Surplus, Transfer And Redundancy Of Designated Early Childhood Educators ("D.E.C.E.S") Procedure

1.1 The objectives of the Surplus, Transfer and Redundancy of DECEs is to provide the process for surplus, transfer and redundancy.

1.2 The District recognizes that protecting and promoting human rights, anti-oppression, anti-racism and respectful learning and working environments are an important part of supporting: 

• Students, community members and employees’ sense of safety, well-being, mattering,engagement and belonging
• a culture of care where students and employees are successful and thrive

1.3 The District is committed to providing services, learning environments, employment and working environments that center human rights and equity and are welcoming, respectful, safe, inclusive,equitable, accessible and free from oppression, discrimination, racism, harassment and harm.

1.4 Dates contained in this document, not identified in the collective agreement, are meant to provide a general time frame for the events and may be varied as circumstances warrant

3.1 Director of Education, Associate Directors, Superintendents:

• Ensure fair administration of this procedure

3.2 Administrators will:

• Share allocation, surplus and redundancy information with DECEs as outlined in this procedure
• Ensure fair administration of this procedure

4.1 Allocation of DECEs

1. Prior to Transfer Posting Round #1, Principals shall provide DECEs with kindergartenclassroom organization assignments. Often based on school needs or Principal analysis,changes to classroom assignments can occur. Where a change occurs, upon a DECE’srequest, the principal will share the reasoning for change with the DECE.
2. Prior to Transfer Posting Round #1, Principals shall share with staff their kindergartenprojected “Staffing Allocation” and “Class Organization” breakdown. For the purpose ofthis Article, the terms “Staffing Allocation and “Class Organization” are understood to bedefined as per the Board’s staffing software

5.1 Declaration of Surplus DECEs

5.1.1 By a date to be determined annually and prior to April 14th, where an individual school, having taken into account DECEs returning from leave of absence, resignations, DECEs going on leaves of absence, retirements, and regional surplus must reduce the staff complement, the DECE(s) shall be declared surplus to that school on the basis of Regional Seniority, as clarified through the tie breaking process.

5.1.2 In determining surplus staff, the Principal shall first canvass the staff for volunteers to declare themselves surplus. In the event there are more volunteers than the need for surplus, the volunteer(s) holding the most seniority will be deemed as voluntary surplus. If there is not a need for surplus declaration within a school based upon 5.1.1 above, then there is no provision for the declaration of voluntary surplus. The voluntarily surplus DECE must apply to at least four (4) suitable positions, if available, during the transfer rounds.

5.1.3 On the surplus declaration day, the Principal shall notify in writing each DECE who is declared surplus, and a list of surplus DECE(s) shall be sent to the Human Resource Services Department. The notification to the DECE is to be preceded by a conference with the Principal and the DECE.

5.1.4 The list of surplus DECEs, including volunteers, will be shared with the President of the Bargaining Unit.

5.2 Regional Surplus/Redundancy

5.2.1 In the event that there are regionally surplus DECEs within the Board who may be 
declared redundant, the following principles shall apply: 

1. Every effort shall be made to place the regionally surplus DECEs through theprocess of attrition as a result of normal resignations, retirements, and/or leavesof absence, or by the intervention of the Superintendent responsible for HumanResource Services. If the designation of a regionally surplus DECE is changed tosurplus by the Superintendent responsible for Human Resource Services before any round of the transfer process, the DECE will be allowed to enter the transferprocess at that point.
2. If it is not possible to place all regionally surplus staff, the declaration ofredundancy will be based on the regional seniority list.
3. DECEs who are declared redundant shall be notified in writing by the Superintendent responsible for Human Resource Services by June 30th that termination will be effective August 31st.
4. The President of the Bargaining Unit will be sent a copy of each notification

5.3 Transfer Process

5.3.1 Apply to Education Profile

This profile must be completed by all DECEs who wish to apply to posted positions within the transfer process andwho are eligible to do so.

5.2.3 Before each round of transfer postings, a list of vacancies, will be sent to the Human Resource Services Department and uploaded to Apply to Education by each Principal for verification. Vacant positions will be posted for three (3) working days.Lists of vacancies, names of surplus DECEs will be sent to the President of the Bargaining Unit.

5.3.3 DECEs may apply to a maximum of three (4) vacancies by applying directly to the vacancies using Apply to Education.

5.3.4 All DECEs may apply to the transfer process with the following exceptions: DECEs surplus to the region and DECEs under review.

A composite list of applicants for transfer will be compiled by Human Resource Services and provided to the President of the Bargaining Unit.

