Teachers who have completed two (2) years of employment with the Division shall be entitled to apply for leave of absence without pay for study or for other purposes subject to the following:
(a) All requests for leave of absence shall be made in writing to the Superintendent for referral to the Board.
(b) Applications for leave of absence for the ensuing school year shall be filed with the Superintendent not later than March 15th of the school year preceding the leave. The Superintendent shall respond not later than April 15th. Where leave is requested during the school year, applications shall be filed with the Superintendent, where possible, at least thirty (30) days prior to the date on which said leave is to commence.
(c) Leave of absence may be granted for a period not to exceed two (2) years.
(d) Teachers granted leaves of absence shall be provided upon termination of the leave, the same or a comparable position to that held immediately preceding the leave provided the teacher on leave notifies the Division before April 1st in the school year that the leave occurs of their intention to return to teach in the Division for the subsequent school year. Where the leave terminates at a time other than the end of a school year, the teach¬er shall provide the Division at least sixty (60) days notice of intent to return.
Teachers on leave are subject to the provisions of Article 32 – “Staff Reduction” on the same basis as if they had been in active employment during the year of leave.