Leaves and Absences:

Leave benefits are provided as a service to the employee, and under no conditions will an employee be paid for accumulated, but not used, leave time.

The Board of Trustees reserves the right to extend leave privileges to any employee beyond those enumerated in these policies, if, in the opinion of the Board, special circumstances exist which warrant such extension. In considering any such request for extended leave, however, the Board will place, as the first priority, consideration of the effect such leave will have on the educational program of the district.

1. Sick Leave:

1. Nine and Ten month employees will be allowed eleven days of sick leave per year. Twelve month employees will be allowed thirteen days sick leave per year.
2. Unused sick leave shall be allowed to accumulate up to a total of 90 days.
3. Sick leave shall be granted to each staff member for personal illness, quarantine, and/or illness in the immediate family. The immediate family shall mean the staff member's spouse, children, or parents. All non-emergency appointments or surgeries shall be scheduled outside school hours/days whenever possible.
4. Employees shall be able to convert one sick day into annual leave during each of the first three years of employment. These days shall not be accumulative.
5. Beginning the fourth year of employment employees shall be able to convert up to five of the current year's sick days into annual leave. A maximum of five annual leave days will be allowed in any given year.
6. Persons desiring leave for reasons such as funerals, weddings, children's activities, community service, military leave, political activity, etc. will be expected to utilize the annual leave available under this policy. Annual leave will generally not be permitted during the beginning week of school, during the week prior to or after holidays, or during the week prior to the end of the school year.
7. Employees will generally only be allowed to take up to three successive annual leave days. These days must be approved in advance with the employee's supervisor and may be disallowed if, in the supervisor's judgment, the interest of the district so dictates. (Policy 1.15a Adopted 1-25-99)

(b) Sick Leave Bank

A sick leave bank has been established for all certified employees. Certified staff shall donate one (1) day of their sick leave to enter the bank so they may draw from the bank in times of need. A member's drawing power is determined to be equal in number to his/her accumulated sick leave as of the anniversary date of employment.

Members may draw from the bank for the same reasons that they use sick leave. Members must use their own accumulated sick leave prior to drawing from the bank.

Any members applying to use the sick leave bank must make the request in writing to his/her direct supervisor and to the superintendent. This request must be accompanied by a written statement of need from a higher authority, such as a physician.

If a member requests further sick leave days, a maximum of one (1) year's sick leave benefit may be granted as an advance of the following year's sick leave benefit. This request must be made in writing to the superintendent and accompanied by a written statement of need from a medical authority. All advances will be deducted from the following year's sick leave benefit. If an employee should leave the district prior to earning sufficient sick leave to offset the advance, repayment is required. Repayment will be based on the employee's rate of pay per day.

If the sick leave bank is drawn below 50 days, members shall donate another day. Staff members who have accumulated 90 sick leave days may donate up to three (3) days to the bank.

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(d) Sabbatical Leave

To any professional personnel who has completed seven (7) continuous years of service in the district, the Board may grant up to one year sabbatical leave for the purpose of additional education.

Applications for sabbatical leave shall be made in writing to the superintendent no later than April 15, and shall set forth in detail the purpose of the leave. Personnel who have been given fellowships, grants, etc. will be given first consideration.

The Board of Trustees agrees to return the employee to a position for which they are qualified, but not necessarily the position they left, and to maintain the tenure status, personal leave and sick leave days accumulated by the employee prior to the sabbatical leave, if any. The leave recipient shall not receive any salary from school.

The sabbatical leave recipient will pay monthly to the business manager the amount prescribed for retaining membership in the group insurance program. When the sabbatical teacher returns to the district, the portion of the premium, equivalent to the amount the district contributes for an active employee, will be returned to him/her. Should the teacher not return after sabbatical, those premiums are forfeited.

Applications for sabbatical leave shall state the date the sabbatical will begin and the date the employee will return to his/her employment. The sabbatical leave shall be approved by the board and shall be honored by both parties unless both parties agree to alterations. (Policy revised 7-16-97)

(e) Leave of Absence

To any certified personnel with four (4) or more years of continuous service, the Board may grant up to one year leave for child rearing, or for any purpose the Board believes to be in the best interest of the district.