5.3.5 After the postings have closed, Principals will shortlist candidates and hold conversational interviews with each shortlisted candidate. At a minimum, 50% of the qualified applicants will be offered an interview. Where there are more than eight (8) qualified applicants a minimum of four (4) applicants will be offered an opportunity to enter the selection process.

5.3.6 Once Principals have chosen a successful candidate, they shall confirm their selection with the Human Resource Services Department and prepare an email to offer the candidate the position. Where the chosen candidate declines a position offer, the Principal will prepare an email to offer to the next shortlisted candidate who is successful through the interview process. The emailed offers of positions will be sent 
based on the following schedule:

• • First round of offers emailed out on day 1 between 7:30-8:30am; DECEs
    accept/decline offers by 12:00pm;
  • Candidate declines, second round of offers emailed out between 12:00-1:00pm on
    that same day; DECEs accept/decline offers by 4:30pm;
  • Where candidate declines, third round of offers emailed out on the following daybetween 7:30-8:30am; DECEs accept/decline offers by 12:00pm;
  • Where candidate declines, fourth round of offers emailed out between 12:00-1:00pm on that same day; DECEs accept/decline offers by 4:30pm;

5.3.7 Once a DECE accepts an offer made by a Principal, the Principal will confirm the position has been filled with Human Resource Services Department. The Principal will also send out emails to the unsuccessful candidates notifying them the position has been filled.

5.3.8 DECEs will be made aware of these position offer dates and timelines and must monitor their emails accordingly to accept position offers. Where a DECE has teaching and/or supervision duties during the entirety of an offer block, their administrator will work with them to ensure their ability to respond to offers.

A list of successful candidates, will be sent to the President of the Bargaining Unit after each round is complete.

5.3.9 All subsequent rounds of postings will follow this same process listed above.

5.3.10 After each round of transfer postings, Principals will review any resulting vacancies and will recall school-level surplus DECEs in accordance with required qualifications and in order of seniority. Where recall has been accepted or declined by the surplus DECE, the Principal will confirm same with the Human Resources Department.

5.3.11 The President of the Bargaining Unit will be advised on any recalled staff and any updates to the list of remaining surplus staff. 

5.3.12 All staff placed through the transfer process are ineligible to apply for subsequent DECE positions for a minimum of one (1) school year with the following exceptions: 

1. 1. medical necessity
   2. the direction of the Superintendent responsible for Human Resources
   3. promotion/secondment
   4. new system programs

5.3.13 Upon completion of the second round of the transfer postings, the surplus placement process will commence

5.4 Administrative Transfers

Administrative Transfers are approved by the Superintendent responsible for Human Resources to accommodate program and system needs.

5.5 Surplus Placement and Recall

5.5.1 Upon completion of the second round of postings, Principals will identify their list of outstanding vacancies to be filled. This list will be sent to each school-level surplus DECE who will be instructed to rank a select number of positions in order of their preferred placements and send the list to the Human Resource Services Department. This list will also be provided to the President of the Bargaining Unit.

5.5.2 A list of remaining surplus DECEs will be sent to the Principals with identified vacant positions for consultation on placements

5.5.3 Surplus DECEs will be assigned to vacant positions in accordance with their rankings, and seniority. Placements will be confirmed with DECEs in writing with a copy to the Union5.5.4 Should all staff not be placed during the surplus placement process, the Superintendent responsible for Human Resources or designate will place the remaining staff as vacancies become available in consultation and with the President of the Bargaining Unit.

5.5.5 Surplus staff to be declared redundant must be notified in writing prior to the last Board 
meeting before June 30.

5.5.6  A surplus DECE's right of recall to their home school ends on August 15 each year.

5.6 Other DECE Placements

Upon completion of the transfer rounds, any remaining DECEs not placed during the surplus placement process and any DECEs to be administratively transferred or DECEs returning from a leave of absence without a home school will be placed at this time in consultation with the President of the Bargaining Unit.

5.7 External Hiring 

There shall be no external hiring prior to the completion of the Surplus, Transfer, and Redundancy process. 

5.8 Surplus during the School Year

In the event that a DECE has been identified as being surplus to a particular school afterthe commencement of the school year, the processes related to surplus listed in Section 5.1 and Section 5.5 will repeat. 

5.9 School Closure 

DECEs who are affected by school closures, or school boundary changes that result in the closing of a kindergarten class, shall be granted an interview, if requested, for positions in the new designated school(s). 

5.10 Review 

The President of the Bargaining Unit of the Durham District School Board may request a review of the procedure. Changes will be made to this procedure upon approval by Administrative Council. 

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