3622-7405 - Extra Curricular and Instructional Duties ## Extracurricular And ## Non-Instructional Duties
The Board acknowledges that instructing students is the primary mission of the school system. Generally, in order to carry out the responsibilities of the school system, teachers and other staff members may also be required to perform certain non-instructional and extracurricular duties. Assigned additional duties are considered part of all employees’ responsibilities. However, assignment of additional duties to teachers should be minimized to allow time for teachers to plan, collaborate with colleagues, conference with parents, tutor students and perform any other activities that have a direct impact on student achievement. Beginning teachers also need adequate opportunities to develop their professional skills and need access to experienced teachers who can mentor them. In light of these goals, the principal of each school has the authority to assign extracurricular and non-instructional duties as necessary to conduct the business of the school, within the following guidelines.
A. Extracurricular Duties
Initially licensed teachers may not be assigned extracurricular duties unless they request the assignments in writing.
- Extracurricular Duties Defined
Extracurricular duties include those duties performed outside of regular school hours which are not a part of the teacher’s instructional duties. Examples of extracurricular activities for which consent is required include such things as coaching duties, taking tickets at sporting events, or acting as a faculty sponsor for a student club. Extracurricular duties do not include such things as time spent in parent-teacher conferences, or activities related to courses taught by the teacher, such as band concerts that are performed as a part of band class.
- Exceptions Permitted for Compelling Reasons
In cases of compelling need, initially licensed teachers may be required to perform extracurricular duties if the procedures set forth in this paragraph are followed.
a. Compelling Need Defined
A compelling need arises when the principal of a school is not reasonably able to staff extracurricular activities with qualified personnel without using initially licensed teachers and no initially licensed teachers have volunteered in writing to perform these
activities. In determining whether a compelling need exists, it will be assumed that teaching assistants and other non-certified employees cannot be assigned to extracurricular duties unless the assignment is approved in advance by the superintendent or designee. Examples of compelling need include circumstances when:
(1) an employee who is scheduled to perform an extracurricular duty is unexpectedly unavailable and the position must be filled quickly;
(2) the school principal cannot adequately fill extracurricular duty positions without additional reliance on initially licensed teachers; or
(3) an extracurricular duty must be supervised by individuals with certain experience, skills or qualifications and initially licensed teachers are the only qualified staff members who possess the required experience, skills or qualifications.
b. Process for Granting a Compelling Need Waiver
(1) Board Waiver
In cases where the need for a waiver is reasonably foreseeable and there is an opportunity to bring the matter before the board of education for approval prior to the extra duty, the superintendent shall bring the matter to the board for a decision on the waiver request. The recommendation for a waiver must be in writing and set forth the circumstances requiring the waiver. The board minutes or other documentation shall reflect the reasons for granting the waiver.
(2) Superintendent Waiver
If there is not a scheduled board meeting prior to the need to staff the extracurricular activity, the superintendent may waive the requirement upon a finding of compelling need. The superintendent shall make a written record of all such waivers and the circumstances for requesting each waiver. At the next regular board meeting, the superintendent shall report to the board any past waivers made and the reasons therefore. If the waiver is for an ongoing activity, the superintendent must seek and obtain board approval to continue the initially licensed teacher in the extracurricular activity in accordance with the procedure in paragraph (1),
above.
(3) Principal Waiver
If there is an exigent need to waive the policy, such as the unexpected illness or absence of an employee, then the school principal is authorized to waive the policy temporarily for up to five days. However, the principal must report the waiver to the superintendent in writing, setting forth the circumstances requiring the waiver. The superintendent must approve all waivers over five days, as provided in paragraph (2), above. The board must approve all continuing waivers at its next regular meeting, as provided in paragraph (1) above.
(4) Teacher Access to Records
The teacher may request and shall be entitled to receive any documentation regarding any waivers requested or granted under this policy.
B. Non-Instructional Duties
Principals shall minimize the assignment of non-instructional duties to all teachers, including initially licensed teachers. Specifically, teachers should not be required to use their daily planning periods on an ongoing and regular basis to supervise students. Planning periods generally should be reserved for course planning and meetings with other professional staff regarding the instructional program.
- Non-instructional Duties Defined
Non-instructional duties refer to those duties that are not directly involved with the instructional program or the implementation of the current statewide instructional standards, but that all teachers are expected to do. This includes such things as bus duty, carpool duty and regular and ongoing use of planning periods to monitor hallways and cafeterias. Nothing in this policy should be construed to relieve teachers of the responsibility to provide for the safety and supervision of students during regular school hours, as necessary to maintain order and discipline in the school.
- Distribution of Non-Instructional Duties
Non-instructional duties should be distributed equitably among employees to the extent it is reasonably possible to do so. In assigning non- instructional duties, consideration should be given to the need for initially licensed teachers to have adequate professional development, planning
time and access to more experienced teachers. Principals shall be responsible for structuring such opportunities in such a way that will be beneficial to their schools.
C. Evaluation
The failure of an initially licensed teacher to volunteer to perform extracurricular duties shall not be appropriate grounds to lower the teacher’s evaluation nor just cause for less than proficient evaluation rating of an initially licensed teacher, provided that the teacher has conducted himself/herself in a professional manner when declining to accept extracurricular duties. However, a teacher’s failure to perform an assigned non-instructional or extracurricular duty in a competent and professional manner may be considered as a part of the teacher’s evaluation.
Legal References: G.S. 115C-47(18a), -301.1; State Board of Education Policy LICN-004
Cross References:
Adopted: 2001-10-01 Revised: 2012-04-16 2015-04-14 2017-01-10 2017-04-28