Teacher Contract - Coventry Public Schools

APPENDIX J
R.H.O.D.E.
Recognition and Honoring Of Demonstrated Excellence
Coventry Public Schools and the Coventry Teachers Alliance have designed the voluntary
RHODE process for tenured teachers to demonstrate their personal commitment to rigorous
professional development and outstanding teaching performance. The RHODE process consists
of a portfolio developed by the candidate specifically for the RHODE review, and, an evaluation
of that portfolio by a RHODE panel. The RHODE panel will consist of two National Board
Certified Teachers and two administrators from the Coventry Public Schools. The panel will
determine if the quality and rigor of the evidence represent the highest levels of excellent
teaching. Successful applicants must achieve either a four or a five in each portfolio element.
The decision of the panel cannot be appealed. Excellent performance will be recognized with a
RHODE stipend, as defined in Appendix A1-3 of the Agreement between the Coventry Teachers
Alliance and the Coventry School Committee.
A letter of intent must be submitted to the Superintendent’s office by the end of September of the
school year in which the teacher intends to apply. The deadline for submission of the completed
RHODE portfolio will be the last Friday in April of the same school year. Student work
submitted as evidence must be completed during the year of application.
Unsuccessful candidates are allowed to resubmit elements of the portfolio eligible for banking
during the following school year only. If a candidate is unsuccessful in a two-year cycle,
candidates must reinitiate the entire process.
Candidates who enter into the RHODE development and review process in the year of their
scheduled evaluation and who wish to have the RHODE count as an evaluation will be granted a
deferral from the evaluation process for that year. A teacher who achieves a RHODE certificate
will have the certificate serve as the evaluation and be granted a four year cycle of evaluation.
Health Concerns
ADDENDUM A
(See Appendix E1)
All employees covered by this Agreement shall have the benefit of a health insurance
program as set forth below, provided, however, that the District has the right to change the health
carrier in accordance with the following provisions, which are intended to insure that the plan
provided as a result of the change shall not result in any reduction of services or benefit levels for
bargaining unit members.
a. Any new carrier will cover pre-existing conditions covered under the previous
plan of all plan participants.
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