Employee Behavior

All SCS employees are expected to demonstrate a professional, cooperative, knowledgeable and courteous demeanor in all interactions with students, parents, colleagues and members of the community. Employees shall not use the classroom, nor any other part of the facilities, and/or social media, as a platform for making disparaging remarks against students, parents, teachers, or administrators.  Conduct contrary to this policy may constitute grounds for disciplinary action up to and including dismissal.

All employees are required to comply with SBE Rule 6B-1.001, Code of Ethics of the Education Profession in Florida and SBE Rule 6B-1.006, Principles of Professional Conduct for the Educational Profession in Florida.

At a minimum, it is expected that all employees will follow general and specific work and employment guidelines, embrace school initiatives, carry out instructions and directions appropriately issued by supervisors or administrators and perform job responsibilities in a satisfactory manner. Employees are expected to be regular in attendance, arriving on time and adhering to designated starting and ending times for work, breaks, lunch, prep periods, etc. Employees are advised that School Department telephones, supplies, equipment and services (including Internet access and fax machines) are for professional use. Excessive personal calls, or use of supplies, services or equipment for personal reasons are not allowed. Inappropriate use of equipment, supplies or services including electronic access may result in termination.

All employees, students and volunteers of the organization may be granted access and

usage of the organization’s technology resources, including network and internet usage

based on need and job/student status. All access to usage codes and/or devices is

assigned to the individual and is not to be shared. Users are responsible for the security

of their assigned devices. Users should log out/secure devices when not in use and

report any unauthorized usage promptly. All care should be taken to honor intellectual

properties including copyright and license restrictions. Respect should be given to other

users. Spying, bullying and harassment will not be permitted in any fashion. General

usage should be for the purposes of school business or classes only.

Due to legal restrictions and penalties on software licenses software may not be copied

or installed without approval from the organization’s IT personnel or leadership. Illegal

usage of software may result in criminal penalties up to and including imprisonment.

Software may not be copied from the organization’s devices for personal access. If an

employee is working remotely a device will be set up for use with properly licensed

software necessary for use.

You are required to abide by the Monroe County School District Acceptable Use Policy for Networked Communications. 

Employees, volunteers, and board members are bound by ethical and legal codes to protect the confidentiality and privacy of our students and their families and to protect and maintain the confidentiality of all information related to them. Confidential communications may include conversations, grades, progress, reports, forms, correspondence, and computer-generated communications with, about or involving in any way any students or their families. 

Employees of SCS must be constantly aware of the confidential nature of all information.  It is expected that employees will protect others’ rights to privacy by not releasing such information to unauthorized individuals. Student education records and student health records are confidential and are protected, as provided, by the Family Educational Rights Act (FERPA). Any employee who releases information, in any form, about a child, their family or a fellow employee may be guilty of a crime and shall be terminated.    Please note electronic communication (e.g. emails and text messages) are public records and are not confidential, even if sent directly to a specific individual.

The highest standards of honesty, integrity, impartiality and professional conduct are expected of SCS employees.  SCS employees are prohibited from taking official actions which are influenced by potential gain or benefit, or may be perceived as such. Employees shall avoid any situation where there is a temptation to place personal gain, economic or otherwise, above their obligation to the School and its students. Accepting gifts or gratuities from individuals or organizations that do business with SCS is strictly prohibited.

Further, it is prohibited for a SCS employee to accept work-related gifts in excess of $50.00 in value for any reason whatsoever, including during the holidays. An employee may not receive a gift intended to influence any action by the employee, nor may an employee accept a gift if accepting the gift would create the reasonable impression that the employee would unduly show favor to the giver. Questions concerning conflict of interest should be directed to the Principal/Administrator who may bring it to the Board of Directors for clarification. 

Staff members may not use the SCS facility or their base access to engage in opportunities that result in personal gain or benefit, such as tutoring, private lessons or babysitting.

No employee or directors of the Organization shall solicit students, employees, or the organization for the selling of goods and services or for personal financial gain, other than as part of a school or PTA/PTO activity.

No employee shall accept other employment which might impair the employee’s independence of judgment in the performance of duties for the Organization.

