The Great Bend USD 428 Board of Education and Great Bend -National Education Association (GB-NEA) entered into a Memorandum of Agreement last week regarding distance learning due to school closures related to COVID-19.

Here are some highlights of the agreement:

• The school calendar will continue as defined in the negotiated agreement (teacher contracts).

• Bargaining unit members who are comfortable reporting to an open school building may perform their work responsibilities in the building.

• Classroom teachers will be allowed to work from a remote location.

• To the extent possible, communication between teachers and students/parents will be through email and/or the online platform being used to post/deliver instruction. Should parents or students need to speak to a classroom teacher who is working remotely via telephone, they will be directed to email the teacher, and the teacher shall call at a mutually agreeable time using said teacher’s personal phone. Teachers are encouraged to utilize *67 to block their personal numbers.

• Should classroom teachers or students need assistance with troubleshooting technological issues, they should contact the district IT staff.

• Should classroom teachers need assistance with students who are not participating, or otherwise not performing the required lessons, the teacher shall inform the building principal who shall address the issue accordingly.

• Bargaining unit members shall be compensated their full salaries in accordance with the provisions of their contract.

• Bargaining unit members who coach or supervise extra-curricular activities shall be paid their full stipends.