Applications are due by the end of January for the 2021-2022 school year.
ARTICLE G.32 EDUCATIONAL LEAVE (With Pay)
The Board shall establish and dispense an Educational Leave Fund in the amount of one half per cent (0.5%) of the annual teachers’ payroll section of the budget as of September 30 of the current year. This shall be the amount budgeted for salary and benefit payments to the Educational Leave Trust Fund for teachers on leave under this section.
The Board shall grant Educational Leave on application to teachers with a minimum of three (3) years’ service in the District.
A Selection Committee shall be established to consider applications and make recommendations to the Board. The Selection Committee shall consist of two (2) representatives of the Board and two (2) representatives of the Association who shall be reappointed each year.
The basic unit of leave shall be one (1) year, but where appropriate, any portion of the school year may be granted from September 1 to June 30.
Payments shall be at the rate of three-quarters (3/4) salary for the leave period. That period is understood to fall within the months spanning the interval September to June. Medical Services Plan, group life insurance, extended health and dental plan payments will be shared by the Board for the full twelve (12) months of the leave.
A teacher granted educational leave for less than a year shall receive a salary equal to three-quarters (3/4) of the salary he/she would be paid if not on educational leave. The Review Panel may recommend a higher payment if special circumstances exist.
The Selection Committee shall consider all applications and make a recommendation to the Board as to priority for granting leaves. Such recommendation shall be made to the Board prior to April 15 of each year, in the case of a request made pursuant to this article. Recommendation made by the Review Panel identified under this article shall be made prior to October 31 of each year. Should the Board not accept the recommendation, the matter will be returned to the Committee for reconsideration.
Where funds remain unallocated for a year they are to be carried over to the next year.
Educational leave will be considered as teaching time for the purpose of seniority.
The Board shall give to the Association an accounting of monies in the fund no later than March 15 of each year.
Joint policy between the Board and the Association shall be established to set the priorities for and to administer the Educational Leave Plan.
The Board will make every reasonable effort to reinstate teachers granted leave under this article to a position comparable to that held prior to the leave or to a position that is compatible with the training received while on this leave.