Violation of this policy may constitute grounds for dismissal from employment.

Work attire should reflect the professional responsibilities of an employee’s position, exhibiting concern for safety, hygiene, neatness, cleanliness.

SCS seeks to promote a workplace and educational environment that is free from discrimination and harassment, whether based on race, color, gender, age, religion, creed, national origin, ancestry, sexual orientation, marital status or disability. SCS will not tolerate harassing conduct that affects employment or educational conditions, that interferes unreasonably with an individual’s work performance or that creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work or school environment. Further, any retaliation against an individual who has complained about harassment or retaliation against individuals for cooperating with an investigation of a harassment complaint is similarly unlawful and will not be tolerated.

An individual who believes that he or she has been subjected to harassment, sexual or otherwise, or discrimination has a right to file a complaint with the Principal/Administrator or directly to the Board of Directors if the complaint involves the Principal/Administrator.  All reports will be investigated promptly in a confidential manner and disciplinary action taken as appropriate. SCS will seek a resolution within thirty (30) days of receiving a complaint.

The use or possession of any controlled substance (except as prescribed by a physician), the sale of any controlled substance in any quantity or the unauthorized possession of dangerous weapons, firearms or explosives while at work or on SCS property, or being intoxicated or under the influence of alcohol or drugs while on duty is strictly prohibited and is grounds for disciplinary action including termination. 

Any employee convicted or found guilty of a criminal offense involving a controlled substance is subject to disciplinary action, including termination, regardless of whether the offense was on school property or during working hours.

Any and all arrests must be made known to the Principal within 48 hours of occurrence. Depending on the severity of the allegations and the adjudged impact of such an offense on an employee’s ability to do his or her job, the SCS Board may choose to suspend an employee with or without pay or terminate the employee. If you are found guilty by plea, jury decision or court adjudication, the Board maintains the right to terminate employment retroactively to the date of suspension.

The purpose of drug and alcohol testing is to deter the use of drugs and alcohol in the workplace by establishing standard procedures for all employees. All new employees may undergo testing for the use of drugs and alcohol. Any initial drug testing as a pre-condition of employment shall be the responsibility of the applicant. Applicants who are offered a position may be required to take a drug test and, upon successfully passing said test, shall be reimbursed for its cost.

All testing procedures shall comply with all alcohol and controlled substance testing procedures contained in 49 Code of Federal Regulations Parts 382,291,192, and 395. The Board recognizes its obligation to protect individual dignity, privacy and confidentiality in the program. Specimen analysis shall be conducted in a manner to assure a high degree of accuracy and reliability and using laboratory facilities, which are certified by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Florida agency for health care administration.

The use and possession of personal electronic devices are limited based on this policy.

Personal devices shall include personal cell phones, tablets, and computers. The use of

such devices may only be used for valid instructional purposes while on campus.

Student use of electronic devices are not allowed within the School building without the

express permission of the administration prior to use of the electronic device. Teachers

are allowed to permit electronic device usage for educational purposes. Staff members

may only use personal devices for instructional purposes while responsible for the

supervision or education of students. Staff may use personal cell phones during

scheduled breaks, planning time, or other times when not actively required to supervise

or educate students and are not on working hours.

Only approved devices may be connected to the School’s network. Prior to connecting

said devices to the network, the user must agree to the acceptable use policy of the

organization. The administration, in conjunction with the IT staff of the School, may

institute limits on the minimum device requirements for devices to connect to the

internal networks.

Devices brought on campus should be free of any material that may be deemed

inappropriate. Pornography, gambling, gaming, and media piracy on devices is strictly

prohibited while on school property. Any form of distribution of videos or pictures of

other students and staff is forbidden.

Personal devices must not be used in violation of the technology policy. Excessive use

of resources, or improper use of resources will result in loss of privileges. Any attempt

to circumvent the Schools network security and/or filtering policies is forbidden. This

includes downloading programs to bypass security or accessing and setting up proxies.

Students should not connect to any wireless service or network that is not operated by

the School while on campus or participating in school activities. Proper log on

credentials will be supplied by members of school staff as needed.

