For both education staff professionals and teachers, maintaining your own up-to-date personal and professional records is every bit as important as keeping lesson plans or work assignments organized.
Having the appropriate documentation on hand can be critical to placement on the salary schedule, clearing up misunderstandings, making sure your evaluation is fair and accurate, etc.
Proper written documentation can help keep a problem from becoming serious or being a problem at all.
Suggested documents to keep in this folder:
- A copy of the current collective bargaining agreement.
- Contact information for your local union and building representative.
- Copies of your personal employment contracts.
- Copies of any supplemental contracts, if applicable.
- Retirement records and correspondence.
- Certificates, licenses, diplomas, etc.
- Records of in-services, college credits, continuing education courses, etc.
- All observations and evaluations and your conference notes, responses or comments.
- Proof of association membership.
- Proof of college attendance, dates and degrees.
- Record of accumulated sick leave, personal leave and/or vacation days.
- Record of commendations, awards and honors.
- Copies of current and past work and/or teaching schedules.
- Records of incidents involving student discipline, violence or other disruptive behavior.
- Copies of letters and memos to and from administrators.
- Copies of letters and memos to and from parents and colleagues.
- Copies of all documents in your district-maintained personnel file.
- Copies of your Individual Professional Development Plan, if applicable.
