The Ida B. Wells Community Academy 

Faculty and Staff Employment and Performance Expectations

semper novi quid ex Africa!
"Everything new Always comes out of Africa"  — Pliny

PREAMBLE 

The Ida B. Wells Community Academy is a year-round public elementary education institution. As a year-round educational institution, the Academy’s academic year consists of 210 learning days, from, say, August 26 to July 28 of each year. The end of each academic year, affords students and Faculty with approximately 30 days of vacation. It is a policy of the Academy to offer a pro rata stipend to selected Faculty and assistant teachers for the additional six-week period from, say, June 17 to July 26. 

It is the policy of the Ida B. Wells Community Academy (“the Academy”) to seek and employ the best qualified personnel without regard to race, religion, color, creed, national origin, citizenship, age, sex, marital status, or disability. It is further the Academy's policy to ensure equal opportunity for the advancement of staff members and equal treatment in the areas of upgrading, training, promotion, transfer, layoff, and termination. All employees serve at the will of the Board of Governors; therefore the authority to recommend for hire or termination of employment is vested in the Board's Chair of the Personnel Committee or his/her designee. Upon employment by the Academy, all employees are required to complete any and all necessary financial forms and benefit applications as deemed necessary by the Personnel Officer or by his or her designee. Employment qualifications as stated by an employee or prospective employee on an employment application or related information may be verified,
and falsification of such information may jeopardize an employee's standing with this organization or a prospective employee's likelihood of being hired. 

Employees may be hired as regular full-time or full and part time temporary employees, and as such will be placed on the Academy's payroll, will be eligible for all benefits as described in this employment expectations statement, and will accrue leave as described herein. 

        I.  Certification and Licensure  

            A.  Regular Teaching Staff  

Full time, regular teaching staff, further defined by the terms of the charter as “core” teachers, shall be certified by the State of Ohio with a clear credential and will have passed the National Teachers Exam (NTE). However, teachers-in-training who are working toward a credential and others with specialized, e.g., long-term substitute credentials and/or a four-year college degree or extensive experience may also be retained as classroom or assistant teachers if their skills and abilities will further the educational mission of the Ida B. Wells Community Academy.  

            B.  Non-Credentialed Teaching Staff  

Non-Credentialed teachers, i.e., parents, community professionals and volunteers, are not required to hold credentials but must demonstrate subject matter knowledge and the ability to work well with children. Moreover, non-credentialed teachers are not allowed to teach for more than 12 hours per week. 

            C.  Other Staff, Substitutes, and Consultants  

All other staff must demonstrate the abilities necessary to effectively carry out their responsibilities as partners in the educational delivery system.  

            D.  Continuing Education  

                  1.  All teachers are expected to keep their professional training and knowledge current through ongoing courses and workshops in relevant educational topics or issues. The Principal will work with Faculty and staff to develop professional growth plans consistent with section III. B. This may be accomplished at local colleges and universities or under whatever auspices such advanced training is available.  

                  2.  Each year all teachers shall complete at least three hours of course work, seminars, or workshops related to their professional development. The Ida B. Wells Community Academy will reimburse teachers up to a maximum of $100 per academic year, if the Ida B. Wells Community Academy's annual budget or supplemental funds can support the expenditure. These reimbursements must be approved in advance by the Principal and the Chief Administrative Officer. Teachers are required to submit documentation of completed course work in order to fulfill this requirement. Transcripts shall be provided to the Ida B. Wells Community Academy to document courses which carry university credit. For courses which do not carry university credit, teachers are required to complete the appropriate form provided by the Ida B. Wells Community Academy, and have it signed by the course or workshop instructor.  

                  3.  All new teachers are required to complete one approved three-hour course in cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and one approved three-hour course in first aid during the first 90 days of employment. All continuing teachers are required to take a refresher course in both CPR and first aid. Teachers will make their own arrangements for such training and will provide documentation of completion. If allowed by the Ida B. Wells Community Academy's budget, the Academy will either arrange for such training at its expense or will reimburse the teacher for the cost of the course(s) up to a maximum of $44.00 for a 8-hour CPR/First Aid course.  

      II.  Requirements for Employment  

            A.  All employees are expected to have an email address and to have or purchase at their earliest convenience a personal computer. This requirement is important for inter-Academy communication and the employees ability to access the Internet, the Academy’s Web site at http://hierographics.org/AcademyIndex.shtml, and the Ohio Department of Education: http://www.ode.state.oh.us/ and the various laws of Ohio, especially the Ohio Revised Codes as they relate to Ohio’s Community Schools: http://onlinedocs.andersonpublishing.com/.  

