4000 Personnel
4300 Teacher, Nurse and Other Professional
4350 Leave and Vacation
4357 Sabbatical Leave
Section 1: Purpose
In order to provide opportunities for professional improve-ment, candidacy for Sabbatical Leave shall be available to teachers for:
(1) formal full time study at a recognized college or university
(2) travel
(3) research
(4) writing, and
(5) other reasons as determined by the Committee
Section 2: Eligibility to Apply for Consideration
a. An applicant must possess a Colorado certificate or license, and must have accrued seven consecutive full years of teaching service in the Moffat County School District.
b. Applicants must not have received a sabbatical leave during the seven years immediately preceding an application.
c. Each applicant must agree to return to service in the Moffat County School District immediately upon termination of sabbatical leave and to continue in such service. If a full year is granted, the employee must return for a period of three years unless physical disability makes this impossible, or there is mutual agreement to the contrary. If less than a full year is granted, the return will be reduced to two years. A signed agreement in the format of a promissory note shall stipulate that the failure of the teacher to provide such service shall result in the obligation to reimburse the District a proportional part of the salary paid to him/her during sabbatical leave, determined by the fraction of the three years not served following the leave.
d. Applicants shall not be within three years of full retirement.
Section 3: Application
a. A written application shall be made to the Screening Committee for Sabbatical Leave on or before March 1 of each year.
b. The application shall include:
(1) plans for the use of the sabbatical leave;
(2) an explanation of the plan's potential for increasing the applicant's professional competence;
(3) an explanation of how the leave will benefit the system and
(4) such other information as may be necessary as determined by the Committee for Sabbatical Leave and the Board.
Section 4: Screening
a. The Screening Committee for Sabbatical Leave shall consist of one Elementary Principal and one Secondary Principal appointed by the Superintendent, a teacher appointed by the Association, and the President of the Association. The Committee shall be chaired by the Superintendent who will vote only in the event of a tie.
b. The Screening Committee will prepare a priority listing of eligible candidates and recommend names for sabbatical leave appointments. Provided there are qualified candidates, up to, but not to exceed four (4) teachers currently employed may be recommended for the consideration of the Board of Education.
c. The Screening Committee will consider:
(1) Assured eligibility of the applicant.
(2) The proposed leave's potential for contributing to the applicant's professional growth.
(3) Benefit to the School District.
(4) Other pertinent factors as may be established by the Screening Committee.
d. The Board of Education shall grant sabbatical leave to at least one teacher provided the candidate qualifies and is recommended by the Screening Committee.
Section 5: Compensation
a. While on sabbatical leave, a teacher shall receive 1/2 of his or her salary excluding pay for any additional duties or assignments such as Coaching, Department Heads, or any other.
b. A teacher on sabbatical leave shall continue to receive paid hospitalization on the same basis as a teacher in the classroom.
c. Accumulated sick leave shall be retained.
d. Paychecks will be mailed on the regular pay days and to that address provided by the teacher.
e. Only those benefits listed herein apply to sabbatical leave grantees.
Section 6: Miscellaneous Administrative Provisions
a. Sabbatical leave may be for a portion of the year, but may not exceed a full school year.
b. A teacher on sabbatical leave may not deviate from his approved plan except with the written permission of the Superintendent.
c. Sabbatical leave will automatically be terminated should the grantee be placed upon probationary status by his college or university.
d. As may be determined by the Screening Committee for Sabbatical Leave, any intentional falsification of information by the teacher in the application, or other reports required as a part of sabbatical leave, will subject the leave to termination.
e. Upon return to teaching from sabbatical leave, the teacher shall be positioned on the salary schedule as though he had been employed as a teacher during the period of leave and shall be restored to his former position if possible, provided that the employee remains eligible for reinstatement under other rules and regulations of the Board.
Section 7: Reports Required on Sabbatical Leave
a. An employee on sabbatical leave shall report to the Superintendent as follows:
(1) An interim report shall be filed at the midpoint of the period for which the leave is taken. This report shall contain sufficient information to enable the Superintendent to determine that the leave is being utilized in the approved manner.
(2) A final report shall be filed with the Superintendent including the names of the institutions attended, courses pursued, credits received, experience gained, or the itinerary of travel, together with the applicant's appraisal of the professional value of the activities while on leave and the manner in which the knowledge and experience gained may be applied to the benefit of the School District.
(3) The Superintendent may require, and the employee
shall promptly furnish, such additional reports as the Superintendent deems necessary or reasonable to determine that the employee is fulfilling the agreement and all the requirements of the leave. In the event that the Superintendent and the Screening Committee for Sabbatical Leave shall find that the employee is not fulfilling the agreement, or is dilatory in any respect, the amount received from the Board for the agreement, shall immediately become due and all future payments may cease.
Adopted: 4/26/84
Revised: 4/26/88
Revised: 5/26/94
Moffat County School District RE-1 Policy 4357