Employee Handbook

Employee Handbook

Updated August 2026

4011 Pickett Road • Durham, North Carolina 27705
Phone 919-402-8262 • Fax 919-402-0762
www.trinityschoolnc.org

PURPOSE AND USE OF THIS HANDBOOK

This handbook describes in general terms the policies and procedures that govern employment at Trinity School. It does not provide fixed rules for dealing with all problems that arise in the workplace; rather, it sets forth general guidelines, subject to modification or deviation as circumstances may require. The handbook is not an agreement and does not create enforceable rights on the part of employees. This handbook supersedes all prior manuals and oral or written statements by officials at Trinity School. The policies and benefits set forth in the handbook are provided at the sole discretion of Trinity School and may be modified, updated, and/or revoked at any time.

This handbook is general policy for all Trinity School staff and faculty. Along with other school policies and Board directives, this serves as an employment guide for all Trinity School employees.

Faculty under specific annual agreements may have terms and conditions in those agreements that differ from the ones in this handbook. In such cases, the specific agreement provisions have precedence.

Revisions to This Handbook

Revisions to this handbook may be made at any time. We will strive to communicate policy changes to employees in a timely manner; however, policy revisions may become effective prior to formal publication in this handbook. Employees will be notified of specific changes, as appropriate, via normal school communication media. The Head of School reserves the right to determine the effective date and applicability of all school policies.

WELCOME LETTER

Dear Trinity Employee,

Welcome to Trinity School of Durham and Chapel Hill! If you are a new employee, we are very glad that you have decided to join us. If you are a returning employee, it is a great pleasure to welcome you back to what promises to be another fine year in the growth and development of the school.

The mission of Trinity School is to educate students in transitional kindergarten to grade twelve within the framework of Christian faith and conviction—teaching the classical tools of learning; providing a rich yet unhurried education; and communicating truth, goodness, and beauty.

At Trinity School, we seek to create a community in which there is delight in learning and an atmosphere that encourages the sort of intellectual, moral, and aesthetic development that is fitting for those who bear the image of God. We want to challenge our students in a way that stimulates their natural curiosity, guiding their discovery toward personal, intellectual, and spiritual growth.

In whatever we do, we seek to honor the Lord Christ. Our school motto is not a quaint Latin phrase, but a real guidepost for us: Non nobis, Domine, sed nomini tuo da gloriam. “Not to us, Lord, but to your name be the glory.”

This handbook is intended to be a guide to our school’s employment policies, benefits, administrative policies, practices, and philosophies. It is not meant to categorize all expectations for behavior, but rather to serve as a reference for both the details of daily operations and a larger vision of the school’s ideals as well as our relationship with the community. If you have any questions about the information contained in this handbook, please do not hesitate to speak with me at any time.

With warmest regards,

Chip Denton
Head of School

DOCTRINAL COMMITMENTS

Trinity School is a Christian school, dedicated to a vision of education that is rooted in the Triune God. As an independent school, without institutional ties to any church or denomination, we remain committed to what C. S. Lewis called “mere Christianity”: “no insipid interdenominational transparency, but something positive, self-consistent and inexhaustible.” We hold to those truths which have united Christians through the ages, across the boundaries of time, place, race, denomination, and tradition:

• The only true God, the almighty Creator of all things, existing eternally in three persons—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—full of love and glory.
• The unique divine inspiration, entire trustworthiness, and authority of the Bible.
• The value and dignity of all people: created in God’s image to live in love and holiness, but alienated from God and each other because of our sin and guilt, and justly subject to God’s wrath.
• Jesus Christ, fully human and fully divine, who lived as a perfect example, who assumed the judgment due sinners by dying in our place, and who was bodily raised from the dead and ascended as Savior and Lord.
• Justification by God’s grace to all who repent and put their faith in Jesus Christ alone for salvation.
• The indwelling presence and transforming power of the Holy Spirit, who gives to all believers a new life and new calling to obedient service.
• The unity of all believers in Jesus Christ, manifest in worshiping and witnessing churches making disciples throughout the world.
• The victorious reign and future personal return of Jesus Christ, who will judge all people with justice and mercy, giving over the unrepentant to eternal condemnation but receiving the redeemed into eternal life.

Employees who find that they no longer believe or support the elements of Trinity School’s Doctrinal Commitments must discuss this matter with their immediate supervisor. This situation may lead to a conference with the Head of School and may affect employment. The Head of School shall be the decision-maker on whether an employee will be dismissed due to no longer believing or supporting the Doctrinal Commitments of Trinity School.

PRINCIPLES OF CONDUCT AND INTERACTION

CODE OF CONDUCT

It is important for employees to know what professional conduct is expected while on the job. In most instances, an individual’s own good judgment will tell him or her what the right thing to do is.

Believers in Jesus are to live lives before others that are worthy of imitation (1 Thessalonians 1:4-7). To be a Christian role model for others to imitate is a legitimate and essential task for teachers of children and young people.

Further, the biblical model for the nurture of children is not found in a particular family, for it is obvious upon examination of parenting in the scriptures that all have sinned and fall short of God’s glory (Romans 3:23). Rather, God’s approach to the nurture of children was best demonstrated through his chosen people, the Hebrews. This approach couples example or demonstration with explanatory instruction, as described in Deuteronomy 6:4-9:

Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.

The nurture described here is both private and public, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Parents are called to be godly role models for their children, living out their faith and then explaining it to them as they walk with them. Teachers, who have been delegated authority by parents to function in loco parentis with their children, must assume the mantle of Christian role model as well—in school and outside of school.

In addition to complying with policies and job-specific requirements, employees are also expected to obey the rules and regulations of Trinity School and the exhortations of Holy Scripture for faith and practice.

CONFLICTS OF INTEREST

Conflicts of interest occur when any school employee, Board member, or immediate family member thereof comes into a position either directly or indirectly to receive personal gain through the disbursement of school funds, from any economic relationship other than that established by school/employee wage and salary administration.

It is the employee’s responsibility to immediately report to the Head of School and Human Resources representative any condition that comes to the knowledge of the employee through their position as an employee of Trinity School that may be, or may appear to be, a conflict of interest. The Head of School will take the matter under advisement and direct the employee accordingly.

The Board of Trustees must be informed of all hires of close relatives of current Trinity School employees. Trinity School employees will not be permitted to supervise their own spouses or family members.

OUTSIDE EMPLOYMENT POLICY

While Trinity recognizes and honors some employees’ desire to pursue personal interests and supplemental income through outside employment, certain processes and guardrails have been established for clarity and protection of the School and the employee.

• Trinity should remain the primary employer for full-time employees.
• Outside employment may not interfere with the employee’s ability to perform their job at Trinity.
• Outside employment may not reflect negatively on the School.
• Outside employment may not impair or have a detrimental effect on an employee’s work performance with the School.
• Outside employment may not compete or be in conflict with programs or services offered by the School or require the employee to conduct work or related activities on the School’s property during the School’s working hours or using the School’s facilities, resources, and/or equipment.

To avoid any actual or perceived conflict of interest arising from work outside of Trinity, including tutoring, employees must seek the approval of their direct supervisor for any outside employment. Direct supervisors must also inform the HR Generalist. Employees approved for on-campus tutoring must provide proof of insurance to the Business Office prior to tutoring on campus. Faculty may not tutor their current students for additional compensation under any circumstances.

Approved outside employment is subject to review annually. If there is a question as to conformity with the above criteria and whether or not a conflict exists, the HR Generalist will consult with the Head of School, who will make the final decision.

Solicitations

Employees may engage in solicitation and distribution of materials to other employees only utilizing the Faculty & Staff Bulletin Board. This rule includes solicitations and distribution of materials for commercial purposes, charitable purposes, and/or personal activities (e.g., employee celebrations).

Non-employees are not permitted to distribute materials on School premises or online using School resources at any time. Employees may not solicit Trinity students, parents, or guardians for commercial purposes.

USE OF SCHOOL PROPERTY

Employees are not to use school property, facilities, supplies, information, equipment, or funds for personal use unless authorized to do so by the Head of School.

RELATIONSHIPS WITH TRINITY SCHOOL CONSTITUENTS AND PARTNERS

The constituency and partners of Trinity School include but are not limited to any student, family member, staff/faculty member, Board member, volunteer, vendor, individual, or group that interacts with or has any interest in or involvement with the school.

Impressions are constantly formed and changed by every contact people have with the school. Every time constituents hear or see anything having to do with Trinity School, it strengthens or changes their perception of the school.

When people give their time, money, or talents to Trinity, they have great expectations of the school. It is up to each employee to fulfill these expectations and to build a lasting good impression. Employees must consider the quality and professionalism of every aspect of what is said and done. The school’s reputation is central to the future of Trinity employees.

Internal problems should be discussed with management, not with constituents/partners. At one time or another, employees may become frustrated as a result of school-related issues. These issues may result from a period of turnover or administrative backlog, or simply because of human error. However, when employees communicate any of these difficulties outside of regular employee relationships, the credibility of the school can be put into question.

Responsibility for Student Behavior

It is the responsibility of all faculty and staff to actively supervise the behavior and deportment of all students. This pertains not only to the student groups for which a faculty member has direct responsibility, but also to any student at any time. Faculty or staff who notice conduct not becoming to a Trinity School student have the responsibility to correct the student.

The 24-Hour Rule

At the very least, employees should return phone calls and emails within 24 hours of receiving them.

Names and Pronoun Usage

Teachers and staff will, so far as is possible, address students by their preferred name as listed in Veracross. The school will not change students’ names or genders on official school records, including in transcripts or in the school’s database, without legal documentation of such changes.

School employees will not accede to requests from students to use pronouns other than those appropriate for the biological sex identified on their birth certificate. School employees will, so far as is practical, avoid offending students in the use of pronouns, primarily by addressing students directly in the second person when possible. The use of third-person references may

be necessary under certain circumstances, including but not limited to teacher comments and communications to parents.

All employees must implement this policy in a manner consistent with the school's commitment to dignity and respect for every student. Disrespectful conduct, taunting, or harassment related to any protected characteristic remains strictly prohibited and will be addressed under the Bias and Harassment Policy.

Vendor Management Policy

Engaging with a major vendor that requires the signing of a contract involves a serious review of not only budget considerations but also considerations related to liability, insurability, and mutual indemnification. Some major vendor contracts require attorney review. Only the Head of School, the Associate Head of School, and the Chief Financial Officer have the authority to bind the school, and they are the only individuals permitted to sign contracts.

An employee working to engage with a vendor requiring a signed contract should provide it to a signer for review two weeks in advance of needing the contract signed.

Please note that this policy is not intended for routine purchases conducted within a budget owner's purview but is specific to signing a significant legal document.

RELATIONSHIPS WITH OTHER EMPLOYEES

Trinity School seeks to foster and maintain a productive and healthy working environment. This can only be accomplished through the cooperation of all employees. Employees should treat each other with mutual respect. Trinity School is guided by biblical and Christian principles, including the Golden Rule: "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you."

Employees are always encouraged to avoid gossip and to resolve differences quickly between themselves. If help is needed in resolving conflict or other issues, employees should seek supervision and should endeavor to keep the circle of others involved as small as possible.

OPEN-DOOR POLICY

Misunderstandings or conflicts can arise in any organization. The best way to clear up any misunderstanding is to talk it over with the people who have the authority to do something about the problem. For this reason, Trinity has an open-door policy. If employees have an issue that they want to bring to management's attention, this issue can be presented informally through this policy.

The open-door policy means that employees may speak to any member of management they think is best equipped to help with the particular concern. No doors are closed, but whenever possible, employees should go to their immediate supervisor. This is usually the best way to seek resolution of problems and is a matter of professional courtesy. If, however, the issue is not resolved or an employee is not comfortable discussing the issue with the supervisor, or if the supervisor is the problem, the employee is encouraged to bring the concern to the next level of management and/or the Human Resources representative.

CONFLICT RESOLUTION PROCEDURE

For purposes of this policy, a complaint is defined as a serious issue, dispute, or concern raised by an employee regarding the application, meaning, or interpretation of the school policies as they affect an employee's work activity or their dismissal from employment. The resolution procedure follows progressive steps in the school's authority structure, beginning with the first level of supervision and rising ultimately to the Head of School, who is the final authority.

An employee with a complaint as defined above should follow the open-door policy. It is anticipated that in this Christian school environment, such issues will be handled expeditiously and with grace and discretion by all parties involved.

All Trinity employees must direct any legal communications to the Head of School office immediately as they are received. Trinity employees are not permitted to respond to outside attorneys' inquiries, subpoenas, or other legal requests unless explicitly requested by the Head of School.

ACCEPTABLE USE OF INTERNET, EMAIL, NETWORKS, AND TECHNOLOGY

Trinity School makes email and internet access available to employees as appropriate for their position. Email and the internet are important tools for communication and learning and should be used primarily for school business and instructional purposes. However, limited personal use of these resources is authorized so long as such use is occasional, is of reasonable duration, does not adversely affect employee performance, and does not violate state or federal laws or compromise intellectual property rights.

Trinity School provides employees with various digital tools and resources for education, productivity, and communication. The school expects employees to show respect and take responsibility for any and all technology that is provided in accordance with their job. Please see the specific use and care requirements in the Employee Technology Responsible Use and Care Policy, in the next section.

A. Access to and use of Trinity School's data, electronic protected information, email, digital document sharing, workstations, computers, networks, etc., is restricted to Trinity School's business needs. Accessing or using the school's equipment or data for reasons other than Trinity School's business purposes, such as for personal gain, for advancement of individual views, for advertising or listings for personal benefit, or for accessing the files or communications of others without appropriate authorization, is prohibited.

B. Any information acquired through access to Trinity School's workstations, computers, networks, or files is not to be used in any manner that could be detrimental to Trinity School, or in any manner that could be in violation of law. Trinity School will cooperate with any legitimate law enforcement investigation.

C. The IT department or its designee is responsible for assigning workstations, software, and data and will keep a record of such assignments. Software and data shall be used only on the

computer to which it is assigned unless authorized by the IT department. No one is permitted to attach or detach any keyboard, printer, monitor or internal board or other component without express authorization from the IT department.

D. The programming of computers or networks is restricted to designated employees. Programming is not to be undertaken by non-IT individuals without prior approval from the IT department.

E. Only designated employees may download software pertaining to direct business use, with the IT department's approval. Employees must arrange to have such software properly licensed and registered. Downloaded software must be used only under the terms of its license. An employee interested in obtaining a license to a new software, even if the software is being offered for free or on a trial basis, must receive approval from the Director of Technology.

F. Contractors or vendors are prohibited from accessing workstations, computers, software, data, networks, etc. without specific and express prior IT department approval.

G. All computers, laptops, and workstations should be secured with a password-protected screensaver with automatic activation feature or by logging off. Passwords may not be shared. Authorized employees are responsible for the security of their passwords.

H. No employee may knowingly distribute viruses or circumvent the user authentication or security of any network or account, nor may they cause security breaches or disruptions to the computer systems, networks, or workstations. This includes accessing data the employee does not have express authorization to access.

I. Computer games and unlicensed software will not be permitted on Trinity School computers, nor may employees use Trinity School internet connections to download entertainment software or games or play games against opponents over the internet. Any such software or data found will be subject to removal and the employee may be subject to disciplinary measures.

J. All information created on Trinity School's workstations, computers, networks, etc. shall remain the property of Trinity School. Any software or file downloaded via the internet onto Trinity School's network or any computer workstation becomes the property of Trinity School.

K. No employee may provide information about or disclose electronic protected health information to outside parties who do not have authorization to receive such information.

L. The use of a computer, email, or the internet for harassment (in accordance with Trinity's Harassment Policy) or other inappropriate behavior regarding race, color, creed, religion, gender, sexual orientation, ancestry, national origin, age, and/or disability is prohibited.