            B.  All employees are expected to adhere to the educational philosophy of the Academy and the requirements for employment described in the Bylaws and personnel policies (see the Academy’s Web site).  

            C.  Before the first day of employment, all employees must have a tuberculosis test as described in Chapter 3314. of the Ohio Revised Code. The current physician's statement must be on file in the office before the first day of employment. Failure to provide documentation on time may result in immediate termination.  

            D.  All non-credentialed first year employees must submit fingerprints to the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation and Identification and Federal Bureau of Investigation for the purpose of obtaining a criminal record summary as required by the Ohio Revised Code, Section 3319.39. Such fingerprints must be submitted prior to employment and are a condition of employment. Criminal record summaries will be maintained by the Chief Administrative Officer in a secured file separate from personnel files.  

Employees are expected to conduct themselves at all times in a manner consistent with the highest standards of personal character and professionalism, with children, parents, prospective parents, co-workers, and the community in general.  

     III.  Dismissal, Discipline, and Termination  

            A.  The Principal may terminate the employment of any employee during the 90-day probation period or afterwards suspend an employee, if s/he determines that the employee has failed to fulfill her/his duties and responsibilities and/or demonstrate the qualities outlined in the job description or in this statement, or if other just cause exists. In all cases of termination or suspension, due process will be accorded as stipulated in para. D below. All employees will be hired on the basis of annual contracts and their terms expire at the end of their annual contract. In the event the Academy finds it necessary or desirable to terminate an employee's employment before the end of the academic year, the Academy will attempt to give the employee written notice at least 10 calendar days before termination, unless the Principal determines that the employee poses a threat to the health, safety, or welfare of the Academy or its students.  

            B.  In the event an employee finds it necessary to resign during the academic year, the employee shall give written notice to the Principal as soon as possible and at least 10 calendar days before the effective date of resignation.  

            C.  In the event of termination of employment prior to the end of an employment contract, the employee shall be entitled only to the prorated salary and benefits earned through the last date of employment.  

            D.  Any employee may submit a grievance regarding dismissal, discipline, suspension and termination pursuant to the grievance process outlined in Section IX, below.  

      IV.  Personnel Evaluation  

            A.  Confidential Personnel File  

The Ida B. Wells Community Academy shall maintain a confidential personnel file for each employee. The personnel file will contain the evaluation documents discussed in this section, as well as any other employment related documents or correspondence. All documents placed in the personnel file may be accessed on a NEED TO KNOW BASIS and will not be released on other occasions without the signed permission of all concerned parties.  

            B.  Professional Development Portfolio  

All instructional and professional staff will create and maintain a Personal Development Portfolio containing the goals and outcomes of the Academy and the employee's personal plan for meeting those goals and outcomes and for continuous improvement. After an initial meeting between the Principal and employee at which time mutual goals are reviewed and a professional growth plan is developed. The employee creates a Portfolio and includes thereijn samples of classroom or scholarly work, personal reflections, and any other material deemed appropriate as evidence of continuous improvement. This plan is then submitted to the LPDC for its advice and consent. 

            C.  Employee Observations  

All employees will be observed on an ongoing basis by the Principal, using both formal and informal observations. Formal observations will include a pre-observation conference as well as a post-observation conference. First year employees shall have at least two formal observations prior to the three-month review outlined in Section D, below. Prior to the six-month review, described in Section D, at least two additional formal observations will be conducted for first year employees. 

Returning staff will have three formal observations every three months as described in Section E, below. Results of formal observations, consisting of the employee's and the Principal's observations and recommendations, will be put in writing and included within the employee's own Personal Development Portfolio and the Academy's personnel file. Nothing in this section limits the Principal from conducting other observations of an informal or unannounced nature.  

