Employee Handbook Mission Statement To prepare students for a lifetime of learning and responsible citizenship

Maryville City School System Maryville, Tennessee 2015-2016 Effective July 1, 2015

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Maryville City Schools Employee Handbook 2015-2016 This employee handbook is an abbreviated ready reference manual for employees of Maryville City Schools. This edition supersedes all previous editions. For more in-depth information, the complete Board of Education Policy Manual is available on each campus and can be viewed online at http://www.maryville-schools.org. Each employee should understand that it is his/her responsibility to read this handbook or have it read to him or her. Any questions should be addressed to Human Resources at the Central Office. Employment is subject to the provisions in this handbook. The book is only to be used as a guideline and is not to be considered a contract. This handbook is subject to change without notice. This handbook does not guarantee benefits coverage. Eligibility requirements must be met for coverage to be in force. Equal Opportunity Employment Opportunity for employment as well as continuation and advancement in employment shall be afforded equally to members of all races, creeds, sexes, religions, ages, national origins, or disability with regard only for qualifications for the position involved. Nondiscrimination Policy It is the policy of the Maryville City School System not to discriminate on the basis of sex, race, national origin, creed, age, marital status or disability in its educational programs, activities or employment policies as required by Title VI and VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, Title IX of the 1972 Educational Amendments Act and Section 504 of the Federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973. It is also the policy of this district that the curriculum materials utilized reflect the cultural and racial diversity present in the United States and the variety of careers, roles and lifestyles open to men and women in our society. One of the objectives of the total curriculum and teaching strategies is to reduce stereotyping and to eliminate bias on the basis of sex, race, ethnicity, religion, and disability. The curriculum should foster respect and appreciation for the cultural diversity found in our country and an awareness of the rights, duties and responsibilities of each individual as a member of a pluralistic society. Inquiries regarding compliance with Title VI, Title VII, Title IX and other civil rights or discrimination issues, the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 may be directed to Rick Wilson, Maryville City School System, 833 Lawrence Avenue, Maryville, Tennessee 37803, and telephone 865-982-7121.

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Table of Contents School Calendar ....................................................................................................3 Central Office/System-wide Employee Directory ...................................................4 School Directory ....................................................................................................5 Employee Information ...........................................................................................6 Workers’ Compensation ......................................................................................23 Full-Time Employee Benefits ..............................................................................24 Appendix A: Code of Ethics .................................................................................28 Appendix B: Employee Health Services Clinic ....................................................30 Appendix C: Technology Responsible Use Policy ...............................................32 Appendix D: Drug-Free Workplace Policy ...........................................................34

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2015-2016 School Calendar July 21 July 22 July 23 July 24 July 27-28 July 29 September 4 September 7 Sept. 30 – Oct. 2 October 5-9 October 12 October 13 November 3 November 25 November 26-27 December 17 December 18 Dec. 21-Jan.1

Administrative Day Professional Development Registration K-7 Admin Day; 8-12 Prof Development Professional Development First Day of Classes Abbreviated Day – Full Day for Staff Holiday Intervention & Enrichment Fall Break Parent Conferences Professional Development Professional Development Professional Development Thanksgiving Break Last day for students before break Administrative Day Winter Break

January 4 K-7 Prof Development; 8-12 Admin Day January 18 Holiday February 12 Abbreviated Day – Full Day for Staff February 15 Professional Development March 10-11 Intervention & Enrichment or SNOW MAKE-UP if needed March 14-18 Spring Break March 25 Holiday Achievement Test Window - TBA May 19 Last day for students May 20 Administrative Day May 23 Professional Development May 23-June 30 Intervention & Enrichment

First 5 snow days will use stockpiled days. Snow days 6 and 7 made up on March 10-11

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Central Office/Systemwide Employee Directory Central Office 833 Lawrence Avenue Maryville, TN 37803 Telephone (865) 982-7121 Fax (865) 977-5055

Central Office Personnel Dr. Mike Winstead, Director of Schools Rick Wilson, Assistant Director of Schools Amy Vagnier, Director of Curriculum and Instruction Sharon Anglim, Coordinator of Communications Beth Boring, Special Education Purchasing and Reports Dr. Sandra Earnest, Coordinator of Special Education Glenda Ennen, Student Information Services Nancy Graves, Administrative Assistant Richard Harbison, Coordinator of Facilities Tammy Hooper, Coordinator of Student Services Heather Ledbetter, Coordinated School Health Coordinator Karen Martin, Payroll Specialist Roger Murphy, Employee Wellness Coordinator Leigh Ann Overholt, Human Resources Specialist Andrew Raulston, Coordinator of Technology Vickie Russell, Accounting Specialist Dr. Kathy Smith, Director of Finance Robyn Tucker, Printing Specialist

Systemwide Personnel Susan Chapman, Assessment Specialist/Homebound Instructor Leah Deter, Occupational Therapist Melissa Ewing, School Psychologist Kim Goldsborough, Occupational Therapist Barbara Jenkins, Maryville City Schools Foundation Executive Director Julie Hilborn, Maryville Academy Administrator Dr. Scott Kirkham, School Psychologist Jessica Lafoy, Family Resource Center Assistant Michelle Plemons, Occupational Therapist Susie Paine, Vision Specialist Dr. Kim Prater, School Psychologist Tom Schlitt, Physical Therapist Deb Skyler, Family Resource Center Director Lynn Strange, School Psychologist Shellie Young, School Psychologist

Adventure Clubs Kim Lands, Director – Foothills Elementary at 983-8637 Paula McLemore, Director – John Sevier Elementary at 681-8210 Brenda Davis, Director – Sam Houston Elementary at 681-9012 Joy Livesay, Director – Coulter Grove Intermediate at 982-6345 Gwen Banks, Director – Montgomery Ridge Intermediate at 980-5090

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School Directory Maryville High School 825 Lawrence Avenue, 37803 Telephone 982-1132, FAX 983-1440 Principal: Greg Roach Assistant Principal: Brett Coulter Assistant Principal: Donna Wortham Assistant Principal: Joe Pinkerton

Maryville Junior High School 805 Montvale Station Road, 37803 Telephone 983-2070, FAX 983-5148 Principal: Lisa McGinley Assistant Principal: Alan Fair Assistant Principal: Nate Lee

Coulter Grove Intermediate School 2025 Sevierville Road, 37804 Telephone 982-6345, FAX 982-6312 Principal: Dr. Ramona Best Assistant Principal: Deana Bishop Assistant Principal: Justin Cook

Montgomery Ridge Intermediate School 835 Montgomery Lane, 37803 Telephone 980-0590, FAX 980-0589 Principal: Kevin Myers Assistant Principal: Larry Headrick Assistant Principal: Carol Anne Scarlett

Foothills Elementary School 520 Sandy Springs Road, 37803 Telephone 681-0364, FAX 681-0366 Principal: Dr. John Dalton Assistant Principal: Rob Hensley

John Sevier Elementary School 2001 Sequoyah Avenue, 37804 Telephone 983-8551, FAX 977-0725 Principal: Ginny Boles Assistant Principal: Brian Tinker

Sam Houston Elementary School 330 Melrose Street, 37803 Telephone 983-3241, FAX 977-0756 Principal: Scott Blevins Assistant Principal: Glenn Doig Assistant Principal: Ashley Hammonds

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Employee Information Accident/Incident Reports All accidents/incidents occurring on district property, school buses or during the course of school-sponsored activities, including field trips and other away events, are to be reported to the building principal immediately. Reports should cover property damage as well as personal injury. A completed accident report form must be submitted to the building principal within 24 hours or the next scheduled district workday, as appropriate. (Board Policy Section 10.5.5) In the event of a work related accident or injury, please see the Workers’ Compensation section of this handbook on page 24.

Attendance/Absences When an employee must be absent from work, it must be reported via SmartFindExpress, the district’s online system for reporting absences and securing substitutes. Refer to the SmartFindExpress section in this handbook. Notifications of absences shall be made as soon as possible, but not later than 1 hour before the opening of school or start of the work day.

Board of Education Powers and Duties Except as otherwise provided by general law or by ordinance, the Board of Education shall have full power and control of all matters pertaining to the conduct of the public schools within the City, and shall exercise such other powers and perform such other duties with respect thereto as may be imposed upon them by law or by ordinance of the City Council. Items to be placed on the agenda for a Board of Education meeting should be turned in to Glenda Ennen at the Central Office at least one week before the scheduled meeting. Regular meetings are held once a month and rotate between schools. All regular and special meetings of the Board are open to the public unless otherwise provided by law. Members of the Board of Education are as follows: Chairperson Doug Jenkins, Vice Chairperson Bethany Pope, Secretary Candy Morgan, Member Christi Sayles and Member Bob Proffitt. (Board Policy Section 2)

Career Ladder For teachers eligible for Career Ladder, payments will be made in December and May of each school year. For the 2015-2016 school year, payments will be on 12/10/2015 and 05/10/2016.

Cell Phone Usage Cell phones are not to be used by teachers or assistants during class time except for emergencies. Employees may use cell phones for work related reasons as long as usage does not interfere with the completion of essential job duties.

Central Office Hours The district central office is open on school days between the hours of 7:30am and 4:30pm. During the summer months and other times during the year when school is not in session, the office is open between the hours of 8am and 4pm daily with the office closed for lunch from 12noon-1pm. Central office will be closed for city holidays when school is not in session.

Certificate Renewal, Additional Coursework and Degrees Teachers are responsible for obtaining their own certificate, for renewals, and for any changes. Those who earn an additional degree must apply for a new teaching certificate through the Tennessee Department of Education. Forms may be obtained from the Tennessee Department of Education website and should be sent to the Office of Teacher Licensing in one envelope, including an official transcript of credits earned.

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All course work for advanced degrees must be completed by August 31 in order to qualify for a salary increase at the beginning of the school year. Pay increases for advanced degrees (MS, MS+30, EdS or EdD) will be granted after a state certificate showing the degree is submitted to Human Resources. If necessary, the pay will be retroactive to the first payday. For degrees received in December, the pay increase will be effective for the final six pay periods of the school year. (TCA 49-5-402) The BS+12, BS+24, MS+12 and MS+24 salary levels were frozen as of December 31, 2014 to new enrollees. To review the Tennessee Department of Education changes to licensure policy effective September 2015, go to http://tn.gov/education/topic/changes-to-licensing-policy.

