that the most effective action may be the temporary removal of the employee from the workplace. When immediate action is necessary to ensure the safety of the employee or others, the Head of School may suspend the employee pending the results of an investigation.
Suspensions that are recommended as part of the normal sequence of the progressive discipline policy and procedures are subject to approval from the Head of School  or his or her designee.
Depending on the seriousness of the infraction, the employee may be suspended without pay in full-day increments consistent with federal, state, and local wage and hour employment laws. 
Nonexempt/hourly employees may not substitute or use an accrued paid vacation or sick day in lieu of the unpaid suspension. In compliance with the Fair Labor Standards Act (“FLSA”), unpaid suspension of salaried/exempt employees is reserved for serious workplace safety or conduct issues. 
Pay may be restored to the employee if an investigation of the incident or infraction absolves the employee of wrongdoing.
Step 4: Termination of employment
The last and most serious step in the progressive discipline process is to terminate employment. Generally, the School will try to exercise the progressive nature of this policy by first providing warnings, issuing a final written warning, or suspending the employee from the workplace before proceeding to  terminate employment. However, the School reserves the right to combine and skip steps depending on the circumstances of each situation and the nature of the offense. Furthermore, employees may be terminated without prior notice or disciplinary action.

1. Appeals Process. Employees will have the opportunity to present information to dispute information that has been used to issue disciplinary action. The purpose of this process is to provide insight into extenuating circumstances that may have contributed to the employee’s performance or conduct issues while allowing for an equitable solution.

 
If the employee does not present this information during any of the step meetings, he or she will have five business days after each of those meetings to present such information. However, the School reserves the right to implement disciplinary or corrective measures immediately and prior to the employee providing such additional information.
 

1. Performance and Conduct Issues Not Subject to Progressive Discipline. Behavior that is illegal is not subject to progressive discipline and may result in immediate termination. Such behavior may be reported to local law enforcement authorities. 

 
Similarly, theft, substance abuse, intoxication, sexual harassment, fighting, and other acts at the School’s discretion are also not subject to progressive discipline and may be grounds for immediate termination.
 

1. Documentation. The employee will be provided copies of all progressive discipline documentation, including all PIPs. The employee will be asked to sign copies of this documentation attesting to his or her receipt and understanding of the corrective action outlined in these documents.

 
Copies of these documents will be placed in the employee’s official personnel file.

Employment at Will
Nothing in this guideline is intended to alter the at-will status of employment with the organization.

All employees are on a probation period for the first year of employment, the employee or the company can terminate employment for any reason during this probationary period. 

Conflicts of Interest
No employee or directors of the organization shall solicit students, employees, or the organization for the selling of goods and services, other than as part of a school or PTC activity.

No employee shall accept any gift, favor, or service of value from companies or organizations that now are engaged in, or are being considered for, doing business with the organization, with the exception of the PTA/PTO.

Expenses for trips to evaluate products or equipment shall be paid by the organization if previously approved by the Head of School. However, once equipment is purchased or leased, personnel may attend training sessions at the expense of the organization if training is included as a service within the purchase or lease price, and is approved by the Head of School.

When a seminar, training, or educational meeting or session is provided by an industry representing more than one company and offered at no cost, or at reduced or partial costs, to staff, and the resulting knowledge or training is judged by the Head of School to be in the organization's interest with no advantage or obligation given to an individual company, and to be no conflict of interest, the Head of School may authorize attendance.

No employee shall accept other employment which might impair the employee’s independence of judgment in the performance of duties for the organization.

Violation of this policy may constitute grounds for dismissal from employment.

Financial Obligations
Employees are expected to handle their personal financial obligations in such manner as to prevent the involvement of the organization.

Political Activities
Employees are not allowed to participate in activities supporting or denouncing individual political candidates or views while conducting activities for the academy. The use of academy resources for political activities is strictly prohibited. Should an employee choose to campaign for and hold an elective public office, the Head of School will ensure proper safeguards are put into place to ensure that the campaign or elected duties do not interfere with the role the employees play at the organization.

