Your Professional Papers
Every educator should have a "professional papers" file that includes records and documents relating to your employment status. Get started by finding your letter of employment and placing it in a safe place right now. You can check off the other items listed below as you collect them to save.
- Your letter of employment
- Your teaching certificate
- College transcripts
- Your teaching contract and any supplemental contracts
- Records relating to retirement benefits
- Leave records
- Copies of insurance policies
- Copies of your teaching schedule and assignments
- Your school system's salary schedule and your yearly salary notice
- Any correspondence to or from the school administration
- Any letters of reprimand or praise
- Resumes of any conferences with supervisors
- All professional evaluations
- Documentation of awards, commendations, or honors you receive
- Records of any job-related seminars, workshops or conferences you attend
- Letters to and from parents
- Brief accounts of parent conferences
- Record of any incidents that may increase your liability, such as disciplinary actions, student accidents and so forth.
- Proof of your membership in the NJEA, NEA and your local education association
- Local association master contract
- School calendar
- System policy on corporal punishment
- Employer-adopted policies on student discipline, suspension, expulsion, corporal punishment, and work procedures
- Record of disciplinary actions used in handling student problems, including date and witness involved
- First aid or CPR certificate