Change of Address/Name/Phone Employees should notify the district’s Human Resource Specialist of any change in address, name or telephone number. Address changes and telephone number changes may be emailed. In order to implement a name change an employee must provide a social security card with the new name on it.

Child Abuse Reporting Any staff member who knows or has reasonable belief that any child under 18 years of age has suffered abuse or neglect, or that any adult with whom he/she is in contact has abused a child, shall immediately report it to the county office of the Department of Human Services or to the juvenile court or to the sheriff or police chief where the child resides. The building principal is also to be immediately informed. For the purpose of this section, abuse includes: physical, neglect, mental injury, threat of harm, sexual abuse and sexual exploitation. Failure to report suspected child abuse or to comply with the confidentiality of records requirements is a violation punishable by law and district disciplinary action up to and including dismissal. Tennessee law provides that a staff member, who, based on reasonable grounds, participates through good faith by making a child abuse report, shall have immunity from any liability, civil or criminal, that might otherwise be incurred or imposed as provided by law. Additional information can be found at Tennessee Code Annotated 37-1-403. (Board Policy Section 10.5.6)

Classifications of Employees In Maryville City Schools there are two types of employees: certified and classified (noncertified). Below is a description of each type. Certified Employees A certified employee is an individual who possesses a professional teaching certificate and is in a position requiring such certificate. Classified Employees A classified employee is an individual whose employment does not require a professional teaching certificate. Classified employees include educational assistants, bookkeepers, secretaries, custodians and maintenance employees, food service workers, adventure club employees, and some administrative positions whose job does not require a teaching certificate.

Code of Ethics Employees of Maryville City Schools are expected to adhere to the Code of Ethics as found in Appendix A. Certified employees are also expected to adhere to the Tennessee Education Association Code of Ethics. (Board Policy Section 2.8)

Community Activities Employees are encouraged to participate in community activities in which they hold interest. Employees have a right to express their views on any public issue, even when the view is in opposition to a view expressed in board policy or board action. However, employees have the duty

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in each case to make clear in their statements that the view expressed is not the official view of the School Board or school system. (Board Policy Section 8.24)

Complaints and Grievances Staff member complaints that a violation, misinterpretation or inappropriate application of district personnel policies and/or administrative regulations has occurred should be directed to the immediate supervisor for informal discussion and resolution. If the complaint is not resolved informally, staff, in accordance with Board policy, may initiate formal complaint procedures. This complaint procedure may not be used to resolve disputes and disagreements related to the provisions of any negotiated agreement. (Board Policy Section 8.22)

Compensation Salaries, including compensation for extracurricular assignments over and above the duties associated with a staff member’s regularly assigned duties, will be determined in accordance with salary schedules and salary placement guidelines established by the Board of Education and/or policies adopted by the Board. It is the staff member’s responsibility to provide all information necessary for placement on the salary schedule to the human resources office in accordance with timelines established by the district. (Board Policy Section 8.9)

Conflict of Interest Employees will not engage in, or have a financial interest in, any activity that raises a reasonable question of conflict of interest with their duties and responsibilities as members of the school staff. All employees of the Board are prohibited from accepting things of material value from companies or organizations that are doing business with the school system. (Board Policy Section 8.21)

Contracts, New Licensed Employees Maryville City Schools shall issue contracts for new teachers after approval and adoption of the budget by the Board and City Council. The contract shall provide for 200 days of responsibility as follows: a minimum of 177 teaching days with students present, thirteen additional working days for parent conferences, in-service and administrative duties, and up to ten (10) holidays if earned or as per the calendar as adopted by the Board of Education. (Board Policy Section 8.7.1)

Contracts, Non-Tenured Licensed Employees Employees in certified positions that are not yet tenured will be required to sign a contract on a yearly basis until tenure is granted. This contract is similar to the New Teacher Contract. (Board Policy Section 8.7.1)

Contracts, Tenured Licensed Employees As specified by Tennessee State Law, contracts for tenured licensed employees are automatically renewed at the salary approved by the Board of Education unless specific written notification is made otherwise. (TCA 49-5-409, Board Policy Section 8.7.1)

Copyright A variety of machines and equipment for reproducing materials to assist staff in carrying out their educational assignments are available to staff. Infringement on copyrighted material, whether prose, poetry, graphic images, music audiotapes, video or computer-programmed materials, is a serious offense against federal law, a violation of Board policy and contrary to ethical standards required of staff. All reproduction of copyrighted material shall be conducted strictly in accordance with applicable provisions of law. Unless otherwise allowed as “fair use” under federal law, permission must be acquired from the copyright owner prior to reproduction of material in any form. (Board Policy Section 9.9.4)

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Court Appearances If an employee appears in court because of a personal interest, whether as a plaintiff, defendant or witness, or voluntarily appears on behalf of family or friends, or when an employee is required to appear in court either as a defendant or plaintiff in a civil case, personal leave or leave without pay shall be granted in accordance with the established Board policies on leave. (Board Policy Section 8.8.10)

Credit Union The Maryville Municipal Credit Union is a savings and loan institution consisting of employees of the City of Maryville and Maryville City Schools. All school employees and members of their immediate families are eligible for membership. Loan payments may be made by payroll deduction. The Credit Union is located at 321 W. Broadway and is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The Credit Union telephone number is 984-4072.

Criminal Record Checks/Fingerprinting All persons applying for employment with Maryville City Schools are required to indicate on their employment application whether the applicant: 1. Has been convicted of a misdemeanor or felony in this state or any other state; and 2. Has been dismissed for any of the following causes: incompetence, inefficiency, neglect of duty, unprofessional conduct or insubordination. Knowingly falsifying information shall be sufficient grounds for termination of employment and shall constitute a Class A misdemeanor, which must be reported to the District Attorney General for prosecution. Additionally, all persons applying for any position requiring proximity to school children shall be required to: 1. Agree to the release of all investigative records to the Board for examination for the purpose of verifying the accuracy of criminal violation information; and 2. Supply a fingerprint sample and submit to criminal history records checks to be conducted by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Fees as required by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation in conducting such investigations of applicants shall be paid by the applicant. Employment will be offered pending the return and disposition of such background checks. All offers of employment are contingent upon the results of such checks. (TCA 49-5-413)

Direct Deposit School employees’ pay is directly deposited to the financial institution of their choice. Direct Deposit is mandatory for all employees of the system. (Board Policy Section 4.9.1.2)

Dress Code All employees are expected to be neat, clean and to wear appropriate dress for work that is in good taste and suitable for the job at hand. Employees should not have piercings in any areas visible to students other than the ears. Dress or attire from school employees that the district considers to be disruptive, inappropriate or which adversely affects the educational atmosphere will not be tolerated. Examples of dress code violation include, but are not limited to the following: clothing that is ill-fitting or too revealing (e.g., items which are overly loose or tight; or items which are low cut, short, or otherwise suggestive); arriving at work in clothing inappropriate for the work environment (e.g., items that are soiled or unmaintained); or attending a work-related activity or arriving at work in clothing that works against the interests of the district (e.g., clothing or visible tattoos which display abusive, vulgar, or offensive language; items which advertise tobacco products or alcohol; or items which reference drug use or other illegal activity). Custodians, maintenance and food service personnel will be required to wear uniforms

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provided by the school system. Appropriate safety gear shall also be worn at all times as deemed necessary. No open-toed or slip-on shoes shall be worn by any of these employees during regular work hours.

Drug and Alcohol Policy Maryville City Schools shall comply with the Drug-Free Workplace Act of 1988 and the related provisions in the Code of Federal Regulations (34 CFR Part 85). The Board of Education shall promote and maintain a drug-free workplace. All employees are expected and required to report for work and remain at work in condition to perform assigned duties free from the effects of alcohol and drugs. The Board is responsible for the instruction and well-being of the students entrusted to its care. The Board declares that the use of illegal drugs, the abuse of alcohol, and the misuse of prescription drugs are unacceptable. All employees are expected to adhere to the Drug-Free Workplace policy at found in Appendix D. (Board Policy 8.16)

E- Mail Maryville City School system employees may receive an email address on the citywide network. The city network administrator assigns login addresses. The city network also provides Internet access. A city network user’s full Internet address is the city login + @maryvilleschools.org. Email messages should be used for official business, kept short, and broadcast to entire staff within a school only with permission of the principal and to other schools only by permission of the Director of Schools. Use of the system must not interfere with instructional time or disclose confidential information about students. Every staff member and student should have a signed Responsible Use Policy: Technology, Internet and Network Guidelines form on file. See Appendix C for the form. (Board Policy Section 9.17.3)

Educator Licensure Website The Tennessee Department of Education provides an Educator License Information (ELI) website that can be found at https://apps.tn.gov/eli. The ELI website allows educators to monitor all information related to their license, apply to add endorsements and degrees, apply to renew their licenses, and edit personal information through an easy to use online interface. Access to the educator profile requires the educator’s license number, date of birth, and last four digits of their social security number.

Electronic Communications Electronic communications are protected by the same laws and policies and are subject to the same limitations as other types of media. When using or storing messages on the network, the user should consider both the personal ramifications and the impact on the system should the messages by disclosed or released to other parties. Extreme caution should be used when committing confidential information to electronic messages, as confidentiality cannot be guaranteed. Messages sent to the wrong address could be used inappropriately and the receiver could save the information indefinitely. From time to time, the administrators of the e-mail system may review e-mail logs and/or messages as part of the standard maintenance and security schedule. Because all computer hardware and software belong to the Board, users have no reasonable expectation of privacy, including the use of e-mail communications. Maryville City Schools archives all non-spam e-mails sent and/or received on the system for a minimum of one month in accordance with Records Management for Municipal Governments. After the set time has elapsed, e-mail communications may be discarded unless notification of pending litigation or other good cause exists for retaining e-mail records. (Board Policy Section 9.17.3)

Emergency Leave An employee must have permission from his/her immediate supervisor in order to leave the worksite during the workday. The employee is required to sign out and sign back in upon returning. Teachers are encouraged to utilize their planning time to reduce the impact on students.

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If the time away exceeds 90 minutes, then the employee must take a half day sick or personal leave. The immediate supervisor shall keep a tally of the amount of time individual employees are released under this policy. If the amount becomes excessive, then the employee may be charged with one (1) day of applicable leave. (Board Policy Section 8.8.9)

Employee Conduct Employees of Maryville City Schools are expected to conduct themselves in an appropriate manner at all times. Refer to Board Policy section 8.28 and the Employee Code of Conduct: Administrative Guidelines and Regulations.

