33-11. Personal Illness Leave

In a case of absence exceeding ten consecutive school days due to personal illness, a full-time appointed teacher shall apply for and secure a personal illness leave of absence. Such leave shall not exceed ten school months nor be in excess of a total of ten school months in any two consecutive school years. The teacher’s position shall be held open for ten school months or to the end of the semester immediately following said ten school months upon the written request of the teacher for such extension at least two weeks before the leave expires. Thereafter, the position shall be declared vacant, but the teacher, upon reporting for duty at the expiration of such extended leave, shall be eligible for immediate assignment, and, if not placed in an assignment, shall be placed in the reassigned teacher pool.

A teacher who uses his or her accumulated sick leave for the entire period of personal illness leave shall have his or her position held open.