            D.  Formal Reviews First Year Employees  

For all first year employees, there shall be a formal review by the Principal held during the probation period of three months (90 days) after the start of the academic year. The purpose of the three-month review shall be to assess the employee's self assessment, the job description, areas of responsibility, and progress toward goals and outcomes, noting particularly good work, areas for improvement and skill development, deficient work, and a clear plan for improvement. This review will conclude the 90 day probation period and will result in a recommendation to the Chair of the Personnel Committee with the Principal’s determination of whether the employee should be retained. This determination is forwarded to the Board of Governors. Once the Board concurs with the determination, the Principal will inform the employee whether the Academy intends to continue to employ the employee for the remainder of the academic year. An official notice of the results of this review will be sent by the Chair of the Personnel Committee to the employee. The results of these reviews will be put in writing and placed within the employee's Personal Development Portfolio and the Academy's personnel file.  

            E.  Formal Reviews – Returning Employees  

For returning staff, there shall be formal reviews every three months of the academic year. The purpose of these reviews will be to review progress toward the employee's personal and professional growth plans described above in Section B. At that time, the Principal will inform the employee and report to the Personnel Committee whether the Academy intends to continue the staff person’s employment for the subsequent academic year. Results of these reviews will be put in writing and placed within the employee's Personal Development Portfolio and the Academy's personnel file.  

            F.  Evaluation of the Principal 

The Principal shall be evaluated by the Chief Administrative Officer and the Chair of the Personnel Committee of the Board of Governors prior to the end of each year's contract based on criteria set forth by job responsibilities. In addition, all Faculty  will be asked to provide feedback on the Principal’s job performance in response to the Principal’s shared self assessment. Any written feedback on this self assessment and other submitted materials will be used to determine the Principal’s employment status. The results will be communicated in writing and included in the Principal's Personal Development Portfolio and in his/her personnel file.  

            G.  Response to Observation and Review Findings  

All employees shall have the right to make written objections to the observations or review findings within one week of receipt by stating areas of disagreement. These objections will be attached to the observation and/or evaluation and kept in the employee's personnel file.  

    V.  Schedule  

            A.  All employees, i.e., administrative, Faculty, secretarial and support staff, are required to work according to the schedule and dates stated in their employment agreements.  

                 1. Full-time staff are expected to be present at the Academy no later than 8:30 AM prior to the beginning of the normal class day and to remain on the job until 5;00 PM, unless other arrangements have been made and approved by the Academy’s Principal or the Chief Administrative Officer.  

                 2. Faculty and assistant teachers must report for work no later than 7:30 AM. If Faculty members fail to report by 7:45 AM that they will be late a substitute will be called in to replace them and the Faculty members will be charged for the cost of the substitute. The substitute will remain at the Academy for the rest of the learning day and serve as an assistant teacher or in some other educational capacity assigned by the Principal. 

                 3. Faculty and assistant teachers must remain at the Academy until 4:00 PM after the end of the learning day. The Principal will announce the day and time of regular Faculty meetings. All teaching staff are expected to attend these meetings.  

                 4. Faculty and assistant teachers may be late for duty no more than four (4) times per academic year. If Faculty or assistant teachers are late more than four times, their tardiness will be report to the Personnel Committee Chair to determine some appropriate sanction – verbal warning, pay deduction, suspension, or termination (see above, Section III: Discipline, Dismissal and Termination). 

                 5. When Faculty or assistant teachers fail to announce they will be late and then do not show up, they will be reported to the Personnel Committee; after the second offence an appropriate sanction will be determined. 

            B.  In addition, teachers are required to participate in programs related to their professional duties which may be held outside the Academy's learning hours. These days include teacher in-service sessions conducted within the regular work hours, staff meetings, parent-teacher-student conferences, and two informational nights. Faculty and staff may also be required to participate in at least 30 volunteer hours of additional duties per year.  

            C.  All Faculty and staff are without exception required to attend Academy functions and events.  

            D.  All full-time Faculty and staff shall have a minimum lunch break of 30 minutes per day.  

            E.  Faculty and staff are required to perform recess and yard duty as directed, before, after and during the Academy's learning day.  

     VI.  Leaves of Absence 

            A.  Faculty and Staff Vacations and Time Off 

                  1. Full-time certified and non-certified Faculty will be given time off during national holidays, the Christmas/New Year’s break, the Easter-Spring break, including Good Friday, designated Academy holidays, the week after the end of the regular school term and no fewer than 20 additional days after the close of summer school in July and the start of the next academic year. Exactly how much time off will depend on the Academy’s work load and class schedule. The Principal with input from the Faculty, the Chief Administrative Officer and ultimately the Board of Governors will establish the class schedule.  

