EMPLOYMENT OF SUPPORT STAFF

EMPLOYMENT OF SUPPORT STAFF

po4120Adopted June 26, 2006Revised November 17, 2025

4120- EMPLOYMENT OF SUPPORT STAFF

The School Board recognizes that it is vital to the successful operation of the School Corporation that positions created by the Board are filled with qualified and competent staff.

The Board shall approve the employment and establish the term of employment for each support staff member employed by this Corporation.

All support staff employees not covered by the terms of a negotiated agreement are "at-will" employees. Their employment can be terminated with or without cause at any time. Only the Board has the authority to enter into any agreement for employment for any specified period of time with a support staff employee.

Individuals employed in the following categories shall be considered members of the support staff:

  1. Treasurer(s)
  2. Assistant Treasurer(s)
  3. Secretary
  4. Instructional Assistant(s)
  5. Cafeteria
  6. Transportation
  7. Custodian(s)
  8. Maintenance

All applications for employment shall be referred to the Chief Human Resource Officer.

Anti-Nepotism

"Relatives" include: children, stepchildren, siblings, half-siblings, step-siblings, spouse, domestic partner, parents, stepparents, in-laws, or bona fide dependents/living in the same residence of a staff member.

Relatives of staff members may be employed by the Corporation, provided the relative being employed is not placed in a position in which the relative would be supervised by the staff member.

Non-Fraternization:

If Corporation employees in a supervisor-subordinate relationship choose to date, engage in a romantic relationship, or have sexual relations, the employees shall notify the Corporation's administration and accept the Corporation's decision to transfer one or both of the employees so that they no longer have a supervisor-subordinate relationship. Anyone employed in a managerial or supervisory role needs to heed the fact that personal relationships with employees who report to them may be perceived as favoritism, misuse of authority, or potentially sexual harassment, and, consequently, are unacceptable.

Corporation employees may date and develop friendships and relationships with other employees—both inside and outside of the workplace—as long as the relationships do not have a negative impact on their work or the work of others.

Any relationship that interferes with the Corporation culture of teamwork, the harmonious work environment, or the productivity of employees, shall be subject to discipline, up to and including termination.

Adverse workplace behavior - or behavior that affects the workplace that arises because of personal relationships - shall not be tolerated. Corporation employees who disregard this policy shall be subject to discipline, up to and including termination.

Any support staff member's intentional misstatement of fact material to their qualifications for employment or the determination of salary shall constitute grounds for dismissal.

When appropriate, no candidate for employment as a support staff member shall receive recommendation for such employment without having proffered visual evidence of appropriate certification or pending application for certification.

The Superintendent shall prepare administrative guidelines for the recruitment and selection of all support staff.

VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTERS

If a staff member is a volunteer firefighter and has notified the Corporation in writing, the Corporation may not discipline the staff member for:

  1. absence from duty by reason of responding to a fire or emergency call that was received prior to the time the staff member was to report to duty;

  2. leaving to respond to a fire or an emergency call if the staff member has prior supervisor authorization to leave duty in response to a call received after reporting to work;

    However, when an emergency call is received while the staff member is on duty, the staff member shall notify the principal before leaving so coverage can be arranged.

  3. an injury or absence from work because of an injury that occurs while the staff member is engaged in emergency firefighting or other emergency response, provided the staff member's absence from work due to each instance of emergency firefighting activity or other emergency response does not exceed six (6) months from the date of injury.

The Corporation shall require that the staff member present a written statement from the officer in charge of the volunteer fire department at the time of the absence confirming the staff member was engaged in an emergency call at the time of the absence.

The Corporation shall require that the staff member who was injured while engaged in emergency firefighting or other emergency response provide evidence from a physician or other medical authority confirming treatment for the injury at the time of their absence and a connection between the injury and the employee's emergency response activities. Any such evidence shall be retained in a separate medical file created for the staff member and treated as a confidential medical record.

REQUIREMENTS FOR TITLE I PARAPROFESSIONALS

Targeted Assistance Plan (TAP) signifies that Title I funds are used to provide services to a select group of students who have been identified as failing or most at risk of failing to meet the State's challenging content and student performance standards.

Schoolwide Programs (SWP) permit a school to use Title I funds to upgrade the entire educational program of the school in order to raise academic achievement for all students.

Newly hired paraprofessionals – All paraprofessionals hired for a Title I supported TAP or SWP shall have a secondary school diploma or its recognized equivalent and one of the following:

  1. Completed two (2) years study at an institution of higher education; or

  2. Obtained at least an associates degree; or

  3. Met a rigorous standard of quality and demonstrate through formal State or local academic assessment (ParaPro Assessment):

    1. knowledge of and the ability to assist in instructing, reading, writing, and mathematics; or

    2. knowledge of and the ability to assist in instructing, reading readiness, writing readiness, and mathematics readiness, as appropriate.

  4. One (1) year or 1,000 hours of previous employment experience in a school or working with children;

  5. Passed annual school-level evaluations;

  6. Completed forty-eight (48) credit hours of college level classes;

  7. Child Development Associate (CDA) Credentials;

  8. Completed Local Educational Agency (LEA) required professional development modules/training;

  9. Completed other requirements (LEAs may request approval from IDOE).

Existing paraprofessionals - All current paraprofessionals working for a Title I supported program shall:

  1. have a secondary school diploma or its recognized equivalent;

  2. not later than January 8, 2006, meet the requirements for newly hired paraprofessionals as described above.

Exceptions – These requirements do not apply to a paraprofessional:

  1. who is proficient in English and a second language and serves as a translator primarily to enhance the participation of children in Title I programs; or

  2. whose duties consist solely of conducting parental involvement activities.

Paraprofessional duties – Paraprofessionals working for a Title I supported program may be assigned to:

  1. provide one-on-one tutoring for eligible students during times when the teacher would not otherwise be instructing the student;

  2. assist with classroom management, such as organizing instructional and other materials;

  3. provide assistance in a computer laboratory;

  4. provide support in a library or media center;

  5. conduct parental involvement activities;

  6. act as a translator;

  7. provide instructional services to students, if working under the direct supervision of a teacher;

  8. perform limited duties beyond classroom instruction or duties that do not benefit program participants, so long as those duties are also assigned to non-Title I paraprofessionals. Title I paraprofessionals may not be assigned to more of these duties, proportional to their total work time, than the amount assigned to similar non-Title I paraprofessionals in the same school.

Revised 11/18/24

© Neola 2025