More Flexible Work Day

Weston educators have a longer contractual day than comparable districts. We have delivered an outstanding level of service to our students and the Weston community. Currently, elementary teachers are required to remain on campus for 1 hour, 10 minutes after the student day ends. Secondary teachers are required to arrive 1 hour, 15 minutes before the student day begins.  In the same way that not all of our students learn the same, not all teachers prepare most successfully in the same way. Some teachers are sharpest in the morning, while others are most productive in the afternoon. Some focus best when grading and lesson prepping in the building, while others work best when they have the flexibility to complete this part of their job at home. Therefore, we are asking to change our contract language, so that teachers have flexibility to use their professional judgment on how to prepare for their work with students when students are not in the building.  Agreed upon meeting times in the contract would be an exception when educators would arrive or stay until at an agreed upon time in the contract.​

Guaranteeing Prep Time

Elementary teachers have unrelenting schedules and prepare 35 or more lessons per week. During the student day, they have little time to transition from one lesson to the next. It is vital to ensure the quality of students' education that teachers have adequate time to plan lessons, assess student work, and prepare (make copies, set up activities, etc.). Such prep time has become increasingly scarce at the elementary level. The WEA is asking for elementary teachers to have contractually protected prep time for a minimum of 30 consecutive minutes per day, and a minimum of 4 hours total throughout the week. This will ensure teachers are able to prepare thoughtful, engaging, and differentiated lessons for our students. Currently, elementary teachers have no protected prep time in the contract.

Streamlining Meetings

Elementary At the elementary level, faculty members are currently required to attend two one hour meetings per week: a faculty meeting and a team meeting. Currently, both meeting agendas are made with little teacher input. The existing meeting schedule set by administration doesn't meet the needs of elementary teachers and Weston students. Therefore, we are asking for elementary meeting time to be reduced to one faculty meeting per week, and leaving it to the teachers' professional judgement when to meet as a grade level team, with appropriate curriculum specialist support as needed.

Secondary At the secondary level, we are agreeable to maintain one administrative-led meeting per week and the Thursday morning student support block at both the middle (X Block) and high (W Block) schools. The WEA seeks to ensure educator flexibility on non-meeting days to exercise their professional judgement and use the time in a way that most benefits Weston students.