                  2. All full-time certified and non-certified Faculty are reminded that their vacation time should be devoted as much as possible to their Professional Development Portfolios. These portfolios and general Faculty performance will be reviewed by the Principal and the Chair of the Personnel and Staff Benefits Committee or his/her designee(s). Portfolios and general performance reviews will be conducted every three months after their initial hire.  

                  3. All full-time Administrative and Support Staff, i.e., staff assistants, assistant teachers, secretaries, etc., are reminded that their vacations and time off are not the same as those for Faculty. Staff will, however, have time off during national holidays, designated Academy holidays, two days before Christmas and an additional day off before or after the New Year’s day holiday. Staff will also be given Good Friday and additional days off between the close of the Academy in July and the start of the next academic year in August, how much time off will depend on the Academy’s workload and class schedule. 

In general, Administrative and Support Staff, will have 14 work days of vacation (weekends not included); senior Administrative Staff, i.e., Chief Administrative Officer and Principal, will have in total no fewer than 30 work days of vacation  (weekends not included). Personal preference and Academy needs will act as a guide in terms of when these days are taken after submitting an application and with the approval of the Chief Administrative Officer or the Chair of the Personnel and Benefits Committee of the Board of Governors. The Academy reserves the right to either increase or reduce Administrative or Support Staff vacation days. 

                  4.  Staff time off shall, where possible, be devoted to the development of individual Professional Development Portfolios. Formal reviews of these portfolios will be conducted by the Chief Administrative Officer and the Chair of the Personnel and Staff Benefits Committee or his/her designee(s). The portfolio and general performance reviews for first year Administrative Support Staff will take place every three months after their initial hire.  

                 5.  NOTE WELL: The Chief Administrative Officer and the Board Secretary MUST attend all meetings of the Board of Governors. These meetings are scheduled for the second Friday of each month at 6:00 PM. The year’s schedule of Board meetings is announced at the beginning of the academic year. The Chief Administrative Officer and the Board Secretary, therefore, MUST NOT plan to take vacations or other days off that conflict with scheduled Board meetings. When monthly Board meetings are scheduled for days other than the second Friday, these Board staff members will be informed well in advance of the meetings. If such occurrences clash with already approved vacations or times off, the individual affected will be excused; however, the individual will be expected to provide any documents or reports on his/her position that are pertinent to the meeting. The Board's Secretary, for example, MUST when absent from any Board meeting, always arrange for someone to take the meeting's minutes. 

All Faculty and Assistant Teachers are not only allowed but are also encouraged to attend meetings of the Board of Governors. They will not be able to speak, however, without prior permission from the Board Chair nor will Faculty and Assistant Teachers have voting privileges. 

                 6.  All Administrators must attend regularly held program continuity meetings. These meetings will be held on Mondays at 1:00 PM and will take place in the administration offices or some other pre-arranged venue. Administrators are also expected to attend these meetings prepared to discuss their planned agenda, their weekly or monthly programming activities, staffing issues, etc. On occasion, the time and place of these meetings may be altered to accommodate an Administrator’s work or personal schedule.

The Chief Administrative Officer will announce to his/her Support Staff  in advance whether a staff meeting will not be held. Staff should also inform the Chief Administrative Officer when they will not be able to attend a scheduled meeting and state the reason. Staff are also expected to attend these meetings prepared to discuss their planned agenda and/or their weekly or monthly programming activities, etc. 

The Administrative Support Staff’s accrual of vacation time, which is partially controlled by the Academy’s learning day schedule, begins immediately after he/she has been on the job for six months. These staff members must note that school closings occur primarily when a large number of students cannot be transported because of inclement weather or snow days; they are not to be viewed as days off. If traffic is moving, Administrators and Administrative Support Staff are expected to be at their desks. “In-service” days are also not to be taken as time off; they are specifically designed for Faculty to engage in professional development activities designed by the Principal. Other school closings are expressly for the Faculty to hold parent-student-teacher conferences. They are also not days Administrative Support Staff can take time off as if they were “vacation” days. Snow days and other unavoidable emergency Academy closings are exceptions to this rule. 

            B.  Year-Long Leaves of Absence 

Year-Long Leaves of Absence (LOA) may be taken by those Faculty and staff who have taught or worked at the Academy for five (5) or more years and who have submitted a formal proposal to the Principal and the Chief Administrative Officer requesting an LOA. This proposal should outline in depth how the LOA will benefit both the Academy and the person requesting the leave. The primary benefit the Academy sees in an LOA is the increased professional development of the Faculty or staff person such as the completion of requirements for an advanced degree or, for instance, the preparation for publication of the final draft of a lengthy book or teaching manual. These LOAs must not be confused with Professional Development Leave referred to in section C, 5 below. 