M. The use of a computer, email, the internet, or any other school resources to engage in any illegal activity is prohibited.

N. Sending messages that adversely affect the reputation of the school or its students, parents, or community members is prohibited.

O. Sexually explicit material may not be accessed, displayed, archived, stored, distributed, edited, or recorded using Trinity School network or computing resources. Trinity School reserves the right to monitor and block access to all inappropriate internet sites.

P. Employees with internet access may not upload any software licensed to Trinity School or data owned or licensed by Trinity School without explicit authorization from the IT department.

Q. The use of instant messaging services or online chat rooms is permitted only with IT department approval.

R. Trinity School reserves the right to inspect any and all files stored in public or private areas of Trinity School computers and networks to assure compliance with this policy.

S. Employees are prohibited from engaging in illegal activities or accessing websites with illegal or otherwise prohibited content when using school networks or school equipment on or off school property, during or after working time, or while directly or indirectly representing the school in any way.

Engaging in activities that are prohibited may result in disciplinary action, up to and including termination.

The school retains the right to monitor network usage as well as usage of individual computers and email accounts, and employees should not have an expectation of privacy when utilizing school networks, systems, or electronic communication resources. All employees explicitly agree to this condition in consideration for the ability to utilize the school's computer networks and resources. Monitoring and inspections will be conducted for legitimate business purposes. Access to personal or sensitive information encountered during monitoring will be limited to authorized personnel with a need to know and handled consistent with the school's confidentiality policies.

EMPLOYEE TECHNOLOGY RESPONSIBLE USE AND CARE POLICY

Trinity values digital tools and resources for education, productivity, and communication and provides them to employees for these purposes. Trinity expects employees to show respect and take responsibility for the technology that is provided in accordance with the job.

Respect for Property

• All computer workstations, laptops, iPads, network devices, projectors, corresponding accessories, etc. are the property of Trinity School and should be used with care and protected from damage, theft, and vandalism.
• Asset identification tags must always remain attached to school-owned devices.

Responsible Equipment Care

• It's your responsibility to take care of all equipment (i.e., computer, iPad, power cords, adapters, video cables, monitors, mice, projectors, document cameras, connection cables, etc.) allocated to you and your classroom/office.
  • Dropping computer equipment is bad. The IT department must be notified immediately if equipment is dropped or experiences any significant impact. Any impact, droppage, damage, contact with liquid, loss, or theft should be reported to the IT department IMMEDIATELY.
  • Liquid is bad for your computer. The IT department must be notified immediately if equipment comes in contact with liquid of any kind. A reminder: food and drinks (or other liquids) shouldn't be set in close proximity to devices.
  • Leaving your equipment in a hot car is bad for it.
• All employees are required to turn in their school-issued devices for a predetermined period of time each summer, without receiving a temporary loaner computer, for computer maintenance, repairs, and upgrades.

Repair

• Any problems you experience should be submitted via SchoolDude ASAP for attention from the IT department.
• Replacements for any lost or damaged adapters and power cords given to your care will be charged to the employee.
• Liquid damage, shattered displays, and repairs due to impact damage aren't covered under warranty. Costs can start at $800 and can take weeks to get the device back in service.
• Employees may be held responsible for equipment repair and/or replacement costs in instances of repetitive, careless, or excessive damage.

Device Maintenance

• Shut Down—you should Shut Down (completely power off, not just restart, allow to rest "Off" for 30 seconds, and power back on) your computer at least once a week. (NOTE: Sleep, Log Out, Restart, Shut Down are not all the same thing.)
• Updates – Faculty/Staff Mac users are able to run the periodic updates through the Software Management/Self Service tools on the computer. You should run these updates when prompted or check periodically for updates.
• You should always connect to power using a surge protector (not just a power extension or strip plug).
• Do not let the device battery completely die, especially when it's in sleep mode. This can cause major issues.
• You are responsible for keeping your computer and iPad clean—screens, casing, keyboard, etc.—the IT department can provide proper cleaning tools and instruction.

Respect for Security/Privacy

• Do not walk away from your computer without having a password-protected screen saver activated.
• Passwords must be kept confidential. They are to be known only to you and IT. Do not share your password with anyone, including students, family, or co-workers. Please do not write down your passwords at your workspace.
• Unauthorized use—No one should be using your login (username & password) but you. If a colleague, student, or someone in your family (spouse or children) asks to use your computer, you should use the Guest account. Children (students or your own kids) should not be left unattended when using school devices. Also, children should not be allowed to change settings or passwords.
• Users will be prompted to reset passwords every 180 days. Passwords cannot be reused, as the server keeps a record of previously used passwords.
• You're responsible for locking your classroom/office when you leave for the day. If things go missing from your space, when you've secured your doors and windows it's simpler to narrow down who else had access.

MEDIA AND NETWORKING POLICY

Social media tools provide Trinity School employees and students with an opportunity to connect, communicate, and extend learning. The school respects the rights of employees to use social media and networking tools for school-related and personal purposes. Social media includes all means of communicating or posting information or content of any sort on the internet, including to an employee's own or someone else's blog, vlog, journal, diary, business or personal website, social networking or affinity website (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, etc.), web bulletin board, or chat room, whether or not associated with Trinity School, as well as any other form of electronic communication.

Context

We realize that social networking bridges the work life and personal life of employees, and thus some conflicts of responsibilities may occur. The school's interest is in defining the educational and work-related contexts of social networking and communicating (vs. blogging) for the protection of our employees, students, and the school community as a whole. Nothing in this policy is intended to restrict employees from engaging in lawful concerted activities concerning their wages, hours, or other terms and conditions of employment.

Key Principles

Interacting with others online is no different than interacting face-to-face—that is, we are required to maintain the principles of respect, dignity, prudence, professionalism, safety, and concern for and protection of children in all interactions. With specific regard to social networking, all employees must do the following:

• Remain cognizant that social networking activities may be visible to past, current, or prospective students, parents, colleagues, and community members—and thus reflect directly or indirectly on the school, affecting current students and community members.
• Exercise appropriate discretion (i.e., err on the side of caution) when using social networks for personal communications (such as with friends, colleagues, parents, or former students) that might in any way impact their role at the school.
• Keep in mind that the uneven power dynamics of a school—in which adults have implied authority over former students—continue to shape those relationships after the end of the school day and year, and even after graduation. Employees must act in a manner that always respects and never exploits the power inherent in these relationships.
• Balance their right of individual free expression with the valid interests of the school in promoting and presenting its mission, culture, and values to the community at large as reflected by the public actions and statements of its employees.

Employees must be aware that the school considers discretion and prudent judgment in social networking activities to be a serious matter with regard to protecting the school, its students, its parents, and its employees. As such, violation of this policy may lead to corrective action, up to and including termination of employment.

Guidelines

1. Classroom/Professional Use of Social Networking

Faculty are expected to limit class activities to age-appropriate and educationally appropriate tools (including social networks and blogs).

New social networking tools and features are continually being introduced that may or may not be appropriate for course use. If employees are unsure about a new networking tool that they think will be useful in the classroom, they should contact their division head and request and receive approval of the tool or resource prior to using it.

2. Friending Students, Alumni, and Parents

Employees, coaches, and trustees are not allowed to follow or "friend" currently enrolled Trinity students (grades TK–12) on any social media site. Any existing personal social media network connections with current Trinity school students must be terminated before the beginning of the school year.

Trinity is a small community and we understand that many teachers, staff, coaches, and trustees are connected via social media with fellow teachers, staff, parents, and alumni. Please be mindful that parents, especially, view social media posts as an opportunity to get a glimpse into a classroom, team, or class. Think strongly before posting content that could in any way be viewed as expressing your frustration or exasperation or is in any way disparaging to your students and/or their families.

Postings by employees shall not reference, link to, or contain statements that could be viewed as malicious, obscene, threatening, or intimidating; that disparage students, employees, parents, or community members; or that could be viewed as harassment or bullying.

Students on the Trinity Do Not Publish list are not allowed to appear on personal social media sites. The Do Not Publish list is updated yearly by the marketing and communications team and is found on the faculty and staff shared Google site.

Use professional discretion when friending alumni age 18 and older. When doing so, recognize that many former students have online connections with current students (including younger siblings and friends), and that information shared between school-related adults and recent alumni is likely to be seen by current students as well.

3. Use of Social Networks for Development/Marketing/Communication Purposes

The school maintains a social networking presence and posts content on the following accounts:

Facebook (Trinity School of Durham and Chapel Hill, Trinity School Alumni)
Twitter (@TrinityDCH, @TrinityDCHLions, @TSDCHboyshoops, @TSrobotics, Syntax Error [@ftc5459], Artificial Stupidity [@ftc2827], and FTC Team 3587 [@ftc3587])
Instagram (Trinity School, StudLife [US Student Life], TrinityDCHLions)
LinkedIn
Vimeo
YouTube

Varied content is posted for marketing, community branding and awareness, development, alumni relations, and communication. All contacts or postings to these sites are to be initiated under the joint direction of the Advancement Ooffice and the Director of Marketing and Communications.

4. School-Related Friends (Coworkers, Supervisors, and Subordinates)

Employees are asked to use good judgment when making and/or accepting friend, link, or connection requests to or from school colleagues. Employees in supervisor/subordinate relationships are particularly encouraged to use caution, due to the potential for both parties to feel pressured to accept the request for business purposes. This could affect work and social relationships, as well as possibly raising conflict of interest, unequal treatment, discrimination, or other concerns. Always respect the privacy of others in the school community.

5. Non-School-Related Friends

Employees should remind all other members of their network about their position as an educator whose profile may be accessed by members of the school community and should ask network members to monitor their posts to the employee's network accordingly. Employees should also be judicious in their own postings to all friend sites and act immediately to remove any material from those sites that may be inappropriate and/or in violation of this policy. This

includes being “tagged” in photos on the sites of friends or others, especially where the photos may include activities not appropriate for viewing by students and other members of the school community.

Note: Due to the fact that social media sites are increasingly interconnected (e.g., Facebook and Instagram), employees should be aware that any content posted on one site online may immediately or eventually show up on other sites. Not posting inappropriate content in the first place is the only way to completely protect against this possibility.

6. Groups in Your Social Network

All employees are asked to use good judgment in publicly associating only with social networking groups consistent with the mission and reputation of the school. At the same time, this provision is not intended to limit valid intellectual discourse on a wide variety of subjects or viewpoints.

7. Privacy Settings and Content

Employees are asked to exercise care with privacy settings and personal profile content to ensure that posted content does not reflect poorly on the school in any way or otherwise create a conflict of interest. Content should be placed thoughtfully and should be periodically reviewed. On most sites, privacy settings can be changed at any time to limit access to profiles and searchability, and changes should be made when necessary.

8. Time on Social Media Sites

In order to maintain and model professionalism in all aspects of Trinity’s work environment, employees should refrain from using social media sites for personal use during work hours except for incidental usage (e.g., spending a moment or two checking a site in between other work activities). Employees are expected to limit this activity to off-hours, except for explicitly class-related use of these sites.

Use of social networking resources should not interfere with or impede completion of employees’ job duties and their responsibilities to the school, the students, and other members of the school community. Please be mindful that it is always possible for students, parents, and colleagues to be aware if and when an employee is on a social media site during the school day and that this can reflect badly on that employee and Trinity School.

9. Online Identity and Posting to Blogs

As a vibrant academic community, Trinity encourages all employees to maintain active interest and engagement in a wide range of activities, intellectual pursuits, causes, missions, and the like—including social, political, religious, and civic groups, and organizations, blogs, and publications that exist for business purposes. At the same time, this must be balanced with the school’s right to manage public communications issued in its name.

An employee who makes web or social media postings concerning the school must include a disclaimer to readers stating that the views expressed are the employee’s alone and that they do not necessarily reflect the views of the school. All faculty, staff, or other Trinity employee websites, social media sites, or blogs must be password protected.

Employees should exercise caution when posting photos of Trinity students to their personal social media pages. Photographs of students may not be used without parental permission. Parental permission is presumed unless a parent requests that their child be placed on the Do Not Publish list. The posting party is responsible for checking the school’s current Do Not Publish list to ensure that listed students do not appear. The Do Not Publish list is updated yearly by the marketing and communications team and is found on the faculty and staff shared Google site.

Employees may not post messages to blogs or other online venues indicating or implying a connection to the school in any way without the prior written consent of the Head of School. For example, if an employee chooses to post a personal message on a social media site or blog, she must not sign the post, “Jane Smith, Faculty Member, Trinity School of Durham and Chapel Hill,” but rather only “Jane Smith.”

Similarly, when making personal, non-work-related posts to social media sites or blogs, employees should not use their school email address in the message or for reply purposes, as this may inadvertently and inappropriately imply approval of the message’s content by the school.

10. Digital Communication

Employees are encouraged to add the following to all personal social media bio pages:

“The views expressed are mine alone and do not represent the views of my employer or any other person or organization.”

Exclusive one-on-one interaction between employees and students where the employee uses non-school electronic means (i.e., a personal cell phone) is forbidden except for the use of texting for logistical matters or information delivery for school-sponsored events, athletic events, or group activities. The preferred way to communicate changes in schedules, practices, etc., is to use a group communication app such as Group Me or Remind, or to simply include all team members or students in any group text. Employees must not text one-on-one with a student.

11. Email Signatures

All faculty and staff are required to use Trinity’s standard email signature line, unaltered, as their official Trinity email signature.

Your email signature must appear in the following standard style:

Firstname Lastname
Your title as listed on Trinity’s website
www.trinityschoolnc.org
Trinity School of Durham and Chapel Hill
4011 Pickett Road, Durham, NC 27705
919-402-8262 x9999
“A favorite verse or quote that is mission aligned.” – Author or Book 1:1

Do not include the following:

1. Your email address. This is not necessary, since the signature appears in an email from you.
2. Images, logos, attachments, or links.
3. Any extra information not listed above, including preferred pronouns.

In the Gmail signature settings, select the Serif font and Normal size. Use bold for your name only, and italics only for your quotation, as in the example above. Quotations are highly recommended but not required.

12. Protecting Confidential Information

The school requires all confidential and sensitive information related to students, faculty, and staff to be protected at all times and to be disclosed on a need-to-know basis pursuant to school policy or as otherwise required by law. Accordingly, no electronic communications, social network posting, or blog posting may communicate any confidential information.

13. Use of Logos, Trademarks, and Intellectual Property

Employees are not permitted to use the school’s logo, trademarks, official photographs, or any other intellectual property or proprietary materials of the school in any postings without the written consent of the Advancement Office.

14. Transparency

Employees should never misrepresent themselves or the school in any social networking or blogging posts. The school will never ask employees to misrepresent themselves or their position in the school on behalf of the school.

15. Use of Social Network Sites in Background Checking

All employees involved in the interviewing or hiring of new employees should refrain from “researching” candidates via the internet and/or social networking sites for hiring or screening purposes. The school maintains very specific background-checking procedures, under the direction of the Human Resources representative. As background checking is a serious matter that is governed by specific regulations and that creates a variety of risks and liabilities for the school if not handled properly, no employee is permitted to engage in “freelance” checks of any type.

PRINCIPLES OF EQUAL OPPORTUNITY AND NON-HARASSMENT

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

It is a fundamental policy of Trinity School not to discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, and related medical conditions), national origin, age, veteran status, disability, or any other characteristic protected by law, with respect to recruitment, hiring, training, promotion, and other terms and conditions of employment, subject to the school’s status as a faith-based institution for which religion is a bona fide occupational qualification as permitted by law.

