At their Tuesday night board meeting, the William S. Hart Union High School District approved a one-year agreement with the Hart District Teachers Association that addressed staff development and the number of additional school days for students.

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Now that the agreement has been approved, 2014 graduation dates have been finalized for all Hart District schools.

The agreement with the Teachers Association includes several changes that will affect both students and staff.

Two additional non-contract staff development days have been scheduled for Nov. 1 and Feb. 14, 2014, to help implement Common Core Standards. Staff will receive their daily rate of pay for attending each development day. These are also student free days.

The Association negotiated for a one time, off-schedule payment for all teachers and administrators hired by the district on or before Sept. 18 of this year. Prior to winter break, staff will receive a check for 1.5 percent of their annual salary.

The additional payment is due to the fact that the District has not raised salaries in several years, according to Public Relations Officer Gail Pinsker.

The agreement also adds five days to the school year, bringing the student total to 180 days. June 6 is the last day of school and June 9 is a teacher work day.

Due to the full restoration of student days, there are no longer student minimum days for the last day of the first and third quarters beginning with the end of third quarter in March 2014. October 18, 2013, the end of the first quarter, will remain a minimum day.

“It was a positive experience working with the leadership of the Hart District Teachers Association,” said Michael Vierra, assistant superintendent of human resources. “Collaboratively, both the District and Association were able to interpret the new State Local Control Funding Formula and agree upon terms that benefit students first but also support faculty and staff. Of particular emphasis was restoring the school year to 180 days for students, while also providing paid staff development for teachers in the Common Core State Standards.”

The 2014 graduation schedule is listed below:

• Friday, May 30 – Valencia High School
• Saturday, May 31 – Bowman High School
• Monday, June 2 – Golden Valley High School
• Tuesday, June 3 – Hart High School
• Wednesday, June 4 – Saugus High School
• Wednesday, June 4 – Learning Post High School
• Thursday, June 5 – Canyon High School
• Friday, June 6 – West Ranch High School
• Saturday, June 7 – Academy of the Canyons

The Hart School District calendar is available online here.

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