            C.  Other Faculty and Staff Leaves  

                  1.  Sick Leave  

Sick leave is available to employees to provide for full salary and benefits for absences due to personal illness or injury that prevent the employee from working or for the following reasons:  

                       a.  Appearance in court as an interested party or under subpoena.  
                       b.  Death of an immediate family member.  
                       c.  An emergency caused by an accident or illness requiring the employee to be absent from work.  

Full-time staff shall accrue sick leave at the rate of 10 days per academic year. If specified in the employee's contract, part-time staff, or staff working part of the academic year shall accrue sick leave on a prorated basis to reflect the proportion of time or working months that the employee's schedule represents in relation to a full time schedule. Employees may accrue up to 10 unused days of sick leave to be carried over across academic years if their annual contract is renewed, for a total maximum accrual of 20 days of sick leave. Sick leave is granted for only the reasons listed above and will not be paid out if not utilized, if the employee is terminated, or if the employee's contract is not renewed. All employees shall inform the Principal of an anticipated absence as soon as possible, and such leave (other than for unexpected circumstances) must be pre-approved by the Principal. The Principal may require an employee to verify the claimed reason for any absence.  

                  2.  Personal Leave  

The Principal may grant up to two days of leave per employee per year for urgent personal business or other emergencies. Such leave shall be at full pay and benefits but with cost of the substitute deducted. Such leave may not be accrued and will not be paid out for any reason if not used.  

                  3.  Long Term Medical Leave  

Long-term leave shall be defined as unpaid leave for pregnancy, post-childbirth maternity or paternity, adoption, employee long-term illness, and any other reasons required by law. The Academy may require certification from a qualified medical professional to document the reason for the leave and/or to verify the employee's ability to return to work. Such leave shall be given for a maximum of up to 12 consecutive weeks, or longer if required by law. In no event shall such leave extend beyond the end of the employee's annual contract unless the contract is renewed. Such leave is available to full-time staff only who have been employed for at least one full academic year. Any health benefits provided to the employee by the Academy will continue to be provided during this leave. Whenever possible, such leave must be pre-approved by the Principal and the Chief Administrative Officer with the concurrence of the Board of Governors at least 30 days advance notice shall be given by the employee.  

                  4.  Jury Duty  

Upon notification by a court to report for jury duty, the employee shall immediately request jury duty during those months when the Academy is not in session. In the event this request is not granted, time off with no loss of salary limited to two (2) weeks will be provided for jury duty required to be served during the academic year. Any employee, when advised of his/her notification of jury duty, must immediately inform the Principal. Salary will be paid as usual, and the check for juror fees is to be signed over to the Academy.  

                  5.  Professional Development Leave  

Full-time employees are entitled to the equivalent of two paid days during the academic year for training purposes. Such training must be approved by the Principal in advance. See Section I (D) above.  

   VII.  Punctuality and Attendance  

Faculty are expected to report for work at 7:30 AM daily. If a Faculty member cannot report for work on time, he or she must call the Learning Center before 7:45 AM. If the Faculty member fails to call by 7:45 AM, it will be assumed the Faculty member will be absent and a substitute will be contacted and hired. Should the Faculty member report for work after the substitute has been contacted, the substitute will be discharged with pay, and the Faculty member will have the cost for the substitute deducted from his or her next pay check. Currently the cost for a substitute is $80.00 per day (see Section V, “Schedule” above for more details). 

Any Faculty member who is unable to report for work on any particular day must call the Learning Center before the start of classes. Any staff member who cannot report for work must call the Administration Office by 8:30 AM on the scheduled workday. If an employee fails to report to work without notification for 2 or more workdays, the Academy may consider docking the employee’s salary on a pro rata basis for the days missed or consider that the employee has abandoned his/her employment and has voluntarily terminated his/her employment. In such cases, the Academy must provide notice to the employee of the decision, and the employee may file a grievance pursuant to the process outlined in Section IX below, if the employee wishes to dispute the decision. 