It is the policy of the school to base decisions on employment solely upon an individual Christian’s qualifications relating to the requirements of the position for which the individual is being considered. As Trinity School is a faith-based institution, religion is a bona fide occupational qualification, and the school reserves the right to use religion as a criterion in the hiring process, as permitted by law.

As such, all employees will affirm in writing their subscription to Trinity’s doctrinal statement, will be members in good standing of a Christian church, and will give personal testimony of faith in Christ.

The school will ensure that all personnel actions such as compensation, benefits, transfers, layoffs, school-sponsored training, promotions, terminations, and disciplinary actions are applied impartially within the above-stated parameters and criteria.

ADA/DISABILITY ACCOMMODATION

In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and applicable state law, Trinity School will not unlawfully discriminate against qualified applicants or employees with disabilities who can perform the essential functions of their jobs with or without reasonable accommodations. The school will not discriminate based on disability or perceived disability in hiring, promotion, discharge, compensation, job training, benefits, classification, referral, or any other aspects, terms, or conditions of employment.

In accordance with the law, it is the school’s policy to provide such qualified applicants and employees with reasonable accommodations, except where such accommodations would impose an undue hardship on the school. Any employee who requires an accommodation to perform the essential functions of their job should contact the Human Resources representative to request such an accommodation. The individual with the disability should be prepared to discuss what type of accommodation is needed to perform the job and should be aware that dialogue regarding the exact accommodation that may be granted may occur.

Trinity may require the employee to provide medical documentation regarding their disability and accommodations consistent with the law. In collaboration with the candidate or employee, the school will make every effort to identify and implement an accommodation that is reasonable and will not impose an undue hardship.

THE PREGNANCY WORKERS FAIRNESS ACT, AND THE PROVIDING URGENT MATERNAL PROTECTIONS FOR NURSING MOTHERS ACT

Trinity fully complies with the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA) and provides reasonable accommodations to employees with known limitations related to pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions, unless the accommodation will cause the employer an undue hardship, meaning significant difficulty or expense for Trinity. Employees covered by this policy should follow the process set forth in Trinity’s Americans with Disabilities Act policy. Examples of possible reasonable accommodations include the ability to sit or drink water; receive closer parking; receive additional break time to use the bathroom, eat, and rest; and take unpaid leave or time off to recover from childbirth.

In accordance with the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), Trinity also provides reasonable break time to any covered employee to express breast milk for their nursing child for one year after the child’s birth each time such employee has need to express the milk.

In addition, Trinity fully complies with the Providing Urgent Maternal Protections for Nursing Mothers Act (“The PUMP Act”) which provides that nursing employees are entitled to a place to pump at work, other than a bathroom, that is shielded from view and free from intrusion from coworkers and the public. Please reach out to the Human Resources representative for more information.

FILING A DISCRIMINATION CLAIM WITH THE SCHOOL

An employee who believes that they have been subject to or have observed any form of unlawful discrimination should promptly submit a written complaint to the Head of School and Director of Community and Belonging. If the object of the complaint is the Head of School, the employee should submit the complaint to the chair of the Board of Trustees and inform the Director of Community and Belonging. Employees may also report to the Associate Head of School or Human Resources if preferred or if a listed official is implicated. Reports may be made verbally or in writing. The complaint should be specific and should include facts, the names of individuals involved, and the names of any witnesses, if applicable.

The school will promptly undertake a thorough investigation and will attempt to resolve the issue. Those investigating for the school will preserve the confidentiality of facts and identities as much as practical. Those making complaints are expected to maintain appropriate confidentiality as well and to act professionally and discreetly at all times. The school will not retaliate against any employee for filing a complaint or for participating in an investigation in good faith.

BIAS AND HARASSMENT POLICY

Overview

At Trinity School, we believe that God has created everyone in his image and commanded us to love one another as he loves us. Sin tarnishes his image in us and causes us at times to mistreat others. Yet as a community, we remain committed to resisting sin and living in love.

Harassment of any sort detracts from the dignity of victim and perpetrator and can lead to their physical, psychological, and spiritual harm. Harassment offends our Lord and corrupts the Christian community and society. As a Christian community, we must promote, not diminish, human dignity.

Therefore, we seek to prepare young people for and to model community life according to Christian principles. Specifically, we aim to uphold the following values:

• glorifying God in all relationships and activities;
• respecting others because all persons are created in God’s image;
• upholding God’s righteousness and justice as the foundation of our conduct toward others;
• abiding by all applicable civil and criminal laws, including those specifically prohibiting harassing or discriminatory conduct.

Prohibited Conduct

Harassment and incidents of bias based on an individual’s race, sex, color, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law are prohibited within the Trinity community.

General Forms of Harassment and Related Conduct

Examples of prohibited conduct include but are not limited to the following:

• Communicating in a way (e.g., by written or oral comments or innuendo) or engaging in any other conduct, such as shunning, that demeans, intimidates, or insults another community member. This includes vulgar, abusive, humiliating, or threatening language or jokes, or other crude or rude behavior. Use of vulgar, profane, or sexually oriented language that demeans or ridicules people because of their race, age, gender, religion, national origin, disability, or any other characteristic protected by law will not be tolerated.
• Displaying, publicizing, or transmitting by electronic means any materials or content that has the same effect (as described immediately above) as if it were communicated in person.
• Failure to stop offensive behavior upon request.
• Failing to report or to report honestly an incident of alleged harassment.
• Failing to cooperate fully with an investigation into allegations of harassment.
• Retaliating against any individual for their role in reporting instances of harassment or for assisting with or otherwise supporting an investigation into charges of harassment.

Sexual Harassment

As a specific concern within the general umbrella of harassment, the school strictly prohibits sexual harassment, including the following:

• Unwelcome sexual advances
• Requests for sexual favors
• Sexual slurs, jokes, or innuendoes
• Displays of sexually suggestive objects or pictures
• Discussions of one’s sexual activities
• Sexually suggestive language or gestures
• Unwelcome petting, touching, or pinching
• Other verbal or physical contact of a sexual and offensive nature
• Any conduct that interferes with an individual's work, academic performance, or participation in any other school activity or that otherwise creates, for the individual, an intimidating, hostile, or offensive school environment.

Bias Incidents

A bias incident is any occurrence that displays an unreasoned or unfair distortion of judgment in favor or of against a person or group. Bias incidents can be perpetrated by individuals, groups, or systems. General forms of bias incidents include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Assuming criminality on the basis of race
• Assigning intelligence to a person on the basis of their race or gender
• Making jokes about a person’s race or sexual orientation
• Assigning a student to a part in a play based primarily on race
• Favoring one gender for work assignments that any gender can perform equally well
• Dismissing the stories of others without listening empathetically
• Taking intellectual property, traditional knowledge, cultural expressions, or artifacts from someone else’s culture without permission and making them your own
• Ignoring marginalized voices and stories in the selection of curriculum and the design of lessons
• Hiring someone based primarily on familial relationships (nepotism)

Reporting Harassment or Bias Incidents

The following procedures are available to any member of the Trinity School community who believes they have been harassed, have observed harassment, or have experienced an incident of bias in violation of this policy. Barring extenuating circumstances, informal procedures should first be pursued before initiating formal procedures. In any instance in which a school staff member responsible for carrying out any of these procedures is allegedly engaged in conduct prohibited under this policy, that staff member’s supervisor or other designee appointed by the Head of School shall assume the responsibility in question.

The Head of School has the right to modify these procedures when necessary to better serve the policy’s objectives. In instances in which the Head of School is alleged to have engaged in misconduct, the chair of the Board of Trustees or the chair’s designee shall assume the Head of School’s role in the investigation.

Procedures

When an employee believes they have been harassed, have observed harassment, or have experienced an incident of bias in violation of this policy, the following procedures shall apply.

Informal Procedures

The employee shall make a request for advice or counsel (orally or in writing) to their supervisor, the Director of Community and Belonging, their division head or department director, the Associate Head of School, or the Human Resources representative, for example, to evaluate perceptions or clarify issues. Where feasible, the concern should be presented to the alleged offender to allow the parties to resolve any misunderstanding and, when applicable, to reconcile if an offense has occurred. If this informal procedure does not resolve the matter and the employee wishes to pursue it further, they shall document the informal steps taken and then follow the formal procedures outlined below. Under certain circumstances, requiring informal procedures may be inappropriate or harmful to the reporting individual. In such cases, the employee may request to proceed directly to the formal procedures.

Formal Procedures

If the informal procedure proves unsatisfactory, a formal written complaint may be filed with the Director of Community and Belonging promptly after the informal procedure ceases. The Director of Community and Belonging shall promptly initiate an investigation, including discussion with all parties involved. The Director of Community and Belonging may appoint an ad hoc committee or other designee to investigate the case and recommend action. A decision shall be made within 10 working days after the date of submission of the complaint unless the Director of Community and Belonging determines that additional time is required.

If it is determined that a violation of this policy has occurred, the Human Resources representative will recommend appropriate disciplinary action. The appropriate action will depend on the following factors:

1. the severity, frequency and pervasiveness of the conduct;
2. prior complaints made by the complainant;
3. prior complaints made against the respondent; and
4. the quality of the evidence (e.g., firsthand knowledge, credible corroboration).

If the investigation is inconclusive or if it is determined that there has been no violation of policy but potentially problematic conduct may have occurred, the Human Resources representative may recommend appropriate preventive action.

The Director of Community and Belonging and Human Resources representative will meet with the Head of School or Associate Head of School and the offender's supervisor to review the investigative reports and recommendations for corrective and/or preventative action to decide what action, if any, will be taken. Once a final decision is made by the offender's supervisor and the Head of School or Associate Head of School, the Human Resources representative and the supervisor will meet with the offender to notify them of the findings of the investigation and any disciplinary action to be taken, up to and including termination.

The Director of Community and Belonging and the Human Resources representative will meet with the complainant to notify them of the findings of the investigation within 10 days of the complaint being filed.

Retaliation against any employee who, based on a reasonable belief, reports an incident of alleged offensive workplace behavior or who participates in an investigation will not be tolerated.

All complaints and investigations are treated confidentially to the extent possible, and information is disclosed strictly on a need-to-know basis. The identity of the complainant is usually revealed to the parties involved during the investigation. The Director of Community and Belonging and the Human Resources representative will remind all parties of Trinity’s non-retaliation policy throughout the process.

False and ill-natured complaints of harassment, discrimination, or retaliation (as opposed to complaints that, even if erroneous, are made in good faith) may be the subject of appropriate disciplinary action.

Reporting for Personnel Files

For bias incidents and harassment, the investigation file and records of communications will be retained in a confidential file. Relevant disciplinary action, training, counseling, or direct communications with the employee will be placed in the employee’s personnel file.

Preliminary Suspensions and Disciplinary Action

When necessary (e.g., for reasons of safety or community concern), any person alleged to have engaged in misconduct under this policy may be suspended (with pay for an employee) pending the outcome of the investigation. Such a suspension is a non-judgmental administrative procedure and shall not constitute a finding of wrongdoing.

Upon completion of the investigation, a violator may be subject to disciplinary and/or corrective actions including, but not limited to, the following: oral or written warning or reprimand; counseling; probation; suspension with or without pay; up to and including termination.

Non-Retaliation

Trinity School prohibits reprisal or retaliation against any person for (a) reporting or intending to report violations of this policy; (b) supporting someone for reporting or intending to report a violation of this policy; or (c) participating in the investigation of reported violations of this policy. After consideration of the nature and circumstances of the reprisal or retaliation and in accordance with applicable federal, state, or local laws, policies, and regulations, the Head of School and Human Resources representative shall determine the consequences and remedial action for a person found to have engaged in reprisal or retaliation.

EMPLOYMENT INFORMATION AND PROCEDURES

EMPLOYEE DEFINITIONS

All individuals working for the school will be classified as one of the following:

Employee

All persons employed by Trinity School in a full-time, three-quarter-time, part-time, or temporary capacity to engage in work directed by Trinity.

Contract Labor

A person who provides work under contract to the school for a specified period of time and is not an employee. Such persons are not employees pursuant to the Fair Labor Standards Act and the IRS.

EMPLOYEE TYPES

All employees fall under one or more of the following categories:

Full-Time

Employees who are not in a temporary status and are regularly scheduled to work the school's full-time schedule (40 hours per week). Generally, full-time employees are eligible for the full benefits package, subject to the terms, conditions, and limitations of each benefit program.

Three-Quarter-Time

Employees who are not in a temporary status and are regularly scheduled to work less than the full-time schedule but at least 30 to 39 hours each week. Generally, three-quarter-time employees are eligible for health benefits and prorated personal time off (PTO), subject to the terms, conditions, and limitations of each benefit program.

Part-Time

Employees who have been hired to work up to 29 hours per week. Generally, part-time employees are not eligible for health benefits, but part-time employees working 20–29 hours per week are eligible for personal time off per Trinity’s PTO policy.

Temporary

Employees who work in a job for a specified amount of time for less than six months.

Job-Share

Two employees who have been hired to cover the duties of a single full-time position. The reduced work hours limit these individuals’ eligibility for benefits.

Staff

All employees who do not work directly with students in the classroom, are not governed by an annual school agreement, and have been issued and have accepted a Letter of Intent for employment.

Faculty

All employees who work directly with students in the classroom (typically teachers, teacher assistants, learning specialists, coaches, etc.) and who are governed by an annual or time-specific school agreement for employment.

EXEMPT AND NON-EXEMPT CLASSIFICATIONS

Based on the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and corresponding state regulations, all positions are designated either “exempt” or “non-exempt.” All positions will be classified as one of the following:

Non-Exempt

Non-exempt positions are eligible for overtime pay, and employees in non-exempt positions must record their hours worked on a daily basis, using a timesheet provided by the school or a similar record-keeping process.

Exempt

Exempt positions are not eligible for overtime pay. Exempt positions are paid on a salaried basis, and the amount of pay generally does not vary based on the number of hours worked during the week.

Employees should contact the Human Resources representative with any questions regarding the classification of their position.

JOB DESCRIPTIONS

Job descriptions are maintained for all full-time, three-quarter-time, and part-time employees. The job description delineates employee status (full-time, three-quarter-time, or part-time), working hours, reporting relationships, and job responsibilities. Individual employees are responsible for updating their job description at least annually. Supervisors will review changes in job descriptions with the Business Office.

FACULTY TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT

In return for the salary and benefits specified, Trinity School of Durham and Chapel Hill expects faculty to perform teaching and non-teaching duties with professionalism and at the highest standards of teaching and learning.

The academic year for Trinity School teachers covers the time frame from August through mid-June.

Full-Time Teachers

Trinity defines a full-time teacher as one who fulfills all of these criteria:

1. Is on campus and available to students and families for 40 hours or more per week.
2. Teaches at least 4 sections or has Lower School classes of their own for more than six hours per day.
3. As assigned, acts as a student advisor or homeroom teacher and monitors student attendance.
4. Performs one extra duty, such as advising a student club or serving on a committee.

Full-time teachers are also required to carry out duties and participate in programs necessary to fulfill the school’s mission. Non-teaching duties that may be assigned include but are not limited to the following:

• Attendance at class meetings, assemblies, and chapels
• Participating in overnight field trips
• Teaching a Winterim course
• Writing letters of recommendation for students applying to other schools and colleges
• Proctoring midterm or final examinations
• Proctoring standardized tests
• Assisting admission personnel with in-house assessments
• Reading admission files and serving on the Admission Committee
• Supervising student dances or student social events
• Supervising study hall, lunch periods, or recess periods
• Carpool and parking lot supervision
• Student lunch distribution
• Substitute teaching
• Meeting other needs as may arise

During the academic year, full-time teachers are required to be on campus 30 minutes before the start time for their division and 20 minutes after the end of the school day for their division. Full-time teachers are also required to attend assemblies, faculty meetings, faculty devotions, and official school events (such as Parent Night and graduation). Additionally, on occasion, full-time teachers are required to be on campus before and/or after school for department, committee, and faculty meetings; parent conferences; and consultation with students.