Email and other online services provided through SCS should be used only for education-related purposes. All users are expected to exercise good judgment and professionalism in the content and tone of their email messages. Email messages sent through the SCS are public documents and should not be used to convey confidential information:

• Staff will be assigned an email with individually established usernames and passwords. Account and password information are the responsibility of the user. Email access will be revoked if/when the user ceases association with the organization, and user email files will be locked. The organization will not maintain or forward emails to former staff and other associates.

• The organization will disseminate official communications via email. Employees are expected to monitor email regularly and provide appropriate responses, as necessary. Emails sent from an account created by the organization shall reflect on the culture of the School. Please ensure courtesy in email usage. It is expected that all users will follow these policies and procedures as well as applicable laws in their use of the email system. E-mails sent through the School’s system are subject to public records law and are subject to public document requests.

• Avoid sending large files (5 MB or above) via email, whenever possible use a shared drive system to transmit bulk files. The following are prohibited on the organization’s email system: 

  • Use of email for illegal or unlawful purposes, including copyright infringement, obscenity, libel, slander, fraud, defamation, plagiarism, harassment, intimidation, forgery, impersonation, soliciting for illegal pyramid schemes, and computer tampering (e.g., spreading of computer viruses). 

  • Altering, deleting, or otherwise tampering with emails or files belonging to the organization or other users. 

  • Opening email attachments or links within messages from unknown or unsigned sources. Users should always make sure that links and attachments are legitimate to avoid viruses, etc. 

  • Sharing passwords or attempting to obtain another user’s password. 

  • Commercial, mass mailing, chain letters, and political e-mails.

• The organization’s email accounts and the systems they are built on are school property. All emails, even deleted e-mails, are subject to monitoring and archival for records maintenance. Users should be mindful of communication within their emails due to public record laws and confidentiality restrictions. No confidential information should be shared outside of the secured organization’s system via email as email is an insecure communication protocol.

• Any and all misuse should be promptly reported to IT personnel and/or school leadership. If a concerning e-mail is received, do not interact with the e-mail and notify IT personnel immediately.

• Allegations of misconduct will be adjudicated according to established procedures. Sanctions for inappropriate use of email may include, but are not limited to, disciplinary action according to applicable school policies; and/or Legal action according to applicable laws.

• The Organization makes no guarantee that the functions or the services provided by or through the system will be error free or without defect. The organization will not be responsible for any damage you may suffer including, but not limited to, loss of data or interruptions of service. The school is not responsible for the accuracy or quality of the information obtained through or stored on the system. The school will not be responsible for financial obligations arising from unauthorized use of the system.

A grievance is a conflict, issue or difficulty arising in the course, conduct and/or performance of an employee’s job. A grievance may also include a claim by an employee that the rules of SCS have been improperly applied or interpreted; or supervisory or administrative personnel apply unfair practices.

Conflict and grievance resolution begins with the persons directly involved. If resolution cannot be achieved by the involved staff, then the Principal shall become involved up to and including conflict resolution meetings and agreements. No student or staff member will be discriminated against, harassed, intimidated, or suffer any reprimand as a result of filing a grievance or participating in the investigation and resolution grievances. Each problem will be heard and resolved as quickly as possible. 

Steps for Resolution

Resolution Amongst Individuals

1. Resolving grievances should first be attempted directly with the people involved. 

2. Any complaints must be fully described by the person with the grievance. 

3. The person should be directly given the full details and allegations against them.

If the above procedures have been completed and the situation is not resolved the issue should be brought to the employee’s supervisor. 

Resolution with Assistance from Supervisor

1. If Step One is followed and no satisfactory resolution is achieved, then the employee may present the complaint, in writing, to their next level supervisor. 

2. The written complaint should include full disclosure of the details of the allegations or complaint, the date and place of the first meeting, the names of any witnesses, the response by the person(s) involved, and the action taken at the conclusion of the prior step. The submitted complaint should include the employee’s desired outcome or solution. The person with whom the employee has a grievance should be copied. 

3. If the supervisor involved is not the Principal he or she will notify the Principal  that there is a complaint or conflict. 

