308. PROFESSIONAL GROWTH GUIDELINES

1. Purpose
 

1. Continued professional study (and in-service training) are prerequisites for continued professional growth and advanced ability to undertake increased responsibility. Therefore, these guidelines are established for all professional personnel.

 

1. All professional employees are encouraged through graduate study, special study or in-service training to further personal advancement in accordance with these guidelines.

 
2. Official School System Meetings - There shall be no loss of salary for such absence.

 
3. Other Meetings - Professional employees may, on the recommendation of the principal of the school, be excused without loss of salary to attend the sessions of an appropriate educational program provided not more than one (1) employe is excused from a school at one time and that the benefits accruing to this person shall be capitalized upon by the school group of which s/he is a member.

 
4. The principal shall be responsible for the selection of appropriate employees whose attendance at the educational conference will result in maximum value to the school. Such attendance may be approved only where the program has specific relation to problems which are under consideration by the school staff or by a group within the staff.

 
5. If representation is in excess of that provided, the matter shall be decided by the Superintendent or his/her designee.

 
6. Educational Conventions - Approval to attend educational conventions may be granted either without loss of salary or with complete loss of salary, depending upon the nature of the convention and the relationship of the employe to it.

 
7. Professional employees should not make commitments to appear on programs without first obtaining assurance from the Executive Director of Human Resources that a leave of absence for that purpose will be granted.

 
8. The Superintendent of Schools may grant a leave of absence for the purpose of observation without loss of salary to teachers under the following conditions:

Professional Employees Who Have Satisfactorily Completed The Two Probationary Years
 
1. Observation in other Philadelphia schools or in the employe's school for two (2) days each school year.

 
2. Observation in schools outside Philadelphia for two (2) days each school year. Such visits are restricted to schools where the opportunity to gain professional help exists to an acceptable degree. Requests should not be made for days immediately preceding or following a school holiday.

 
3. Observations in business and industrial concerns may be substituted for either 2.81 or 2.82 above.

 
9. The approval of the principals of the schools involved and the Regional Superintendents concerned must be obtained on Form SEH-86.

 
10. If the observation is outside the Philadelphia School System, a written report of the observation shall be sent through the principal and Regional Superintendent to the Executive Director of Human Resources within two (2) weeks following the visit.