Academic Freedom
It is the rightful duty of a qualified teacher to encourage within students a never-ending search for truth in its many forms. Such a search may inevitably lead to areas of controversy. It is the belief of the School that discussion of such issues, dealing with local, state, national and international affairs, shall be encouraged. Free, logical, and intelligent dialogue within the classroom is a necessity in the search for truth. Such freedom of expression should be viewed, not simply as a constitutional guarantee, but as a fundamental necessity for the successful practice of scholarship in a free society. All sides of such controversial issues shall be presented where reasonable and feasible in the judgment of the teacher and the Head of School.

It is recognized that the application of this principle in a K-12 program differs somewhat from its application at higher educational levels. Teachers shall consider the relative level of maturity of their students and their need for guidance in the study of such issues to arrive at objective and balanced views.

Teacher use of potentially controversial materials: It is the responsibility of the teacher (or other instructional staff member) who intends to use materials that may be considered offensive to reasonable persons within the community, to notify the Head of School of the potentially controversial materials. It is the Head of School’s responsibility to ensure that the materials used are at grade level or below, and appropriate and consistent with the Sunshine State Standards. If the materials are potentially controversial, a notice will be sent home by the teacher to the parents giving them the opportunity to allow their student to do an alternative project.

Reporting Legal Infractions
All employees are required to promptly notify (within 48 hours) the Head of School if they are arrested or given a Notice to Appear for any criminal offense, including driving under the influence (DUI) and other criminal traffic offenses and local ordinance violations punishable by any period of incarceration, or charged in any way with such offenses. In the event that the employee in question is the Head of School, he or she shall report said legal infraction(s) to the Human Resources department and the chairman of the board. Once a report has been made, the supervisor and board shall determine whether this offense could make the employee ineligible for employment under § 1012.315, F.S., and take such actions as are deemed necessary.

Whistleblower Policy
The organization requires its directors, officers, employees, and volunteers to observe high standards of ethics in the conduct of their duties and responsibilities within the organization. As representatives of the organization, such individuals must practice honesty and integrity in fulfilling their responsibilities and must comply with all applicable laws and regulations. The purpose of this policy is to create an ethical and open work environment, to ensure that the organization has a governance and accountability structure that supports its mission, and to encourage and enable directors, officers, employees, and volunteers of the organization to raise serious concerns about the occurrence of illegal or unethical actions within the organization before turning to outside parties for resolution.

All directors, officers, employees, and volunteers of the organization have a responsibility to report any action or suspected action taken within the organization that is illegal, unethical or violates any adopted policy of the organization. Anyone reporting a violation must act in good faith, without malice to the organization or any individual at the organization and have reasonable grounds for believing that the information shared in the report indicates that a violation has occurred. A person who makes a report does not have to prove that a violation has occurred. However, any report which the reporter has made maliciously or any report which the reporter has good reason to believe is false will be viewed as a serious disciplinary offense. No one who in good faith reports a violation, or who, in good faith, cooperates in the investigation of a violation shall suffer harassment, retaliation, or adverse employment action.

Occupational Safety
The organization is committed to the safety of its employees, vendors, contractors and the public and to providing a clear safety goal for management.

The prevention of accidents is the responsibility of every employee. It is also the duty of all employees to accept and promote the established safety regulations and procedures. Every effort will be made to provide adequate safety training. If an employee is ever in doubt how to perform a job or task safely, assistance should be requested. Unsafe conditions must be reported immediately.

It is the policy of the organization that accident prevention shall be considered of primary importance in all phases of operation and administration. The organization’s administration is required to provide safe and healthy working conditions for all employees and to establish and require the use of safe practices at all times.

Failure to comply with or enforce the organization’s safety and health rules, practices and procedures could result in disciplinary action up to and including possible termination.

Accident/Incident Reporting
It is the duty of every employee to immediately, or as soon as is practical, report any accident or injury occurring during work or on the organization’s premises so that arrangements can be made for medical or first aid treatment, as well as for investigation and follow-up purposes.