Employee Evaluations The evaluation of performance and its effectiveness must be a cooperative and shared endeavor on the part of the Director of Schools and administrative and supervisory personnel. The Board shall use guidelines developed by the State Board of Education for implementation of an approved evaluation system of licensed teaching personnel. Non-licensed/support personnel shall be evaluated annually during the first two years of employment and then at least once every three years thereafter. School administration will perform and retain performance evaluations. (Board Policy Section 8.13)

Employee Safety Programs Maryville City Schools recognizes that safe work practices shall be incorporated into all aspects of the instructional program and makes every effort to identify workplace hazards and the personal protective equipment necessary (above and beyond engineering and administrative controls) to protect employees from these recognized hazards. The system currently provides a (1) Safety Footwear Program and (2) Safety Eyewear Program. Please contact Human Resources for further information.

Employment At-Will Tennessee is an employment at-will state. This means that employment for classified workers is voluntary for both employees and employers (see Classification of Employees section in this handbook). Classified employees are free to terminate the employment relationship at-will for any reason or for no reason at all without consequence. Likewise, employers in Tennessee may legally terminate classified employees for any reason or for no reason at all. However, an employer may not discriminate against any employee on the basis of race, sex, age, religion, color, national origin or disability. The written contract agreement of certified employees exempts them from the at-will nature of the employment relationship.

Fair Labor Standards Act Regular working hours for all support staff will be set by the building principal. Support staff employees are not to work before, beyond or outside their established working hours and are not to work overtime without prior authorization from their supervisor. Overtime is defined as time worked over 40 hours in one week. A week is defined as seven consecutive days covering Monday through Sunday. (Board Policy Section 8.7.9)

Family and Medical Leave Act (including Military Family Leave) The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) provides for up to 12 work weeks of unpaid job protected leave for eligible employees for certain family and medical reasons. Reasonable leave can be taken for the employee’s own serious health condition, for the birth or adoption of a child, and for the care of a child, spouse or parent who has a serious health condition. Employees are eligible if they have worked for at least one year and have worked for 1,250 hours over the previous 12 months. All other leave must be exhausted before FMLA can be used. The Military Family Leave provisions afford FMLA protections specific to the needs of military

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families. More information specific to Military Family Leave can be found at http://www.dol.gov/whd/fmla/finalrule/MilitaryFAQs.pdf Questions regarding FMLA leave should be directed to Human Resources. Detailed information about FMLA and your rights can be found at www.dol.gov/dol/topic/benefitsleave/fmla.htm. (Board Policy Section 8.8.2.1)

Field Trips and Other Student Travel Field trips will be used only to extend instruction. The following will be considered before any field trip will be approved: (a) the value of the field trip to mastery of the learning objectives of the class; (b) the suitability of the activity and travel time for the students; (c) the availability of transportation; and (d) the cost. The principal will have approval of walking field trips. The Director of Schools must also approve field trips that require transportation. The Board of Education will have approval of all overnight field trips. Field trips must be approved in advance. Any teacher seeking approval for a field trip will submit a field trip request form to the principal. If the principal approves, and it is necessary, the principal will forward the request to the Director of Schools. Detailed information about the field trip process and other student travel is available in Section 9.9.2 in the Policy Manual of the Maryville City Board of Education. Policy manuals are available in each principal’s office and each school library.

Flu Shot Program If funding permits, a flu shot program will be made available to all permanent employees during the fall of each school year. Scheduling will be handled by the Employee Health Services Clinic and will be published in e-News prior to the start of the program.

Food Service The goal of the food service program is to design and implement a program of food service that emphasizes the nutritional needs of children and adults as the basis of growth and development of bodies and minds. Maryville City Schools participates in the National School Nutrition Program with breakfast and lunch served in all schools. Employees are not allowed to charge meals in the cafeteria. (Board Policy Section 7.1.1, 7.2)

Fund Raising The principal and the Director of Schools must approve all fund raising activities that involve students or that occur on school property in advance annually. This includes any activity that involves the collection of money except for classroom fees and field trip expenses. The Director of Schools provides a form for this purpose and provides the Board of Education with a listing of the approved projects. (Board Policy Section 4.3.5)

Gifts An official or employee, or an official’s or employee’s spouse or child living in the same household, may not accept, directly or indirectly, any gift, money, gratuity, or other consideration or favor of any kind from anyone other than the school district that a reasonable person would understand was intended to influence the vote, official action or judgment of the official or employee in executing decision-making authority affecting the school district. It shall not be considered a violation of this policy for an official or employee to receive entertainment, food, refreshments, meals, health screenings, amenities, foodstuffs, or beverages that are provided in connection with a conference sponsored by an established or recognized statewide association of school board officials or by an umbrella or affiliate organization of such statewide association of school board officials. Exceptions to this policy are acceptance of minor items, which are generally distributed to all by the companies through public relations programs. Teachers should accept only gifts with token value from students. (Board Policy Section 2.8)

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Grievances If a teacher feels that he or she has a grievance, he or she shall first discuss the matter with the principal or other appropriate supervisor personally in an effort to settle the problem informally. If the problem is not resolved informally, then either party may declare that a grievance exists and the formal procedure stated in Board of Education Policy invoked. (Board Policy Section 8.22)

Harassment Harassment of employees will not be tolerated. Harassment includes, but is not limited to, harassment on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, age, disability and gender. Harassment is defined as conduct, advances, gestures or words of any nature, which have any of the following effects: (a) unreasonably interferes with an employee’s work or performance; (b) creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment; (c) implies that submission to such conduct is made an explicit or implicit term of employment; (d) implies that submission to or rejection of such conduct will be used as a basis for an employment decision affecting the harassed employee. Any complaints should be reported to the employee’s immediate supervisor. If that person is involved, then it should be reported to the next level of supervision. All reports of harassment will be investigated and disclosures made only when necessary to investigate any incident or as required by law. Any employee who is subject to, or knows of, such harassment is directed to notify the building principal, Human Resources or Director of Schools immediately. If the complaint is not satisfactorily settled, the employee may file a complaint directly with the Tennessee Department of Labor, Civil Rights Division or with the U.S. Department of Labor, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Such complaints may also be filed with the appropriate enforcement agency, in lieu of the district’s complaint process, at any time, as provided by law.

Health Examinations A physical examination is required of all school personnel at the time of employment. School personnel shall be free from contagious or communicable diseases or conditions which might endanger the health of school children. Physicals must be submitted by September 1st. For all maintenance, custodial and food service personnel, the school system shall require a post-job offer pre-employment functional capacity screening to determine fitness for work. A physician’s statement showing evidence that the employee meets all physical requirements for the position must be received prior to the employee starting work. (Board Policy Section 8.5.4)

Hepatitis B Program The Director of Schools or designee shall prepare and administer an exposure control plan for infectious diseases. The plan shall include the offer of free hepatitis B immunizations for all employees who have reasonably anticipated skin, eye, mucous membrane or parenteral contact with blood or other potentially infectious materials through the performance of their duties. (Board Policy Section 8.6)

Holidays Following is a list of observed holidays by Maryville City Schools. Labor Day Thanksgiving plus one Christmas plus one New Year’s Day

Martin Luther King Day Good Friday Memorial Day Independence Day

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In-service Education The in-service education plan shall be developed in accordance with state law and Tennessee State Board of Education guidelines. The Director of Schools shall involve the administrative team in the formulation of the system-wide staff development program. (Board Policy Section 8.19)

Internet Usage The Board supports the right of staff and students to have reasonable access to various informational formats and believes it incumbent upon staff and students to use this privilege in an appropriate and responsible manner. Employee access to the Internet is provided upon receipt of the signed Responsible Use Policy: Technology, Internet and Network Guidelines form on file. See Appendix C for the form. (Board Policy Section 9.17.1)

Involuntary Transfer or Assignment The principal of each school shall have the authority and the responsibility to assign staff as necessary to meet the needs of students. When possible, the principal should discuss potential changes in job assignments with the staff involved to ensure that the reasons for the changes are understood. A staff member may make a written request for those reasons and the principal shall provide them in writing. If the staff member wishes to appeal the decision of the principal, appeal procedures are available in the Procedures & Guidelines Section of the Policy Manual of the Maryville City Board of Education (Section 8.5).

Jury Duty School employees summoned to jury duty will receive regular compensation, less the amount paid by the court for jury duty. The juror's check stub should be presented to the Payroll Specialist as soon as it is received. Notification to the immediate supervisor and payroll should be made as soon as a jury summons is received. Teachers are no longer exempt from jury duty, but according to state law may request a more convenient time to serve. (Board Policy Section 8.8.8)

Maternity Leave An employee shall be eligible for unpaid maternity leave due to pregnancy and childbirth. Upon written request of the employee, accompanied by a statement from the employee’s physician verifying pregnancy, any employee who goes on maternity leave shall be allowed to use all or a portion of the employee’s accumulated sick leave for maternity leave purposes during the period of the employee’s physical disability only, as determined by a physician. Upon verification by a written statement from an adoption agency or other entity handling an adoption, an employee may also be allowed to use up to thirty (30) days of accumulated sick leave for adoption of a child. If both adoptive parents are employees, only one (1) parent is entitled to leave. Upon return from maternity leave, the employee will be placed in the same or a similar position. (Board Policy Section 8.8)

Media Access to Students The media may interview and photograph students involved in instructional programs and school activities including athletic events. Such media access may not be unduly disruptive and must comply with Board policies and district goals. Media representatives are required to report to the building principal for prior approval before accessing students involved in instructional programs and activities not attended by the general public. Staff may release student information to the media only in accordance with applicable provisions of the education records law, the Board policies governing directory and personally identifiable information, a signed public media release contained within the student acceptable use policy and parental approval as needed.

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Military Leave Any person holding a position that requires a teacher’s certificate shall be granted leave for military service without forfeiture of accumulated leave credits, tenure status, or other fringe benefits in accordance with TCA 49-5-702. The Notice of Rights and Duties under the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA, 12/19/05) will be followed when an employee is required to leave for military service. (Board Policy Section 8.8.7)

My Benefits Channel Employees have 24/7 online access to benefits, wellness tools and district information through www.mybenefitschannel.com, a customized portal for employees of Maryville City Schools. Both full time and part time employees may utilize My Benefits Channel. The site includes: 1) a comprehensive library of benefits information, including documents, forms, links and reference lists and 2) a wellness center with information on health and wellness topics and health check tools. To get started, you must first register as a new user by creating your own user name and password that you will use to gain access to the website. There are video tutorials to help you get started. If you need assistance to get started, contact Human Resources. All benefits information will be disseminated via secure email messaging through My Benefits Channel.