4. The supervisor will provide a reasonable amount of time to hear and investigate all of the facts and will convene a meeting to include both parties and uninvolved witnesses. A decision may be made at that time. 

5. If the issue is resolved, then a summary of the issues and resolution will be written up by the supervisor, signed by each person, and copied to the Principal, if the supervisor is not the Principal. 

Resolution with Assistance from Board

1. If the policy for Resolution with Assistance from Supervisor is followed and the conflict remains unresolved, the employee may make a written appeal to the Board Chair, who will review the appeal within a reasonable amount of time. 

2. The Board Chair will, in a timely fashion, decide whether to assign the complaint to a committee for investigation and follow up, or to add the item to the next regularly scheduled meeting of the Board of Directors. If the item is urgent, the Board Chair has the ability to call an emergency meeting of the Board, this will be for unusual and extenuating circumstances only.

3. All decisions will be made by the Governing Board and will be considered final.

4. The final decision will be communicated, in writing, to the aggrieved employee and copied if appropriate, to the Board Chair. Copies will be maintained in the Organization’s files. 

5. If the original grievance resulted in either suspension or termination and the Board of Directors reinstates the employee, all benefits, pay, and status lost will also be reinstated to the employee’s credit.

Supervisory relationships among members of an immediate family are not permitted. This applies to both direct supervision and delegated supervision through others who are direct subordinates. For employment purposes, immediate family is defined as your spouse or domestic partner, child, sibling, parent, grandparent and your spouse’s or partner’s child, sibling, parent and grandparent. 

In the event that such a situation occurs or may potentially occur through hire, transfer, marriage or other arrangement, you must notify the Principal in advance. The Principal in accordance with the decision of the SCS Board will make a final determination as to the appropriate action to be taken.

The definition of employment includes permanent, temporary and intermittent employment of any kind, service agreements and consultant agreements, or any other financial arrangement compensating an individual for services, including compensation from external organizations providing services supervised by an employee.

SCS is an Equal Opportunity employer. SCS does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, age, religion, creed, national origin, ancestry, age, disability, veteran’s status, sexual orientation or marital status.

Key Distribution and Control

Keys will be issued at the beginning of the school year and will be collected at the termination of the school year.  Employees are responsible for their keys.  Should the loss of a key lead to the need to have a lock rekeyed, the employee will be responsible for the cost of rekeying the locks as well as the cost of additional keys.  When utilizing keys to enter the building during non-business hours, the employee is responsible for ensuring the building is properly secured.  Keys should not be shared with students, relatives, friends or visitors.

Classroom Decor

Staff may not alter the facility in any way that incurs a cost to the school (i.e. painting walls, permanently affixing materials) without receiving written permission from the Facilities Manager.  Staff will be responsible for returning the facility to its original decor at their own expense.

Affixing Items to Walls

Methods for affixing any items to common school areas, such as hallway walls, must by approved by the Facilities Manager.  These materials should not leave any holes, remove paint or cause additional work for the maintenance staff.  

Hazardous Materials

Hazardous materials will be stored and disposed of in an appropriate manner.  Staff should be environmentally conscious in their use and disposal of materials.

Employees are expected to handle their personal financial obligations in such manner as to prevent the involvement of SCS.

Collections of funds from students or by students for the purpose of giving gifts to a staff member of the organization is only permitted if sponsored by the PTO or a staff member who will run the fundraising effort according to school policy. In the event that such an activity is approved by the Principal, it must be done through the PTO/PTA organization or by a staff member following the Fundraising policy as established herein.

