Machine-extracted text of a publicly
posted document, provided for reference and search. The original document at
the link above is authoritative.
MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT
BETWEEN
THE COLCHESTER BOARD OF EDUCATION
AND
THE COLCHESTER FEDERATION OF TEACHERS
The Colchester Board of Education (the “Board”) and the Colchester Federation of
Teachers (the “Federation”) hereby enter into the following Memorandum of Agreement
(“MOA”) regarding continuity of educational opportunities due to school closures related to
the COVID-19 health emergency:
1. The parties understand and acknowledge that, during the 2019-20 school year,
schools in the Colchester Public Schools have been closed for a period of time, and
during a period in which school otherwise would have been in session, for reasons
related to the COVID-19 health emergency, and that further closure(s) may be
directed by the Board and/or the Superintendent or by an authority outside the
District (“School Closure”).
2. During a School Closure during the 2019-20 school year, each Federation
employee shall, if so directed by the Superintendent and/or his or her designee(s)
(the “Administration”), perform work during a School Closure, as described in this
Memorandum of Agreement (“Closure Work”).
3. The type of work performed under Closure Work shall be limited to the 2019-2020
school year.
4. As determined by the District in consultation with local health officials, school
buildings may remain open to employees during the School Closure. Administration
shall notify bargaining unit members if buildings are open. Bargaining unit members
who are comfortable reporting to an open school building may perform their work
responsibilities in the building according to the hours set forth in the collective
bargaining agreement.
5. Teachers working from a remote location shall be available to fulfill their
professional responsibilities for a period of time not to exceed the length of the
regular work day and shall be available to students and parents during a time
designated by the Administration (that shall be no greater than the amount of student
contact time on a regular school day) through various methods, including but not
limited to email, Google Classroom, or telephone. To the extent possible,
communication between teachers and students/parents will be through email and/or
Google Classroom apps to post/deliver instruction. Teachers will check their email
or Google Classroom and may speak with students and/or parents by using a district-
8483242v2
approved app or caller-ID blocked personal phone (use *67). Teachers will also
check their email or online accounts for questions from students and parents.
6. The parties acknowledge that the prompt implementation of this plan for remote
teaching requires bargaining unit members to engage in activities in which some have
little or no experience, and district administrators shall take these exigent and
unprecedented circumstances into account in making supervisory judgments about
teachers.
7. Should teachers or students need assistance with troubleshooting technological
issues, they should contact the appropriate IT member.
8. Bargaining unit members who do not have regular classroom teaching
responsibilities that can be accomplished remotely shall be required to continue
service to their caseloads when possible through methods approved by their
administrative team or to engage in professional development activities as set forth
by the Board.
9. Should teachers need assistance with students who are not participating, or otherwise
not performing required lessons, the teacher shall first contact parents and then, if
needed, inform the building Principal who shall address the issue accordingly.
10. In the event a bargaining unit member requires absence from work responsibilities,
the bargaining unit member shall report such absences through normal means and
the contractual requirements and restrictions relating to such absences apply. The
Board will be responsible for informing parents of the absence.
11. Bargaining unit members shall not be subject to any disciplinary action for lesson
planning, implementation, delivery, and/or student assessment associated with
distance learning due to the unique circumstances surrounding this Agreement unless
a member violates district policies or state or federal laws.
12. As directed on March 25, 2020 by the Connecticut State Department of Education
Temporary Waiver of C.G.S. Section 10-151b: Educator Evaluation requirements
shall be waived for remainder of the 2019-20 school year.
13. Teachers shall work no more than 186 days during the 2019-20 school year,
including days when school was open to students, professional development or other
teacher work days and approved Closure Work Days.
14. Bargaining unit members shall be compensated their full salaries in accordance with
the provisions of the collective bargaining agreement between the Board and the
Federation and shall not earn additional compensation for Closure Work.
15. Bargaining unit members who have served in a stipend activity since the beginning
of the 2019-2020 school year will be paid the full stipend for the year. The
compensation of bargaining unit members in other stipend activities shall be
2
8483242v2
determined by the Board in consultation with the Federation, subject to negotiation
at the request of the Federation.
16. All provisions of the collective bargaining agreement between the Board and the
Federation shall remain in effect except to the extent such provisions have been
modified for the 2019-20 school year by this Agreement.
17. This Agreement shall expire upon completion of the 2019-20 school year.
18. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Board and the Federation agree that they may
revisit the terms of this MOA in the future if circumstances related to the COVID-
19 health emergency and/or its impact on the District change or otherwise evolve
following the execution of this MOA by both parties.
______________________________ _________________________
Federation Board
______________________________ __________________________
Date Date
3
8483242v2