Applications for leave shall be made in writing to the superintendent no later than April 15, and shall set forth in detail the purpose of the leave.

The Board of Trustees agrees to return the employee to a position for which they are qualified, but not necessarily the position they left, and to maintain the tenure status, personal leave and sick leave days accumulated, if any, prior to the leave.

The leave recipient shall not receive any salary or remuneration from the school.

The leave recipient will pay monthly to the business manager the amount prescribed for retaining membership in the group insurance.

Applications for leave shall state the date the leave will begin and the date the certified personnel will return to his/her employment. If the superintendent is not notified after March 1 and before April 1 in the year of the leave of the intent of the person to return to their prior employment, the district shall not required to return the employee to any position, to maintain their tenure status, or to maintain personal leave or sick leave days accumulated by the employee prior to the leave. The leave must receive prior Board approval. (Policy revised 7-16-97)

(f) Exchange Programs

Teachers may be allowed to participate in State Department of Education approved exchange teacher programs.

(g) Professional Leave

Professional leave for the purpose of additional research of education in the employee's special department or educational field or for other professional development closely related to the employee's contractual obligations may be granted under the following conditions:

Employee Requested Leave

1. All requests must be first made to his/her immediate supervisor. Should the immediate supervisor find just cause for not approving the request, the applicant shall be notified and be given the reasons.
2. If approved at level "1", the district will pay upon receiving receipts from the individual the cost of registration fee and transportation. The district will pay the cost of the substitute teacher.
3. No employee may exceed seven (7) professional leave days in any two (2) school years and if granted a total of seven (7) days in one (1) school year, the employee may not request professional leave during the immediate following school year.
4. Leave requested for W.E.A. purposes shall be called professional leave, however, no expense will be reimbursed, except the cost of the substitute.

District Requested Leave

Should the district request that an employee(s) attend a conference, meeting, in-service training or project, the district will pay the cost of a substitute teacher, registration fees, lodging, meals and transportation (if school vehicles are not available). Receipts for lodging (at single-room rates), meals and registration must be submitted by the employee.

(h) Other leave

Any leave in excess of that outlined under Leave and Absences shall be deducted from the employee's salary at a ratio of the number of days lost to the number of contract days of the employee. Exception to Leave Requests may be considered by the board upon request.

(i) Early Release Incentive Plan

Rational/Purpose: The intent and purpose of this plan is to allow qualified School District No. 1 employees an incentive and an opportunity to leave the district to pursue other interests. It also affords the district the opportunity to replace employees who are advanced on the salary schedules, creating, in most cases, financial savings to the district.

Participation in this plan is ENTIRELY VOLUNTARY and is open to all employees who qualify under its terms. The selection from the applicants for participation in the plan will be made by the Board of Trustees in accordance with the provisions set forth below, within the sole discretion of the Board of Trustees, taking into account the needs and best interests of the district.

Participation in this plan is considered a privilege and not a right, and the Board of Trustees is entitled to permit or to limit participation and to change or delete all or any part of this plan in its sole discretion, in accordance with the needs and best interests of the district and in accordance with applicable law.

The benefits provided by this plan are not intended to, and do not, constitute a retirement system or a replacement of the Wyoming Retirement system. The benefits provided for under this plan are in consideration of the individual employee's waiver of continued employment with School District No. 1 and of the receipt of such wages, salaries, and benefits which the employee could expect from such continued employment.

Eligibility for Early Release:

An early release incentive program is available to tenured professional staff in the district. To be eligible to participate in the plan, an applicant:

1. Must have been employed a minimum of 20 years in educational service.
2. Must have been employed full time by this school district continuously for 15 years immediately preceding the year release begins. Although sabbatical leaves, leave of absence, etc. will not serve as interruptions to "continuous employment", neither will such periods of inactivity count toward the minimum of 15 years.
3. No more than 5 years of educational service out of this district may be applied towards the total years of service. All allowable years of service will be counted in calculating total years of experience.
4. Must have reached his/her 52nd birthday by August 1st of the year early release begins, as stipulated in the Early Release Incentive Benefit Schedule.
5. For the purpose of calculating years of service, half-time employment will be counted as one-half year for each year of half-time service. The aggregate total will be rounded back to the nearest year of service.