See also Conflict of Interest

Per Federal law, the organization’s policy is to:

prevent user access over its computer network to, or transmission of, inappropriate material via Internet, electronic mail, or other forms of direct electronic communications; prevent unauthorized access and other unlawful online activity; prevent unauthorized online disclosure, use, or dissemination of personal identification information of minors; and comply with the Children’s Internet Protection Act [Public Law No. 106-554 and 47 USC 254(h)]

Definitions

Key terms are as defined in the Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA). Technology Protection Measure. The term “technology protection measure” means a specific technology that blocks or filters Internet access to visual depictions that are: 

Obscene, as that term is defined in section 1460 of title 18, United States Code; Child Pornography, as that term is defined in section 2256 of title 18, United States Code; or Sexual Contact. The terms “sexual act” and “sexual contact” have the meanings given to such terms in section 2246 of title 18, United States Code. Harmful to Minors. The term “harmful to minors” means any picture, image, graphic image file, or other visual depiction that:

• Taken as a whole and with respect to minors, appeals to a prurient interest in nudity, sex, or excretion;

• Depicts, describes, or represents, in a patently offensive way with respect to what is suitable for minors, an actual or simulated sexual act or sexual contact, actual or simulated normal or perverted sexual acts, or a lewd exhibition of the genitals; and

• Taken as a whole, lacks serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value as to minors.

Supervision and Monitoring

All staff members are responsible to supervise and monitor online unsafe of the online computer network and internet access in accordance with this policy and the Children’s Internet Protection Act. 

Personal Safety

Students should keep in mind and be explicitly taught personal safety guidelines for being online. For example:

• Students will not post contact information (e.g., address, phone number) about themselves or any other person.

• Students will not agree to meet with someone they have met online without parental approval. Any contact of this nature or the receipt of any message that could be inappropriate or makes the student feel uncomfortable should be reported to school authorities immediately.

Reporting Requirements

It is the duty of all employees to promptly report to the Principal or the Board Chairperson any alleged misconduct by any employee that affects the health, safety, or welfare of a student. Failure of an employee to report such misconduct shall result in disciplinary action. The report may be made verbally, however, the Principal or Board Chairperson may request a written explanation, which the employee shall be required to provide. 

Investigation

The Principal shall promptly and thoroughly investigate any allegation of misconduct by an employee that affects the health, safety, or welfare of a student. If the allegation is made against the Principal , the Board Chairperson may contact an outside agency to assist with investigating the situation.

Upon receiving a complaint of misconduct, a prompt preliminary investigation will be undertaken to determine if a reasonable basis exists. If the allegation warrants further investigation, the employee who is alleged to have committed such misconduct shall be reassigned to a position not requiring direct contact with students, or shall be placed on administrative leave with pay pending the outcome of the investigation.

Information related to the alleged misconduct shall be confidential during the investigation.

Legally Sufficient Complaint

The Principal or Board Chairperson shall file any legally sufficient complaint with the Department of Education within thirty (30) days after the date the School became aware of the subject matter of the complaint. A complaint is considered to be legally sufficient if it contains ultimate facts that show that an instructional or administrative employee has committed a violation as provided in 1012.795, F.S., and defined by Florida Administrative Code. 

Resignation or Retirement in Lieu of Termination

SCS, or any of its employees, shall not enter into a confidentiality agreement regarding terminated or dismissed instructional personnel or administrators, or instructional personnel or administrators who resign in lieu of termination, based in whole or in part on misconduct that affects the health, safety, or welfare of a student.

Job Performance

Employees may be disciplined for poor job performance, including but not limited to the following:

• Below-average work quality or quantity;

• Poor attitude (for example, rudeness or lack of cooperation);

• Excessive absenteeism, tardiness, or abuse of break and lunch privileges;

• Failure to follow instructions, or School procedures or policies; or

• Failure to follow established safety regulations.

Misconduct

Employees may be disciplined for misconduct, including but not limited to the following:

• Insubordination;

• Dishonesty;

• Theft;

• Discourtesy;

• Misusing or destroying organization’s property or the property of another on Organization’s premises;

• Violating conflict of interest rules;

• Disclosing or using confidential or proprietary information without authorization;

• Falsifying or altering Organization’s records, including but not limited to the application for employment;

• Interfering with the work performance of others;

• Altercations;

• Harassing, including sexually harassing, employees, students, or parents;

• Being under the influence of, manufacturing, dispensing, distributing, using, or possessing alcohol or illegal or controlled substances on Organization property or while conducting School business;

• Gambling on School premises or while conducting Organization business;

• Sleeping on the job or leaving the job without authorization;

• Possessing a firearm or other dangerous weapon on Organization property or while conducting Organization business; [or]

• Being convicted of a crime that indicates unfitness for the job or raises a threat to the safety or well-being of organization, its employees, students, parents, or property; or

• Refusing to submit to testing for drugs and/or alcohol. 