Computer, E-Mail and Cell Phone Usage Policies         
School Telephones
Telephones are provided for business use only. Personal use of telephone systems should be for emergency use only. Staff members shall refrain from making or receiving outside calls while they are responsible for the supervision or education of students.

Staff Personal Mobile Phone Use
Student use of personal mobile phones are not allowed on the school premises. Staff members use of personal cell phones are prohibited while responsible for the supervision or education of students. Staff may use personal cell phones during scheduled breaks, planning time, to fulfill their job function, etc. 

Social Media Policy
The importance of teachers, students and parents engaging, collaborating, learning, and sharing in these digital environments is a part of 21st century learning. To this aim, the organization has developed the following guideline to provide direction for instructional employees when participating in online social media activities. Whether or not an employee chooses to participate in a blog, wiki, online social network or any other form of online publishing or discussion it is his or her own decision. Free speech protects educators who want to participate in social media, but the laws and courts have ruled that schools can discipline teachers if their speech, including online postings, disrupts school operations. The organization’s social media guidelines encourage employees to participate in online social activities. But it is important to create an atmosphere of trust and individual accountability; keeping in mind that information produced by the organization and teachers is a reflection on the entire organization and is subject to the organization’s acceptable use policy. By accessing, creating or contributing to any blogs, wikis, or other social media for classroom or district use, you agree to abide by these guidelines. Please read them carefully before posting or commenting on any blog or creating any classroom blog, wiki and/or podcast.

Social Media Guidelines for Faculty & Staff - Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts, Digital Images & Video

• Personal Responsibility
  • Organizational employees are personally responsible for the content they publish online. Be mindful that what you publish will be public for a long time—protect your privacy.
  • Your online behavior should reflect the same standards of honesty, respect, and consideration that you use face-to-face.
  • When posting to your blog be sure you say that the information is representative of your views and opinions and not necessarily the views and opinions of the organization (See Blogging Rules).
  • Remember that blogs, wikis and podcasts are an extension of your classroom. What is inappropriate in your classroom should be deemed inappropriate online.
  • The lines between public and private, personal and professional are blurred in the digital world. By virtue of identifying yourself as an organizational employee online, you are now connected to colleagues, students, parents and the school community. You should ensure that content associated with you is consistent with your work at the organization.
  • When contributing online do not post confidential student information.
• Disclaimers
  • The organization’s employees must include disclaimers within their personal blogs that the views are their own and do not reflect on their employer. For example, "The postings on this site are my own and don't necessarily represent my organization’s positions, strategies, opinions, or policies."
  • This standard disclaimer does not by itself exempt organizational employees from a special responsibility when blogging.
  • No classroom blogs are permitted. 
• Copyright and Fair Use
  • Respect copyright and fair use guidelines. See U.S. Copyright Office - Fair Use (copyright.gov/fls/fl102.html).
  • A hyperlink to outside sources is recommended. Be sure not to plagiarize and give credit where it is due. When using a hyperlink, be sure that the content is appropriate and adheres to the organization’s acceptable use policy.
  • It is recommended that blogs be licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 United States License.
• Profiles and Identity
  • Remember your association and responsibility with the organization in online social environments. If you identify yourself as an organizational employee, ensure your profile and related content is consistent with how you wish to present yourself with colleagues, parents, and students. How you represent yourself online should be comparable to how you represent yourself in person.
  • No last names, addresses or phone numbers should appear on blogs or wikis.
  • Be cautious how you setup your profile, bio, avatar, etc.
  • When uploading digital pictures or avatars that represent yourself make sure you select a school appropriate image. Also remember not to utilize protected images. Images should be available under Creative Commons or your own.

