I. The District may permit approved association leave. All requests for association leave shall be reviewed by the association president and by the employee’s immediate supervi¬sor before being submitted to the Human Resources Department for consideration. The request for association leave shall state how the release time will be used by the member employee.
II. The membership of the teachers' organization recognized by the Board of Education will be granted a maximum aggregate total of eighteen (18) excused absences during a single school year to attend professional meetings of the teachers' association or other association obligations. An association-related leave of absence shall not count against these eighteen (18) days.
III. For the teacher’s organization, the cost of any days missed will be shared equally by the District and the teachers’ association. The association will pay half the cost of a substitute teacher for any days its member employees are absent for association leave.
IV. The association may request approval from the Human Resources Department that certain leadership roles be approved for association-related leave of absences for the duration of a full school year. Under this provision, all existing procedures associated with a Leave of Absence Without Pay pursuant to Rule 4510.05 shall be followed. The Human Resources Department shall maintain sole discretion for designating which roles are eligible for an association-related leave of absence.