Nepotism Husband or wife, sons or daughters, brothers or sisters, and in-laws of the members of the Board of Education and the Director of Schools will not be employed by the district. If previously employed or hired, they may remain employed. This policy does not apply to substitute teachers, teachers of homebound pupils, part-time classified employees or temporary employees. No employee will be placed in a position that is supervised by his or her spouse unless approved by the Director of Schools. (Board Policy Section 8.5)

Nurse Practitioner/Occupational Health Nurse Program A Nurse Practitioner and Occupational Health Nurse are available for use by all regular employees of Maryville City Schools and insured spouses and children ages 6 to 26. The Center is located at 326 Melrose Street. The house faces the parking lot area at Sam Houston Elementary. Both persons can be reached at (865) 983-0349 or [email protected]. Please see Appendix B for more information. The current schedule for the 2014-2015 school year is below. Registered Nurse: Monday – Friday, 7 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. Nurse Practitioner: Tuesday & Friday 7:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. Tuesday & Thursday, 8:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. Nurse Practitioner is not available on Wednesdays

Orientation Orientation sessions shall be planned and provided by members of the school system for personnel newly hired to the system. (Board Policy Section 8.10)

Outside Employment Outside employment is regarded as employment for compensation that is not within the duties and responsibilities of the employee’s regular position with the school system. Personnel shall not be prohibited from holding employment outside the district as long as such employment does not interfere with assigned school duties. The Board of Education expects employees to devote maximum effort to the position in which employed. An employee will not perform any duties related to an outside job during regular working hours or during the additional time that the responsibilities of the position require; nor will an employee use any district facilities, equipment or materials in performing outside work. When the periods of work are such that certain evenings, days or vacation periods are duty free, the

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employee may use such off-duty time for the purposes of non-school employment. (Board Policy Section 8.25)

Parent Link Parent Link is the district’s phone-based communication tool for parent and staff notification. Employees can expect to be included in emergency calls, surveys, reminders and more. Telephone notification is based on the phone number each employee provides to the school office on the campus where they work, making it especially important to notify the school office with any changes to personal contact information.

Paydays All personnel are paid on the 3rd of the month or on the closest workday before the 3rd. Annual pay is divided equally between 12 payments unless otherwise specified. Cut-off for each payroll is the 15th of the month preceding payday. Direct deposit is required for all employees. (Board Policy Section 4.9) Notices of Deposit (NODs) will be delivered to each campus on payday. If you are not on campus on payday, NODs can be picked up at the Central Office. Otherwise, they will be mailed at the end of the day on payday. The Central Office does not keep copies of NODs.

Pay Schedule All personnel will be paid monthly according to salary schedules established annually by the Board of Education. (Board Policy Section 8.9) (1) (2) (3) (4)

09/03/2015(1st payday for new employees) (5) 01/04/2016* 10/02/2015 (6) 02/03/2016 11/03/2015 (7) 03/03/2016 12/03/2015 (8) 04/01/2016

(9) 05/03/2016 (10) 06/01/2016 (11) 07/01/2016 (12) 08/03/2016

*Because New Year’s Day falls on a Friday, the January payday will not be until Monday the 4th.

Payroll Deductions Payroll deductions may include the following: Social Security/Medicare, Income Tax, Tennessee Consolidated Retirement System, United Way, wellness/athletic club membership fees, teacher association dues, tax-sheltered annuities, insurance premiums for medical/dental/life insurance and voluntary premiums and programs available through USAble Life and/or AFLAC. Payroll questions should be directed to the district’s Payroll Specialist. (Board Policy Section 4.9)

Personal Leave The Principal may authorize personal leave without loss of pay for up to a maximum of two days per year upon request of any certified employee and one day for all other employees, except substitutes, Adventure Club assistants and other temporary staff. The Director of Schools may grant additional days of personal leave without pay. Except for emergency reasons as approved by the Director of Schools, personal leave may not be taken immediately before or following holidays, in-service days, during scheduled tests or exam days, and during the first week or the last two weeks of school, and more than 10 percent of teachers may not take personal leave on the same given day. Requests for Personal Leave must be made through SmartFindExpress (refer to the SmartFindExpress section in this handbook) and, except for emergencies, must be submitted at least one week in advance. Any unused personal days are converted to sick days at the end of the contract year. (Board Policy Section 8.8.5)

Political Activities Guidelines for employees planning to run for political office are found in the district’s Board Policy Manual. In connection with any campaign or position appointment, no employee shall use

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school system facilities, equipment, or supplies, nor shall the employee use any time during the working day for campaigning purposes. (Board Policy Section 8.24)

Pony The “Pony” is the district’s interschool mail service. Deliveries are made daily to each campus during the school year.

Printing Policies The location of the Copy Shop is in the hallway between the Central Office and Maryville High School. Access to the Copy Shop is from the Central Office. Copies are printed on two sides to conserve paper unless one-sided copies are specifically requested. Copies may be collated when specifically requested. Please remember that there is a minimum 48-hour turnaround time on copies. Originals submitted to be copied must be copy ready. Originals submitted with holes or with tape, different sized paper, or two-sided to one-sided requests delay printing and will be returned without copying. Emergency Requests approved by the school principal will be put at the beginning of that school’s print requests. Teachers must have permission to duplicate copyrighted material and must initial the print request form before the copies will be made. Originals created in Microsoft Office can be submitted through School Center.

Professional Development Teachers are encouraged to be in a continuous program of professional and technical growth by exhibiting lifelong learning skills in order to provide a quality educational program for all students in the system. At least five days of in-service training shall be included in the school year. (Board Policy Section 8.18)

Professional Leave The Director of Schools may grant additional professional leave for professional development and school-related activities as are deemed advisable. Application forms are found in each school office and must be submitted to the Principal to be recommended to the Director of Schools. (Board Policy Section 8.8.4)

Public Relations A program of public relations is conducted to keep the citizens of Maryville informed about the schools. School personnel are instrumental in determining the public image of the district and its schools. Teachers who wish to have media coverage of an event or program are asked to email Sharon Anglim, Coordinator of Communications. (Board Policy Section 11.1)

Publications An electronic newsletter (e-News) is distributed regularly throughout the school year to all employees via email. Newsletter distribution is based on current e-mail data included in Power School employee records. The newsletter contains valuable information including payroll and benefits changes, notes from the Director of Schools and other district staff, special events, staff and student recognition, calendar highlights, and sale items. To include items in e-News, please forward content via e-mail to the Director of Communications. Other publications of special interest to employees, parents and community are distributed as the need arises.

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Purchasing Teachers may requisition supplies in accordance with school policies and procedures on forms supplied by the school office. Invoices will be mailed to the delivery address and school personnel must verify the order and sign the invoice before forwarding to the Central Office for payment. All unsigned invoices will remain unpaid and will be returned to the school office. April 1st is the deadline for purchases. If you have questions about invoices paid at the Central Office, please contact the district’s Accounting Specialist. (Board Policy Sections 4.8, 4.10, 4.11)

Records Employees shall have the right, upon request, to review the contents of their own personnel files. (Board Policy Section 8.11)

Release of General Employee Information Employee records are public records, except for matters deemed confidential by law, and shall be open for inspection during regular business hours. Members of the public may not obtain an employee’s unpublished telephone number, bank account information, social security number, personal health information or driver’s license information except where driving or operating a vehicle is considered to be a part of the employee’s duties, unless the employee expressly authorizes release of this information. The district may also disclose information about a former employee’s job performance to a prospective employer under the following conditions: 1. Disclosure of information is upon the request of the prospective employer; or 2. Disclosure of information is upon the request of the former employee; and 3. The information is related to job performance. The district will not disclose information that is knowingly false, deliberately misleading, rendered with malicious purpose or is in violation of the employee’s civil rights.

Resignation A teacher shall give the Principal and Director of Schools written notice of resignation at least thirty days in advance of the effective date of resignation. Classified personnel shall present a letter of resignation to the immediate supervisor at least two (2) weeks prior to the effective date. (Board Policy Sections 8.14 and 8.15)

Salary Notices At the beginning of the school year, each employee will be provided a Salary Notice which details the employee’s salary for the upcoming school year. Questions regarding your notice should be directed to Human Resources.

School Day Principals are expected to be in the building at least 30 minutes before school begins and to stay at least 30 minutes after school ends. Teachers are expected to be in the building at least 15 minutes before school begins and to stay at least 15 minutes after school is dismissed. Teachers will attend the staff meetings that are scheduled by the principal as frequently as necessary to meet the ongoing needs of the school. The Principal will determine the exact school day for all other positions on his/her campus. (Board Policy Section 8.7.4)

School Support Organizations The procedures and agreements for School Support Organizations can be found in the Board of Education Policy Manual Section 4.13 and the related procedures section. These organizations

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are ones that support the school system in any capacity and operate both fundraising and disbursement of funds independently from the schools’ general accounting systems.

Sick Leave Sick leave shall mean leave of absence because of illness of an employee from natural causes or accident, quarantine, or illness, or death of a member of the immediate family of an employee, including spouse, parents, grandparents, children, grandchildren, brothers, sisters, spouse’s family and step-families. Sick leave absences must be reported through SmartFindExpress (refer to the SmartFindExpress section in this handbook), the district’s online and phone system for reporting absences. The paid time off allowed for sick leave for all permanent employees is one day for each full month of service. One day equals the number of hours worked per day. For example, an employee works 5 hours per day and receives one 5-hour sick day per month. Sick leave shall be cumulative for all earned days not used. An employee claiming sick leave may be required to file a certificate from a physician stating the nature of the illness and the length of time the employee was unable to work. An employee absent for five (5) consecutive working days shall submit a doctor’s statement verifying illness or injury of the employee or immediate family member. Sick leave is accumulated at 10, 11 or 12 days per year, depending upon an employee’s contract and carries forward indefinitely within the school system. (Board Policy Section 8.8.1)

SmartFindExpress SmartFindExpress (SFE) is a telephone and browser based system that manages employee absences and substitute job assignments. When an employee creates an absence, the system assigns the most appropriate and available substitute for jobs that require a substitute. Employees may create absences, and review or cancel absences 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. New employees will be given an Access ID by Human Resources in order to register. WEBSITE https://maryville.eschoolsolutions.com PHONE (865)238-4381 SmartFindExpress is very simple to use. In order to activate an account, employees must complete the following steps. 1) Call the main system number for SFE at (865) 238-4381. 2) Enter your 5 digit Access ID (provided by Human Resources) follow by the star (*) key. 3) When the system asks for your PIN, enter your Access ID again, followed by the star (*) key. 4) You will be asked to record your name. Record your name and when finished, press the star (*) key. 5) Next you will hear the primary location and classification that has been set up in your profile. 6) Create your PIN. It must be numeric and be at least 6 digits, but no more than 9. You can use the same access ID and PIN to use SFE by phone or online. There is an initial training video on the login page and once logged in, there are additional training videos with the Help menu.

