The Superintendent of Schools of the Town of Agawam, hereinafter referred to and designated as the Superintendent, has the responsibility for carrying out the policies established by the Committee.

The teaching staff of the Public Schools of Agawam has the responsibility for providing education of the highest possible quality in the schools.

Fulfillment of these responsibilities can be facilitated and supported by consultations and free exchanges of views and information between the Committee, the Superintendent and the professional staff in the formulation and application of policies related to salaries, hours, and other conditions of employment.

TERM OF AGREEMENT

This Agreement shall remain in effect for the period of three (3) years commencing September 1, 2007 and ending on August 31, 2010. Following a timely request for negotiations, the School Committee will meet promptly with the Association.

PRINTING

One-half (1/2) of the cost of printing this Agreement will be paid for by the Committee. The Association will arrange for the printing and will supply the Committee with one hundred (100) copies of the printed agreement.

CONFERENCES

The Association may be represented at conferences up to a total of ten (10) teacher days at the discretion of the Superintendent.

COMMITTEE MEETINGS

The Committee will supply to the Executive Director and the President of the Association, a copy of the Final Minutes of the Committee Meetings.

USE OF THE BUILDING

The Committee agrees that the Association may use school buildings for meetings during the term of this Agreement with the permission of the principal of the building and the Superintendent. The Association has the right to use the bulletin boards located in the teachers’ rooms and to place Association literature in the teachers’ mailboxes with the approval of the building principal.

The Association is to be allowed one (1) hour between the hours of 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. for Association business on orientation day.

WORK STOPPAGE

The Association and the Committee recognize that strikes, slow-downs, withholding of services and other forms of work stoppages by the persons covered by this Agreement are contrary to law. The Association and Committee agree that differences shall be resolved by peaceful and appropriate means without interruptions to the school program. The Association, therefore, agrees that there shall be no strikes, work stoppages, slow-downs, withholding of services or other concerted refusal to perform work by any of the employees covered by this Agreement.

The Association agrees that if the current “no strike law” contained in General Laws Chapter 150E, Section 9A is amended so that strikes, work stoppages, slow-downs and withholding of services are permissible by the employees covered by this Agreement, then the Association agrees not to avail itself of the provisions of any amended law for the duration of this Agreement.