Upon returning to work after an absence for any reason, the employee must complete an absence form and turn it in to the Principal or Chief Administrative Officer by the end of the workday on which the employee returns. If an employee is absent for medical reasons for more than three (3) workdays, the employee must, immediately upon his or her intended day of return to work, provide the Principal or Chief Administrative Officer with a physician's statement certifying that the employee has been ill and is now able to return to work. Failure to provide a physician’s certification of a long-term (more than 3 days) illness may result in the employee’s termination. 

    VIII.  Salaries  

The Principal and the Chief Administrative Officer shall propose salary rates for new hires will recommend these salary rates to the Chief Administrative Officer. In consultation with the Personnel Committee Chair, the Chief Administrative Officer will recommend these salaries to the Board of Governors. The Board shall when the number of Faculty and staff exceed fifteen (15), establish a salary schedule based on length of service, educational preparation, years of teaching experience, teaching and/or collateral work assignment, etc. 

    IX.  Employee Grievance Procedure  

            A.  In the event of a dispute involving employment or the implementation of these personnel policies, and after a good faith effort with the supervisor involved to thoroughly resolve the dispute, all employees may submit their complaint following the procedures outlined below. The good faith effort will include problem identification, possible solutions, timeline for implementation, and follow-up. A written summary of the good faith effort will be included in the personnel file. Failure to follow the procedures and timelines below constitutes a waiver of the employee's right to grieve.  

                1.  The employee may submit his/her grievance in writing to the Chair of the Personnel Committee within five days of a failed good faith effort to resolve the dispute.  

                2.  Within ten working days of receipt of the written complaint, the Personnel Committee shall schedule a hearing at a mutually convenient time and place for discussion of the complaint with all parties involved, but in no event later than 20 days after receipt of the written complaint and after notification to the employee. Personnel Committee members who are interested parties shall excuse themselves from grievance proceedings if such members have a conflict of interest in the subject of the proceedings.  

                3.  A decision as established by a majority vote of the members of the Personnel Committee hearing the grievance shall be rendered within five working days of the completion of the hearing. Any such proceedings shall be conducted in closed session, unless requested otherwise by the employee. In the event that additional information, investigation, or hearings are necessary after the initial hearing, the hearing may be continued and the final decision shall be made within five working days of the last committee hearing, or as soon thereafter as is practicable. Any additional proceedings shall be completed as soon as practical.  

                4.  The decision of the Personnel Committee shall be final unless appealed by the employee to the Board of Governors, which may review and modify the decision of the Personnel Committee if it finds that the Committee failed to properly follow the grievance process described above. A request for an appeal may be submitted to the Chairperson of the Board of Governors within five (5) days of the decision of the Personnel Committee. After receiving an appeal request, the Chairperson or President shall schedule a meeting to consider such an appeal as soon as practical. Board members who are interested parties, as defined in the Bylaws, shall excuse themselves from reviews of Personnel Committee decisions to the extent permitted under law. Any such proceedings shall be conducted in closed session, unless requested otherwise by the employee.  

     X.  Health and Welfare Benefits  

            A.  Health Benefits  

The Ida B. Wells Community Academy will attempt to provide health, dental, and vision insurance coverage for current staff that is reasonably comparable with coverage provided by the Akron City School District to its employees, provided such coverage is commercially or otherwise available at reasonable cost. The Ida B. Wells Community Academy will pay the cost of such coverage for full time employees. Part time employees are not guaranteed health benefits. Part time staff may, however, request such coverage. In the event benefits are granted the cost of such coverage will be prorated between the Ida B. Wells Community Academy and the employee. The Ida B. Wells Community Academy contribution shall represent the proportion the hours worked by the employee bears to a full time equivalent position. No staff member will receive paid health benefits beyond their term of employment.  

            B.  Welfare Benefits  

The Ida B. Wells Community Academy will secure State Teachers Retirement System (STRS) eligibility for all eligible “core” teachers and staff and will pay the required employer contribution for such benefits. The Ida B. Wells Community Academy will also secure State Employees Retirement System (SERS) eligibility for all eligible staff and make the required employer contribution for such benefits. 

     XI.  Nondiscrimination Policy Statement 

The Ida B. Wells Community Academy does not discriminate in any personnel or educational matters or in the provision of programs and services on any basis prohibited by law. Any employee who believes she/he has been the subject of discrimination or harassment may bring questions, concerns, and/or complaints to either the Chief Administrative Officer or the Board of Governors' Personnel and Benefits Committee chair.