a) Where a teacher requests that his/her full time equivalency be reduced for a school year or less, that request shall be subject to the approval of the Superintendent and, where approved, the reduced portion shall be treated as an unpaid leave of absence. Immediately upon conclusion of that leave of absence, the teacher’s full time equivalency shall revert to the full time equivalency which existed prior to the commencement of the leave of absence. With the approval of the Superintendent, the teacher may extend that leave of absence past the original date and establish a new date at which the reduction in full time equivalency will revert to the original full time equivalency.
b) Where a teacher requests that his/her contract be permanently reduced, that reduction shall be subject to the approval of the Board and where approved, the reduced portion shall be deemed to be a contract reduction of a permanent nature.