Snow Days/Emergency Closing In cases of heavy snow or icy road conditions, school closings will be announced as early as possible on local radio and television stations. Automated phone calls will also be made to all employees through the Parent Link system. Snow days will be made up as necessary and at the discretion of the Board of Education. (Board Policy Section 9.16.3)

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Staff-Student Relations Staff members shall use good judgment in their relationships with students beyond their work responsibilities and/or outside the school setting and shall avoid excessive informal and social involvement with individual students. Any appearance of impropriety shall be avoided. Sexual relationships between employees and students are prohibited.

Suspension & Dismissal The Director of Schools may suspend any employee, certified or otherwise, at any time as deemed necessary or pending investigation or final disposition of a case by the Board of Education. The suspension may be made with or without pay. If without pay and the employee is reinstated, full salary for the period of suspension will be paid. No tenured teacher shall be dismissed except under conditions specified under TCA 49-5-511. (Board Policy Section 8.14 and 8.15)

Tax Sheltered Annuities Employees may voluntarily place a portion of their income into a 403(b) and/or 457(b) Tax Sheltered Annuity. Deductions are taken over 12 months unless otherwise specified. Such pre-tax funds and the interest they earn are tax deferred for Federal Income Tax purposes until they are withdrawn. Employees can use any broker or financial advisor of their choice. Currently, investments can only be made in the companies listed below. More information regarding the 403(b) program can be found at www.omni403b.com. On the website, choose the Employers Tab and type in Tennessee and Maryville City Schools in the drop-down boxes. 403(b) Annuity Companies (Pre-Tax) Ameriprise Financial www.ameriprise.com Great American Life Insurance www.gafri.com ING Reliastar Life Insurance www.ing-usa.com Oppenheimer Funds www.oppenheimerfunds.com Pacific Life Insurance www.pacificlife.com Security Benefit Life www.securitybenefit.com The Legend Group/Adserv www.legendgroup.com VALIC www.valic.com

(800) 882-1244 (888) 497-8556 (800) 366-0066 (888) 470-0862 (800) 800-7646 (800) 888-2461 (561) 694-0110 (800) 448-2542

Roth 403(b) Annuity Companies (After Tax) VALIC www.valic.com

(800) 448-2542

457(b) Annuity Companies (Pre-Tax) Pacific Life Insurance www.pacificlife.com VALIC www.valic.com

(800) 800-7646 (800) 448-2542

Teacher License Requirements It is the responsibility of each certified employee to keep his/her license and all endorsements current. Teachers are cautioned that failure to maintain license and endorsements will invalidate their contract with the school system. Licensing status can be verified on the state website at https://apps.tn.gov/eli. (TCA 49-5-403). To review the Tennessee Department of Education changes to licensure policy effective September 2015, go to http://tn.gov/education/topic/changes-to-licensing-policy.

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Teaching about Religion Religious education is the responsibility of the home and religious institutions. Public schools are obligated to maintain neutrality in all such matters. However, as religion influences many areas of education such as literature and history, its role in civilization may be taught when consistent with curriculum and teaching assignment. In such instances, teachers may provide information and opportunity for students to study the forms of various religions. Though teachers may be permitted to expose students to information concerning religious beliefs, teachers may not advocate, openly or covertly or by subtlety, a particular religion or religious belief. Additional information can be found in the Teacher’s Guide to Religion.

Technology Resources The district’s computer systems and networks are any configuration of hardware and software located in any school building. The systems and networks include all of the computer hardware, operating system software, stored text and data files. This includes electronic mail, local databases, externally accessed databases (such as the Internet), CD-ROM, optical media, clip art, digital images, digitized information, communications technologies and new technologies as they become available. The district reserves the right to monitor all technology resource activities. The district’s technology resources will be used for learning, teaching and administrative purposes consistent with the district’s mission and its goals. Commercial use of the district’s system is strictly prohibited. Procedures for purchasing hardware and software can be found in the City of Maryville Information Technology Service Level Agreement on the district website or by contacting a school technology coordinator. (Board Policy Section 9.17)

Tobacco-Free Environment The Board of Education recognizes that smoking represents a health and safety hazard, which has serious consequences for the smoker and the nonsmoker. The Board also recognizes that all employees should serve as positive role models for our students. In order to protect our students, staff, visitors and guests of the schools from an environment that may be harmful to them, and in compliance with Public Chapter 410 (Non-Smoker Protection Act), smoking is prohibited on all school property, in all school buildings, and in all school vehicles. Smoking is not permitted inside areas such as maintenance shops and garages and is not allowed in any form at any time inside any school building or anywhere on school property. For the purposes of this policy, smoking will mean all uses of tobacco (including all smokeless and chewing tobacco products), cigars, cigarettes, and pipes. Employees are prohibited from possessing tobacco products that are visible to others while on school property. (Board Policy Section 8.20)

Total Compensation Package An employee’s total compensation includes both salary and benefits. Most employees are unaware of the cost of their benefits. The following shows total compensation for a full-time employee making $37,000 per year. For a part-time employee, total compensation includes Social Security, Medicare, Employee Clinic and Workers’ Compensation. Annual Salary $37,000.00 Social Security 2,294.00 (6.2% of annual salary) Medicare 536.60 (1.45% of annual salary) Retirement 3,340.80 (9.04% - determined by TCRS) Medical Insurance 11,500.00 Life Insurance 56.00 Employee Clinic 300.00 Workers’ Compensation 215.88 Employee Assistance Program 29.12 Total Compensation Package $55,272.40

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Website Maryville City Schools’ website can be found at www.maryville-schools.org.

Wellness Centers New employees are eligible for 60 days after their effective date of employment to join the Blount Memorial Wellness Center (BMWC) and have the initial Membership Fee waived. While employees may join after the first 60 days of employment, the fee will apply. If membership at BMWC is full, the fee waiver will be honored as long as new employees place their names on the waiting list during the first 60 days of employment. To join or place your name on the waiting list or to make changes to your current membership, contact BMWC at Springbrook at 980-7100. You can also visit them at www.blountmemorial.com. BMWC dues are discounted by 15% for Maryville City School employees and are paid through payroll deduction. Olympia Athletic Club allows employees to waive the standard $90 down payment and to receive reduced monthly rates. Payment is made through payroll deduction. Permanent full-time and part-time employees are eligible to join. You can visit them at 398 Olympia Drive in Maryville or call them at 984-8300. You can also visit their website at www.olympiaathleticclub.com. APEX Training Center also offers district employees the corporate member rate. It is located at 1410 Sevierville Road in Maryville. Memberships include 3 sessions with a personal trainer. Please direct questions to T.J. at 681-6122 or Tracy at 977-8282.

Wellness Program Maryville City Schools’ employees have access to a wellness program coordinated through the Human Resources department, the Coordinated School Health Program and the Employee Health Services Clinic. The program is administered through My Benefits Channel. The program has incentives for participation and planned activities are available throughout the year. Exercise programs may be available on school campuses. Announcements regarding the programs are made throughout the year in e-News.

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Worker’s Compensation It is a crime to knowingly provide false, incomplete, or misleading information to any party to a workers’ compensation transaction for the purpose of committing fraud. Penalties may include imprisonment, fines, and/or denial of insurance benefits. Notice of Injury: Every injured employee shall, immediately upon the occurrence of an injury or as soon thereafter as is reasonable and practicable, notify his or her immediate supervisor that an injury has occurred. In addition, notice must be provided to the Employee Health Services Clinic and/or Human Resources. Medical Treatment (pharmacy benefits, physical therapy, specialist referral, etc.): When medical treatment is required, an appointment will be coordinated for you by the Employee Health Services Clinic and/or Human Resources. Note: Charges for medical treatment (including prescriptions) received as a result of a work-related injury/illness should not be filed on your personal health insurance. Clinic Nurse Human Resources

-

865-983-0349 (Employee Health Services Center) 865-982-7121 (Central Office)

Panel of Physicians: Tennessee Code Annotated §50-6-204(a)(4)(A) requires an employer to offer a panel of three (3) physicians. 

Blount Memorial Occupational Health 220 Associates Blvd. Alcoa, TN 37701 865-984-0100



East Tennessee Medical Group (Edwin Kuhl, M.D. or David Vines, M.D. only) 266 Joule Street Alcoa, TN 37701 865-984-3864 / Appointments – 865-268-2600



James Proffitt, M.D. (Non-established patients only) 201 Corporate Place Alcoa, TN 37701 865-984-6823

AFTER HOURS EMERGENCIES: 

East Tennessee Medical Group – “After Hours Clinic” 266 Joule Street Alcoa, TN 37701 865-983-0093

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Full-Time Employee Benefits 2015-2016 If you have any questions or comments regarding benefits outlined in this booklet, please contact one of the following Central Office staff members at 982-7121: Leigh Ann Overholt or Mindy Stooksbury. This handbook does not guarantee benefits coverage. Eligibility requirements must be met for coverage to be in force.

Benefits Premiums Premiums for benefits are payroll deducted over a 12-month period.

COBRA Continuation of Coverage Full-time employees that carry insurance may be eligible to continue their benefits after leaving employment with Maryville City Schools. Qualifying events and period of continuation of coverage are explained in the Summary Plan Description (Health Insurance). Please see the Summary Plan Description for further explanation.

