As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the following meanings:

(1) CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER. The chief administrative officer of the employing board, including the superintendent of any public county or city school system, the President of the Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind, and the Superintendent of the Department of Youth Services School District.

(2) CONTRACT PRINCIPAL. Includes only those persons hired on or after July 1, 2000, and certified for the position of principal as prescribed by the State Board of Education and who are employed by an employing board as the chief administrator of a school, including a vocational center.

(3) CONTRACT YEAR. Period of contract principal's employment up to 12 months mutually agreed upon by the contract principal and employing board.

(4) DAY. A calendar day. In computing any period of time prescribed or allowed by this chapter, the day of the act or event from which the designated period of time begins to run shall not be included, and the last day of the period shall be included, unless it is a Saturday, Sunday, or a legal holiday, in which case the period shall run until the end of the next day, which is not a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday. When the period of time prescribed or allowed is less than 11 days, intermediate Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays shall be excluded in the computation. A legal holiday includes all days so designated by the Governor, all days so designated pursuant to Rule 6(a) of the Alabama Rules of Civil Procedure, and all days on which the central office of the employing board is closed for business.

(5) EMPLOYING BOARD. Includes all local boards of education, the Board of Trustees of the Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind, and the Alabama Youth Services Board in its capacity as the Board of Education for the Department of Youth Services School District.

(6) MEDIATOR. A person who is experienced in the field of alternative dispute resolution, and/or a person who has completed a course of training in alternative dispute resolution, and/or has been recognized as an arbitrator by an entity regularly engaged in providing arbitration services.

(7) PRINCIPAL. Includes only those persons hired before July 1, 2000, and certified for the position of principal as prescribed by the State Board of Education and who are employed by an employing board as the chief administrator of a school, including a vocational center.

(8) PROBATIONARY PRINCIPAL. Any principal hired for the first time in any local school system as a principal on or after July 1, 2000.