Three-Quarter-Time Teachers

Three-quarter-time teachers have reduced hours and duties and consequently are paid a prorated salary. Though the pay is lower because of the reduced responsibilities, teachers in

this category are eligible for benefits, including personal time off. A three-quarter-time teacher is one who fulfills all of these criteria:

1. Is on campus and available to students and families for 30 hours or more but less than 40 hours per week during the school year.
2. Teaches 3 courses or classes or prepares and provides direct instruction to students on campus for 30 to 39 hours per week.
3. Performs one assigned non-teaching duty.

Teachers in this category are assigned one non-teaching duty, such as carpool or study hall supervision. Teachers in this category are required to attend all in-service and faculty meetings as well as requested parent conferences.

Part-Time Teachers

Part-time teachers are designated as those teaching one to two sections, classes, or courses, or working less than 30 hours per week. Part-time teachers working 20 to 29 hours per week are eligible for personal time off, but they are not eligible for health benefits. Part-time teachers are required to attend monthly faculty meetings, one faculty in-service day in August and one in June, and parent conferences when requested. Part-time teachers are not expected to serve as a student advisor, oversee a student club, or supervise study hall, lunch, or student social events.

Faculty Agreement Renewal

Faculty with agreements can reasonably presume that, barring cause (e.g., for poor performance or conduct) or a significant change in the school’s resources, enrollment, or operating plan, an agreement for the following year ordinarily will be issued. Faculty on probation should assume that an agreement for the following year will not be issued without specific and measurable progress.

A faculty member whose agreement is not being renewed ordinarily will be informed in person by the Head of School. The Head of School will inquire of that person, at the time when the agreement is not renewed, whether the faculty member is able to finish out the remaining school year and fulfill the remainder of agreement with diligence and in a professional manner. Often it is in the best interest of the faculty member and the students to keep confidential the decision not to renew. The Head of School and faculty member should work out a communication plan that both sides are able to carry out.

Faculty Professional Development

All faculty, regardless of state certification, must fulfill the following professional development (PD) requirements each school year:

• Full-time faculty: 20 clock hours
• Three-quarter-time faculty: 15 clock hours
• Part-time faculty: 10 clock hours

North Carolina certified professional educators (certified teachers) are required to obtain 8 CEUs (80 hours minimum) within a five-year period. The Human Resources office maintains continuing education unit (CEU) information in Veracross for faculty who submit completed CEU documentation.

Faculty may be away from school to attend conferences for professional development. These professional leave days are to be approved by the division head and will not be deducted from employees’ pay or personal time off. Professional development is Board-authorized and funded within the annual budget. Employees are encouraged to apply for grants to attend summer workshops.

The Trinity School Professional Development Program for Continuing Education provides financial assistance to faculty and staff who are looking to further their education by obtaining an additional degree. This program aims to support educators in their professional development to enhance their teaching skills, contribute to the school, and ultimately improve student outcomes. These professional development funds, which are one-time awards available at the beginning of each school year, can be used towards professional license renewal, tuition, textbooks, or examination fees. Award amounts are based on the number of applicants each year and the budget for that given school year. Application is made via the division heads, with final approval by the Associate Head of School.

Time Off Before Holidays

For continuity of education, faculty should avoid taking personal days off immediately before or after a school holiday. Employees should contact their division head/department chair in advance if they have a need to take personal time off on these days.

Compensation for Overnight Student Travel

Purpose

Trinity recognizes the significant commitment required of faculty who chaperone overnight student trips. These experiences are vital to building community and fostering personal growth among students, aligning deeply with our school’s mission. To support and thank faculty for this additional labor, the school provides a per-night stipend for school-sponsored travel.

Stipend Structure

Faculty participating in school-sponsored overnight trips are eligible for a “thank you” stipend based on the nature and distance of the travel:

• Driving-Distance Trips: A stipend of $50 per night away is provided for trips within driving distance (e.g., standard Grade 10–12 retreats; a trip to D.C.).
• Further-Afield Trips: A stipend of $75 per night away is provided for trips requiring air travel or significant travel distance from the home region.

Faculty will complete a Stipend Agreement (template stored on the Business Office website) and submit to their supervisor to sign off. The supervisor will then submit the signed Stipend Agreement to the Business Office for processing in the next administratively feasible payroll.

Sponsorship Options

Trinity offers two primary ways for faculty to engage with student travel:

1. Sponsored Faculty: Faculty assigned to or officially applying for a trip role are eligible for the standard per-night stipend in addition to their travel-related expenses (meals, housing, etc.) that are covered by the school or program fee.
2. Non-Sponsor Participation: Faculty may elect to attend a trip in a “non-sponsored” capacity. In these instances:
   • The faculty member does not receive a stipend.
   • The faculty member may be responsible for their own travel costs (such as flights) depending on the specific trip arrangement.
   • This status is typically reserved for faculty who wish to join a trip for personal enrichment or to support a specific group without taking on a primary chaperone role.

Additional Benefits for Sponsored Travel

• Workload Support: Participation in overnight trips does not require the use of personal time off (PTO).
• Expense Reimbursement: Incidental costs such as e-sim cards for international travel or necessary medical supplies for the group are reimbursable through the Business Office.

Faculty members should not be leading any “unsponsored” student travel in their capacity as a Trinity faculty member, as this creates a risk-management concern for the School and the faculty member. Faculty members must have approval from their division head to sponsor any trip with Trinity students. This is not intended to preclude an employee from participating in travel through other spheres of life, for example as a church youth group mentor; however, there should be clear delineation that travel for non-Trinity sponsored trips is conducted in a capacity outside of an employee’s Trinity faculty member role.

LABOR LAW COMPLIANCE

It is Trinity School’s full intent to remain actively in compliance with the labor law provisions of the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and any corresponding state or local regulations.

Meal and Rest Periods for Non-Exempt Employees

Non-exempt employees must record all hours worked. Unpaid meal periods are 30 consecutive minutes during which employees are fully relieved of duty. Rest breaks, if provided, of 20 minutes or less are counted as hours worked. Working off the clock, performing work during unpaid meal periods, or unauthorized overtime is prohibited; however, all time worked must be reported and will be paid.

WORK WEEK

The standard work week is 40 hours. For purposes of calculating overtime, the work week for staff and faculty begins and ends within the time designated between 12:01 am on Sunday and 12:00 midnight on Saturday. New employees will be made aware of their expected work schedule prior to assignment.

TIME RECORDS

All non-exempt employees are required to complete accurate weekly time reports showing all time actually worked. These records are required by governmental regulations and are used to calculate regular and overtime pay. At the end of each pay period, supervisors must electronically approve the employee’s time worked, attesting to its correctness before payroll is processed.

OVERTIME PAY

Employees in non-exempt positions are eligible for overtime pay at a rate of 1.5 times their regular pay for all hours worked in excess of 40 hours in one week. Overtime must be approved in advance by the appropriate division head or department chair.

PAY PERIODS

Pay periods are semimonthly (24 pay periods annually). Pay dates are the 15th and the last day of each month. If either of these days falls on a weekend or a holiday, the pay date will be the last working day prior to these days.

PAYCHECKS

Employees will have their pay directly deposited into their checking or savings accounts. Employees must submit the necessary information through the Trinity online payroll system to enroll in direct deposit. On paydays, employees will receive an electronic pay statement. This statement is available via the Trinity online payroll system, and employees have access to this information 24 hours per day, 7 days a week.

DEDUCTIONS

No deductions will be made from wages except those required by law or expressly authorized in writing by the employee, consistent with applicable law. Deductions for property loss, damage, or cash shortages will not be taken unless permitted by law and supported by a voluntary, written authorization executed after the loss with the amount specified. The online pay statement identifies each deduction and should be kept as a permanent record. If you have questions about your deductions, contact the Human Resources representative.

RAISES

Raises usually are determined by tenure, performance appraisals, and/or increased responsibilities. It is important to note that raises may not occur if adverse economic or financial conditions exist.

DURATION OF EMPLOYMENT

Trinity School does not require staff employees to commit to employment for any specific duration, and the school does not commit to staff employees that their employment will last for any specific duration. Consequently, all staff employment by the school is considered “at-will,” for an indefinite period of time, and it is subject to termination by the employee or Trinity, with or without cause, with or without notice, and at any time. This means that Trinity School may terminate employment at any time for any lawful reason, and likewise an employee is free to resign employment at any time for any reason.

SENIORITY

Trinity recognizes that former employees may return to employment after a period of separation. This policy outlines the terms under which prior service is recognized for benefits upon rehire.

1. Rehire within two years

Employees who are rehired within two years of their termination date will be reinstated as if there had been no break in service. In such cases, the employee's previous length of service will be recognized for purposes of benefits eligibility and tuition remission.

Examples:

• An employee who had previously completed five or more years of service will continue to receive the 5% employer contribution to the 403(b) retirement plan.
• Tuition remission benefits will resume at the same percentage the employee was receiving at the time of their departure.

2. Rehire after two years

Employees who are rehired more than two years after their termination date will be considered new hires. Prior service will not be credited toward benefit eligibility, seniority, or service-based accruals.

Examples:

• An employee who had previously completed five or more years of service will begin a new seniority period and will receive the standard 4% employer contribution to the 403(b) plan during their first five years of re-employment.

• The tuition remission benefits of that employee will reset to the entry-level rate of 30%.

Years of Service Policy

Years of service for the purpose of official employee recognition and seniority benefits will only be calculated based on time served as a permanent, regular staff or faculty employee. An employee’s first year of service is defined as the full academic year in which they begin employment at Trinity, regardless of their start date within that year.

Time served as a substitute employee or coach is not included in an employee’s recognized years of service, even if the individual later transitions into a permanent staff or faculty role.

Recognition for Coaches

Although the School does not include coaching tenure in official years of service, the Athletic Department is encouraged to recognize coaches’ contributions and tenure at their athletic celebrations.

SEPARATION FROM EMPLOYMENT

In all cases of voluntary resignation (a resignation initiated by the employee), employees are asked to provide written notice to their supervisor at least 30 working days in advance of the last day of work. The 30 days must be actual working days; holidays and PTO will not be counted toward the 30-day notice. Employees who provide the requested amount of notice will be considered to have resigned in good standing and generally will be eligible for rehire. In most cases, the Human Resources representative and the Head of School will conduct an exit meeting on or before the last day of employment to collect all school property and to discuss final pay. If applicable, information regarding benefits continuation through the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) will be sent to the employee’s home address.

Should it become necessary because of business conditions to reduce the number of employees or employees’ work hours, this will be done at the discretion of Trinity School, and employees will be notified in advance.

SAFETY TRAINING AND BACKGROUND SCREENINGS

All faculty and staff are required to complete training in child abuse prevention at least once every two years and annual emergency preparedness trainings (active shooter, pandemic response, etc.). Additionally, every employee must submit to a criminal background screening at any time during the year and no less often than once every three years.

PERFORMANCE EVALUATIONS AND JOB EXPECTATIONS

The school works closely with all employees to help them perform to the best of their abilities. The frequency and method of performance evaluation varies depending on the employee’s position.

PERFORMANCE EVALUATION PROCEDURES

Employee performance evaluations consider performance in relation to the employee’s job description and the goals set by the supervisor and the employee. The employee and their supervisor should update or revise the employee’s job description as part of the evaluation process as the job responsibilities of the position change.

Performance Evaluations for Staff

To provide frequent feedback and recognition, Trinity supervisors will conduct formal written evaluations and performance discussions with staff employees 3 to 4 times during the year. The process for staff performance evaluations is as follows:

• The employee and the supervisor draft initial thoughts in advance, considering key topics and questions using the Performance Evaluation Discussion form.
• The supervisor schedules a meeting with the employee to complete the performance discussion review and set goals for the next 3- to 4-month period.
• The supervisor submits the completed and signed Performance Evaluation Discussion form to the Human Resources office.
• Signed forms for 12-month employees should be returned to the Human Resources office by July 31, December 15, and April 30 of each school year. Signed forms for 10-month employees should be returned to the Human Resources office by September 30, January 31, and April 30 of each year.

Performance Evaluations for Faculty

The primary purpose of Trinity’s faculty performance evaluation system is to provide teachers with ongoing feedback so that they may be as effective as possible in the classroom and may be teachers of excellence. Feedback from faculty performance provides a basis for improvement and professional growth that will improve student-learning outcomes. The process for faculty performance evaluation is as follows:

• Faculty members complete a self-evaluation each school year.
• In addition, faculty ordinarily receive a formal, written evaluation each year by the Head of School, their division head, or a designee.
• The written evaluation is discussed with the faculty member and then signed by the evaluator and the faculty member.
• The faculty member's signature does not imply concurrence with the evaluation, but it does indicate that the faculty member has read the evaluation.

• The signed evaluation and the faculty member's self-evaluation are given to the supervisor and filed in the faculty member's personnel file.
• Insofar as possible, the school attempts to complete the evaluation process before the issuance of faculty employment agreements for the following school year. Generally, evaluations should be completed by March–April.

If, in view of the formal evaluation, the Head of School or division head has serious concerns about a faculty member's performance, these will be communicated orally and in writing to the faculty member as early in the school year as possible.

For a more detailed description of Trinity’s faculty appraisal performance system, as well as a description of A Teacher of Excellence, please see appendix I of this handbook.

PROCEDURES FOR ADDRESSING BEHAVIORAL OR PERFORMANCE ISSUES

Trinity School encourages its employees to develop and perform to their fullest potential at all times. When an employee’s performance or conduct does not meet established standards, the school seeks to quickly, effectively, and eagerly support the employee in correcting the behavior or improving the performance. The school has developed the following general procedures for addressing behavioral or performance issues involving employees.

Please note: The school maintains all of its rights under the employment relationship and does not restrict itself from altering its approach to corrective action as circumstances warrant, in the Head of School’s sole discretion. Corrective-action steps described below are guidelines only and may be applied, omitted, or applied in any order, at the school’s sole discretion, based on the circumstances. Nothing in this policy alters the at-will status of staff employees or creates contractual rights. For faculty working under annual agreements, any corrective action will be administered consistent with the applicable agreement. Serious issues of misconduct or poor behavior will ordinarily be addressed in a timely manner directly by the Head of School and Human Resources representative outside of this process. Some performance, conduct, or safety incidents are so problematic and harmful that the most effective action may be the temporary removal of the employee from the workplace. When immediate action is necessary to ensure the safety of the employee or others, the Head of School may suspend the employee pending the results of an investigation.

Step One – Initial Verbal Warning

When a performance or conduct issue arises, an initial conversation will occur between the supervisor and the employee, and the employee will be given a reasonable amount of time to correct the deficiency.

Step Two – Second Verbal Warning

If the initial conversation is not effective in resolving the issue, the supervisor may choose to continue the corrective action process by providing the employee with a second verbal warning. The time period during which the employee must meet expectations will depend on the nature, severity, and urgency of the issue. The employee should be aware that ongoing performance issues may result in further corrective action.

Step Three – Written Warning

If the employee’s performance does not meet standards within the time limit of the verbal warning, the supervisor may provide a written warning to the employee, detailing the required performance improvements. The employee will be required to sign the written warning and/or performance improvement plan in acknowledgement of receipt.

Step Four – Termination or Non-Renewal of Agreement

If the employee’s conduct and/or performance does not improve as required, the school may choose to terminate the individual’s employment (in accordance with the employee’s agreement, if applicable), or to not renew the employee’s agreement for the following school year.

