Common use of Extended Professional Leave Clause in Contracts

Extended Professional Leave. For the encouragement of continued professional development and resulting improvement in the quality and level of experience of instructional personnel, extended professional leave without pay for the period not to exceed one (1) school year may be granted by the Board. 1. Any certified employee who has satisfactorily completed five (5) consecutive years of service in this school district may apply for extended professional leave without pay. 2. An extended professional leave without pay may be granted to permit a certified employee to engage in study or travel study. 3. A certified employee who requests an extended professional leave without pay for study will be expected to enroll as a full time student carrying a full load (full time student as determined by the institution attended) of academic work at an institution of higher learning approved by the appropriate accrediting agency. 4. The applications for extended professional leave without pay, including a plan for study or travel study, must be submitted to the Superintendent or his/her designee during the period of January 15th to February 15th preceding the school year for which the leave is requested. Applicants will be notified not later than March 31 as to the disposition of their applications. An employee receiving permission to take extended professional leave without pay shall inform the Superintendent in writing of his/her intention to either accept or decline such leave. Such notification shall be given not later than fifteen (15) days after the applicant has been notified of approval of his/her request for leave. 5. Three (3) employees may be granted extended professional leave during one school year. 6. An employee making application for his/her first extended professional leave without pay shall have preference over one who has previously had such leave. Upon termination of an extended professional leave, an employee shall not be entitled to another such leave until he/she has completed an additional five (5) years of service in the school district. 7. Extended professional leave without pay shall be counted as one (1) year's experience for the purpose of salary schedule computations. It is the responsibility of the employee to notify the immediate supervisor in writing forty-five (45) days prior to the expiration date of this leave of intent to return to work. Failure of an employee to meet this timeline indicating their intent to return to work will result in the position being advertised as an existing vacancy.