RE: Personnel Development

Sharing time with another teacher and other methods of career advancement all point to the same issue; how do we keep our teachers passionate and vital? You raise some interesting ideas, the sabbatical poses many financial obstacles, yet it is widely used at the university level to achieve the goal I've suggested, revitalization of the teacher. Universities are financially able to offer full and three-quarter salary incentives, my father used it at least twice, and his college really didn't care what he did during the sabbatical. Partnerships with private business can be explored, with the business "sponsoring" the teacher for a year by paying the salary, then using it as a tax write off. Thus, the district actually saves money by hiring a long term sub at less pay.   Brian Miller