File:  GCCAF-R - Professional Staff Sabbatical Leave

Purpose

1.  In order to provide opportunities for professional improvement, candidacy for sabbatical leave shall be available to professional staff for the purpose of permitted study, travel, or growth which will benefit the schools and students of the District.

2.  The intent of a sabbatical leave, in and of itself, is not to begin and complete a master's degree program.

Eligibility to Apply for Consideration

1.  An applicant must have accrued seven (7) consecutive years of teaching service in the District.

2.  An applicant must not have been granted sabbatical leave during the five (5) years immediately preceding any application.

3.  An applicant is required to have completed a minimum of three (3) educational growth steps prior to application for sabbatical leave.

Application

1.  A written application shall be made with the office of the superintendent to the committee.

2.  The application shall include:

a.  Plans for the use of the sabbatical leave.

b.  Length of leave requested.

c.  An explanation of the plan's potential for increasing the applicant's professional competence.

d.  An explanation of how the leave will benefit the District.

e.  How long the applicant has been employed in the District.

f.  The capacities of service.

g. Contributions to the District during time of employment.

h.  Summaries of other job experience and educational work.

i.  Delineation of the merits of the sabbatical application.

The Screening Committee

1.  The screening committee for sabbatical leave, as defined in the Summit County Education Association Master Agreement, and hereafter referred to as "the Committee", shall consist of one (1) administrator appointed by the superintendent; one (1) elementary teacher, one (1) middle school teacher and one (1) high school teacher appointed by the Summit County Education Association; and one (1) school board member selected by the Board of Education.

2.  The Committee will consider the following criteria:

a.  Assured eligibility of the applicant;

b.  Applicant's professional contributions to the District and growth as a professional staff member;

c.  The proposed leave's potential for contributing to the applicant's professional growth

d.  Benefit to the District;

e.  The availability of a qualified substitute for the position;

f.  Impact to the District's budget.

3.  The Committee will prepare a priority listing of eligible applicants and recommend names for sabbatical leave appointments, based on the overall merit of the applications, to the superintendent or designee, who will forward the recommendations to the Board of Education for consideration and approval.

4. Upon written request, a sabbatical applicant not selected will be given written reasons for non-selection.

Timeline

1.  Applications must be filed with the office of the superintendent between January 1 and 4:00 p.m. February 1 of the school year preceding the year for which sabbatical leave is requested, for either one (1) full year or one (1) single semester sabbatical leave.

2.  The Committee will review and make recommendations to the superintendent or designee by February 28 or sooner.

3.  The superintendent will make recommendations to the Board of Education by the first business board meeting of March.

4.  The Board of Education will make the final selection by the end of the last board meeting of March.

5.  Applicant(s) will be notified by the Friday following the final decision of the Board of Education.

6.  The Committee, superintendent or designee, and/or the Board of Education may request an interview with the applicant(s) prior to their respective decision.

Compensation

1.  A professional staff member on sabbatical leave will be compensated at half salary excluding pay for any additional duties or assignments such as coaching, department heads, or any other for the period chosen.

2.  The professional staff member may continue with the District's health care program by paying half the premium while on sabbatical leave (deducted from the monthly pay).  The District will pay the other half.

3.  Banked annual leave shall be retained.

4.  Paychecks will be delivered via mail or direct deposit on regular pay days to the address/bank account provided by the professional staff member.

5.  Only those benefits listed herein apply to professional staff on sabbatical leave.

6.  All salary scale increments and/or pay raises will be awarded to the professional staff member upon their return to the District.

Administrative Provisions

1.  A professional staff member may be considered for up to one (1) full time equivalency (FTE) sabbatical leave per academic year at half salary if funding is available.

2.  A professional staff member returning from sabbatical leave, not exceeding one (1) academic year, will be returned to their former or comparable position at the same school.

3.  A professional staff member on sabbatical leave may not deviate from their approved plan except with the written permission of the superintendent or designee.

4.  During the period from the last day of the Current Agreement prior to sabbatical leave to the date of re-entry into the assignment with the District following sabbatical leave, the professional staff member may accrue a maximum of six (6) semester or nine (9) quarter hours of university credit to be applied to any current or future educational growth steps. Alternative Lane Advancement credit is not available during sabbatical leave

5.  Upon return from sabbatical leave, the professional staff member shall submit an adequate report to the superintendent or designee verifying that the program was completed as approved. The type of report required of the professional staff member will be determined by the superintendent or designee and provided to the professional staff member in writing prior to departure on sabbatical leave. Failure to complete the program or to submit the report shall require the professional staff member to return to the District sabbatical leave compensation received. The District may deduct that compensation from the professional staff member's pay at the per month rate it was paid, or a lesser rate acceptable to the Board.

a.  An interruption in the program for sabbatical leave because of serious accident or illness will not be considered a failure to fulfill the conditions upon which the sabbatical leave was granted, nor will such interruption affect the amount of compensation to be paid to the professional staff member under the terms of the leave agreement, provided that the superintendent or designee has been promptly notified of such accident or illness. In such a case, the professional staff member shall return to work as soon as they are able.

6.  Under extenuating circumstances, the superintendent of designee may require, and the professional staff member shall promptly furnish, such additional reports as the superintendent or designee deems necessary or reasonable to determine that the professional staff member is fulfilling the agreement and all the requirements of the leave. In the event that the superintendent or designee, and the committee find that the professional staff member is not fulfilling the agreement, or is dilatory in any respect, all future payments may cease and possibly any compensation received shall be returned as described in #5 above.

7. The professional staff member must return to the District for no less than two (2) years after returning from sabbatical leave, or must reimburse the District for compensation received during sabbatical leave proportional to the length of the return to service.

Adopted: May 14, 1991
Revised:  ?, 2003
Revised:  October 6, 2022

CROSS REF.: GCCAF, Professional Staff Sabbatical Leave

GCCAA, Professional Staff Annual Leave

Current Summit County Education Association Agreement