Whether I can see the Physical education teacher state level seniority list

1 ANSWERS

1. Ali Abdullah
   

   Hi, The faculty reductions proposed for next school year must be examined with reference to several caveats. First and foremost, it is important to realize that the 21.6 positions, which currently appear to only require layoffs of 14.6 teachers, remain moving targets. That is the status as of March 12, 2009. Similarly, the seniority lists provided by the district to NewCastleNOW.org and referenced later in this article are also only a snapshot in time, as of March 6, 2009. “What can happen is,” explained Cardellichio, “someone goes on leave tomorrow [through the end of the year.] The time on leave does not count for seniority purposes. If that person had finished the year, he or she would have had 4 years seniority, because of the leave, he or she only has 3.8 years. That could change their position on the seniority list.” The number of positions to be eliminated to maintain a zero increase can still shift as the budget numbers move from proposed to final. The number of layoffs necessary can still change as a result of additional retirements, resignations or requests for leaves of absence. Once all numbers are final, later in April, and teachers are identified for layoffs based on the seniority lists, then transfers between schools may be necessary to bring any given school up to full faculty. When viewing the seniority lists, it is very important to realize that teachers are grouped by tenure groupings defined by the state education law. For example, all elementary teachers are certified for teaching kindergarten through sixth grade. However, tenure groupings for specials taught in the elementary schools, for example, art, physical education, speech, are district-wide. So if it is necessary to eliminate an art teacher position at the elementary level, and the art teacher in the district with the least seniority is a high school art teacher, then the high school art teacher will be laid off and the extra art teacher at the elementary school will be transferred to the high school. There could also be a move by the elementary art teacher to the middle school and a middle school art teacher to the high school. There are contractual procedures that must be followed by the district regarding transfers, Cardellichio noted. A teacher who is laid off from the Chappaqua Central School District is entitled to be placed on the district’s preferred eligibility list for seven years. From that list, Cardellichio explained, “that teacher has first claim on any regular substitute or part-time position or probationary position that opens in the district during those seven years.”

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