Faculty whose performance is such as to jeopardize agreement renewal should be informed of this as soon as possible. Their agreements may be delayed until later in the school year, should the Head of School or division head deem that an improvement plan is in order. A faculty member may be put on a performance improvement plan, and a probationary agreement may be extended to that faculty member. Such an agreement remains in effect for the entire school year. Areas requiring improvement ordinarily will be specified in the agreement or in the letter accompanying the agreement.

JOB EXPECTATIONS

Attendance

All employees are expected to arrive on time, ready to work, every day that they are scheduled to work. If an employee is unable to arrive at work on time or will be absent for an entire day, they must contact their supervisor as soon as possible. Full-time faculty should arrive 30 minutes prior to the start of their school day and remain at school for 20 minutes after their school day ends.

Excessive absenteeism or tardiness will result in discipline up to and including termination. Failure to show up or call in for a scheduled workday without prior approval also may result in discipline up to and including termination. If an employee fails to report to work or call in to inform their supervisor of their absence for three consecutive days or more, the employee will be considered to have voluntarily resigned employment.

Confidentiality

An employee may, in the course of their work, have access to information about the school, other employees, students, or families that is confidential. This information is not to be revealed to anyone other than in the normal course of conducting job duties and responsibilities. Disclosure of such information is prohibited and, as a very serious violation of policy, could result in disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment.

Mandatory Reporting Policy

Pursuant to N.C.G.S. § 7B-301, all school personnel are required to report any suspected abuse of any child as per the school’s child abuse reporting policy. These reports should be made directly to the Department of Social Services in the county in which the child resides. Reports to Durham County can be made by calling 919-560-8424 Monday–Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 pm. or 919-560-4600 during off-hours or weekends. If a report is made, it must be reported to the Head of School immediately. All school personnel will receive training on how to report child abuse. If any staff member has a question or concern, they should see the School Counselor and Head of School.

In addition to cases of abuse, neglect, dependency, and maltreatment, under N.C.G.S. §14-318.6, any person 18 years of age or older who knows or should have reasonably known that a juvenile has been or is the victim of a violent offense, sexual offense, or misdemeanor child abuse under N.C.G.S. §14-318.2 shall immediately report the case of that juvenile to the appropriate local law enforcement agency in the county in which the juvenile resides or is found. If a report is made, it must be reported to the Head of School immediately. All school personnel will receive training on how to report child abuse. If any staff member has a question or concern, they should see the School Counselor and Head of School.

Personnel File Access

The school recognizes and respects the information contained in employee records. Certain information about employees as members of the organization is essential for the Human Resources office and Business Office, particularly in regard to payroll. Employees’ family status, home address, and telephone number must be accurate and current. The Human Resources representative should be informed whenever this information changes. Employees are encouraged to make changes to their personal and contact information through Veracross and Trinity’s payroll system. For assistance with updating information, email HR@tsdch.org. As part of the employment process, Trinity School collects required background information in compliance with accreditation standards, North Carolina state law, and school policy. This information is held in the Business Office/Human Resources office in strict confidence. The school attempts to limit the collection of information to the minimum necessary for compliance.

External Inquiries

In response to valid requests to verify employment, for business references, or for credit purposes, the school will release employment status (i.e., active or terminated), job title, and dates of employment. Only the Head of School and Associate Head of School are authorized to give references. Additional information regarding employment may be released upon written authorization from the employee, or pursuant to a subpoena or other legal obligation.

Promotions/Career Advancement

In evaluation for promotion, a number of factors, including job performance, job-related qualifications, educational background, flexibility, and experience with the school and the educational profession are considered. All employees are encouraged to remain in regular dialogue with their supervisor regarding their career aspirations, performance objectives, skill development, and growth plans and opportunities.

Image/Dress Code

The impression that we, as employees, present to others is as important as serving as role models of professionalism for our students. Trinity School has adopted a business casual dress code for all employees. Employees who prefer to dress in more formal business attire are free to do so.

Business casual wear encompasses many looks, but it essentially is casual clothing that is appropriate for a professional office environment. It is clothing that allows you to be comfortable at work yet always look neat and professional, clothing that is clean, unwrinkled, and not too tight, revealing, or baggy.

Employees are asked to consider each day’s activities when determining what to wear, as there are situations when traditional business attire may be required and is more appropriate. All employees are expected to act responsibly to create a professional atmosphere and not misunderstand the intent of “business casual.” If an employee has any questions regarding appropriate attire, they should ask their supervisor for clarification.

Business Casual Attire

Listed below are examples of acceptable business casual attire:

• Shirts: Shirts with collars, business casual crewneck or V-neck shirts, blouses, sweaters/cardigans, and polos
• Pants/skirts: Casual slacks, trousers, dressy Capri pants, skirts/dresses of appropriate length
• Footwear: Slip-on or tie shoes, dress sandals, dress boots

Listed below are examples of unacceptable business casual attire:

• Jeans
• Sweatpants
• Yoga pants
• Leggings or tights (if not covered by a dress or tunic)
• Camouflage pants
• Pants worn below the waist or hip line
• Shorts (except during summer hours)
• Mini-skirts or short dresses

• Crop tops, tank tops, low-cut or revealing tops
• Spaghetti-strap tops (unless covered by a sweater or cardigan)
• Sheer or see-through tops that reveal undergarments
• T-shirts or shirts with inappropriate slogans
• Muscle shirts
• Flip-flops of any kind
• Competition athletic shoes
• Construction or work boots

Travel Policy and Expense Reimbursement

Trinity School reimburses employees for valid expenses incurred while conducting Trinity business. For training sessions and conferences requiring overnight travel, the school will reimburse employees for travel expenses after they return from their trip with valid receipts. Receipts must be submitted to the Business Office in order for reimbursement.

The school will reimburse actual overnight travel expenses up to the limit of the daily per diem rate, which is $65.00. This rate is intended to cover meals and miscellaneous expenses, such as gratuities. Transportation and lodging expenses should be arranged in advance by the department’s administrative assistant. Generally, if no overnight travel is involved, meals are not reimbursable. Business use of personal vehicles for overnight or out-of-town travel is currently reimbursed at the rate of $0.725 per mile, per IRS guidelines.

EMPLOYEE-PARENT GUIDELINES POLICY

Faculty and Staff Children

Trinity School of Durham and Chapel Hill values the contributions of our faculty and staff and is enriched by the presence of employees’ children in our programs. When faculty and staff enroll their children, it deepens our sense of community. At the same time, having dual roles as both parent and colleague can create sensitive dynamics that require thoughtful communication and professional boundaries.

The following norms are intended to guide interactions between employees whose children attend school here and the colleagues who teach or supervise them. For purposes of this section, “parent” refers to any employee responsible for a child enrolled at Trinity School.

Expectations for Teachers of Employee Children

• Discuss boundaries and best practices with the employee parent for visiting or interacting with their children during the school day.
• Similarly, discuss boundaries and best practices with the employee parent for communicating with teachers about their children (e.g., not in hallways or during transition times).
• Include co-parents or spouses in all relevant communications throughout the year.
• Treat the children of employees equitably, maintaining the same professional tone, respect, and level of engagement as with other students.

Expectations for Employee Parents

• Engage in a conversation with your children’s teachers regarding their requested boundaries and best practices for visiting or interacting with your children during the school day.
• Engage in a conversation with your children’s teachers regarding their requested boundaries and best practices for communicating with them about your children. Address concerns about your child’s classroom experience first with the teacher and escalate only if necessary to a school administrator.
• Defer to the professional expertise of teachers and avoid making direct requests about curriculum, assignments, or classroom placements.
• Exercise professional decorum in all virtual forums, including GroupMe, group texts, and social media. As a Trinity representative, your presence in parent communication channels should serve to support and de-escalate, not to engage in or amplify conflict.

We encourage teachers and employee parents to engage in these collaborative conversations early in the school year.

Please note that the above norms are intended to be a guide that will look different across grade levels. Even within grade levels, teachers may create different specific norms based on their classroom management style and preferences.

Employee parents and the teachers of their children are asked to approach this policy with grace and flexibility. Please seek support from a supervisor, HR, or another appropriate administrator if faced with challenges or unclear boundaries in working between teachers and employee parents.

EMPLOYEE BENEFITS

BENEFITS PACKAGE

Trinity School recognizes the value of benefits to employees and their families. The school supports employees by offering a comprehensive and competitive benefits program. For more information regarding benefit programs, please refer to the school’s Summary Plan Descriptions (SPDs), which are found on the school’s intranet, or contact the Human Resources office. To the extent the information provided here conflicts with the SPD or the full plan document, the full plan document will control.

Employees are eligible for the current benefits package as published by the Human Resources office. This may include, but is not limited to, medical insurance, dental insurance, vision benefits, basic life insurance, AD&D, long-term disability, optional life insurance, and 403(b) and flexible spending plans. Additional benefits include tuition remission, personal time off (PTO), paid holidays, and access to the school’s fitness/weight room.

Trinity reserves the right to alter, modify, or terminate benefits at its discretion, consistent with the law.

Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance

Full-time employees working 30 hours or more per week are eligible for insurance on the first day of employment. To keep coverage in force, every insured employee must work a minimum of 30 hours per week.

Continuation of Benefits (COBRA)

Employees and their dependents who enroll in the school’s medical or dental plans may be eligible to continue coverage at their own expense—usually for up to 18 months—upon terminating employment with the school or experiencing other qualifying events (e.g., when a dependent student loses coverage due to age limits or college graduation). Employees will be notified of their COBRA rights upon enrolling in medical coverage as well as at the time of their termination of employment. Employees should contact the Human Resources representative for further details.

Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)

Trinity School has entered into a business associate agreement with Savers Administrative Services, Inc. (Savers) to protect the privacy and security of the protected health information (PHI) it receives from Trinity employees as defined by the Department of Health and Human Services in its Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). The school has contracted with Savers to handle the administration of the Section 125 flexible spending account benefit. In that regard, Savers alone will have access to the PHI it receives from Trinity employees. Savers has documented privacy policies as required by HIPAA and has taken the necessary steps to ensure compliance with HIPAA.

403(B) RETIREMENT PLAN

Trinity School participates in the North Carolina Independent School Collaborative (ISC), a multiple-employer plan (MEP) model that allows Trinity and other member schools to manage their retirement plans more efficiently, helping to lower costs for plan participants. Trinity School matches up to 4% for benefits-eligible employees with 1–5 years of service and up to 5% for benefits-eligible employees with 5 or more years of service.

The ISC MEP is composed of four highly regarded and experienced providers and partners:

The Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association of America (TIAA), a Fortune 100 financial services organization with more than 100 years’ experience, is the leading provider of financial services in the academic, research, medical, cultural, and governmental fields.

Compass Financial Partners is the investment manager and Registered Investment Advisor, responsible for the selection and monitoring of the funds in the investment menu and for providing ongoing help and advice to plan participants.

Pentegra is the plan administrator, responsible for the day-to-day operations of the plan.

The North Carolina Association of Independent Schools (NCAIS), a longstanding valued partner that is recognized nationally for excellence in education, is the ISC MEP sponsor.

TUITION REMISSION

Employees in a benefit-eligible position working 30 to 40 hours per week receive 30% tuition remission with a 2% annual increase up to a maximum remission of 50%. There is no child limit. Senior administrators receive 40% tuition remission with a 2% annual increase up to a maximum remission of 60%. There is no child limit. If an organizational change nullifies an employee’s senior leadership status, the employee will maintain their tuition discount existing at the time of the change. In addition, application fees and new student fees are waived for eligible employees.

Employees are required to complete one full academic year of service to initiate the 2% increase. Qualifying employees employed during the 2022–2023 academic year were eligible to receive the initial 2% increase effective July 1, 2023. For information about the recognition of prior service of former employees who return after a period of separation from Trinity, see the Seniority section above.

For the purposes of this policy, the term child includes biological children born to an employee, children who are legally adopted, stepchildren, and children for whom the employee is the legal guardian.

For the purposes of this policy, senior administrators include any member of the Leadership Team, as well as positions that lead strategic planning and critical decision-making for functional departments that span the entire school; manage direct reports; and have budget responsibility.

TIME OFF AND LEAVES OF ABSENCE

PERSONAL TIME OFF (PTO)

Trinity believes that employees should have opportunities to enjoy time away from work to help maintain balance in their lives. For this reason, the school provides a personal time off (PTO) program to all employees who work 20 or more hours per week.

Employees are eligible immediately upon hire for annual PTO. A new bank of PTO accrues on July 1 of each year.

• 10-month employees:
  • Full time (40 hours per week) – 12 days
  • Three-quarter time (30 to 39 hours per week) – 9 days
  • Part time (20 to 29 hours per week) – 6 days
• 12-month employees:
  • Full time (40 hours per week) – 15 days
  • Three-quarter time (30 to 39 hours per week) – 12 days
  • Part time (20 to 29 hours per week) – 8 days
• Employees working less than 20 hours per week are not eligible for PTO.

PTO is for illness of the employee or their immediate family; for things that need to be attended to that cannot be handled outside normal school hours; and for personal time for health and well-being. PTO covers all absences of a half day or full day from scheduled work time, except those absences which require the employee to be absent from work for civil or community reasons, such as jury duty or service on boards or commissions in the public service. Such absences are not chargeable to PTO.

Trinity encourages employees to use their PTO responsibly and, whenever possible, to schedule personal time well in advance. Trinity understands there may be occasions, such as sudden illness, when employees may not be able to give sufficient advance notice. In those situations, employees should inform their supervisor as soon as possible.

Trinity faculty should avoid, if possible, taking personal days off immediately before or after a school holiday. The school may require reimbursement for substitute coverage on those days or alternatively treat such an absence as leave without pay.

Requests for PTO are made and tracked via Trinity’s payroll platform and are subject to approval by the employee’s supervisor, taking into account the school’s operating requirements and staffing needs. Length of employment may determine priority in scheduling PTO. Unused PTO may roll over each year to a bank of sick time only, up to a maximum of 20 days of sick time. Banked sick time may be used only for illness and/or injury and may be used only after an employee’s PTO is exhausted.

Upon voluntary resignation with at least 30 working days’ written notice and continued active work through the notice period (unless waived by the School), employees working 20 or more hours per week will be paid for accrued, unused PTO up to 5 days.

Employee-to-Employee PTO Donation Policy

Employees in need of additional PTO hours due to medical need or missional purposes may receive donated PTO hours from other employees, subject to the following conditions:

• Eligibility for the Recipient
  • Must have completed the first 90 calendar days of employment.
  • Must have exhausted all accrued sick, personal, and extended paid leave.
  • Must be under the care of a physician for a health condition or caring for an immediate family member with a health condition; or
  • Must present an appeal for Christian-mission-related need for time off.
• Eligibility for the Donor
  • Must have a minimum of 40 PTO hours remaining after the donation.
  • May donate only the amount of time needed by the recipient.
• Donation Guidelines
  • Each donation must be at least 4 hours, with additional hours donated in one-hour increments.
  • Unused donated PTO cannot be returned to the donating employee.
• Requesting Donated PTO

  To request donated PTO, eligible employees must

  1. Complete the Donated PTO Request Form.
  2. Obtain a completed Physician's Certification Form (if applicable).
  3. Submit both forms to the Human Resources office.

  If the employee is unable to submit their request, a personal representative may complete the forms and submit them on the employee’s behalf.

• Process and Confidentiality
  • The Human Resources office will review and approve eligible requests, notify the applicant, and coordinate the donation process.
  • The donation time period will be determined on a case-by-case basis.
  • In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), medical information will remain confidential. When disclosing information about an approved recipient, only a general statement indicating the recipient’s prolonged medical condition (or that of their family member) will be shared.

For detailed policies and procedures, or to access forms, please contact the Human Resources office.

HOLIDAYS

Employees are granted the official school holidays off according to the annual school calendar. Benefits-eligible hourly employees (>30 hours/week) receive their standard pay rate for all holidays that they would otherwise be scheduled to work.