Personal Use of Social Media such as Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, and Twitter

• The organization’s employees are personally responsible for all comments/information they publish online. Be mindful that what you publish will be public for a long time—protect your privacy.
• Your online behavior should reflect the same standards of honesty, respect, and consideration that you use face-to-face, and be in accordance with the highest professional standards.
• By posting your comments having online conversations etc. on social media sites you are broadcasting to the world, be aware that even with the strictest privacy settings what you “say” online should be within the bounds of professional discretion. Comments expressed via social networking pages under the impression of a “private conversation” may still end up being shared into a more public domain, even with privacy settings on maximum.
• Comments related to the school should always meet the highest standards of professional discretion. When posting, even on the strictest settings, staff should act on the assumption that all postings are in the public domain.
• Before posting photographs and videos, permission should be sought from the subject where possible. This is especially the case where photographs of professional colleagues are concerned.
• Before posting personal photographs, thought should be given as to whether the images reflect on your professionalism.
• Photographs relating to alcohol or tobacco use may be deemed inappropriate. Remember, your social networking site is an extension of your personality, and by that token an extension of your professional life and your classroom. If it would seem inappropriate to put a certain photograph on the wall - is it really correct to put it online?
• Microblogging (Twitter, etc.). comments made using such media are not protected by privacy settings. Employees should be aware of the public and widespread nature of such media and refrain from any comment that could be deemed unprofessional.

Social Bookmarking

• Be aware that others can view the sites that you bookmark.
• Be aware of words used to tag or describe the bookmark.
• Be aware of URL shortening services. Verify the landing site to which they point before submitting a link as a bookmark. It would be best to utilize the original URL if not constrained be the number of characters as in microblogs -- i.e. Twitter.
• Attempt to link directly to a page or resource if possible as you do not control what appears on landing pages in the future.

Instant Messaging 

• The organization’s employees are required to get authorization to have instant messaging programs downloaded on their school computers.
• The organization’s employees also recognize this same authorization is required for access to instant messaging programs that are available through web interfaces with no download
• Avatar images and profile information should follow the same guidelines as the above Profiles and Identity section
• A written request must be submitted to the Head of School for approval.
• When submitting a request to the Head of School please include your name, grade level, and provide a statement explaining your instructional purposes for using the program.
• It would also be beneficial if you can tie your request to state curriculum standards or the student or teacher National Educational Technology Standards.

Requests for Social Media Sites

• If you would like to request an online site that is blocked be accessible to use for teaching and learning, please email the Head of School to make such a request.
• Requests will be reviewed and the district social media guidelines will be updated periodically throughout the school year.
• A description should be provided of the intended use of the site and what tools on the site match your needed criteria.
• A link to the site’s privacy policy should be included if possible.

B.  School Rights

Employment of Relatives
No prospective employee shall be hired in which a close relative holds an administrative or supervisory position that directs an employee directly or indirectly.

No prospective employee shall be hired without disclosure of a close relative holding any position within the school or as a member of the governing board.

If a close relative is employed by the organization, both parties shall agree in writing to maintaining professional conduct while on duty or at school related activities.

If the close relative is a member of the governing board, the board member shall abstain from any motions that directly involve employment matters or financial gain for the specific relative employee.

Close relative shall be defined as the first degree of kindred: husband, wife, father, mother, brother, sister, son, daughter, and in-laws of the same degree.

Initial Appointment
Except as otherwise provided for in Florida statute, applicants for teaching positions must be eligible for a Florida certificate and qualified for the positions for which they are recommended.

Appointments shall be made only by the Head of School. The organization may offer contracts to outstanding applicants as early as November in anticipation of openings for the following school year. Priority shall be given to the employment of elementary teachers who are competent to teach reading and/or mathematics skills and concepts. Teachers who profess such competencies but do not or cannot demonstrate them, whether deliberately or not, may be terminated at the discretion of the Head of School. The organization may require newly appointed teachers to participate in staff development activities up to 40 hours in reading, language arts, mathematics, science and social studies. Such training shall be given outside regular school hours at no cost to the teacher.

An adjunct instructor may be employed on an annual, daily, or part-time hourly basis, and shall not be eligible for a professional services contract.

Employment decisions shall be made by the Head of School, subject to guidelines and requirements set forth by the governing board and to the annual budget.

Background Screening
Prior to employment, candidates must be screened by the organization using the Department of Education’s electronic screening tools. The school shall also check each reference from the prospective employee’s previous employers and character references when provided and reasonably feasible. All employment candidates that pass the screening shall undergo a Level 2 background check with the school district to ensure they are eligible for employment under § 1012.315, F.S.

