Education West Virginia expresses concern over Hancock Co. leave policy proposal
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NEW CUMBERLAND - While noting they had been informed proposed changes to Hancock County Schools’ leave policy were not set in stone, representatives of Education West Virginia are urging school officials to take care in what amendments are made.
Lisa Summers, the association’s field representative for the Northern Panhandle, was on hand during Monday’s Hancock County Board of Education meeting to address concerns with proposed amendments to the Personal Leave Benefits policy.
The Personal Leave Benefits policy notes "each regular full-time employee shall be entitled annually to one and one-half personal leave days for each employment month or major fractions thereof in the employee's employment term."
In particular, the association has expressed concern about a proposal which would require the use of such accrued leave to attend professional conferences and meetings.
The current version of the policy, adopted in 2012, allowed employees to attend such conferences or meetings without using personal leave time, and allowed up to 20 days for professional association or union-related meetings. Conference attendance was treated as administrative leave, with expenses paid for by the school board, Summers said.
Such a change, she said, could result in educators putting off training opportunities, which the association feels could adversely affect students and the school district.
"Employees should not have to wait to be the best they can be," Summers said.
Summers relayed association officials had been in contact with West Virginia Board of Education staff, shortly before Monday’s board meeting, and were informed the proposal is being reviewed, and other adjustments could be made, including some which could address the association’s concerns.
It was one of five such policy changes placed for public comment in August, including policies for the “Transportation of Students in Non-Conforming, Board-Owned Vehicles,” the “Use of Communication Devices by Bus Drivers,” a policy for “Bus Driver Drug and Alcohol Testing,” and a policy for “Personnel Seniority.”
Superintendent Walter Saunders pointed out the policy proposals had been removed from the county district’s website while additional discussion is being held.
"We’re in the process of reviewing those," Saunders said.
Saunders previously noted that while policy proposals are set for 30-day comment periods, as a result of the district’s supervision by the West Virginia Board of Education, any changes could take at least three months to enact.