FAMILY AND MEDICAL LEAVE ACT (FMLA) LEAVE

Trinity School provides FMLA leave to eligible employees in compliance with the Family and Medical Leave Act as amended January 16, 2009. To qualify for FMLA leave, employees must have worked for Trinity School for at least 12 months (not necessarily consecutive) and for at least 1,250 hours within the last 12 months.

Basic Leave Entitlement

Eligible employees may take up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave for the following reasons:

• For incapacity due to pregnancy, prenatal medical care or childbirth
• To care for the employee’s child after birth or placement for adoption or foster care
• To care for the employee’s spouse, child, or parent who has a serious health condition
• For a serious health condition that renders the employee unable to perform their job
• To care for a covered service member of the Armed Forces, including a member of the National Guard or Reserves, who has a serious injury or illness incurred in the line of duty on active duty that may render the service member medically unfit to perform their duties for which the service member is undergoing medical treatment, recuperation, or therapy; or is in outpatient status; or is on the temporary disability retired list

A serious health condition is an illness, injury, impairment, or physical or mental condition that involves either an overnight stay in a medical care facility, or continuing treatment by a health care provider for a condition that either prevents the employee from performing the functions of their job or prevents the qualified family member from participating in school or other daily activities.

Subject to certain conditions, the continuing treatment requirement may be met by a period of incapacity of more than 3 consecutive calendar days combined with at least two visits to a health care provider or one visit and a regimen of continuing treatment, or incapacity due to a chronic condition. Other conditions may meet the definition of continuing treatment.

For Basic Leave Entitlement, the term spouse means a husband or wife. Child means a biological, adopted, or foster child, a stepchild, a legal ward, or a child being raised by the employee. The child must be either under 18 years of age, or 18 years of age or older and incapable of self-care because of a mental or physical disability. The term parent means biological parent, or non–biological parent who had primary responsibility for raising the employee; this term does not include parents-in-law.

Military Leave

Eligible employees with a spouse, child, or parent on active-duty or call-to-active-duty status in the National Guard or Reserves in support of a contingency operation may use their 12-week entitlement to address certain qualifying exigencies. Qualifying exigencies may include attending certain military events, arranging for alternative childcare, addressing certain financial and legal arrangements, attending certain counseling sessions, and attending post-deployment reintegration briefings.

FMLA also includes special leave entitlement that permits eligible employees to take up to 26 weeks of leave to care for a covered service member during a single 12-month period. A covered service member is a current member of the Armed Forces, including a member of the National Guard or Reserves, who has a serious injury or illness incurred in the line of duty on active duty that may render the service member medically unfit to perform their duties for which the service member is undergoing medical treatment, recuperation, or therapy; or is on outpatient status; or is on the temporary disability retired list.

For Military Leave Entitlement, the term spouse means a husband or wife. Child means a biological, adopted, or foster child, a stepchild, a legal ward, or a child being raised by the employee. The child may be of any age. The term parent means biological parent, or non–biological parent who had primary responsibility for raising the employee; this term does not include parents-in-law.

Trinity School requires certification of the need for Military Exigency Leave and Military Caregiver Leave. Employees requesting such leave must provide certification within 15 days, absent unusual circumstances. Failure to do so may result in delay or denial of FMLA leave.

Substitution of Paid Military Leave

Employees who are members of a military reserve unit or enlisted in military service for the United States will be granted leave and paid the difference between employee’s base pay and military pay during a military leave for up to 10 business days.

Employees should submit a written request for leave, which will be placed in their personnel file. Returning military leave personnel will be re-employed according to the guidelines of the federal Uniformed Services Employment and Re-Employment Rights Act (USERRA) and any other applicable state or federal law.

If an employee is a voluntary member of a military reserve unit, they should give written notice to their supervisor well in advance of their required attendance at a two-week summer reserve training camp.

Amount of FMLA Leave and Leave Period

Eligible employees may take up to 12 weeks of FMLA leave during a “rolling backward” leave year, defined as the 12-month period measured backward from the date an employee uses any leave under this policy. Employees are entitled to up to 26 weeks of leave in a 12-month period measured forward for Military Leave Entitlement.

Note: Spouses working for Trinity School may only take a combined total of 12 weeks for the birth or adoption of a child, for the placement of a child into foster care, or to care for a parent with a serious medical condition; or a combined total of 26 weeks to take leave to care for a covered service member.

All Workers’ Compensation leaves of absence that also qualify under the FMLA will count against the employee’s 12-week FMLA leave entitlement. Additional leave may be permitted for employees injured at work.

Employees’ FMLA Responsibilities

Employees must provide 30 days’ advance notice of the need to take FMLA leave when the need is foreseeable. When 30 days’ advance notice is not possible, the employees must provide notice as soon as practical. The employee should notify the school’s Human Resources representative.

Employees must provide sufficient information for the school to determine the anticipated timing and duration of the leave and whether the leave qualifies for FMLA protection. Sufficient information may include the employee’s inability to perform job functions; the family member’s inability to perform daily activities; the need for hospitalization or continuing treatment by a health care provider; and/or circumstances supporting the need for military family leave. Employees must also inform the school if the requested leave is for a reason for which FMLA leave was previously taken or certified.

Notice of Eligibility

The school will inform an employee requesting FMLA leave whether the employee is eligible under the FMLA. If the employee is eligible, the notice to the employee will specify additional employee rights and responsibilities. In addition, Trinity School will inform the employee if the leave will be designated as FMLA-protected and will specify the amount of leave counted against the employee’s leave entitlement. If the employee is not eligible, Trinity School will notify the employee that the leave is not FMLA-protected and provide a reason for the ineligibility.

Medical Certification

For leave for medical reasons, medical certification by the employee’s health care provider must be obtained and submitted within 15 calendar days of an FMLA request. Leave may be denied if the certification is not submitted in a timely fashion, is incomplete, or is insufficient. If the certification is received in a timely manner but is incomplete, the employee will be advised of the information needed and given 7 days to provide the required information to enable Trinity School to make a decision. Leave may be denied if the employee does not provide this information. The school may request a second medical opinion and designate the health care provider if the certification is questionable. If the first and second medical opinions differ, we may require a third opinion, which will be final. Any required second and third opinion expenses will be paid by the school.

Medical recertification may be requested every 30 days unless the original certification was for a longer period or circumstances have changed significantly. In all cases, the school may request a recertification of a medical condition every six months in connection with an absence by the employee. Recertification may be requested under other circumstances as specified in FMLA regulations.

Upon return, the employee must submit a medical certification of their ability to return to work. Trinity School may deny work to personnel failing to provide valid fitness-for-duty certificates. Employees taking FMLA leave must contact their supervisor and the Human Resources representative every 30 days. The employee is required to affirm their intention to return to work.

Intermittent FMLA Leave

Leave may be taken intermittently or on a reduced leave schedule when medically necessary. Employees must make reasonable efforts to schedule leave for planned medical treatment so as not to unduly disrupt the school’s operations. Leave due to qualifying exigencies may also be taken on an intermittent basis.

Employees requiring intermittent or reduced leave for future medical treatment for their own or a family member’s serious health condition may be temporarily reassigned during the leave period to a position with the same pay and benefits that better accommodates a reduced or intermittent schedule.

Special Provisions for End-of-Semester FMLA Leaves for Faculty

Due to the need to provide continuity of instruction in the classroom, the school may regulate a faculty member’s return to the classroom in certain circumstances, as allowable under federal FMLA law. These circumstances and provisions include the following:

• When an instructional employee begins leave more than five weeks before the end of a term, the school may require the employee to continue taking leave until the end of the term if
  • The leave will last at least three weeks, and
  • The employee would return to work during the three-week period before the end of the term.
• When an instructional employee begins leave for a purpose other than the employee's own serious health condition during the five-week period before the end of a term, the school may require the employee to continue taking leave until the end of the term if
  • The leave will last more than two weeks, and
  • The employee would return to work during the two-week period before the end of the term.
• When an instructional employee begins leave for a purpose other than the employee's own serious health condition during the three-week period before the end of a term, and the leave will last more than five working days, the school may require the employee to continue taking leave until the end of the term.

Substitution of Paid Leave for Unpaid Leave

Employees may choose or employers may require the use of accrued paid leave while taking FMLA leave. Accordingly, Trinity requires employees to use any accrued personal time off and sick days during an unpaid FMLA leave taken because of the employees’ own serious health condition or the serious health condition of a family member or to care for a seriously ill or injured family member in the military. In addition, employees must use any accrued personal time off, sick time, and paid parental leave during FMLA leave taken to care for a newborn or newly placed child for adoption. In order to use paid leave for FMLA leave, employees must comply with the Trinity’s normal paid leave procedures found in its personal time off and extended leave policies.

FMLA Job Reinstatement

Leave requests must include the anticipated starting date and duration of the leave. It is the employee’s responsibility to report to work at the end of the approved leave. An employee who fails to report to work on the day after the approved leave or approved extension expires will be considered to have resigned employment. Employees requesting an extension must do so prior to the expiration of the current approved leave.

Employees granted leave are guaranteed reinstatement to the same or an equivalent job position at the end of the leave, unless the job ceases to exist for legitimate business reasons, subject to any other considerations allowed under the law. In the event that a reduction in workforce or other reorganization has taken place while the employee was on leave, and the employee’s position has been eliminated and a comparable position for which the employee is qualified is unavailable, the employee will be terminated upon the end of the approved leave period.

Health Insurance Coverage during FMLA Leave

During an FMLA leave, employees will continue to be eligible for health coverage as if they had remained employed, provided they pay the required employee contribution, if any. The school will continue to pay for the school’s portion of any applicable insurance premiums.

PAID PARENTAL LEAVE

Trinity School of Durham and Chapel Hill provides up to 10 days of paid parental leave to employees following the birth of an employee’s child or the placement of a child with an employee in connection with adoption or foster care. The purpose of paid parental leave is to enable the employee to care for and bond with a newborn or a newly adopted or newly placed child. This policy runs concurrently with FMLA leave, as applicable.

Eligible employees must meet the following criteria:

• The employee must have been employed by Trinity School for at least 12 months (the 12 months do not need to be consecutive).
• The employee must have worked at least 1,250 hours during the 12 consecutive months immediately preceding the date the leave would begin.

In addition, employees must meet one of the following criteria:

• The employee must have given birth to a child; or
• The employee must be the spouse of a woman who has given birth to a child; or
• The employee must have adopted a child or had a foster child placed with him/her (in either case, the child must be age 17 or younger). The adoption of a new spouse’s child is excluded from this policy.

As is the case with all school policies, Trinity School has the exclusive right to interpret this policy.

Duration

Eligible employees will receive a maximum of 10 days of paid parental leave per birth, adoption, or placement of a child/children. The fact that a multiple birth, adoption, or placement occurs (e.g., the birth of twins or adoption of siblings) does not increase the 10-day total amount of paid parental leave granted for that event. In no case will an employee receive more than 10 days of paid parental leave in a rolling 12-month period, regardless of whether more than one birth, adoption, or foster care placement event occurs within that 12-month time frame.

Parental leave is compensated at 100 percent of the employee’s regular, straight-time weekly pay rate, to be paid on the regularly scheduled pay dates.

Approved paid parental leave may be taken at any time during the 30-calendar-day period immediately following the birth, adoption, or placement of a child/children. Paid parental leave may not be used or extended beyond this 30-calendar-day time frame.

Upon termination of an individual’s employment, the employee will not be paid for any unused paid parental leave for which they were eligible.

Coordination with Other Policies

Paid parental leave taken under this policy will run concurrently with leave under the FMLA; thus, any leave taken under the paid parental leave policy that falls under the definition of circumstances qualifying for leave due to the birth or placement of a child due to adoption or foster care will be counted toward the 12 weeks of available FMLA leave per 12-month period. All other requirements and provisions under the FMLA will apply. In no case will the total amount of leave—whether paid or unpaid—granted to the employee under the FMLA exceed 12 weeks during the 12-month FMLA period. Please refer to the FMLA Leave section above for further guidance.

After paid parental leave is exhausted, the balance of FMLA leave (if applicable) will be compensated through the employee’s accrued personal time off (PTO). Upon exhaustion of the employee’s PTO, any remaining leave will be unpaid leave. Please refer to the FMLA Leave section above for further guidance.

Trinity School will maintain all benefits for employees during the paid parental leave period just as if they were taking any other school paid leave.

If a school holiday occurs while the employee is on paid parental leave, that day will be charged to holiday pay; however, such holiday pay will not extend the total paid parental leave entitlement.

An employee who takes paid parental leave that does not qualify for FMLA leave will be afforded the same level of job protection for the period of time that the employee is on paid parental leave as if the employee were on FMLA-qualifying leave.

Requests for Paid Parental Leave

Employees must provide their supervisor and the Human Resources office with notice of the request for paid parental leave at least 30 days prior to the proposed date of the leave or, if the leave was not foreseeable, as soon as possible. Employees must complete the necessary Human Resources forms and provide all documentation as required by the Human Resources office to substantiate the request.

PERSONAL LEAVE OF ABSENCE

In special cases where it becomes necessary for employees to take a leave of absence that is not covered by FMLA, they may request a personal leave of absence.

Requests for personal leave of absence are not automatically granted; they must be approved by the Head of School. If the leave is granted, the employees will be required to use all applicable PTO benefits during the requested period of leave.

While the school will make all appropriate efforts to maintain an employee’s position during a personal leave of absence, employees are not guaranteed the right to return to their position at the conclusion of the leave.

EXTENDED LEAVE OF ABSENCE

Eligible employees may apply to use up to 20 days of additional paid leave time in any employment year as extended leave. This leave time is used after the employee’s personal time off (PTO) has been exhausted and is not intended to be additional ordinary PTO. Extended leave can be used for the purposes listed below more than once in a year, but it may not exceed 20 days per employee in a rolling 12-month period. Thus, each time an employee takes extended leave, their remaining extended leave entitlement is the balance of the 20 days which have not been used during the immediately preceding 12 months. Extended Paid Leave will run concurrently with FMLA, where eligible, and counts toward the 12-month rolling cap.

For situations covered by long-term disability insurance, employees must choose insurance coverage for paid leave at the earliest date it is applicable, instead of using additional days from their extended leave pool.

For purposes of this policy, immediate family members include an employee’s spouse, child, parent, mother- and father-in-law, stepparent, stepchild, and stepsibling.

Eligibility

The employee must have worked 1,250 hours and be in good standing with no behavioral or performance concerns within the previous 12 months.

The following situations apply:

1. A disability covered by long-term disability insurance, in order to help the employee bridge to the 90-day elimination period; or
2. Serious mental or physical illness/injury of the employee or a member of their immediate family; or
3. A non-delayable life-changing event.

Application Process

Application for extended leave should be made by submitting the Extended Paid Leave Application via email to the Associate Head of School and Human Resources representative. In consultation with the employee’s supervisor, the Associate Head of School, and the Human Resources representative, a reasonable determination will be made whether the situation falls into one of the three categories listed above to determine if the extended paid leave is approved.

INSURANCE COVERAGE WHILE ON LEAVE

Any employee covered by the school insurance plans who is currently paying for any insurance coverage must continue to make such insurance payments during any unpaid leave of absence. Failure to make such payments may result in termination of the employee's coverage.

In the event that the employee elects not to return to work upon completion of an approved leave of absence, in some instances, the school may recover from the employee the cost of payments made to maintain the employee's health coverage.