Initial Probationary Period
Employees shall be subject to an initial probationary period of ninety (90) calendar days. Should the employee be discharged for unsatisfactory performance during such initial probationary period, as provided in Section 443.131, Florida statutes, the school will not be liable for any unemployment compensation benefits.

C.  Resignations

Instructional Staff
Instructional employees who for any reason intend to retire or resign at the end of the current school year are encouraged to indicate their plans in writing to the principal as early as possible, but no later than June 1. Letters of resignation shall be submitted to the Head of School. The letter should state reasons and an effective date for the resignation.

It is the practice of the organization to release individuals who resign for good cause prior to July 1 of each year. After July 1, a certificated employee may resign, however, the organization reserves the right to pursue any and all legal options available to it and may require monetary restitution from the employee for any funds the employee may have received for the new fiscal year.

Support Staff
Support staff who wish to resign should address a letter of resignation to the Head of School. The letter should state reasons and an effective date for the resignation. The organization requests employees provide fourteen (14) days written notice prior to resignation whenever possible.

D.  Reduction in Force

Instructional Staff
If it becomes necessary to reduce the number of teachers due to a decrease in enrollment, school reorganization or the financial condition of the school, the organization will act to retain the most qualified teachers best able to serve the needs of the school's students. Seniority will not be the primary consideration for which staff members will be retained.

Support Staff
The organization is authorized to reduce the number of support staff when in the Head of School’s sole discretion factors including, but not limited to, decreases in student enrollment, school reorganization or financial reasons necessitate such reduction. In making such staff reductions, the organization will seek to retain those staff members best able to serve the needs of the school's students.

E.  Staff Medical Policies

Employees with Communicable Diseases
The school’s decisions involving employees who have communicable diseases shall be based on current and well-informed medical judgments concerning the disease, the risks of transmitting the illness to others, the symptoms and special circumstances of each individual who has a communicable disease, and a careful weighing of the identified risks and the available alternative for responding to an employee with a communicable disease.

Communicable diseases include, but are not limited to, measles, influenza, viral hepatitis-A (infectious hepatitis), viral hepatitis-B (serum hepatitis), human immunodeficiency virus (HIV infection), AIDS, AIDS-Related Complex (ARC), leprosy, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), including the SARS-CoV-2 (coronavirus), COVID-19, and tuberculosis. The school may choose to broaden this definition within its best interest and in accordance with information received through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The school will not discriminate against any job applicant or employee based on the individual having a communicable disease. Applicants and employees shall not be denied access to the workplace solely on the grounds that they have a communicable disease. The school reserves the right to exclude a person with a communicable disease from the workplace facilities, programs and functions if the organization finds that, based on a medical determination, such restriction is necessary for the welfare of the person who has the communicable disease and/or the welfare of others within the workplace.

The school will comply with all applicable statutes and regulations that protect the privacy of employees who have a communicable disease. Every effort will be made to ensure procedurally sufficient safeguards to maintain the personal confidence about employees who have communicable diseases.

Pre-Work Physical Examinations
Pre-work physical examinations are required of some employees, as mandated by Florida law, and as prescribed by these policies.

F. Telecommuting Policy

Objective
During times of emergency or unexpected office closures, telecommuting allows employees to work at home, on the road or in a satellite location for all or part of their workweek. The school considers telecommuting to be a viable, flexible work option when both the employee and the job are suited to such an arrangement. Telecommuting may be appropriate for some employees and jobs but not for others. Telecommuting is not an entitlement, it is not a companywide benefit, and it in no way changes the terms and conditions of employment with the school.

Equipment  
On a case-by-case basis, the school will determine, with information supplied by the employee and the supervisor, the appropriate equipment needs (including hardware, software, modems, phone and data lines and other office equipment) for each telecommuting arrangement. The human resource and information system departments will serve as resources in this matter. Equipment supplied by the organization will be maintained by the organization. Equipment supplied by the employee, if deemed appropriate by the organization, will be maintained by the employee. The school accepts no responsibility for damage or repairs to employee-owned equipment. The school reserves the right to make determinations as to appropriate equipment, subject to change at any time. Equipment supplied by the organization is to be used for business purposes only. The telecommuter must sign an inventory of all school property received and agree to take appropriate action to protect the items from damage or theft. Upon termination of employment, all company property will be returned to the company, unless other arrangements have been made.