Dental Insurance A comprehensive voluntary dental insurance plan is offered to full-time employees of Maryville City Schools. Two DentalBlue plans are available through Blue Cross Blue Shield of Tennessee. The high option plan provides for preventive, routine, major services (crowns, periodontics, endodontic), and orthodontic services. A lower cost option plan does not cover major services or orthodontic services. Both plans allow for two cleanings in a 12-month period to be paid in full at a participating provider. The annual open enrollment period will be in November. If an employee has a qualifying event throughout the year, then coverage can be changed within 30 days of the qualifying event. A qualifying event includes birth, marriage, legal separation and divorce, death, loss of job or reduction in hours. For information about the coverage, you can contact Human Resources or click on the Benefits Library icon at www.mybenefitschannel.com or go to www.bcbst.com.

Employee Assistance Program (CONCERN) An Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is provided at no charge for all full time employees and their families. The service is provided by Blount Memorial CONCERN and offers confidential assessment, short-term counseling, referral (if necessary), and follow-up to you and members of your family (who live with you) who want help in dealing with stressful situations. The phone number is (865) 984-4223.

EPIC Hearing Health Care Through United Healthcare, full time employees on the school district’s health insurance have access to a voluntary program for hearing health care. EPIC Hearing Service Plan provides quality, cost effective, hearing healthcare. There are no monthly fees or access fees for the plan and you do not have to enroll in the program. If interested, call toll-free (866)956-5400 to activate the benefit process. Visit www.epichearing.com for more information and contact Human Resources if you have additional questions.

Group Life Insurance Group Life Insurance in the amount your annual earnings with a base of $30,000 and a maximum of $50,000 is provided without cost to all full-time employees through USAble Life. The coverage also provides for Accidental Death and Dismemberment. Dependent coverage and is included free of charge as follows: Spouse $1000 and unmarried children (15 days and 19 years) $500.

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Health Insurance A comprehensive health insurance plan emphasizing employee choice is provided for fulltime employees of Maryville City Schools. Among the key features of the plan are: a network of local and national health care providers; access to local, national chain, and mail order pharmacies; and low annual premiums for elective family coverage. Maryville City Schools is selfinsured and uses UMR as the third-party administrator. The annual open enrollment period will be in November. If an employee has a qualifying event throughout the year, then coverage can be changed within 30 days of the qualifying event. A qualifying event includes birth, marriage, legal separation and divorce, death, loss of job or reduction in hours. The health insurance plan has two tier options for premium purposes: MyHealth and MCS Standard. MyHealth requires that each participant, including spouses but not children, complete a Health Risk Assessment (HRA) in order to qualify for a lower premium rate. The MCS Standard plan does not require an HRA, but monthly premiums are $50 higher than the premium rate for MyHealth participants. A Health Risk Assessment determines if you have risk factors through your answers to health and lifestyle-related question and biometrics. Biometrics taken will include height, weight, BMI, blood pressure, glucose and a lipid profile. Employees and covered spouses can complete the biometric screening at the Employee Health Clinic or through a personal doctor. If you have a qualifying event, such as a birth, marriage, legal separation, divorce, death, loss of job, or reduction in hours, changes can be made to your coverage. Questions regarding the processing of claims should be directed to Human Resources. Maryville City Schools' provider network is United Healthcare Options PPO. An option to use out-of-network providers when necessary is also available. Prescriptions are included in the health insurance plan and operate on a co-pay basis. Mail order service is available allowing participants to receive a three-month supply of approved drugs for two co-payments. For more information on the district’s plans you may contact Human Resources or click on the Benefits Library icon at www.mybenefitschannel.com.

Leave – Unpaid Employees will be required to pay all benefit premiums while on an approved unpaid leave of absence. During leave under Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), premium payments shall be the same as the employee’s current payroll deductions. After FMLA has been exhausted, medical and dental premiums will become equal to current COBRA rates and will be paid at that level by the employee until the employee returns to work.

Retirement Full-time certified and classified employees hired prior to July 1, 2014 participate with the Tennessee Consolidated Retirement System (TCRS), now also known as the TCRS Legacy Plan. This is a defined benefit retirement plan. This means that a pension benefit is determined by using a formula established by TCRS. Several factors are incorporated into the formula, including years of service, age, and the 5 highest consecutive years of salary. Full-time employees normally attain full retirement benefits at age 60 or with 30 years of service. It is mandatory that all full-time employees participate. Part-time certified employees have the option to participate. Employees contribute 5% of their salary through a pre-tax payroll deduction. Full-time certified employees hired after July 1, 2014 participate with TCRS in the Hybrid Plan, which consists of a defined benefit plan and a 401(k) defined contribution plan. Certified employees contribute 5% of their salary to TCRS and 2% to the 401(k) plan. Both are pre-tax deductions. Employees are automatically enrolled in the 401(k) plan but have 90 days to opt out. Full time classified employees will continue to participate in the Legacy Plan. Any new employee that previously participated in TCRS as a full-time employee and did not lose membership will continue enrollment in the TCRS Legacy Plan. Information can be found on the TCRS website at www.treasury.tn.gov/tcrs. If you have questions regarding your eligibility or other retirement questions, Human Resources can assist.

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Retirement Health Care Plan Health insurance may be available for those under age 65 upon retirement. Check the current Retirement Health Care Plan posted at www.mybenefitschannel.com.

Section 125 Cafeteria Plan Maryville City Schools currently participates in a full Section 125 Cafeteria Plan with USAble Life as the administrator. This allows employees to voluntarily select various benefits and pay the premiums for those benefits with pre-tax dollars. This includes group medical and dental insurance, as well as voluntary policies from USAble Life. Options include insurance for disability, accident, cancer, critical care and others. Flexible spending accounts are available for unreimbursed medical and dependent childcare expenses. Further information on Flexible Benefits Plans can be found at www.usablelife.com as well as www.tasconline.com. Reimbursement requests can be sent via mail or fax and forms can be found online. USAble can be reached at (800) 648-0271 or online at www.usablelife.com. The Cafeteria Plan year runs from January 1-December 31. An open window for enrollment takes place in the fall. All full-time employees are asked to meet with a representative during open enrollment.

Sick Leave Bank Upon meeting eligibility requirements, all full-time certified and classified employees may join a sick leave bank by contributing three days of sick leave during the enrollment period of August, September and October. Classified employees must meet a two-year-full-time requirement to be eligible to join. The sick leave bank can be used by members in the event of a personal catastrophic illness, emergency surgery or accident when all other leave has been exhausted. Donations are non-refundable and nontransferable. If interested, please contact the district’s Human Resource Specialist for further eligibility requirements and paperwork. (Certified Bank – TCA 49-5-801)

Vacation Personnel employed on an annual basis are entitled to earn paid vacation time according to the following schedule. Years Employed

Vacation Earned per year

Carry Over Authorized

0-1 1-5 6-10 11-15 16+

1 day/month 10 days 15 days 18 days 20 days

Up to 10 10 15 18 20

Notes: (1) During the first year of employment, employees earn one day of vacation for each month completed, not to exceed 10 days. (2) Employees hired prior to April 2, 1985, employed for 20 years or more earn 25 days per year. (3) If sick days have been exhausted, then vacation may be used for sick leave with a physician’s certification of necessity. (4) All vacation schedules must be approved by the immediate supervisor. (5) Vacation must be taken between July 1 and June 30 of the current year. (Board Policy Section 8.8.3)

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Vision Insurance A voluntary vision insurance plan is offered to full-time employees of Maryville City Schools through Blue Cross Blue Shield of Tennessee. The plan provides a cost-effective solution for eye glasses and contacts. An eye exam under this plan with a network provider is less expensive than under the health insurance and is only a $10 co-payment. For information about the coverage, you can contact Human Resources or click on the Benefits Library icon at www.mybenefitschannel.com or go to www.bcbst.com.

Voluntary Group Term Life Insurance Voluntary Group Life Insurance is available in $10,000.00 increments up to a maximum of $300,000.00. Rates are reasonable and increase with age if coverage remains the same. The term insurance may be converted to permanent insurance or continued as term insurance when employment ends. Voluntary life insurance is through USAble Life Insurance. They can be contacted at www.usablelife.com or at (800) 648-0271.

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Appendix A Board of Education Policy Manual Section 2.8 Code of Ethics 2.8 Definitions 1) “School district” means Maryville City School District, which was duly created by a public or private act of the General Assembly; and which includes all boards, committees, commissions, authorities, corporations or other instrumentalities appointed or created by the school district or an official of the school district. 2) “Officials and employees” means and includes any official, whether elected or appointed, officer, employee or servant, or any member of any board, agency, commission, authority or corporation (whether compensated or not), or any officer, employee or servant thereof, of the school district. 3) “Personal interest” means, for the purpose of disclosure of personal interests in accordance with this Code of Ethics, a financial interest of the official or employee, or a financial interest of the official’s or employee’s spouse or child living in the same household, in the matter to be voted upon, regulated, supervised, or otherwise acted upon in an official capacity. 2.8.1 Disclosure of personal interest in voting matters An official or employee with the responsibility to vote on a measure shall disclose during the meeting at which the vote takes place, before the vote and to be included in the minutes, any personal interest that affects or that would lead a reasonable person to infer that it affects the official’s or employee’s vote on the measure. In addition, the official or employee may, to the extent allowed by law, recuse himself or herself from voting on the measure. 2.8.2 Disclosure of personal interest in non-voting matters An official or employee who must exercise discretion relative to any matter other than casting a vote and who has a personal interest in the matter that affects or that would lead a reasonable person to infer that it affects the exercise of the discretion shall disclose, before the exercise of the discretion when possible, the interest on a disclosure form and file the disclosure form with the school district’s central office. In addition, the official or employee may, to the extent allowed by law, recuse himself or herself from the exercise of discretion in the matter. 2.8.3 Acceptance of gifts and other things of value An official or employee, or an official’s or employee’s spouse or child living in the same household, may not accept, directly or indirectly, any gift, money, gratuity, or other consideration or favor of any kind from anyone other than the school district that a reasonable person would understand was intended to influence the vote, official action or judgment of the official or employee in executing decision-making authority affecting the school district. It shall not be considered a violation of this policy for an official or employee to receive entertainment, food, refreshments, meals, health screenings, amenities, foodstuffs, or beverages that are provided in connection with a conference sponsored by an established or recognized statewide association of school board officials or by an umbrella or affiliate organization of such statewide association of school board officials.

