ARTICLE XIV EXTENDED LEAVES OF ABSENCE

Middletown School District

A. Sabbatical Leave

1. Upon recommendation of the Superintendent and approval of the Committee, a regularly employed teacher with at least four consecutive years of successful teaching in Middletown may be granted a one (1) semester or one (1) year leave of absence for purposes of travel or to pursue a full time program of advanced study at a recognized college or university.

2. The number of people on Sabbatical Leave shall at no time exceed five percent (5%) of the teaching personnel in the system.

3. No teacher is to be given leave more often than once in seven (7) years.

4. A teacher desiring Sabbatical Leave shall file with the Superintendent a written request for his/her approval no later than February 1st of the year preceding the school year in which leave is desired.

5. Any teacher who files a written request for Sabbatical Leave which is rejected shall receive written notification of rejection no later than March 15th of the year preceding the school year in which his/her leave has been requested.

6. For purposes of placement on the salary schedule, retirement, Health Insurance, Disability Insurance and Life Insurance coverage, Sabbatical Leave of  Absence shall be considered a year of teaching service.

7.  A teacher on leave for one (1) year shall be advanced 1/2 of the salary that he/she would normally earn during the year of his/her leave. A teacher on a one (1) semester leave shall be advanced 1/2 of the salary which he/she would normally earn during the semester of his/her leave. Advances shall be made in the normal payroll increments.

8. A teacher on a one (1) semester leave shall agree to serve in Middletown for the following year under the penalty of forfeiture of the school department grant. All salary advanced during the leave must be repaid to the School Department if the teacher fails to serve the agreed period.

9. A teacher on a one (1) year leave shall agree to serve in Middletown for the following two (2) years under penalty of forfeiture of the school department grant. All salary advanced during the leave must be repaid to the School Department if the teacher fails to serve the agreed period.

B. Educational Leave - Peace Corps - Vista

1. Educational Leave shall be defined as that leave taken by a teacher for the purpose of pursuing an approved course of instruction, providing, however, that leave for the purpose of joining the Peace Corps or Vista shall be considered in the same context as Educational Leave in this section.

2. Leave may be for a period of six (6) months or one (1) year and may also be extended for a period of up to one (1) additional year.

3. Leave shall be applied for not later than ninety (90) calendar days prior to the intended leave in a written request to the Superintendent.

C. Maternity Leave

A teacher who becomes pregnant will notify the Superintendent, in writing, at least thirty (30) days in advance of the expected date she is to leave on disability and the expected date of return. The dates of leaving and returning shall be determined by the teacher and her doctor. The teacher shall, by that notice, elect either of two (2) options:

1. She may use her accumulated sick leave, and in the event that accumulated sick leave is exhausted may, at her option, continue on leave without pay or benefits for the balance of the original school year. With ninety (90) days written notice she may continue on unpaid leave for an additional school year. The school department shall continue health insurance coverage until thirty (30) days after the termination of pregnancy.

2. A leave of absence without pay or benefits for the balance of the school year which may be extended at the teacher's option for one (1) additional school year with ninety (90) day written notice. The school department shall continue health insurance coverage until thirty (30) days after the termination of pregnancy.

D. Exchange Teacher Leave

1. Upon recommendation of the Superintendent, leave for exchange teacher positions under either national or international programs may be granted by the Committee to teachers who have completed at least five (5) years of teaching in the Middletown system.

2. An Exchange Teacher Leave of absence shall be considered a year of teaching service for purposes of placement on the salary schedule and for sick leave, retirement, Blue Cross payments and Disability Insurance provisions.

E. Nothing in this Article shall preclude leaves of absence without pay as shall be agreed upon between a teacher and the Committee.

F. Return After Leave of Absence

1. Teachers who have been granted leaves of absence shall notify the
Superintendent in writing on or before December 1st or February 1st preceding the opening of the term following the expiration of leave of their intention to resume work at the beginning of the ensuing term.

2. To the extent possible, all teachers returning from leaves of absence shall be restored to the same position they held at the time the leave was granted.

G. Reimbursement for Benefits

A teacher on unpaid leave of absence may opt to reimburse the School Department its cost, at group rate, in order to retain all contractual benefits as enumerated in Article XVIII insurance, where available. The School Department shall be held harmless if any teacher selecting this option fails to meet payment schedules as required by the Department.