Workday Hours

Official business hours

The official business hours of the Center for Learning and Leadership of the Atlanta Public Schools are 8:00am to 5:00pm, Monday through Friday, excluding holidays as scheduled on the board-approved school year calendars.

Reporting times

Reporting times for all employees are established by the supervisor based on worksite/departmental needs. Teachers’ scheduled reporting times must be at least 15 minutes prior to the beginning of the instructional day and their departure times no fewer than 15 minutes after the end of the instructional day. Principals must be on duty at least 15 minutes before and after the established hours for teachers in the school, are responsible for the supervision of school activities and operations extending beyond the regular school day and are on call in case of emergencies.

For exempt employees, supervisors may require daily attendance that exceeds 7 ½ hours to ensure the safety of students and/or smooth operations as part of the professional duties and responsibilities. If, to ensure student safety and smooth district operations, work schedules that exceed 7 ½ hours are required on a regular basis, supervisors should develop a worksite plan that equitably distributes additional duties among staff members. 

Employees should be present at their duty stations at their designated reporting time. It is a violation of policy GAGC Employee Ethics to sign in prior to being ready to begin work or to sign in at a location other than the designated worksite. Ethical violations may result in disciplinary action.

Tardiness, Early Departure, and Other Partial Day Absences

Punctuality is critical for the safety and success of students. Attendance for the full scheduled working day is also vital to student safety and successful operations.  For nonexempt employees, tardiness, early departures, and partial-day absences will result in a reduction in pay or leave. For exempt employees, tardiness, early departure, or partial-day absences of one-half or more of the scheduled work hours (3.75 or more hours) shall result in a reduction of leave, and absences for a full work day shall result in a reduction of leave or pay. Teachers who report to work after a substitute has already been identified shall not be permitted to work and the pay will be reduced for a full day unauthorized absence.

For all employees, exempt and nonexempt, being on time and present for the full working day is part of the professional duties and responsibilities. Fulfillment of professional duties and responsibilities is a factor in employees’ evaluations. Tardiness, early departures, and/or other partial day absences not pre-approved by the supervisor may result in disciplinary action for failure to fulfill the professional duties and responsibilities for all employees. See regulation GARH-R(2) Employee Leaves and Absences: Progressive Discipline for Absenteeism and Tardiness.

Breaks

The Atlanta Public Schools provide employees with reasonable unscheduled break periods at times not disruptive to the work duties to accommodate personal health and hygiene needs such as restroom breaks or the expression of breast milk by nursing mothers. Scheduled lunch periods may not be taken at the beginning or end of the work day to allow late arrival or early departure. Abuse of break periods may result in disciplinary action for failure to fulfill the professional duties and responsibilities.

Planning/Professional Learning Time

Planning is an integral part of teachers’ schedules and is not to be considered “free time” for the pursuit of personal interests unrelated to the work duties. Planning time and professional learning time will be scheduled by the principal based on the needs of the school and the needs of the individual teacher. Scheduled planning time should be balanced among collaborative planning, professional learning and individual planning time. Planning/professional learning time may be used for activities including, but not limited to, the following:

• Meetings with departmental faculty

• Meetings with grade-level faculty

• Meetings with professional learning communities (PLCs)

• Common planning time with other faculty members

• Individual lesson planning

• Individual grading of assignments

• Completion of required paperwork

• Maintaining grade books and other student records

• Maintaining the classroom and school environment, including bulletin boards

• Observing other teachers

• Professional learning

• Communicating with parents/guardians

Abuse of planning/professional learning periods may result in disciplinary action for failure to fulfill the professional duties and responsibilities.

Attendance outside of normal working hours

Supervisors may require attendance at additional community or education meetings as part of the duties and responsibilities for exempt employees. Fulfillment of professional duties and responsibilities is a factor in employees’ evaluations.

Teachers are also required to remain after school two days per week: one for the weekly faculty meeting and one for student tutorial and parent/guardian conferences.