BEREAVEMENT LEAVE

Trinity School acknowledges the personal needs that may arise from the death of a loved one. Paid bereavement leave will be granted to all employees working 20 or more hours per week as follows:

• In the event of the loss of an immediate family member, Trinity School provides up to five days of paid time off. Immediate family members include an employee’s spouse, child, parent, sister, brother, mother- and father-in-law, stepparent, stepchild, and stepsibling.
• In the event of the loss of an extended family member, Trinity provides up to three days of paid time off. Extended family members include an employee’s aunt, uncle, grandparent, grandparent-in-law, grandchild, brother- and sister-in-law, and daughter- and son-in-law.

• In the event that the deceased is an extended family member or non–blood relative who is deemed in loco parentis, the employee is entitled to the five days of paid time off that apply to the death of an immediate family member. In loco parentis is a Latin term meaning "in [the] place of a parent" or "instead of a parent" and confers legal responsibility to an individual to perform some of the functions or responsibilities of a parent.
• Following either a miscarriage or stillbirth, an employee is entitled to up to three days of paid time off.
• By special request, as approved by the Associate Head of School, up to one day of paid time off may be granted to attend the funeral of a close friend or coworker.

An employee who wishes to take time off due to the death of a loved one is expected to notify their immediate supervisor and/or department chair as soon as they learn of the need for bereavement leave. All requests for bereavement leave are to be submitted via Trinity’s payroll system and will be reviewed by the employee’s supervisor for approval.

At the discretion of their supervisor, an employee may be approved to take additional time off beyond the bereavement leave granted in this policy and use their accrued PTO hours to be paid for this time off.

JURY DUTY LEAVE

Employees who are called to jury duty should inform their supervisor and the Human Resources representative immediately when notified, so that the school can provide coverage for the days missed. Employees will remain on full pay during their jury service for a period of up to 10 business days. This may be extended on an individual basis under unusual circumstances. If the employee is dismissed from jury duty, it is expected that they will return to their regular work schedule the day after being dismissed from jury duty.

WITNESS DUTY LEAVE

An employee may be required by law to appear in court as a witness. The employee may be allowed to take unpaid time off for this purpose but is expected to give their supervisor reasonable advance notice of the absence and to provide evidence of the required appearance. Witness duty leave is available to all employees.

PARENTAL SCHOOL LEAVE

In accordance with the North Carolina Parental Leave Law, Trinity will grant up to 4 hours of unpaid leave per year to any employee who is a parent, guardian, or person standing in loco parentis of any school age child so that the employee may attend or otherwise be involved in activities at the child’s school, preschool, or child-care facility as defined by G.S. 110-86(3). This leave must be scheduled in

advance at a mutually convenient time. Trinity reserves the right to request written verification from the school of the employee’s attendance.

OTHER LEAVE REQUIRED BY LAW

Trinity complies with any other leave required by law.

HEALTH, SAFETY, AND SECURITY

TRINITY BACKGROUND CHECK POLICY

Trinity School places high value on providing a safe and secure environment for its students. One of the ways we strive to ensure this safety and security is by conducting background checks on all employees and all others who come into direct contact with Trinity students. Any background checks and drug/alcohol tests, where applicable, will occur post-conditional offer. If results may impact employment, the school will follow applicable notice and response procedures. All results will be handled confidentially and shared only on a need-to-know basis.

Background Checks for New Hires

All candidates offered a position at Trinity School must have a background check performed. The candidate should be informed that the offer to be employed is contingent on a successful background check. Due to the possibility of obtaining information received from a background check that may cause prejudice in a hiring decision (e.g., age of the applicant), no background check may be done on a candidate unless and until a position has first been offered.

Background Checks for Trinity Employees

All Trinity employees will have background checks at least every three years. The Business Office will keep an electronic copy of the employee’s most recent background check and a spreadsheet of current employees with the year of the most recent background check. The list of employees who will have a background check in a particular year will be a confidential document. Trinity employees are subject to continuous criminal and sex offender monitoring.

Background Checks for Coaches

All coaches are to have background checks performed on a yearly basis. This also includes unpaid and volunteer coaches.

Background Checks for Substitute Teachers and Tutors

Substitute teachers are employees of Trinity School. As employees, the subs will have an initial background check and will join the three-year rotation for employees as stated in section II above.

Tutors are neither employees nor contractors of Trinity School but may be allowed to work with Trinity students on campus. Tutors should show the Trinity Business Office that they have had successful background checks performed within the last 2 years or authorize a background check to be done by Trinity School’s screening company. The cost of the background check is the responsibility of the tutor.

Background Checks for Volunteers, Chaperones, and Drivers

Whether a background check is necessary for a volunteer will be determined by the possibility of unsupervised time with Trinity students. For example, a volunteer with the Robotics team who will be the only adult supervising the students on a school night or a weekend would be asked to have a background check done; a volunteer who helps with the Hot Lunch program will not. A Trinity employee needing advice on a particular situation may enlist the help of the Business Office in determining whether a check needs to be done.

A parent or volunteer who agrees to chaperone students on an overnight event will be asked to have a background check done. A driving record check will be performed as well. A parent or volunteer who is a chaperone on a day trip or field trip will not have to have a background check, but will need to have a motor vehicle report completed if they are driving Trinity students.

A driver with more than two moving violations in the seven-year period checked will not be allowed to drive Trinity students.

Note: Social Security number and date of birth are now required by Trinity’s screening company to obtain a driving record check.

Background Checks for Summer Camp Workers

All summer camp workers who are not current Trinity employees must have a background check done before their camp begins. If a summer camp worker has documentation of a successful background check within the spring or summer of the same year, it will be accepted by Trinity School.

Background Checks for Contractors Working on Campus

Whether a background check is necessary for a contractor will be determined by the contact time with Trinity students. Contractors may provide documentation of a recent background check in lieu of having a new one done by Trinity’s screening company.

CHAPERONE PROTECTION POLICY

Chaperone Eligibility and Vetting

• All individuals who serve as chaperones for school trips must be at least 21 years of age.
• Prior to any trip, all potential chaperones must complete a background check and a chaperone application form.
• The school reserves the right to deny chaperone status to any individual at its discretion.

Core Responsibilities

1. Supervision:
   • Chaperones must be in constant supervision of their assigned student group. Students are never to be left unsupervised.

2. Behavior and Conduct:
   • Chaperones are expected to be role models for students. This includes adhering to all school policies and codes of conduct, including those regarding substance use.
   • Chaperones are forbidden from consuming or being under the influence of alcohol, tobacco, or illegal substances while chaperoning, regardless of the trip's location or time of day.
   • Chaperones must not engage in any form of physical discipline with students.
3. Student Interaction:
   • A "Buddy System" must be observed at all times (two adults with one student and/or one adult with two students). Chaperones should never be alone with a student in a private setting (e.g., a hotel room, a remote location). All one-on-one conversations or meetings should take place in a public area or with another adult present.
   • Personal social media contact or private communication with students is strictly prohibited. What is "private communication"? This includes personal text messages, direct messages on social media (e.g., Instagram DMs, Snapchat), emails, or phone calls that are not part of an official, monitored group communication channel.
   • Practical Examples:
     • Instead of a chaperone texting an individual student about their whereabouts or a schedule change, they should send a message to the group chat that includes all students and other chaperones.
     • Instead of a chaperone accepting a student's private social media “friend request,” they should decline it and direct students to follow any official, school-sanctioned accounts for trip-related updates.
     • Instead of a chaperone driving a student to urgent care alone, they should bring a second student to avoid one-on-one contact. Explicit parent permission to drive a student can serve as a substitute for the “buddy system” when necessary.

SAFETY AND SECURITY

It is important to follow all safety and security measures prescribed by the school.

• Employees should be aware of all emergency policies and procedures, emergency exits, the location of any emergency equipment, and the person in charge in case of a fire or other disaster.
• A badge identification system is in effect during school operating hours. All employees are required to clearly display their Trinity School identification badge and to be alert for any non-student in the school facilities during school hours without a Trinity visitors’ badge. Such persons are to be directed to the office immediately for visitor identification and sign-in.

The following Safety Mandate has been adopted by Trinity’s Safety Committee:

Student and employee safety is a fundamental prerequisite for the operation of Trinity School according to its mission. It is the policy of this school to provide and maintain safe and healthful educational opportunities and working conditions and to establish and assist safe work methods and safe work and academic practices at all times.

The Safety Committee is an administrative committee which is charged with assessing safety issues, improving school safety, proposing safety policies and procedures, and implementing safety training and safety measures. This work includes but is not limited to the following:

• Developing safety standards for facilities, classrooms, equipment, daily routines, and work practices that are based on applicable regulatory standards, which include safe work practices and safe classroom standards.
• Providing education, training, on-the-job safety instruction, and general safety policies and procedures.
• Investigating and documenting accidents to determine the causes and actions required to prevent occurrences.
• Operating motor vehicles according to safe operating procedures.
• Identifying potential health and safety hazards and developing necessary protective measures, especially potential hazards that are prevalent in the current academic environment.
• Developing an ever-vigilant culture on campus to reduce health and safety hazards.
• Publicly promoting safety to maintain interest, effectiveness, and participation.

VISITOR CHECK-IN AND BADGES

All visitors to Trinity must check in at the main desk and wear a guest badge while they are on campus. Employees who see an unknown visitor without a guest badge are encouraged to simply say “Hello” to them, which can prompt a casual conversation to determine why they are at the school. The OHNO approach—Observe, Initiate a Hello, Navigate the Risk, and Obtain Help—helps employees observe and evaluate any suspicious behaviors, and empowers them to mitigate potential risk and obtain help when necessary.

SAFETY OR SECURITY REPORTING FORMS

Trinity has created a Safety or Security Reporting Form and an Anonymous Reporting System for employees and students. The Safety or Security Reporting Form may be used for anything from safety hazards observed on campus to suspicious behavior. The Anonymous Reporting System is third-party filtered by CLPS, Trinity’s consultants, using IP settings to wash submission addresses so that reports are truly anonymous. These forms are accessible via Trinity Bookmarks and Student Bookmarks.

VEHICLE INFORMATION FORM

Employees are requested to provide information about the vehicles they most frequently drive on campus by completing the vehicle information form. This will help the school to locate drivers in the event of an emergency and to determine whether vehicles on campus are connected to the school. Updates to vehicle information may also be submitted on that form.

WORK-RELATED INJURY OR ILLNESS

Employees must notify their supervisor, the school nurse, and the Human Resources representative immediately if they are injured on the job, and they or their supervisor must complete an incident report form within 24 hours of the incident.

Workers’ Compensation insurance protects employees in the event of injury or illness considered job-related under the Workers’ Compensation Act of North Carolina. The Human Resources representative files insurance claims related to Workers' Compensation–covered injuries. When a claim is approved, this insurance generally covers most medical bills and provides a statutory benefit payment determined by the state, as well as a death benefit. Any benefit received from Workers’ Compensation insurance is used as an offset to any benefit payable from the school.

All Workers’ Compensation leaves of absence that also qualify under the FMLA will count against the employee’s 12-week FMLA leave entitlement. Additional leave may be permitted for employees injured at work.

TRANSPORTATION OF STUDENTS AND VEHICLE USE

Use of personal vehicles for transportation of students or other persons is not covered under the school’s automobile liability insurance plan, except to the extent that the school’s insurance plan may respond when the limits of liability may be exceeded on the personal insurance plan of the owner of the vehicle in use. In short, the vehicle owner’s policy is primary, the school’s policy is secondary.

All employees or parents transporting students must complete a motor vehicle background check prior to driving Trinity students to Trinity events. Employees should contact the Human Resources representative to arrange for a background check.

INSPECTION OF SCHOOL FACILITIES

In order to safeguard the workplace and its employees, and to assure efficiency and maximize productivity, the school reserves the right, in its sole discretion and without notice to employees, to inspect, monitor, or otherwise enter any office, desk, file, locker, computer, closet, or any other enclosed or open area in school facilities or on the school grounds.

Standards for use of computer-printed material and other electronic devices are the same for faculty, staff, and students and include the avoidance of anything obscene, pornographic, violent, or out of compliance with the exhortations of Holy Scripture as to what should be seen or heard.

PERSONAL PROPERTY

Trinity School accepts no responsibility for personal property that may be brought to or stored on school grounds or in school facilities.

WORK AREA

A neat and orderly work area makes for a more pleasant, productive, and safe place to work. Employees are expected to keep work surroundings clean and presentable in courtesy to fellow employees and school partners.

WEAPONS

Trinity School is a weapon-free campus. Firearms are not permitted on the school grounds. Please see the Board Policy manual for the full policy.

TOBACCO USE

Trinity School is tobacco-free. The use of all tobacco products is prohibited in all school facilities and on the school grounds.

DRUG-FREE WORKPLACE (DRUG AND ALCOHOL POLICY)

Trinity School is committed to providing a work environment for employees where safety, clear thinking, and productivity must be prominent. Substance abuse, whether manifested as the abuse or misuse of prescription or illegal drugs or alcohol, is not consistent with the maintenance of a safe and productive educational environment and is contrary to the role model for the students, and thus it will not be tolerated.

The school may exercise its right to screen an applicant or employee for drugs and alcohol upon a conditional offer of employment, after a job-related accident or injury, and/or for reasonable suspicion. For-cause testing may be required of current employees in the event of unusual behavior, injury, or accident; damage to school property; gross negligence or carelessness; disregard for the safety, life, or well-being of any employee or work associate; a school partner’s request; an employee’s reporting to or remaining at work in an apparently unfit condition; or any other reason the school deems sufficient. An injury or accident may require substance abuse testing if it requires medical treatment outside the facility beyond basic first aid. Testing will be conducted by a qualified medical testing vendor using established chain-of-custody procedures. Post-accident testing applies where an incident results in medical treatment beyond first aid or significant property damage, or where circumstances reasonably suggest impairment.

An applicant who refuses to submit to a drug/alcohol screening, or who tests positive for drugs or alcohol, will be disqualified from employment consideration for a period of one calendar year. An employee who refuses to submit to a drug/alcohol screening or who tests positive to a drug/alcohol screening (as determined by a qualified medical testing vendor or facility) will be terminated.

The school recognizes that substance abuse may involve physical and/or emotional conditions which are treatable as such. The school would prefer to assist an employee in a non-disciplinary context, and an employee is free to seek help on a confidential basis by contacting the Human Resources representative or the Head of School. Such a request should be made before any established policies and procedures have been violated. Substance abuse or dependency will not be recognized as an excuse for unsatisfactory performance or inappropriate or illegal behavior.

Employees found to possess, use, manufacture, sell, purchase, or distribute any illegal drug or any prescription drug (other than in accordance with a proper prescription), or found to be under the influence of any such substance while on school property, during their work hours, or while they are on school business, will be subject to employment separation.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF RECEIPT OF EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK

I acknowledge that I have received and carefully reviewed a copy of the Trinity School Employee Handbook, which contains important information regarding my benefits, privileges, and obligations as an employee. I further acknowledge that I understand and fully agree to its contents, including but not limited to any personnel policies, notices, and acknowledgments, and will abide by the policies and procedures described therein at all times throughout my employment.

I understand that this version of the Employee Handbook replaces and supersedes any prior versions and that Trinity School reserves the right to revise, rescind, and/or supplement the policies, procedures, or other contents contained therein at any time. I understand that I may access an updated copy of the Employment Handbook at any time on the Trinity School Employee Handbook webpage (https://employee.tsdch.org/home) and that I am personally responsible for understanding and abiding by its contents, including any changes that may be made from time to time.

I further understand that my signature on this form does not create any rights or entitlement to continued employment with Trinity School and that my employment is “at will” unless I have signed an employment agreement with a specific term of employment.