Attendance

In addition to the general rules stated above, employees may be disciplined for failing to observe the following specific requirements relating to attendance:

• Reporting to work on time, observing the time limits for rest and lunch periods, obtaining approval to leave work early; or

• Notifying the Principal in advance of anticipated tardiness or absence.

Discipline Procedure

Except as set forth elsewhere in the organization’s policies, discharge for poor performance may be preceded by an oral warning and a written warning.  The Organization reserves the right to proceed directly to a written warning for either misconduct or performance deficiency, or to terminate for misconduct without resort to prior disciplinary steps, when the Organization deems such action appropriate.

Reporting Legal Infractions

All employees are required to self-report by promptly notifying the Principal within twenty-four (24) hours of any arrests/charges involving the abuse of a child or the sale and/or possession of a controlled substance and report any known allegations of a violation of the Florida School Code or State Board of Education Rules as defined in Section 1012.795(1) F.S. Such notice shall not be considered an admission of guilt, nor shall such notice be admissible for any purpose in any proceeding, civil or criminal, administrative or judicial, investigatory, or adjudicatory. In addition, all employees shall self-report any conviction, finding of guilt, withholding of adjudication, commitment to a pretrial diversion program, or entering of a plea of guilty or Nolo Contendere for any criminal offense other than a minor traffic violation within twenty-four (24) hours after the final judgment or order. In the event that the employee in question is the Principal, he or she shall report said legal infraction to the Chairman of the Board. Once a report has been made, the Principal, or his/her designee, in collaboration with the Board, shall determine whether this offense could make the employee ineligible for employment under §1012.315 F.S., or whether the Charter School is required to file a legally sufficient complaint under Section 1012.796 F.S. for a violation under Section 1012.795, F.S., and the Principal, in collaboration with the Board, shall take such actions as are deemed necessary and/or legally required

Smoking or the use of any tobacco products within the school buildings, school facilities, on school grounds or on school buses by any individual, including school personnel, is prohibited by law. Smoking is prohibited in the company of the children at any time including off campus events such as on field trips.   

Failure to adhere to this policy will result in disciplinary actions up through and including termination of employment. It may also result in criminal charges.

Employees are not allowed to conduct activities supporting or denouncing individual political candidates or views while conducting activities for the Organization during working hours. The use of Organizational resources for such activities is strictly prohibited. Should an employee choose to campaign for and hold an elective public office, the Principal will ensure proper safeguards are put into place to ensure that the campaign or elected duties do not interfere with the role the employee plays at the Organization. 

An effective educational program requires the services of personnel of integrity, high ideals, and human understanding. All employees shall be expected to maintain and promote these qualities.

The Board shall also expect all administrative, instructional and support staff members to adhere to the Code of Ethics of the Education Profession in Florida and the Principles of Professional Conduct for the Education Profession in Florida (SBE Rule 6B-1.001)

It is the duty of all employees to report to the Principal or designee alleged misconduct by any SCS employee that affects the health, safety or welfare of a student. Failure of an employee to report such misconduct shall result in disciplinary action.

Training

All employees shall be offered the opportunity to go through training on the Code of Ethics and Principles of Professional Conduct.  Annually employees will be reminded of the reporting requirements of this policy and participate in a refresher discussion regarding the Code of Ethics and Principles of Professional Conduct.

A rumor is a piece of information or a story that has not been verified, meaning that the person telling it doesn’t know if it’s true or false. Rumors spread from person to person and can change slightly each time they’re told, so they get more exaggerated over time. Gossip is talk that is somehow “juicy” meaning it deals with subjects that are shocking or personal. Gossip is usually about things like love and relationships, or private things that people don’t talk openly about. Gossip and rumors can be a form of exclusion, they can destroy trust, and believing rumors can lead to bad choices. True or not, private is private! Employees who spread gossip or rumors will be subject to disciplinary action up to and including termination. 

