The board encourages licensed employees to attend and participate in professional development activities to maintain, develop, and extend their skills. The board will maintain and support an in-service program for licensed employees. Professional development activities will include activities that promote and/or teach about compliance with applicable Iowa laws.

For all professional development programs the district requires employees to take, the district will provide to the employee notice indicating the section of the law, or rules adopted by the state board of education or board of educational examiners that the district determines requires the employee to participate in the professional development program.

Requests for attendance or participation in a development program, other than those development programs sponsored by the school district, are made to the superintendent. Approval by the superintendent must be obtained prior to attendance by a licensed employee in a professional development program when the attendance would result in the licensed employee being excused from their duties or when the school district pays the expenses for the program.

The principal and superintendent will have discretion to allow or disallow licensed employees to attend or participate in the requested event. When making this determination, the principal and superintendent will consider the value of the program for the licensed employee and the school district, the effect of the licensed employee’s absence on the education program and school district operations and the school district’s financial situation as well as other factors deemed relevant in the judgment of the superintendent. Requests that involve unusual expenses or overnight travel must also be approved by the board.

NOTE: This is a mandatory policy.

Legal Reference:  Iowa Code § 279.8, .74.
                                      281 I.A.C. 12.7; 83.6

Cross Reference:  414.9 Classified Employee Professional Purposes Leave

Approved by the North Tama Board on March 21, 2016
Approved by the North Tama Board on August 16, 2021
Approved by the North Tama Board on November 21, 2022
Approved by the North Tama Board on July 17, 2023

Materials created by licensed employees and the financial gain there from are the property of the school district if school materials and time were used in their creation and/or such materials were created in the scope of the licensed employee's employment. The licensed employee must seek prior written approval of the superintendent concerning such activities.

Legal Reference:  17 U.S.C. § 101 et al.
                                      Iowa Code § 279.8

I.C. Iowa Code                          Description
Iowa Code § 279.8                    Directors - General Rules - Bonds of Employees

U.S.C. - United States Code       Description
17 U.S.C. § 101 et al                 Copyrights

Cross References:  401.02  Employee Conflict of Interest
                                         606.04  Student Production of Materials and Services

Approved: 3/21/2016, 8/16/2021, 11/17/2025
Reviewed: 10/20/2025
Revised: 10/20/2025

Every effort will be made by the licensed employees to help students with learning problems before recommending that the parents engage a tutor. Since there are exceptional cases when tutoring will help students overcome learning deficiencies, tutoring by licensed employees may be approved by the superintendent.

Licensed employees may only tutor students other than those for whom the teacher is currently exercising teaching, administrative or supervisory responsibility unless approved by the superintendent.

Tutoring for a fee may not take place within school facilities or during regular school hours unless approved by the superintendent.

Legal Reference:  Iowa Code §§ 20.7; 279.8.

I.C. Iowa Code              Description
Iowa Code § 20.7          Collective Bargaining - Public Employer Rights
Iowa Code § 279.8        Directors - General Rules - Bonds of Employees

Cross References:  401.02  Employee Conflict of Interest
                                         402.06  Employee Outside Employment

Approved: 3/21/2016, 8/16/2021, 11/17/2025
Reviewed: 10/20/2025
Revised: 10/20/2025