Signature   Printed Name

Date

APPENDIX I: FACULTY PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL SYSTEM

The primary purpose of Trinity’s faculty performance appraisal system is to provide teachers with ongoing feedback so that they may be teachers of excellence who are as effective as possible in the classroom. This appraisal system is both formative and summative in nature, with the goals of both monitoring and evaluating student learning. It is based on the premise that faculty create their own professional growth plan by recognizing their own strengths and weaknesses and developing annual goals through personal reflection. It has both goal-based and standards-based (subject-specific state standards) components. Trinity’s appraisal system is based on educational research and is designed to both maintain and improve the quality of instruction. Please see the detailed description of the appraisal system in the pages that follow.

Trinity School of Durham and Chapel Hill Faculty Performance Appraisal System

SCHOOL MISSION

The mission of Trinity School is to educate students in transitional kindergarten to grade twelve within the framework of Christian faith and conviction—teaching the classical tools of learning; providing a rich yet unhurried education; and communicating truth, goodness, and beauty.

PHILOSOPHY

Trinity School of Durham and Chapel Hill believes that it is the responsibility of the school and its professional staff to see that the needs of each of the students are being met. One way to meet this responsibility is to have an instructional performance appraisal system that is both formative and summative in nature. The goal of formative assessment is to monitor student learning to provide ongoing feedback that can be used by instructors to improve their teaching and by students to improve their learning. The goal of summative assessment is to evaluate student learning at the end of an instructional unit or course by comparing it against some standard or benchmark. Summative assessments are often high stakes, which means that they have a high point value. Information from summative assessments can be used formatively when students or faculty use it to guide their efforts and activities in subsequent courses.

Trinity School of Durham and Chapel Hill’s appraisal system is based on the premise that faculty create their own professional growth plan by recognizing their strengths and weaknesses and developing annual goals around personal reflection. In short, the appraisal system has both goal based (e.g., develop 3 units that integrate technology by May) and standards based (e.g., state standards, subject-specific standards) components. This appraisal system is based on educational research and is designed to both maintain and improve the quality of instruction.

The primary purpose of the Trinity School of Durham and Chapel Hill performance appraisal system is to provide teachers with ongoing feedback so that they may be as effective as possible in the classroom and exemplify A Teacher of Excellence (see attached). This feedback will provide a sound basis for teacher improvement and professional growth that will improve student-learning outcomes. This is accomplished through an assessment of teacher effectiveness and subsequent discussions between the teacher and the observer(s).

At the core of the professional development continuum are two key elements. These elements include the following:

1. The belief that the professional educator is engaged in a process of continuous improvement, seeking to provide better learning for students.
2. A focus on improvement in student performance.

TEACHER EVALUATION PROGRAM

Based upon the qualities and skills outlined in A Teacher of Excellence, Trinity School of Durham and Chapel Hill’s teacher evaluation program promotes on-going self-assessment as teachers set goals and strive to meet those goals. The Associate Head of School will work with each teacher to ensure that goals can be met and that professional evaluation is conducted in a consistent and deliberate manner. The overarching objective of the program is to encourage professional growth in teachers with an understanding that each teacher can and should grow in different ways and toward different goals.

BEGINNING TEACHER SUPPORT PROGRAM

Per North Carolina State Board of Education regulations and policies, Trinity School of Durham and Chapel Hill offers a comprehensive three-year program for instructional staff with less than three years of full-time teaching experience. Each beginning teacher is assigned a mentor teacher and shall work closely with that mentor, the division head, and the Associate Head of School.

APPRAISAL CRITERIA

The Trinity School of Durham and Chapel Hill faculty instructional performance appraisal system is based on current educational research on effective teaching practices, effective schools literature, standards set by the North Carolina State Board of Education (SBE), National Board of Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS), Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI), Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD), and standards of national associations for content areas, such as the National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS), National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) and the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM).

BEGINNING TEACHER SUPPORT AND TEACHER EVALUATION PURPOSE: EXCELLENCE

As is outlined in A Teacher of Excellence, excellence at Trinity School of Durham and Chapel Hill incorporates high achievement with personal character development. It is fostered by helping our student community build confidence and by guiding them to reach their highest potential. Our operational definition of excellence includes the following:

• Excellence stems from continuously striving to review, revise, and improve on past experiences. It means never being complacent but challenging oneself to outperform what one has accomplished previously. Teachers demonstrate this quality by a continuous search for new materials and methods and by revision of lesson plans, assignments, and tests. Students show this quality by accepting new challenges and seeking to receive the maximum benefit from their time in school.

• Excellence results when teachers and students set high goals and are willing to work to reach these goals. Conventional measures of high achievement such as grade averages, objective test scores, and demonstrations of skill are consistent with but not the only measure of excellence.
• Excellence is rooted in a close connection among students, teachers, and parents. These relationships are sustained by mutual respect, positive personal interactions, and support for those who innovate. In an excellent school, teachers guide student behavior, model the values they wish to instill, and show patience and tolerance. Students develop personal integrity, allow for individual differences, and encourage one another’s achievements.

Our purpose in defining excellence is to encourage everyone to be more aware of its role in our school community and to consider it in our daily decisions.

STATE CERTIFICATION

Trinity School of Durham and Chapel Hill supports instructional staff with North Carolina certification and/or National Board Certification. Per State Board of Education policies and regulations, beginning teachers and current state certified teachers may earn state-approved CEUs toward certification/recertification through participation in this approved beginning teacher or teacher evaluation program.

License Renewal

Trinity School of Durham and Chapel Hill does not require that its teachers hold a North Carolina Professional Educator’s License. Trinity School of Durham and Chapel Hill does, however, administer a license renewal program. The Associate Head of School oversees the program and can answer faculty members’ questions about renewal. Information on license renewal can also be found on the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction website

ACSI CERTIFICATION

In addition to state or national educator certification, Trinity School of Durham and Chapel Hill supports instructors with Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI) certification. Per North Carolina State Board of Education policies and regulations, beginning teachers and current ACSI certified teachers may earn approved CEUs toward certification/recertification through participation in this approved beginning teacher or teacher evaluation program.

There are four general types of ACSI certificates for teachers or administrators:

1. Interim: A two-year, non-renewable entry-level certificate for those whose degree is from an ACSI-recognized but non-accredited college.
2. Temporary: A two-year basic certificate for those whose degree is from an accredited college but who do not meet all the requirements for an ACSI Standard certificate.
3. Standard: A regular five-year certificate for those with the required training in the biblical philosophy of education, as well as Bible and professional studies.

4. Professional: A five-year certificate for those who have a graduate degree from an accredited college as well as the required professional training, the biblical philosophy of education, and Bible studies.

PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION

The Associate Head of School shall administer the Beginning Teacher and Teacher Evaluation Programs. This individual is designated by the Head of School.

BEGINNING TEACHERS AND MENTORS

A “Beginning Teacher” is defined as an individual with less than three (3) years of full-time teaching experience in a K–12 educational setting.

Each beginning teacher shall be assigned a mentor teacher. The mentor teacher shall be a “master teacher,” or a full-time faculty member with five (5) or more years of instructional experience at the same grade level or within the subject area as the beginning teacher.

The mentor teacher shall conference with the beginning teacher a minimum of once per week.

The Associate Head of School or division head shall communicate with the beginning teacher and mentor teacher on a monthly basis and shall offer both guidance, support, and resources for professional growth.

ORIENTATION

The Associate Head of School shall provide an orientation for all new teachers and mentors prior to the beginning of the academic year. A description of available services, school expectations, licensure requirements, training opportunities, and the teacher evaluation process shall be provided.

WORKING CONDITIONS

The Head of School and/or Associate Head of School shall annually ensure that Trinity School of Durham and Chapel Hill is in compliance with the optimum working conditions for beginning teachers as identified by the North Carolina State Board of Education (SBE).

Per SBE policy, beginning teachers will teach no more than five (5) classes and will have no more than three (3) preparations during the academic year. No more than one extracurricular duty shall be assigned to a beginning teacher.

INDIVIDUAL GROWTH PLAN (IGP)

All teachers shall annually prepare an IGP based on state and national standards, job duties, supervisorial and peer feedback, and self-evaluation.

ANNUAL EVALUATIONS

A summative evaluation takes place annually for all teachers. Teachers who are new to Trinity shall also undergo formative evaluation during each academic year. This performance feedback process is a vehicle for professional growth and instructional development. The annual

evaluation is based upon appraisal data collected during the year by the division head, Associate Head of School, department chairs, Head of School, and the teacher. The data collected shall reflect a minimum of one observation of teacher performance for each teacher. Based on the demonstration of effective teaching and documented improvement in student performance, an evaluation is made by the division head(s), Associate Head of School and the Head of School as to overall performance (exceeds expectations, meets expectations, or does not meet expectations). This judgment forms the basis of the annual evaluation, but must reflect data collected and documented during the year and shared during any conferences.

CONFERENCES

A conference must be held and documented before and after each formal observation and any informal observations when improvements are required. This conference should cover the analysis of data collected from the observer and teacher, the identification of strengths and weaknesses and plans for improvement, assistance or follow-up as needed. If necessary improvements become apparent during the appraisal process, the improvements shall be discussed with the employee and noted on the observation form together with specific improvements desired, time for improvement to be made, and assistance to be provided, if necessary.

Following the annual evaluation conference, the division head, Associate Head of School and teacher sign the appropriate summary form.

PEER OBSERVATION

Peer observation is a useful tool for gaining feedback to promote individual professional growth. These observations are non-evaluative in nature. All faculty are required to be observed by a faculty peer and to observe a colleague’s class at least one time per academic year. More frequent visits are encouraged. Timely written feedback and conversation is expected between peer teachers. The information gained from the peer observation will be used only for professional growth. Whatever is noted is between the peer teachers. Written feedback from peer observers will not be viewed by anyone except the respective teacher and will not become a part of a teacher’s annual performance evaluation. While no formal report of peer observation is required to be submitted to a supervisor, evidence of peer observation is to be provided to the division head or Associate Head of School.

NON-EVALUATIVE FEEDBACK

All faculty will solicit and welcome written feedback from parents as related to that teacher’s classroom or class. Feedback will be sent directly to the teacher and are for their professional growth only. Whatever is noted is between the teacher and the family responding.

The completed feedback document will not be viewed by anyone except the respective teacher. These documents are simply for each teacher to solicit feedback. They are not to become part of a teacher’s annual performance evaluation.

Those faculty teaching in grades 6–12 will solicit and welcome written feedback from their students. The information gained from the student feedback will be used only for professional

growth. Whatever is noted is between the teacher and the student responding. Written feedback from students will not be viewed by anyone except the respective teacher and will not become a part of a teacher’s annual performance evaluation.

Minimally, feedback from parents and students is solicited at the end of a course or academic year. This feedback is for the teacher’s reflection and professional growth.

EVALUATION FREQUENCY AND TIME FRAME

Teachers who are new to Trinity shall be observed a minimum of four times each academic year. Teachers with more than three years of experience shall be observed a minimum of once per academic year.

Teachers Who Are New to Trinity (0–3 Years)

• Complete/revise individual goals
• 1 visit by the Associate Head of School
• 1 visit by the division head; 1 visit by a peer teacher
• Informal observations by mentor and department chair
• Conference after classroom visit

Experienced Teachers at Trinity (4–7 Years)

• Complete individual goals
• 1 visit by the Associate Head of School or division head
• 1 visit by a peer teacher
• Informal visits by mentor and department chair
• Conference after classroom visit

Senior Teachers at Trinity (8+ Years)

• Complete/revise goals
• 1 visit during the year by the Associate Head of School or division head
• 1 visit by peer of their choice
• Review goals
• Summary evaluation

A Teacher of Excellence

Overview

• Teacher in Relationship to God
• Teacher in Relationship to Vocation
• Teacher in Relationship to Students
• Teacher in Relationship to Parents
• Teacher in Relationship to the Professional Community

Teacher in Relationship to God

The excellent teacher has a transforming relationship with Christ. This person…

• Is one of integrity and character worthy of imitation, faithful and obedient in pursuit of God’s holiness.
• Is a Christian role model and is, at all times, an “image bearer” of Christ’s truth and love.
• Approaches life and learning with joy, curiosity, enthusiasm, passion, and adventure, acknowledging that God is the creator of all things and the author of life.
• Takes great pleasure through serving God, acknowledging that he is the Audience of One.
• Has a passion for teaching those whom God has entrusted to their care and has much enthusiasm for the content being taught.
• Seeks to serve God, above all others, in teaching.
• Agrees wholeheartedly with Trinity School’s doctrinal statement and is an active member of a local Christian church.

Teacher in Relationship to Vocation

The excellent teacher has an enthusiastic commitment to growing in fitness for God’s call on their life at Trinity School. This person…

• Reflects on instructional methods and student engagement to determine areas for professional growth.
• Seeks and participates in professional development opportunities.

• Keeps up with educational trends and research, incorporating the best practices that align with Trinity’s mission and philosophy.
• Is knowledgeable about the Trinity School distinctives (e.g., what it means to be a classical Christian school, what defines a Charlotte Mason education).
• Approaches all tasks and meets all the expectations of the position with joy, diligence, thoughtfulness, and care.

Teacher in Relationship to Students

The excellent teacher models Christ for students by loving them sacrificially, instructing them well, and praying for them faithfully. This person…

• Creates a learning community that is safe, caring, and stimulating yet unhurried.
• Is meaningfully and professionally engaged with all students, both individually and as a group, in and out of the classroom.
• Communicates honestly, graciously, respectfully, and regularly with students.
• Manages the classroom effectively and efficiently. Mission-consistent, biblically based discipline is in place at all times. Students know what the standards of behavior are for the classroom and for the school at large, and they know what to expect if those standards are not met.
• Values, models, and teaches the fruits of the Spirit and Christian values, motivated by love for Christ.
• Treats students with great respect and gentleness and expects students to interact with adults and with one another in the same manner.
• Has a solid understanding of the rudiments of teaching.
• Has well-planned lessons that are always rooted in the Christian world view and are developmentally appropriate, with high (but not uniform) standards for all students.
• Is mindful of the value of teaching that is multisensory, varied, and novel to engage a wide variety of students.
• Designs authentic learning experiences, enabling students to make spiritual and interdisciplinary connections.
• Assesses and evaluates students and creatively adjusts the teaching approach to best meet each student’s needs.
• Will vary assessments and evaluations according to age, grade and subject, but all will be fair, relevant and useful to both teacher and student.
• Will inform students of the evaluation process.
• Encourages students to achieve their highest possible performance, not because of a grade, but because diligence honors and pleases the Lord.
• Is responsive to student needs and relies on thoughtful, intelligent, intuitive observation–grounded in prayer–to aid in understanding each child.
• Is responsive to “teachable moments.”

Teacher in Relationship to Parents

The excellent teacher recognizes that God gives parents the primary responsibility for instructing their children in his truth. This person…

• Understands that parents delegate their God-given authority to the teacher, who functions in loco parentis.
• Values parents and is responsive to their input, ideas, concerns, and needs.
• Involves parents in the life of the class, as appropriate, and sees parents as significant affirmers of student work.
• Communicates honestly, graciously, and respectfully with and about parents.
• Seeks to understand parents more than to be understood, placing a high value on resolving conflict and working toward compromise when possible.
• Is in regular communication with parents regarding their children, class work, and special events. Communication takes place both casually and formally.

Teacher in Relationship to the Professional Community

The excellent teacher has the attitude of a servant and willingness to serve the Trinity community in any way possible, considering no task beneath him or her. This person…

• Seeks to bless and encourage all colleagues as brothers and sisters in Christ.
• Actively and positively supports colleagues in their efforts to grow personally and professionally.
• Is a team player and freely shares ideas and receives expertise, both formally and informally.
• Celebrates the successes of others.
• Guards against unhealthy competition.
• Seeks feedback and is open and responsive to the ideas and suggestions of others.
• Interacts professionally with all constituent groups and serves as a representative of Trinity School to the larger community.