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2.8.4 Ethics Complaints The school district may create a School District Ethics Committee (the “Ethics Committee”) consisting of three members who will be appointed to a one year-term by the Chairman of the Board of Education with confirmation by the Board of Education. At least two members of the committee shall be members of the Board of Education. The Ethics Committee shall convene as soon as practicable after its appointment and elect a chair and a secretary. The records of the Ethics Committee shall be maintained by the secretary and shall be filed in the office of the Director of Schools, where they shall be open to public inspection. Questions and complaints regarding violations of this Code of Ethics or of any violation of state law governing ethical conduct should be directed to the chair of the Ethics Committee. Complaints shall be in writing and signed by the person making the complaints, and shall set forth in reasonable detail the facts upon which the complaint is based. The School District Ethics Committee may investigate any credible complaint against an official or employee charging any violation of this Code of Ethics, or may undertake an investigation on its own initiative when it acquires information indicating a possible violation, and make recommendations for action to end or seek retribution for any activity that, in the Committee’s judgment, constitutes a violation of this Code of Ethics. If a member of the Committee is the subject of a complaint, such member shall recuse himself or herself from all proceedings involving such complaint. The Committee may: 1. refer the matter to the Board Attorney for a legal opinion and/or recommendations for action; or 2. in the case of an official, refer the matter to the school board body for possible public censure if the board body finds such action warranted; or 3. in the case of an employee, refer the matter to the official responsible for supervision of the employee for possible disciplinary action if the official finds discipline warranted; or 4. In a case involving possible violation of state statutes, refer the matter to the district attorney for possible ouster or criminal prosecution. The interpretation that a reasonable person in the circumstances would apply shall be used in interpreting and enforcing this Code of Ethics. When a violation of this Code of Ethics also constitutes a violation of a personnel policy or a civil service policy, the violation shall be dealt with as a violation of the personnel or civil service provisions rather than as a violation of this Code of Ethics.

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Appendix B - Employee Health Services Clinic

Services *If you have any questions, please call the clinic at 865-983-0349.                                   

Abrasions Allergy Shots Bites / Stings (Human, Insect) Blood Pressure Tracking Breast Exam Burns Common Cold Conjunctivitis (Pink Eye) Contusions Depo-Provera Injections Dermatitis Ear Irrigation (Impacted Cerumen) Foreign Body Removal (Simple) Gastrointestinal (N/V/D) Hepatitis A Vaccination Hepatitis B Vaccination Herpes Simplex Virus I (Cold Sore) Herpes Zoster (Shingles) Indigestion Influenza Influenza Vaccination Lacerations / Wounds Lipid Profile Testing (Cholesterol) Onychomycosis (Nail Fungus) Orthomuscular (Sprains/Strains) Otitis Media (Ear Infection) Pharyngitis (Strep Throat) Pneumonia Poison Oak / Poison Ivy Removal of Skin Tags Seasonal Allergies Sinusitis Tetanus Immunization Urinary Tract Infections Vaginal Infections

Directions From the Central Office (on Lawrence Avenue), drive toward Maryville High School. The Employee Health Services Center is a white house with black shutters, located on the left side of the street – prior to reaching the Sam Houston Elementary School campus. The front of the house/clinic faces the school campus and not the street. The clinic is located on Sam Houston’s exit, if you follow the flow of traffic in and out of the campus. Note: There are white houses with black shutters on both sides of the Sam Houston school campus. Remember…the clinic is located on Sam Houston’s exit; the front door of the clinic faces the Sam Houston campus and not the street; and the clinic has a carport behind it, whereas the other white house(s) have the Adventure Club building behind them.

Run the race to good health…

West Broadway Avenue Maryville High School

Lawr ence Lawrence Avenue M E L R O S E S T

Avenue

326 Melrose St. Sam Houston Elementary

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Clinic

Physical Exams

Employee Health Services Center 326 Melrose Street Maryville, TN 37803 Appointments: 865-983-0349 Fax: 865-983-7122 E-Mail: [email protected]

 

Annual Wellness Pre-Placement

Wellness Exam – FEMALE o o

Hours

o

Nurse Practitioner

o

Monday & Friday 7:30am-1:30pm Tuesday & Thursday 8:30 am 2:30 pm

Registered Nurse Monday-Friday 7am-3:30pm o o o

Staff Tamara Miller, Nurse Practitioner Brenda Meschede, RN

General Exam Breast Exam  Mammogram / Ultrasound Digital Rectal Exam  Immunochemical Fecal Occult Blood Test Kit Lipid Profile  Total Cholesterol  HDL  LDL  Triglycerides  Glucose Pelvic Exam / Pap Test Urinalysis Vision Screening

Wellness Exam – MALE o o

Appointments

   

Appointments encouraged, however, walk-ins are welcome!

o

Benefits

o

No Co-Pay Pre-Packaged Prescription Medications Reduced Wait Time In-House Point-of-Care Testing  Immunochemical Fecal Occult Blood  Influenza  Lipid Profile (Cholesterol)  Ph and Amines  Strep  Trichomonas  Urinalysis

 Health / Wellness Education

o o

General Exam Digital Rectal Exam  Immunochemical Fecal Occult Blood Test Kit Lipid Profile  Total Cholesterol  HDL  LDL  Triglycerides  Glucose Prostate / Testicular Exam  PSA Urinalysis Vision Screening

Employee Eligibility     

Full-Time Part-Time Insured Spouses Insured Children age 6 to 26 MCS Retirees  To Age 65  With MCS Insurance

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Appendix C Maryville City Schools Responsible Use Policy Technology, Internet, and Network Guidelines for Employees The Maryville City School District may provide students and employees with access to the Internet, school network, and other electronic resources to meet their school-related instructional needs. For both students and staff members, there should be no expectation of privacy for activities conducted on district-owned devices or on personal devices while on the school district’s network; any and all use of these resources may be recorded and/or reviewed by designated staff and administrators. Teachers are responsible for the contents of the MCS Employee Code of Conduct, Student RUP, Staff RUP, iReach Resource Guide, School Handbook, and School Codes of Conduct. Instruction & Security Responsibilities Employees will help students develop the critical thinking skills necessary to discriminate among information resources, to identify information appropriate to their age and developmental levels, and to evaluate and use information to meet educational goals that are consistent with the district’s student learning outcomes. Students have access to a filtered Internet via their devices, and it under the teacher’s supervision and discretion when those devices will be appropriately used as an academic resource. Teachers and other staff shall make reasonable efforts to supervise students’ use of the internet during instructional time, to ensure that such use is appropriate for the student’s age and the circumstances and purposes of the use, monitoring the safety and security of minors when using digital resources. In addition, individual schools will set specific guidelines of use as appropriate for the students. Student access to the Internet through school resources is a privilege, not a right, and may be revoked for inappropriate or unauthorized use as determined by district authorities. All students are responsible for contacting teachers immediately if they discover or are aware of inappropriate sites, or inappropriate or unauthorized use. Teachers must obtain parental permissions when using technology that requires accounts in third party systems. Staff members must be diligent in their efforts to safeguard unauthorized disclosure, use, and dissemination of personal identification information regarding minors and private and confidential student information. Employees should secure unattended workstations and not leave them logged into the student information system. In addition, staff with laptops and other removable storage devices must receive training on procedures to safeguard student information. School employees will follow FERPA guidelines relating to student information and media release. See MCS Student RUP & Media Release Signature Page. Employees are responsible for reporting information about security violations to appropriate personnel. Employees should not demonstrate the suspected security violation to others with exception of request by technology personnel or administrator. Employee Usage Responsibilities: Unless specifically authorized, the district prohibits the following activities and any others determined to be unacceptable uses of school system technology or personal devices while on the school district’s network: • Allowing another person to use an assigned account. • Use of technology to access obscene or pornographic material. • Use of technology to transmit material likely to be offensive, objectionable or that serve no educational purpose to recipients (jokes, chain letters, pictures and videos, etc.) • Use of technology to participate in inappropriate and/or objectionable discussions or newsgroups. • Use of technology to disseminate hate mail, harassment, bullying, discriminatory remarks, or other antisocial communication. • Use of technology to plagiarize any information whether or not that results in a copyright violation.

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• • • • • • • • • • • • •

The illegal installation, distribution, reproduction, or use of copyrighted software on district computers. Use of technology, including hacking, to intentionally obtain or modify files, passwords, or data belonging to any other users. Use of technology to misrepresent other users on the network. Use of technology for fraudulent copying, communications, or modification of materials in violation of local, state, and federal laws. Loading or downloading without adhering to the Software Download Protocol or downloading materials illegally, including peer-to-peer applications used to download songs, movies, or software illegally. Malicious use of computers or the network to develop or distribute programs that harass other users, infiltrate a computer system, and/or damage the software or components of a computer system or network. Destruction or theft of district hardware or software. Any non-instructional use of technology, including but not limited to social networking sites, personal emails, texting, online shopping, etc., should not occur during instructional time. Use of technology to facilitate any illegal activity. Use of technology for commercial or for-profit purposes. Use of technology for product advertisement or political lobbying. Use of technology to read another's mail or files without their consent. Use of technology to bypass or disable the internet filtering systems, including but not limited to, proxies.

Violation of the above is subject but not limited to the suspension and/or dismissal of all parties involved. In addition, the district and/or its designees reserve the right to pursue civil and/or criminal prosecution as the situation warrants. Employee Personal Device Responsibilities The employee will:  Only connect a personal device to the school district’s wireless network where available; wired connections are not allowed.  Follow all Responsible Use Policy procedures when using a personal device on the school district’s network.  Accept all responsibility for security of a personal device on school property.  Ensure that all personal devices have up-to-date virus protection where applicable.  Not use personal devices for non-instructional purposes during instructional time except for emergencies.  The board permits infrequent and brief personal use by employees during personal time, provided that it does not interfere with school district business and is not otherwise prohibited by board policy or procedure. Employee Social Networking Responsibilities Employees’ personal websites and social media sites are subject to any and all regulations in the MCS Employee Code of Conduct. 1. District staff who have a presence on social networking websites are prohibited from posting data, documents, photographs or inappropriate information that is likely to create a material and substantial disruption of classroom activity. 2. District staff are prohibited from accessing personal social networking sites on school computers or on personal devices during instructional time, except for legitimate instructional purposes. 3. The Board discourages district staff from socializing with students on social networking websites. The same relationship, exchange, interaction, information, or behavior that would be unacceptable in a non-technology medium is unacceptable when done through the use of technology.

