Frequently Asked Questions
What do I do if I'm called into a disciplinary meeting or a meeting I feel could become disciplinary?
If you have been called to a meeting by an administrator (building or SAU level) and it's disciplinary in nature,
you are entitled to have a representative present. If you're unsure who your building rep is, you can find the list here.
You can simply say "I invoke my Weingarten Rights" which means “If this discussion could in any way lead to my being disciplined or terminated, or affect my personal working condition, I respectfully request that my union representative be present at the meeting. Until representation arrives, I choose not to participate in this discussion.” For more information about Weingarten Rights, click here
If you are not sure if the meeting is disciplinary, ASK. If the meeting takes an unexpected turn, you have the right to pause the meeting and request representation. You can find more information on our Disciplinary Meetings & Non-Renewal Questions page.
What do I do if I've been told I'm not being renewed?
The CBA articulates procedures that must be followed if bargaining unit positions are eliminated. It is important for you to read your contract (CBA) and then meet with your building representative to ensure that the steps articulated in the bargaining agreement were followed properly. Your rep can assist you to ensure you understand your contract and the provisions it contains that relate to your current situation (recall rights for example).
A word of caution — if you are unsure about whether or not to sign any district documents related to being laid off, share the documents with your representative and solicit his or her explanation and advice before signing them.
You can find more information about this on our Disciplinary Meetings & Non-Renewal Questions page.
What do I do if I have a question about the CBA (our contract)?
Your first stop should be the CBA Quick Reference Guide for the most frequently referenced and asked about parts of your contract or the "Know Your Contract" presentation. You can also reach out to your building representative for more information or help understanding the CBA. If you're unsure who your building rep. is, you can find the list here.
What is our professional certification and performance appraisal process?
For teachers going through the THIRD YEAR of the appraisal process, your supervisor should be guiding you through these points and the overall process to get a feel for what is expected of us as professionals. For an overview of both the process for professional development for continuing contract staff and for probationary evaluations, please click here
You can find more information about this on our Professional Certification & Performance Appraisals page.
Are there any benefits for members?
In addition to the benefits of having the SEA negotiate teacher contracts and working conditions, represent and defend members in meetings and legal proceedings, and help members understand their contracts & benefits, there are also
numerous discounts and benefits for things like travel, credit cards, insurance and phone plans.
Please visit the NEA benefits page here for more information.
I need information about parenting leave. Where do I start?
You can review the language surrounding parenting leave in the CBA here and reach out to Jackie Duane (our Parenting Leave expert) at Jacqueline Duane at jacqueline.duane@nhsau57.org if you have more questions.
What is the Sick Bank?
The sick bank is something teachers can contribute to and collect from after their first year. It is intended to support teachers who have had an extreme medical event arise that they cannot cover with their own sick days alone. For all other teachers, you must contact Cindy Palermo if you wish not to participate in the Sick Back, each year. You can review the language about the sick bank in the CBA by clicking here
How do I find professional development resources?
Frontline gives us access to many district approved professional development opportunities under Professional Growth > Activity Catalogues.
In addition to Frontline resources, the SEA recommends:
The Teaching Channel video library "offers educators a wide range of subjects for grades K-12. The videos also include information on alignment with Common Core State Standards and ancillary material for teachers to use in their own classrooms. Teaching Channel Presents, a weekly one-hour program featuring Tch videos, airs on PBS stations in nearly 75 million homes across the United States." You can view this resource by visiting their website
NEA Conferences offer opportunities to learn and connect. You can get more information on by visiting their website
NEA-NH also has professional development resources on their website
I'm putting in for a personal day, what do I need to do to in order to ensure it's approved and follows the CBA?
The CBA states that personal days cannot be used for travel or to extend a weekend. If your day does not violate that agreement, that is all admin is entitled to know about your plans. They should never be asking you what your personal days are being used for. However, Frontline does require you to write a note to admin when you submit a request for approval for a personal day. When required, the SEA recommends that all members write "personal day does not violate article 9A". Do not elaborate about what your day is being used for.
Requesting a personal day does not guarantee it's approval. If there are a large number of requests for the same day, they will be approved on a first come first serve basis by your administration.
My social media accounts are personal, so I can post whatever I want, right?
You should be thoughtful about what you're putting on even your personal social media accounts. If you wouldn't share it with a classroom full of your students/parents/administrators, you should think twice about posting it to your social media accounts. You should also consider what you post when you're out on a sick or personal day. Please review our Apps & Technology page for more information
What is the SEA's guidance on using Parent Square and Raptor?
Both Raptor and Parent Square are web based, meaning staff can access each program online from their laptops instead of using the app on a personal device. There is NO requirement to for staff to use personal devices in order to utilize these programs. Staff are also not required to access the district's wireless networks from their personal devices. In fact, NEA-NH suggests that they keep their personal devices off district wifi. Please visit our Apps & Technology page for more information
Is there a Code of Conduct I need to be abiding by as a teacher?
Yes. In 2018 the state established a Code of Conduct and Code of Ethics to provide guidance and expectations for teachers. You can find that here
Is there a folder somewhere with all the files and documents that the SEA has sent out in the past?
Yes! You can find our SEA google drive on the Files & Downloads page or click here to go directly to the Google Drive