“It’s very difficult for me to leave, but it can be difficult to get a sabbatical, and this is the first time I have been approved,” explained Journalism adviser Nancy Kaplan to her students as she told them about her sabbatical leave.
As of January 31st, one of our schools founding teachers, Mrs. Nancy Kaplan will be taking a study sabbatical leave for one semester and will return in September of 2010.
Teachers that have taught for seven consecutive years are eligible for a sabbatical leave. During study sabbatical, teachers chose to return to a college or university and take graduate level classes in their licensed subject. They must take eight credits, and the teachers have to pay for their own courses. The Department of Education must approve of these classes before they are taken, and while on the leave, teachers on receive 70 percent of their pay.
“I’m taking a sabbatical so I can recharge my batteries and teach for many more years before I retire,” said Mrs. Kaplan.
Mrs. Kaplan will be attending Brooklyn College where she will be take three classes: Comparative Ethnic Literature, The Short Story, and Faulkner.
“I wanted to take journalism classes, but my sabbatical might not have been approved since my teaching license is English and History. I hope to sit in on some journalism classes at Brooklyn College, though,” said Mrs. Kaplan.
If the course work a teacher applies for is not rigorous enough or if they teach in a shortage area, they can be denied sabbatical leave.
Normally, when the teacher contract is renegotiated, sabbatical leaves are always discussed.
The NYC DOE would like to omit sabbatical leaves from the teacher contract. However, the United Federation of Teachers is always supporting sabbaticals.
“The DOE wants to remove sabbatical leaves to save money, but it’s not going to happen in the future,” said UFT representative Jim Sherlock.
Although she will be busy with her schoolwork at Brooklyn College, Mrs. Kaplan still plans to help her students and the newspaper whenever she is available.
“I’m only over the bridge and an email or a phone call away if The Insider staff and my students need me,” continued Kaplan.
“I know that along with me, the entire staff and faculty wish Mrs. Kaplan a wonderful and productive sabbatical. We will all miss her, her creativity, her passion, and her dedication to our students and our school, and look forward to her return,” said Principal Ms. Aimee Horowitz.
Also making her leave easier is the recent grant Mrs. Kaplan won. Mrs. Kaplan is the 2010 Middle Atlantic States Region winner of the Bob Costas Award for the Teaching of Writing given by the College Board every year.
“It’s a relief knowing the journalism fund will have plenty of money this year and next,” said Mrs. Kaplan.
Temporarily replacing her will be Mr. Frank Duffy. Mr. Duffy will be teaching Ms. Kaplan’s English classes as well as running the school newspaper.