The school will supply the employee with appropriate office supplies (pens, paper, etc.) as deemed necessary. The school will also reimburse the employee for business-related expenses, such as phone calls and shipping costs, that are reasonably incurred in carrying out the employee’s job. All expenses need to be authorized in writing by the direct supervisor prior to purchase.

The employee will establish an appropriate work environment within his or her home for work purposes. The school will not be responsible for costs associated with the setup of the employee’s home office, such as remodeling, furniture or lighting, nor for repairs or modifications to the home office space.

Security
Consistent with the organization’s expectations of information security for employees working at the office, telecommuting employees will be expected to ensure the protection of proprietary company and customer information accessible from their home office. Steps include the use of locked file cabinets and desks, regular password maintenance, and any other measures appropriate for the job and the environment.

Chapter 119, Florida Statutes requires all public agencies, including school districts, to comply with the requirement to preserve and produce upon request, our public records.   Essentially, everything work-related that we do as a district is a public record and subject to disclosure unless there is an applicable exception.

During telecommuting and distance learning circumstances, employees may need to use personal devices (laptops, desktops, tablets, etc.) to complete their work.  In order to both preserve public records, and minimize the chance that data on the employees’ personal devices becomes public record, employees should:

1. Utilize the school’s programs in Google Classroom, Google Drive File Stream or Google Docs as they are automatically backed up/preserved in our system.
2. If employee works outside of Google Classroom, Google Drive File Stream or Google Docs the employee should save those materials in Google Classroom, Google Drive File Stream or Google Docs.
3. If employee works outside of Google Classroom, Google Drive File Stream or Google Docs, and have access to a USB/flash drive, employee may save those materials on a USB/flash drive.    Data saved on a flash drive MUST be preserved.   The school will update employee upon returning to school to normal operations on procedure describing what to do with the data on those drives.
4. Employee should avoid saving anything on his/her personal device that is work-related.

The school will keep employees abreast of any additional steps the district decides to take to comply with Florida Statutes and will update the employee with further guidance, if necessary.

Safety
Employees are expected to maintain their home workspace in a safe manner, free from safety hazards. The school will provide each telecommuter with a safety checklist that must be completed at least twice per year. Injuries sustained by the employee in a home office location and in conjunction with his or her regular work duties are normally covered by the company’s workers’ compensation policy. Telecommuting employees are responsible for notifying the employer of such injuries as soon as practicable. The employee is liable for any injuries sustained by visitors to his or her home worksite.

Telecommuting is not designed to be a replacement for appropriate childcare. Although an individual employee’s schedule may be modified to accommodate childcare needs, the focus of the arrangement must remain on job performance and meeting business demands. Prospective telecommuters are encouraged to discuss expectations of telecommuting with family members prior to entering a trial period.

Time Worked
Telecommuting employees who are not exempt from the overtime requirements of the Fair Labor Standards Act will be required to accurately record all hours worked using the school’s time-keeping system. Hours worked in excess of those scheduled per day and per workweek require the advance approval of the telecommuter’s supervisor. Failure to comply with this requirement may result in the immediate termination of the telecommuting agreement.

Ad Hoc Arrangements
Temporary telecommuting arrangements may be approved for circumstances such as inclement weather, special projects or business travel. These arrangements are approved on an as-needed basis only, with no expectation of ongoing continuance.

Other informal, short-term arrangements may be made for employees on family or medical leave to the extent practical for the employee and the organization and with the consent of the employee’s health care provider, if appropriate.

All informal telecommuting arrangements are made on a case-by-case basis, focusing first on the business needs of the organization.

Adopted: May 5, 2020 
Amended: February 8, 2023
Amended: September 10, 2024