FILE:  GBRH

PROFESSIONAL LEAVE

The Bossier Parish School Board recognizes the value of attending regional, state, and/or national educational meetings in order to become exposed to new ideas and developments in various areas of public school education.  Therefore, the Superintendent or his/her designee may grant professional leave to an employee wishing to attend any educationally related conference, meeting, or convention, if such attendance is considered to be in the best interests of the school district. 

The Board may pay all or any part of expenses of any personnel whom it may direct to represent it at any such professional or educational meeting or in visitation to another school system.  In all such cases, prior approval for said expenses must be given by the Superintendent or his/her designee.

Application and notification to attend a conference or similar educational meeting shall be made in writing as far in advance of the meeting as possible.  The written request shall include dates, subjects to be covered, and sponsoring agency.  Only those trips which are deemed necessary shall be approved.

Employees who request and receive written approval from or are directed by their supervisors to be absent from work assignment to attend a meeting, workshop, or other work related activity, shall indicate excused absence on their time-keeping form.

DISTRICT MEETINGS

Employees shall attend in-service meetings in the school district during the workday on the recommendation of the department head and as authorized by the Superintendent.

STATE MEETINGS

Employees may be permitted to attend workshops and/or in-service meetings in the state during the work day with the recommendation of the principal/department head and the authorization of the Superintendent, provided such meetings are related to the performance of the employee’s job assignment. 

PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATION MEETINGS

Employees who are members of a state, regional, or national professional educational subject area organization may be selected by the Superintendent or Superintendent’s designee as delegates to attend conferences and meetings of that association.

Any employee who attends an out-of-state, Board-approved, state, regional, or national seminar, workshop, conference, convention, etc., is directed to personally share with the system, information received by attending said event.

LEAVE FOR STATE BOARD OR COMMISSION

Leave with pay shall be granted any school system employee who is an elected member of the Board of Trustees of the Teachers’ Retirement System of Louisiana or the Louisiana School Employees Retirement System, an elected or appointed member of the Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE), or an appointed member of any task force, commission, or other advisory body established by BESE so that such employee may attend meetings of the entity and any committees thereof on which the employee serves.

The School Board shall require any employees who may serve on the public entities outlined above to provide notice to the Board of the dates and times of all meetings of the entity and any committees thereof that are scheduled to occur on a regular basis and reasonable notice to the Board of any special or otherwise unscheduled meetings.

Any employee serving on such an entity shall apply in writing for such leave in a timely manner, but in no case less than twenty-four (24) hours prior to the date of the meeting, except in an emergency.  The employee shall also be required to submit proper documentation that the leave granted was used for the purposes for which requested.  Improper use of said leave may result in reimbursement to the Board of any compensation paid the employee for the leave days taken, and may lead to discipline of the employee up to and including termination.

Ref:     La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§17:81, 17:1186

Bossier Parish School Board