Procedures for Applying for Early Release

1. An employee qualifying for early release must submit his/her written request to the Superintendent of Schools upon a form available through the Central Administration Office prior to March 1st of the year of intended release.
2. The Board of Trustees will respond to the request at the regular meeting held in March and will advise the applicant of their decision by April 1st.
3. An early release waiver shall accompany each application for early release. The waiver must be completed and signed at the time of application.

Schedule of Incentive Benefits

1. Upon approval of the request for early release by the Board of Trustees, the employee shall receive a deferred salary benefit based upon the Incentive Benefit Schedule in effect when the release is initiated.
2. The Board of Trustees shall pay a deferred salary benefit based upon the last full time salary received by the employee, exclusive of remuneration for extra duty or extended contract.

Payment Schedule:

The eligible employee may select one of two options:

1. Payment will be made to the employee in five (5) equal yearly installments if the employee's age is 60 years or less. If the employee is past 60 years of age, payments will be made in equal installments, equal to the number of years remaining until the employee's 65th birthday.
2. Payments will be made to the employee in sixty (60) monthly installments if the employee's age is 60 years or less. If the employee is past age 60, payments will be made in equal installments, equal to the number of months remaining until employee's 65th birthday.

The choice of schedules is up to the discretion of the employee. However, no payment schedule will begin prior to the regular September payroll during the first year of benefits.

Group Health Insurance:

3. Group health insurance will not be available to early retirees except as provided by Federal statutes. Employees are encouraged to purchase coverage through other providers. Contact the central office for additional information regarding federal statutes and insurance options. (Policy 1.15, Group Health Insurance Revised 3-27-2000)

Beneficiary:

1. Upon the approval of an application for early release, the employee will name a beneficiary.
2. A beneficiary may be changed at any time at the discretion of the employee.
3. In the event of the employee's death prior to having received the full deferred benefit, the balance will be paid to the beneficiary in accordance with the payment schedule chosen by the employee.

Miscellaneous:

Any employee terminated by the Board of Trustees for sufficient cause shall be ineligible to participate in the Early Release Incentive Plan.

(k) Salary Schedule

1. The School District shall adopt and use a single salary schedule. Those personnel whose position calls for a 10-month contract shall receive an additional 1/9 of their salary.
2. In case of economic recession or inflation any change in the salary schedule should be in the base salary.
3. Since salary must be budgeted, advancement on the salary schedule shall be determined the first day of school in the fall. Recognition shall be given at this time to teachers securing advanced degrees. The teachers shall not be penalized for failure of the college or university to submit official transcripts as of the deadline.
4. Acceptance of a teaching position denotes a willingness to participate in any of the school's activities such as assigned duties, teachers' meetings, professional research, curricular revision, and individual guidance for none of which extra pay need be given.
5. All employees shall be paid no later than the last work day preceding the 16th of each month unless employees are found to be delinquent in their assignment completion by their immediate supervisor. Paychecks may be held until such time as assignments and/or extra duties have been deemed complete. (Policy 1.15, Salary Schedule Revised: 5-22-2000)
6. (Outside teaching experience allowed moved to Administrative Procedures 1-25-99)
7. All salary increments shall be made in 10 or 12 installments.
8. Only full years of experience will be counted for the purpose of determining a teacher's position on the salary schedule.

(l) Reduction in Force

If, by the judgment of the Board of Trustees, it is necessary to reduce the certified staff due to a change in circumstances such as: reduction or elimination of a program in any given subject or field, or, if it is necessary to consolidate programs or particular grade levels, or, the inability of the district to anticipate sufficient funds, such reduction shall be done on a seniority and certification basis.