Employees are required to report any unconfirmed reports of rumors, gossip, or violation of the Code of Ethics Policy.  Employees reported will be subject to investigation and disciplinary action up to and including termination. Knowledge of a rumor, gossip, or violation of the Code of Ethics Policy or Moral Turpitude Policy and failure to report, may result in investigation and disciplinary action up to and including termination. 

Because SCS is sensitive to the legitimate privacy rights of employees, every effort will be made to guarantee that workplace monitoring is done in an ethical and respectful manner.

Employees should be aware of the effect their actions may have on their images, as well as SCS’s image.

 Employees are prohibited from making any posts on social media networks (to include social media networks, blogs, chat rooms, online forums, or message boards) or elsewhere on the internet that would bring disrepute to SCS, its staff, or its students. An employee may be terminated at any time for inappropriate content that is posted by the employee on any social networking site, including on the employee’s personal social media pages.  When posting on social media networks, the following guidelines should be observed:

• Organizational employees are personally responsible for the content they publish online. Your online behavior should reflect the same standards of honesty, respect, and consideration that you use face-to-face. When posting to your blog you understand that the information is representative of your views and opinions and not necessarily the views and opinions of the organization (See below) Blogs, wikis, and podcasts are an extension of your classroom. What is inappropriate in your classroom should be deemed inappropriate online. You should ensure that content associated with you is consistent with your work at the organization. When contributing online do not post confidential student information and abide by all state and federal guidelines regarding the same.

• The Organization’s employees must include disclaimers within their personal blogs that the views are their own and do not reflect on their employer. For example, "The postings on this site are my own and don't necessarily represent my organization’s positions, strategies, opinions, or policies." Classroom blogs do not require a disclaimer, but teachers are encouraged to moderate content contributed by students.

• Respect copyright and fair use guidelines. See U.S. Copyright Office - Fair Use (http://www.copyright.gov/fls/fl102.html) A hyperlink to outside sources is recommended. Be sure not to plagiarize but give credit when required. When using a hyperlink, be sure that the content is appropriate and adheres to the organization’s acceptable use policy. It is recommended that blogs be licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 United States License.

• Remember your association and responsibility with the Organization in online social environments. If you identify yourself as an organizational employee, ensure your profile and related content is consistent with how you wish to present yourself with colleagues, parents, and students. No last names, addresses, or phone numbers should appear on blogs or Wikis. When uploading digital pictures or avatars that represent yourself make sure you select a school appropriate image. Images used in this manner should be available under Creative Commons or your own personally created image.

• The organization’s employees are personally responsible for all comments/information they publish online. Your online behavior should reflect the same standards of honesty, respect,and consideration that you use face-to-face, and be in accordance with the highest professional Standards. Before posting photographs and videos, permission should be sought from the subject where possible. This is especially the case where photographs of professional colleagues are concerned. Posted photographs should reflect the level of professionalism required by the Organization. Photographs relating to alcohol, drug, or tobacco use may be deemed inappropriate and subject to discipline. Microblogging (Twitter etc.) Comments made using such media are not protected by privacy settings. Employees should be aware of the public and widespread nature of such media and again refrain from any comment that could be deemed unprofessional.

• Be aware that others can view the sites that you bookmark. Be aware of words used to tag or describe the bookmark. Be aware of URL shortening services. Verify the landing site to which they point before submitting a link as a bookmark. It would be best to utilize the original URL if not constrained be the number of characters as in microblogs - - i.e. Twitter. Attempt to link directly to a page or resource if possible as you do not control what appears on landing pages in the future.

• Employees are not to publish, post or release any information that is considered confidential or not public, including confidential student information. 

• Prior to posting a picture or video including any SCS students, an employee must verify that all the parents or guardians of all students depicted in the picture or video have consented to such publication.

All staff are responsible for securing all prescription and over the counter medication while on school property.   Staff are asked to keep all medication either privately locked in their vehicle or confidentially in the locked medication cabinet in the nurse's office.  While we know that this is an inconvenience it is required to maintain a safe learning environment for our students.  

