Philadelphia Federation of Teachers School District of Philadelphia

XVIII. Working Conditions of Teachers
17. Each psychologist shall be provided with reasonable facilities and
required equipment that will permit uninterrupted service with the child being
examined. Because of the limitation of available space, psychologists will give
the school three (3) days’ notice of appointments with children.
18. The psychologist’s report of each child shall be given the privacy within
each school that will uphold the confidentiality of the report. Such report shall
be released only to authorized persons in accordance with established guidelines
for such release.
19. Information pertaining to professional opportunities applicable to school
psychologists shall be distributed to and posted in all Regions and Central
Offices in which school psychologists are located so that all psychologists have
the opportunity to determine whether they wish to participate therein.
20. The assignment of a psychologist to a special project requiring special
qualifications and competencies shall be offered to those psychologists possessing
such special qualifications and competencies on a rotation basis, beginning
with the most senior psychologist. In the event no such psychologist indicates
his/her willingness to perform such assignment the psychologist with such special
qualifications and competencies with the least seniority shall be assigned to
such special projects on a rotation basis beginning with the least senior such
psychologist.
21. Assignment to such projects within a Region shall be made in accordance
with the procedure enumerated above from among the psychologist assigned to
such Region.
22. A psychologist shall be permitted to transfer from one Region to an existing
vacancy in another on the basis of seniority. Such transfer shall be effective
on September 1.
23. Psychologists shall not be required to report on days when all schools are
closed by administrative action.
24. To the extent permitted by budgetary allocation and the availability of
personnel, and regardless of class size, a kindergarten class shall be provided
with a kindergarten assistant or supportive services assistant who shall be
assigned to provide the teacher with the same relief provisions as are provided
other elementary school teachers.
25. The library shall be available for library purposes to students and teachers
at all times during the school day, except that Administration may schedule
meetings on occasions that would not unreasonably interfere with the use of the
library.
26. To insure minimum standards of privacy and confidentiality (a) provision
shall be made in new school buildings for each counselor to have his/her own
office with floor to ceiling sound-conditioned partitions; the same provision
shall be made in old schools, the floor to ceiling partitions dependent upon the
reasonable availability of existing natural or mechanical ventilation and (b) in
any event, a counselor’s office shall contain a door that can be closed, a telephone
for the use of the counselor and file cabinets that lock.
83