Once you sign a contract . . .

Finding good employees is a constant mission for school districts. In GESD, once we find good employees, we want to keep them, which is why the District views signed employee contracts as a two-way commitment.

On the one end, the District will provide a position, salary and benefits throughout the term of the contract. On the other, a signed contract is a commitment by employees to work the agreed number of days specified in the contract. If an employee chooses to not honor a signed contract, District policy notes that they are subject to penalty. This penalty is outlined in District-issued contracts (look for the highlighted area in the GESD Teacher’s Employment Contract, and view the full policy here).

The District understands that there are extenuating circumstances that may preclude employees from fulfilling the terms of their contracts. In those instances, the District may consider waving the fee if one of the following conditions apply:

1. Military orders
2. A major medical condition (for example: terminal illness, a serious car accident) that will not allow the employee to return to work for the remainder of the school year. Certification is required to verify the medical condition.
3. The employee is offered a promotion within the field of education. This cannot be a lateral move. For instance, if in your current position you are responsible for a classroom and you are on a teacher’s contract, and you are offered another position in which you are still responsible for a classroom and offered a teacher’s contract, regardless of title, this is considered a lateral move. Another example: switching from an elementary teacher to a high school teacher is a lateral move.
4. The employee remains on contract and working within the position (if during the school year) until a highly qualified replacement is found. The replacement must first be under contract (see the chart below for a graphic display of options; click on the chart to enlarge).