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ACCEPTANCE OF TERMS AND CONDITIONS: ***BE SURE TO SIGN IN ALL SECTIONS BELOW. ***

Printed name of Staff member: __________________________________ School: ______________________________________________________ I understand and will abide by the terms of the Responsible Use Policy and follow the guidelines set forth in the iReach Resource Guide. I further understand that any violation of these regulations is unethical and may be contrary to school and school system policy. Such violation may also constitute a criminal or civil offense. Should I commit any violation, access privileges may be revoked or other disciplinary or legal action taken. Signature of Staff ____________________________ Date ______________

I understand I am also responsible for periodic maintenance of all computer-related hardware in my classroom or area (i.e. scanning for viruses, spyware, adware; dusting and cleaning computers, projection devices, printers and other hardware; deleting and archiving unwanted and unnecessary files and emails in Outlook, on my computer and on my network drive). Signature of Staff _____________________________ Date ______________

I understand I am also responsible for monitoring student use of all computers in my classroom or area and have read the Responsible Use Policy for Students & iReach Resource Guide, as well as any school handbooks or codes of conducts applicable to technology use. Signature of Staff_____________________________ Date ______________

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Appendix D Maryville City Schools Board of Education Policy Manual 8.16 Drug-Free Workplace 8.16 Maryville City Schools shall comply with the Drug-Free Workplace Act of 1988 and the related provisions in the Code of Federal Regulations (34 CFR Part 85). The Board of Education shall promote and maintain a drug-free workplace. All employees are expected and required to report for work and remain at work in condition to perform assigned duties free from the effects of alcohol and drugs. The Board is responsible for the instruction and well-being of the students entrusted to its care. The Board declares that the use of illegal drugs, the abuse of alcohol, and the misuse of prescription drugs are unacceptable. 1. No employee shall unlawfully manufacture, distribute, dispense, possess or use on or in the workplace any narcotic drug, hallucinogenic drug, amphetamine, barbiturate, marijuana, alcohol, or any other controlled substance, as defined in federal law. “Workplace” shall include any school building or property, any school-owned or leased vehicle used to transport students to/from school or school activities and off school property during any school-sponsored or schoolapproved activity, or any location where an employee is conducting system/school business outside the district premises. 2. All applicants being considered for employment by the district shall be required to submit to a urinalysis test for the detection of the illegal use of drugs, as part of the currently required postoffer pre-employment physical. 3. As a condition of employment, each employee shall notify his/her supervisor of his/her conviction of any criminal drug statute for violation occurring in a workplace as defined above no later than five (5) days after conviction. 4. During the performance of duties, employees are prohibited from using, possessing, distributing, dispensing, manufacturing, or having controlled substances, abused prescription drugs or any other mind altering or intoxicating substances present in their system while at work or on duty. Any employee who violates this provision of the policy shall be discharged. 5. Employees who are required to drive any school-owned or school-leased vehicle during the performance of their duties are prohibited from using, possessing, distributing, dispensing, manufacturing, or having controlled substances, abused prescription drugs or any other mind altering or intoxicating substances present in their system while at work or on duty. Any employee who violates this provision of the policy shall be discharged. 6. All employees will be drug tested for “reasonable suspicion” at a standard set by Maryville City Schools. Reasonable suspicion is a belief based on objective factors either physical, behavioral, or work performance related that are sufficient to lead a reasonable and prudent supervisor to suspect that an employee is using a prohibited drug, alcohol, or substance.

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Maryville City Schools Board of Education Policy Manual 8.16 Drug-Free Workplace– cont’d 7. Employees will also be tested post-accident when a work-related accident occurs. This will be part of the reporting requirements under the district’s Workers Compensation program. 8. The Director of Schools shall be responsible for providing a copy of this policy to all district employees and shall designate an individual to respond to inquiries regarding this policy and establish procedures for employee conduct, post-offer pre-employment physicals, physical examination/screening based upon reasonable suspicion, return-to-duty testing, voluntary referral to rehabilitation, disciplinary action, confidentiality and drug and alcohol abuse testing procedures. All information regarding referral, evaluation, substance screen results and treatment shall be maintained and considered confidential. 9. All school employees shall cooperate with law enforcement agencies in all investigations concerning any violation of this policy. 10. All Board property is subject to inspection at any time without notice. There is no expectation of privacy in such property. Property includes, but is not limited to, city vehicles, desks, containers, files and lockers. 11. Violations of this policy shall result in disciplinary action up to and including termination and may have legal consequences. If discipline results from this policy, it will follow the same procedure as set forth by District policy under the Employee Code of Conduct.

CONFIDENTIALITY Records that pertain to the Maryville City Schools’ Board of Education employee required substance screens are recognized to be private and sensitive records. They shall be maintained by the Medical Review Officer (MRO) in a secure fashion to insure confidentiality and privacy and be disclosed to the Director of Schools/designee only to the extent necessary to address any workrelated safety risks occasioned by either the drug or alcohol use. Medical records, and information relating directly thereto, shall be maintained in accordance with provisions of Tennessee law and used with the highest regard for employee privacy consistent with law and the purpose of achieving and maintaining a drug-free workplace. All personnel records and information regarding referral, evaluation, substance screen results, and treatment shall be maintained in a confidential manner and no entries concerning such shall be placed in an employee’s personnel file.

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Maryville City Schools Board of Education Policy Manual 8.16 Drug-Free Workplace – cont’d POST-OFFER PRE-EMPLOYMENT TESTING Applicants must acknowledge having read or had this Policy explained to them and should understand that as a condition of employment they are subject to its contents. Applicants shall sign an acknowledgment prior to substance screening, permitting the summary result to be transmitted to the Medical Review Officer (MRO) and the Director of Schools/designee. An applicant refusing to complete any part of the drug testing procedure shall not be considered a valid candidate for employment with the district, and such will be considered as a withdrawal of the individual’s application for employment. If substance screening shows a confirmed positive result for which there is no current physician’s prescription, a second confirming test may be requested by the MRO. If the first or any requested second confirming test is positive, any job offer shall be revoked. REASONABLE SUSPICION TESTING Trained supervisors have the responsibility to observe and document the cause for reasonable suspicion and when appropriate, refer the matter to the Director of Schools/designee. It is not the supervisor's responsibility to attempt diagnosis. All information, facts and circumstances leading to and supporting this suspicion should be included in a written report detailing the basis for the suspicion. After the report is filed, the employee should be notified. The Director of Schools/designee or the MRO are the only individuals in the district authorized to make the determination that reasonable suspicion or cause exists to order a drug screen and are the only individuals who may order an employee to submit to a drug screen. Any employee may be required to submit to substance screening if the following conditions exist, with this list not being inclusive of all situations: 1. Observed use, possession or sale of illegal drugs and/or use, possession, sale, or abuse of alcohol and/or prescription drugs. 2. Apparent physical state of impairment of motor functions. 3. Marked changes in personal behavior not attributed to other factors. 4. Employee involvement in or contribution to an accident where the use of alcohol or drugs is reasonably suspected or employee involvement in a pattern of repetitive accidents whether or not they involve actual or potential injury. 5. Violation of criminal statutes involving the use of illegal drugs, alcohol or prescription drugs and/or violations of drug statutes. An employee who is required to submit to drug/alcohol testing based upon reasonable suspicion and refuses will be charged with insubordination, and necessary procedures will be taken to terminate the employee in accordance with Board Policy and the Employee Code of Conduct. An employee who tests positive on a reasonable suspicion test will be in violation of the Policy. Necessary procedures will be taken to terminate the employee in accordance with Board Policy and the Employee Code of Conduct.

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Maryville City Schools Board of Education Policy Manual 8.16 Drug-Free Workplace – cont’d

TESTING FOR CDL EMPLOYEES Those employees identified in the Federal Omnibus Transportation Employee Testing Act of 1991 shall be tested for alcohol and certain controlled substances. This includes all drivers and applicants for driver positions who are required to hold a Commercial Drivers License (CDL) to perform their job function. Drinking alcoholic beverages during working hours, four (4) hours before reporting to work or having any measurable amount of alcohol in his/her system during working hours is prohibited, whether on or off school property. Working hours include all breaks. Off-duty use of drugs and alcohol is prohibited to the extent that it affects driver's attendance or performance and his/her ability to pass required DOT alcohol and controlled substance tests. Any violation of this policy is grounds for termination as an employee of the Board and possible legal prosecution. The use of any prescription drug that could affect the central nervous system or one that would impair reaction time shall be reported to the Director of Schools/designee. Notice shall be given of non-prescription (over-the-counter) drugs being taken on a regular basis. The notice shall include the duration of ingestion and the possible side effects. DRUG-FREE AWARENESS PROGRAM To insist in ensuring compliance with Board’s Drug-Free Workplace policy, the Director of Schools shall be responsible for establishing a Drug-Free Awareness Program to inform employees about: 1) the free workplace; 2) the Board’s policy of maintaining a drug-free workplace; 3) any available drug counseling, rehabilitation, and employee assistance programs; and 4) penalties that may be imposed upon the employee for drug abuse violations. Participation in the Board’s Drug-Free Awareness Program by all employees is mandatory.

REHABILITATION Maryville City Schools recognizes that chemical dependency is an illness that may be successfully treated. 1. It is the policy of the district, where possible, in addition to appropriate personnel action, to refer for rehabilitation an employee with a self-admitted or detected drug or alcohol problem. 2. Employees seeking medical attention for chemical dependency shall be entitled to benefits to the extent covered under Maryville City Schools’ group medial insurance plan, if they have chosen to be covered under said plan. 3. For employees enrolled in a formal treatment/rehabilitation program, the district may grant sick leave, if the employee has leave available. 4. The cost of the drug rehabilitation or treatment provider shall be borne by the employee and/or the employee’s insurance provider.

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Maryville City Schools Board of Education Policy Manual 8.16 Drug-Free Workplace – cont’d The Board of Education strongly encourages employees using illegal drugs or alcohol to voluntarily refer themselves to a treatment program. A voluntary referral is defined as one that occurs prior to any positive test for illegal drugs under this Policy or prior to any other violation of this Policy, including a criminal conviction of that individual on a drug-related offense. Employees are not subject to disciplinary action for voluntary referral to rehabilitation, even where rehabilitation is for the use of illegal drugs or alcohol. TESTING PROCEDURES Testing procedures can be found in under Procedures and Guidelines 8.16.