Moscow School District negotiators directed staff to draft a white paper setting district guidelines for flex time, compensatory time and communication protocols for work required outside contracted hours.

The committee said the district needs a clearer, district‑wide approach to when teachers and staff who are asked to work after contract hours (for example, IEP meetings, required parent events, or other administrative requests) may receive time‑in‑lieu, and how those arrangements are communicated to staff. Members cited inconsistent practices across buildings and grade levels and expressed interest in preserving limited flexibility while avoiding ad‑hoc outcomes that place unfair burdens on some employees.

Discussion points included:
- Distinguishing required duties (administratively requested or contractual obligations) from optional attendance (such as attending a student's athletic event as a spectator). Negotiators agreed comp‑time or time‑trading should apply when staff are required by the building administrator to attend.
- Whether the district should adopt a weekly‑hours model (hours per week) rather than a strict hours‑per‑day contract to allow limited intra‑week flexibility.
- Introducing guidelines administrators must use when they ask staff to work beyond contracted hours and how that request should be documented and communicated in advance.
- Potential caps or safeguards (for example, limiting extraordinary weeks) to avoid excessive workloads, while recognizing special‑education staff may incur additional after‑hours meetings related to IEP timelines.

Committee members agreed the topic is operationally complex and better framed first as a white paper rather than immediate contractual language. The committee chose to try a white‑paper approach for the coming year so the district can test guidelines and adjust before placing firm wording into the negotiated agreement. Negotiators asked staff to include recommended communication protocols and to account for building differences.

Two volunteers from the negotiators' group and district staff will draft the white paper; staff will return the draft for committee review before the white paper is finalized.

Ending: The committee placed the white paper on the work plan; staff will return draft guidelines for review and potential integration into bargaining language after a trial period.