This letter of Understanding (LOU) is entered into by the Cleveland Heights Teachers Union (CHTU) and the Cleveland Heights-University Heights Board of Education (Board), collectively known as the parties, this __ day of February 2021.
Whereas, the parties recognize the COVID-19 pandemic has put the safety of citizens across Ohio at risk; and
Whereas, the parties have mutual concerns over students’, families’, and staff members’ health and safety; and
Whereas, the parties further agree that this LOU shall be in effect for the third quarter while in hybrid learning for the 2020-2021 school year, may be amended by mutual agreement of the parties.
Therefore, the parties agree as follows:
During the normal work day, members of the bargaining unit will reasonably comply with the District’s instructional plans during hybrid teaching.
At either party’s request, the Superintendent or designee, and the Union President or a designee, will meet weekly to review the progress of the third quarter instructional plans, in order to inform the Superintendent on making any necessary adjustments to the plan.
The District shall provide staff members with written protocols regarding the following, which may be updated on an ongoing basis based on the needs of the district and/or health and safety directives and/or advisories:
6 ft. of social distancing in classrooms, or as otherwise advised by the CDC, Ohio Department of Health, and/or local department of health, with support for teaching staff from the administration in enforcing social distancing protocols.
Masks worn in accordance with Board of Education policy
An isolation room in every building near the nurses office with K95 masks that CHUH nurses have approved.
Quarantine protocols for students and staff
Plastic shields for all student and staff desks
Classrooms will have air purifications systems that are MERVE 13 air purifier or an air purifier with a MERV13 filter.
To the extent possible, all staff meetings shall be held remotely.
To the extent possible, parent-teacher conferences shall be remote. Teachers shall have
the option to work from home or in the school buildings for parent teacher conferences.
No students are assigned to in-person instruction on Wednesday.
Subject to the Superintendent’s continued discretion/change, the Superintendent as of the date of the LOU will allow bargaining unit members the option to work from home on Wednesdays if they can perform their job functions from home.
Not subject to grievance, Where working remotely is not made available and/or where the member is unable to work remotely due to his/her COVID-19 symptoms, the District shall provide a leave for any members of the bargaining unit who qualify in this Paragraph:
Eligible employees include those who:
have COVID-19 symptoms or diagnosis
are under a quarantine order related to COVID-19
are under an isolation order related to COVID-19
are awaiting a COVID-19 test due to an exposure or symptoms.
are absent due to a diagnosis of COVID-19; or
are caring for a member of the immediate household who cannot care of him/herself and who is under a quarantine order for COVID-19 or is diagnosed with COVID-19
This leave shall be provided by the District:
for up to ten (10) work days
shall be at the staff member’s regular rate of pay; and
shall not count against the employee’s accrued sick leave
District provided leave under this paragraph shall be limited to 10 work days per bargaining unit member from February__, 2021 through June __, 2021. (This will be a total of ten days for all leaves combined during this school year per this Paragraph, combined with any FFCRA emergency sick leave already utilized, not two weeks for each leave.)
A bargaining unit member must provide documentation from his/her physician certifying the reason for any leaves under District provided leave in this paragraph and/or provide documentation for a quarantined family member from a physician or letter from daycare provider or school that is under quarantine. The employee’s contractual sick leave accrual will continue during such leave time.
If there is federal or state legislation that provides paid leave to employees related to COVID-19, this Paragraph 8, shall be void and any time paid under Paragraph 8 shall be utilized (i.e., counted toward any allotment of paid time) under the newly enacted federal or state legislation related to paid leave policy.
For bargaining unit members who used full FFCRA in the fall of 2020, such bargaining unit members may use up to 10 paid sick days from the catastrophic sick leave bank from February 2021 to June 2021 if they are newly eligible under the provisions under 8a above. District provided leave shall be awarded prior to use from the catastrophic sick leave bank, if the member is eligible. No member shall receive more than 10 days from the district provided and/or FFRCRA provided leave from August 2020 to June 2021.
The parties acknowledge per the District’s instructional plan for the third quarter:
Students may receive small group instruction aligned to their instructional needs on Wednesday. Students will receive their required IEP minutes services throughout the week in accordance with their IEP’s or 504’s.
Special teachers will be available for live lessons and student support on Wednesdays and 1 hour each additional day. For purposes of this LOU the number of instructional minutes in this teaching model is equivalent to their teaching load.
For elementary school students the instructional day is from 9:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
For elementary schools the Wednesday schedule is as follows:
Morning Meeting- 30 minutes
TBT-45 minutes
Planning -205 minutes
Lunch- 60 minutes-11:30 - 12:30
Elementary will transition from trimesters to quarters/semesters for the 2020-21 school year.
Teachers will complete a progress report for each student at the end of each quarter. They will include anecdotal information along with a s/*
Teachers will complete a full report card at the end of each semester.
Individual and collaborative planning for homeroom teachers will take place on Wednesdays.
The parties agree that this LOU is not precedent setting in any way and is not to be referenced or relied upon in any other matter, regardless of whether other matters present similar circumstances.
This LOU shall prevail over any contrary provision in the Negotiated Agreement. In addition, nothing in this LOU waives either Party’s rights regarding what is or is not subject to mid-term bargaining.
The parties further agree that this LOU shall be in effect for the third quarter of the 2020-2021 school year, through, but may be extended or amended by mutual agreement of the parties.