Any teacher may request a leave of absence without pay. A teacher on such leave shall be regarded as still on staff. Subject to statute and except where otherwise indicated in the collective agreement, seniority and sick leave will be retained but not accrued for the period of the leave.
a) All applications for leave under this article shall be submitted to the Superintendent of the Division before April 1st.
b) A teacher returning from leave of absence will be offered a position, if possible, in the same community that he/she was in previous to the leave.