Decisions regarding suspension of employees shall be by the Principal. Whether such suspension will be with or without pay will be at the discretion of the Principal. The Principal (or designee) shall promptly notify each employee who has been suspended and set forth the basis for suspension. If the employee in question is the Principal, the decision regarding suspension will be made by the Governing Board.

At-Will Employment

Pursuant to Section 1002.33(16)(c)(3), Florida Statutes, employment with Organization is voluntary and subject to termination by the employee or Organization at will, with or without cause, and with or without notice, at any time. Nothing in this policy shall be interpreted to conflict with or to eliminate or modify in any way the employment-at-will status of Organization employees.

Voluntary Terminations

A voluntary termination of employment occurs when an employee submits a written or verbal notice of resignation, including intent to retire, to the Principal or when an employee is absent from work for three consecutive workdays and fails to contact the Principal (job abandonment).

Procedures

1. Employees are requested to provide a minimum of two weeks' notice of their intention to separate employment. The employee should provide a written resignation notification to the Principal and Office Manager.

2. Upon receipt of an employee's resignation, the Principal will notify the governing board chair, by sending a copy of the resignation letter and any other pertinent information (e.g., employee's reason for leaving, last day of work).

3. The Principal and Office Manager will coordinate the employee's departure from the company. This process will include the employee's returning all company property, a review of the employee's post-termination benefits status and the employee's completion of an exit interview, if applicable.

Resignation of Instructional Staff Under Contract at Start of Fiscal Year

It is the practice of SCS to release individuals who resign for good cause prior to July 1 of each year. After July 1, an instructional employee may resign, however, the Organization reserves the right to pursue any and all legal options available to it and may require monetary restitution from the employee for any funds the employee may have received for the new fiscal year. 

Involuntary Terminations

An involuntary termination of employment, including a layoff of over 30 days, is a management-initiated dismissal with or without cause. Discharge with cause refers to immediate termination of employment due to an employee’s misconduct. Any kind of disciplinary action or progressive discipline, if instituted by the Principal that results in termination may be considered “for cause”. Other wrongful behaviors or actions that result in immediate dismissal are also considered “for cause”. Examples of such termination of employees include circumstances where an employee:

1. Breaches their contract of employment

2. Is discovered guilty of fraud, embezzlement, or other kinds of illegal actions against the company

3. Is guilty of discriminatory behavior or harassment

4. Is guilty of unlawful or immoral behavior on the job

5. Is guilty of willful neglect of job responsibilities

6. Is discovered to have caused intentional damage to company’s assets

7. Continuously disregards company policy

8. Is charged and convicted of a criminal offense, or if charged with a criminal offense and fails to notify the Office Manager and Principal.

9. The list is not exhaustive and discharge for cause remains at the Organization's discretion.

Procedures

1. Prior to the termination of an employee, the Principal shall ensure proper paperwork is completed to ensure documentation of the incidents related to the termination. 

2. In most circumstances, the decision to terminate may be made by the Principal. If the employee in question is the Principal the decision shall be made by the Governing Board.

3. Except in circumstances in which immediate termination is justified based on the health, safety, or welfare of students or staff within SCS, if the  Principal would like additional guidance or support on a termination decision, he or she may request a review by the governing board.

4. The governing board will be responsible for reviewing the circumstances and determining if discharge is warranted. Such a review must occur in accordance with the Florida Government in the Sunshine regulations. If the board recommends discharge, the Principal will notify the employee. 

5. The  Principal should complete an employee change form and notify HR and payroll of the last day worked by the employee.

Reduction in Force

Instructional Staff

If it becomes necessary to reduce the number of teachers due to a decrease in enrollment, school reorganization or the financial condition of the School, SCS will act to retain the most qualified teachers best able to serve the needs of the students. Seniority will not be the primary consideration for which staff members will be retained.

Support Staff

The Organization is authorized to reduce the number of support staff when, in the  Principal's sole discretion, factors including, but not limited to, decreases in student enrollment, school reorganization or financial reasons necessitate such reduction. In making such staff reductions, the organization will seek to retain those staff members best able to serve the needs of school's students.