Saturday Sessions

Collaborative Planning: Special Requirements for Saturday Sessions

May the hours be held on a Saturday or some other non-work day?
Why is a 90% voluntary sign-up required to schedule collaborative planning on a Saturday?
Is participation on Saturday or other non-workdays voluntary?
How should the learning team conduct the sign-up process?
When should the sign-up process be conducted?
Are all teachers expected to attend a Saturday session if 90% or more sign-up?
What if attendance at a Saturday session does not reach the 90% minimum?

May the hours be held on a Saturday or some other non-work day?

Yes, but there are three special requirements for Saturday sessions:

Must be a two-hour block.
Teachers are paid at their individual hourly rates.
Voluntary sign-up for the specific date/time by at least 90% of the teachers assigned to the school full-time.

Why is a 90% voluntary sign-up required to schedule collaborative planning on a Saturday?

Unless 90% or more of the faculty is willing to participate, the basic purpose of engaging the whole faculty in collaborative planning is defeated.

Is participation on Saturday or other non-workdays voluntary?

Teacher participation on Saturday or other non-workdays is voluntary.

However, teachers who sign up are expected to attend. If circumstances change and a teacher cannot attend, the teacher is obligated to let the principal know, prior to the session, the reason he/she needs to be excused (just like missing a faculty meeting). Except in an emergency, the teacher should notify the principal as far in advance of the session as possible.

How should the learning team conduct the sign-up process?

A sign-up sheet with the specific date and time should be made available to all teachers.

When should the sign-up process be conducted?

The sign-up process may be held before or after presenting a comprehensive plan to the faculty.

If the 90% sign-up threshold is reached and a non-workday session is included in the plan, principals must attach a copy of the sign-up sheet when they submit the plan to the superintendent. The deadline is October 12.

Are all teachers expected to attend a Saturday session if 90% or more sign-up?

All of the teachers who signed up are expected to participate. If they cannot, just like missing a faculty meeting, teachers should let their principal know the reason they need to be excused - prior to the session.

Teachers who did not sign up for a Saturday session should attend if they can. However, they are not expected to let the principal know if they do not attend.

What if attendance at a Saturday session does not reach the 90% minimum?

If 90% attendance is not achieved at Saturday or other non-workday sessions, the learning team should examine the likelihood of attaining 90% attendance at future Saturday sessions.

If additional Saturday sessions are in this year’s plan, the learning team may determine that the possibility of revising the schedule should be discussed with the faculty.

Participation under 90% at any Saturday sessions held last school year should be seriously considered when the learning team develops this year’s collaborative planning schedule.

Questions?

If teachers have further questions about collaborative planning, they should contact an MTEA staff member at 414-259-1990.

If principals have questions, they should contact the MPS Labor Relations Department at 475-8280.