FAQ's

What is my contractual work day*?

Elementary Schools- Pre-K, Pre-K-5, Pre-K-6, Pre-K-7, or Pre-K-8 buildings:

In school building 15 minutes before the school day, in the classroom at least 5 minutes before the start of the school day and 15 minutes after the end of the school day.

Middle and High Schools:

In the school building 15 minutes before school day, in the classroom at least 10 minutes before the start of the school day.

How much planning time do I get each week? *

Elementary School Teachers- Pre-K, Pre-K-5, Pre-K-6, Pre-K-7, or Pre-K-8 buildings:

123 minutes per week and an additional 180 minutes per full month (hours prorated for partial months).

Middle and High School Teachers: 

275 minutes per week

Great Start Readiness Program (GSRP) and Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE) teachers:

275 minutes on Friday

Do I get breaks? *

Elementary School Teachers:

Two 15-minute breaks, one in the a.m. and one in the p.m. 

Middle and High School Teachers:

No Breaks

How long is my lunch? *

Elementary School Teachers:  

45 Minutes duty- free 

Middle and High School Teachers:

25 Minutes duty- free

*Please note this is subject to change when in-person learning is suspended or modified.

What if I am an elementary art, music, or physical education teacher who is also assigned to grades 7 or 8 as a part of my elementary assignment?

You are considered an elementary teacher.

What after school meetings must I attend?

You must attend each scheduled staff meeting. Please refer to your direct supervisor for exact dates and times.

You are also required to attend 12 hours of PLC meetings that are outside of your workday. These hours are scheduled by building or department. Search for your school name on our KALPA PD website.

What evening after school/evening events am I required to attend?

You are required to attend three after-school or evening functions. One of these functions shall be the first PTA or Open House. Additionally, you are required to be present at Parent-Teacher Conferences.  You are given time off during the school year in exchange for working at conferences. Please see your direct supervisor or refer to the district calendar for exact dates and times.

How many hours of professional development do I need to complete?

The District provides 30 hours of professional development that you are required to attend. 18 of the 30 hours are scheduled by the District as Annual PD days. The remaining 12 hours are PLCs scheduled by department supervisors and building principals before or after school.

*Note: These hours are pro-rated if you are: 1. Less than a full-time employee, 2. Took an approved long-term leave, or 3. A late hire.

Where do I find information on evaluation?

The evaluation process and forms are located on Infohost in the Human Resources section under "Evaluation."  In the Evaluation section, there is a link to the Educator Evaluation Guidebook. The Educator Evaluation Guidebook has a detailed explanation of the process, timeline, and all the information you need to know about evaluations. At the beginning of the year, each school and department have an "Evaluation Orientation" meeting.

Who do I e-mail or call if I have evaluation questions?

You would contact the Office of HR Strategy and Talent Performance in the Human Resources Department at 819-2007.

Who do I contact if I have questions about benefits or leave of absences (including FMLA)?

Please contact the Benefits department at benefits@grps.org 

How do I choose my health benefits?

Enrollment is completed on Alight's website at digital.alight.com/grps. MESSA offers a health plan comparison tool at messa.org under Health Resources to help you make an informed choice.

Who do I contact if I have questions on payroll or my leave banks?

You can see paystubs online and check your leave banks at eo.grps.org. Contact the Payroll department if you have any questions at payroll@grps.org. 

As a new hire, are there any other additional Professional Development responsibilities I will need to fulfill?

All new hires will need to complete a total of 18 hours of New Staff Orientation within their first year with GRPS. All teachers within their first three years of teaching will have three years to complete the state required New Teacher 90-Hour PD requirement. Additional PD may be required based on content, the building, and/or special programs associated with your role.

How do I register and keep track of my professional development?

All District professional development is listed online through KALPA. Registration for courses and attendance is validated for professional development through KALPA. KALPA keeps an electronic record of all your professional development activity. Login info below:

Website: pd.grps.org District ID: 41010

Login Name: your GRPS login credentials

Password: your GRPS login credentials

What is the New Teacher 90 Requirement?

All classroom teachers in their first three years of teaching are required to be provided with an additional 90 hours of professional learning over their first three years in the classroom. If you are not a classroom teacher, or not in your first three years of teaching, you do not need to complete this requirement. New teachers are required to keep their own records of their New Teacher 90 requirement, but can use their KALPA plan to assist them.

Where can I find curriculum information?

You can find curriculum materials in the District's Curriculum Drive. The Curriculum Drive is in your documents folder. Your documents folder is the yellow folder that appears on your home screen after you log in to a District device.

Who can I contact about curriculum information and questions?

Curriculum Director and Social Studies & World Languages: Jennifer Brock, brockj@grps.org 

Mathematics: Amy Powney, powneya@gprs.org 

English/Language Arts: Nanette Hersberger, hersbergern@grps.org 

Science: Jessica Vander Ark, vanderarkj@grps.org 

Fine Arts & Shared Time: Dan Van Til, vantild@grps.org or Gerald Smith, smithg@grps.org

What is the requirement for lesson plans?

Each classroom teacher must have or provide a lesson plan book, which contains general plans for a week in advance and detailed lesson plans for one day in advance. The lesson plan shall contain the following items:

• Date

• Materials

• Lesson Objective: topic, skill, standard, goal.

• Time: An estimation pertaining to how long each part of the lesson will take.

• Differentiation Strategies: support for students who need additional assistance/students who need an extra challenge.

• Sequence: a description of what activities will happen during each part of the lesson.

• Assessment(formative or summative): a way to determine if learning occurred.

How do I get my GRPS log-in and password?

Your HR generalist/ principal/supervisor can provide you with your log-in and password. If your principal/supervisor does not have your information, call the MIS Help Desk at 819-2487, or you can contact your HR Generalist.

How do I get help with technology?

If you simply need directions for how to do something, check out helpdeskinfo.grps.org for help articles. If you would prefer to contact a person, the MIS Help Desk can assist you at HelpDesk@grps.org or 819-2487 with the following:

• Logging into computers/forgotten passwords

• General computer questions

• Network related issues

• Printing problems

• Computer and computer equipment repair requests

• Equipment or software questions/troubleshooting

• Synergy envelope orders

• VoiP (Cisco) phone repair and voicemail password resets.

Do I have my own computer from the District?

Yes, you are provided with a Surface Pro device. Contact MIS department at HelpDesk@grps.org or call 819-2487 for assistance.

Who do I contact if I have questions about Synergy?

Please contact SDS at sdshelp@grps.org or 819-2468.