Philadelphia Federation of Teachers School District of Philadelphia

IX. Employment Security
are insufficient vacancies for such assignments, then the laid off employees with
the highest system seniority shall first be assigned to the vacancies involved.
(c) In the event of a departmental reduction in force, including reductions
caused by the discontinuance of a facility or its relocation, the employees shall
be involuntarily transferred in the inverse order of seniority of the employees
in the department.
9. Supportive Services Assistants
(a) At least three (3) school days prior to being laid off due to the curtailment
of the number of employees in a school, an employee shall be informed of all
vacancies in other schools in the Region of the employee’s original school or a
contiguous Region for the purpose of giving such employee an opportunity to
be exercised within said three (3) days to fill such vacancy.
(b) Employees with the least seniority in a school shall be the first laid off.
Recall from lay off shall be by school seniority. An employee who is laid off shall
retain the right to be recalled for the duration of this Agreement. During such
period of lay-off, and right to recall, the employee shall retain his/her seniority
but shall not accumulate seniority.
C. Just cause
Employees other than probationary employees defined in Article XI, Section
D (1) shall not be subject to discipline or discharge except for just cause, and in
such cases, the employee affected shall have the option of electing to proceed
under the provisions of the Pennsylvania Public School Code or, in the alternative,
under the grievance and arbitration provisions of this Agreement.
Article X
Professional Development
A. recognition of Need for Professional Development at School District,
regional, and School levels
1. The Federation and the School District mutually recognize the importance
of professional development and that it must be designed and delivered at
school, Regional, and School District levels in order to assure the professional
growth of all employees, to promote individual and school improvement, to
improve student performance, and to build the capacity of the system to implement
strategic plans, achieve regulatory compliance, and transmit the mission
and policies of the School District.
2. The parties agree that flexibility within established, common parameters
will be the key operating principle in the design and delivery of professional
development at the school and Regional levels; and shall support professional
development designed around the requirements of Act 48 of 1999 and the
agreed upon professional development standards set forth in Appendix C of
this Agreement.
3. At the school, Regional, and School District levels, the Federation and the
School District shall work together cooperatively to effectively assess the pro-
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