Paid Sick Leave
District employees will be provided with twelve (12) days of sick leave per year, two of which can be used as personal. However, employees who do not complete a full contracted year, will have sick leave days pro-rated accordingly. Sick leave may only be used for personal illness of the staff member; illness in the immediate family defined as spouse, children, parents, siblings, aunts and uncles, foster parents, in-laws, and grandparents; funeral leave involving family and/or friends.
Unused sick leave may accumulate to a total of 90 days. The employee is credited with those days the first day of the contract. The Board reserves the right to require a physician’s certification attesting to the illness or disability of the claimant and/or inclusive dates of the employee’s incapacitation if the absence is for more than ten (10) consecutive days.
Sick Leave Incentive
District employees effective July 1, 2015, under the sick leave incentive program will be paid out as follows:
In addition, the unused sick leave will be added to the employee’s individual sick leave balance, and will be carried over to the next school year until the employee has accumulated 90 days. Unused personal leave days that roll over into sick leave are not counted as part of the sick leave incentive program.
Once 90 days have been accumulated, the employee will be paid out as follows:
All leave will be paid in June, unless separation from the District is prior to June. Employees who complete a full year but are leaving the district are still eligible to receive the incentive payout.
Personal Leave
Paid personal leave days may only be used for personal business that cannot be transacted in non- work hours. Personal leave days cannot be used for work stoppages or extending school holidays. Personal leave will not be granted for an employee due to adverse weather conditions. Personal leave will not be granted for the first three (3) student contract days of the school year, the last three (3) days of the school year, for the day before or the day following a regular scheduled vacation or holiday, scheduled workshop days, or on which conferences are to be held. Employees desiring to use personal days must schedule a request to the faculty principal at least one (1) week in advance. The Superintendent/designee has the right to deny any request for personal leave that does not conform to the policy or would cause a hardship to students or staff. Employees will be provided with two (2) days of personal leave per year, which shall be non-cumulative.
Bereavement/Funeral Service Leave
A maximum of three (3) days may be used annually for bereavement/funeral service purposes. Use of these days will be charged to sick leave. Bereavement leave is available only upon the death as defined in the sick leave regulation. Bereavement leave is not accumulative. In unusual circumstances the Superintendent shall have the authority to interpret these provisions to prevent undue hardships upon members of the staff.
Leave for Jury Duty
Employees called for jury duty or subpoenaed to testify in a civil or criminal proceeding will be granted leave apart from personal leave. Employees will receive their normal pay less any jury or witness fees received.
Military Leave
An employee who is a member of the National Guard, or an organized military service of the United States, and who is required by laws of the United States or the State of Missouri to report for military duty, including training, shall be eligible for a grant of military leave.
Application for military leave shall be made in advance, as soon as practicable after the employee becomes aware of his/her obligation to report and immediately upon the employee’s receipt of official notice to report. A copy of the official orders must be added to the leave application. The Superintendent/designee must approve the application. Emergency mobilization orders shall be dealt with on an individual basis.
The District recognizes that employees who receive notice to report for duty typically are not provided with discretion as to when to report. However, whenever an employee has a choice as to when to report for military duty, the employee’s military leave shall be arranged during periods in which school is not in session. When the employee is given a choice as to when to report for duty, the Superintendent/designee may request that the employee seek a change in military orders if such a change appears to be in the best interest of the District.
Employees shall receive leave with pay for the first fifteen (15) calendar days of military leave in each federal fiscal year. Additional military leave shall be without pay, except as required by federal and state law.
Each employee shall furnish a copy of the employee’s military payroll voucher to the Superintendent/designee within thirty (30) days of the employee’s return to regular assignment so that the necessary salary adjustments can be made.
Employee eligibility for reinstatement after military duty is completed shall be determined in accordance with federal and state laws.
Professional Leave
A maximum of two (2) days annually may be used with full pay to an individual for professional leave. Professional leave must be approved prior to taking the leave and is the direct responsibility of the Superintendent. Approved professional leave days will be deducted from the individual’s accumulated sick leave.
The following items qualify as professional leave:
Designated Leave
Staff members may be excused from their regular daily assignment and assigned to other professional activities or duties approved by the Superintendent through his/her delegated representative, the assistant superintendent, without reduction in pay or sick leave accumulation.
Designated absence from regular duties will be based on a priority benefit principle. Designated absence is normally initiated by the administration. Staff attendance at meetings, workshops, or other professional activities, which offer the District benefits above and beyond the regular daily assignment of the individual are approvable, designated absences.
Expenses incurred as a result of designated absence initiated by the administration will be reimbursed by the District within current administrative guidelines. Staff initiated requests for designated leave will not be approved for reimbursement unless the administration agrees that all aspects of the absence meet the priority benefit principle. Designated absences for special events or meetings must be submitted on the Designated Leave Form at least one (1) week prior to the anticipated absence.
When expenses are allowed by the District, they shall include.
All expenses except meals shall be verified and attested to the District Bookkeeper.
Leave of Absence
Upon the recommendation of the Superintendent/designee and the approval of the Board, an employee of the District may be granted a leave of absence for Non-Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) child care, education, or other good cause. Application for leave is to be made in writing to the Superintendent/designee via Principal/supervisor and must include the period for which the leave is requested and the reasons for the request. The period should be set to least disrupt the education of students. Requests for leave for an entire school year should normally be made in writing before March 1 of the preceding year.
If leave is approved by the Board, the employee is not paid for the period of the leave. Insurance benefits may be continued by the employee by making all payments to the Payroll Office, one month in advance.
Whenever a leave of absence has been granted by the Board to the end of the school year, the employee must notify the Superintendent in writing by the first day of March of an intention to resume his/her position at the beginning of the next school year. Failure to notify the Superintendent/designee of such intention will be regarded as a resignation.
Upon completion of an approved leave, provided proper notification is given, a teacher will be re- employed by the District unless placed on involuntary leave of absence if tenured; or, if notified of non-renewal of contract by April 15 if a probationary teacher.
If desired, and whenever feasible, the employee will be placed on the same or equivalent position to the one held prior to the approved leave.
NOTE: Leave of absence without pay under the provisions of this regulation does not apply as service towards tenure for probationary teachers.