SECTION C - REDUCTION
IN FORCE
1. If the Board in its discretion shall
determine that it is necessary to reduce the number of teachers employed or to
discontinue any program, the Board shall adhere to the requirement of the
School Code:
A. Annually a reduction in force (“RIF”)
joint committee (the “RIF Joint Committee”) shall convene by no later than
December 1 to address the matters within its authority under
Section 24-12 of the Illinois School Code. The RIF Joint Committee shall be
composed of 4 members; 2 members to be appointed by the Superintendent and 2
members to be appointed by the Association. The appointments shall be made by
October 1 of each school year, with appointees serving from October 1 through
the following September 30. Any agreements reached by the RIF Joint Committee
must be approved by the affirmative vote of at least 3 members. Any agreements
reached by the RIF Joint Committee shall be communicated to the Superintendent
and to the Association on or before February 1 of the year in which RIF notices
are to be sent out. At its first meeting
each year, the committee shall appoint one member who was appointed by the
Superintendent and one member who was appointed by the Association, to be
co-conveners. The co-conveners shall set
the agenda before each committee meeting.
B. When the Board deems it necessary to
undertake a RIF of teachers, the Superintendent or designee shall give the
Association President written notice of such determination at least ten (10)
calendar days before the Board takes final action on such reduction.
By no later than March 15 of each
school year, the Superintendent or designee shall consult with the Association
President to develop a list establishing the sequence of honorable dismissals
in any RIF in accordance with the positions and the groupings required by
Section 24‑12(b) of the Illinois School Code. The Superintendent or
designee shall complete the list and provide the Association President with a
copy by no later than 75 calendar days before the end of the school term.
Thereafter, the Superintendent or designee shall promptly inform the
Association President of any changes in the list made between the time of
consultation with the Association President and any RIF action taken by the
Board, but in any event by no later than 45 calendar days before the end of the
school term.
2. Seniority shall be defined as
follows: A teacher’s length of
continuous service since his/her last date of hire in a position covered by
this Agreement for which state law requires that he/she be certificated. When
two (2) or more teachers have equal seniority, then prior teaching experience
at Lake Forest High School in the relevant department and content area shall be
the governing factor. Less than full time tenured service shall be computed on
a pro rata basis and approved unpaid leaves of absence of ninety
(90) consecutive employment days or more shall not be counted in determining
seniority.
3.
The Board shall post in each school
building a seniority list by department each year no later than December 1st. A copy of such seniority list shall also be
sent to the Association President or designee.
4.
In addition to the other applicable
provisions of this Article, the following provisions shall be applicable to
teachers who are laid off:
a. Upon
being recalled pursuant to the provisions of this Article, the accumulated and
unused sick leave days that the teacher had at the time of his/her layoff shall
be restored. No credit shall be granted
for purposes of advancement on the salary schedule for the period of the layoff
except for the period of time during the layoff that the teacher was employed
in a comparable teaching position by another accredited public school district.
b. During the period of time that the
teacher has recall rights, the teacher shall have the right to maintain
insurance coverage by paying in advance the full applicable monthly premium for
employee coverage and, if desired, for family coverage.
c.
While the seniority of a teacher who is laid off shall not be terminated
if the teacher is recalled within one (1) calendar year from the beginning of
the following school term following the teacher's layoff, seniority credit
shall not accrue during the period of the layoff unless during the layoff
period the teacher was employed in a comparable teaching position by another
accredited public school district or by one of the schools listed below:
Lake Forest Academy;
Lake Forest Country Day;
St.
Mary’s;
Carmel;
Loyola;
North Shore Country Day;
Woodlands Academy;
Solomon Schechter; or
A school mutually approved by the LFEA and
the Board