The Division and the Association support in principle the concept that staff can benefit from exploring new learning experiences through a wide variety of opportunities. The Division and the Association recognize the need for the public school system to provide teaching opportunities for new teachers entering the profession.
1. Special leaves of absence may be granted by the school division to those Lakeshore School Division professional teaching staff who have the equivalent of ten (10) years of service with the Division.
2. Special Leaves of Absence may be for a full year or less.
3. No teacher shall be eligible for more than the equivalent of one year of Special Leave in any ten (10) year period of employment with the Lakeshore School Division.
4. The maximum number of teachers on Special Leave in any given school year shall not exceed the full-time equivalent of three (3) teachers.
5. A teacher granted a Special Leave of Absence shall be guaranteed his/her previous position in the same school. In the event that the position has become redundant because of course cancellation and/or a reduction in enrollment, the teacher shall be guaranteed a similar position.
6. A Special Leave of Absence shall not count as experience for increment purposes.
7. A Special Leave of Absence being granted will be conditional upon the availability of a replacement first or second year teacher suitable to the Board. The replacement teacher will sign a Form 2A Term Contract.
8. (a) Income paid to a teacher during a whole year of Special Leave of Absence will be:
$23,978.66, effective the first (1st.) day of fall term, 2014; less prepaid premiums;
$24,458.23, effective the first (1st.) day of fall term, 2015; less prepaid premiums;
$24,947.40, effective the first (1st.) day of fall term, 2016; less prepaid premiums;
$25,321.61, effective the first (1st.) day of fall term, 2017; less prepaid premiums;
$25,701.43 effective January 1st, 2018; less prepaid premiums.
(b) Income paid to a teacher who takes less than a whole year leave shall be the total number of school days for which leave is granted divided by the number of days in the current school year as prescribed by the Minister of Education and Training multiplied by the annual Special Leave income, less prepaid premiums.
(c) Income as determined in (a) and (b) shall be paid in equal installments in accordance with the pay periods in effect during the leave.
9. Income for the year of Special Leave of Absence shall be prorated to the contract time of the teacher at the time the Leave is requested:
e.g. A full-time teacher will receive 100% of salary as outlined.
A half-time teacher will receive 50% of salary as outlined.
10. This Special Leave of Absence cannot be taken concurrently with any other Leave program.
11. Teachers wishing to begin a Special Leave of Absence, in any school year must apply in writing to the Superintendent on or before March 31 st of the preceding school year.
12. Upon receipt of the application for Special Leave of Absence by the Superintendent, the Superintendent will then convene a committee consisting of the Superintendent, one Board member and the Association President, that will review applications for the Leave, and make subsequent recommendations to the Board for final approval.