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Christmas, winter and spring vacation periods, and Columbus Day, Veterans' Day, Martin Luther King Day, Good Friday, Patriots' Day and Memorial Day; such leave shall be administered on an equitable basis. As a condition of the granting of said leave, a completed lesson plan shall be submitted to the school principal. Employees may apply for such leave no more than ten (10) days prior to the holiday or vacation period and shall be notified of the Superintendent's approval no less than five (5) days before the holiday or vacation period.

F: MATERNITY LEAVE
1. A teacher shall be granted a maternity leave of absence without pay, to become effective at her discretion and to terminate not more than two (2) years from the effective date of the commencement of said leave. A request for maternity leave shall be made in writing thirty (30) days prior to the effective date of the commencement of said leave. If requested by the Superintendent of Schools, the teacher shall submit a certificate from her physician attesting as to her ability to perform her duties.
2. Such leave shall commence wherever possible at a time corresponding with the beginning of the year, the beginning of the semester, or a vacation period, provided that up to that time the member of the unit can in the opinion of her physician and the Superintendent, perform her duties.

3. Maternity leave may be extended by agreement of the Superintendent and the member of the unit involved. This leave may be extended by agreement of the Superintendent in order that members of the unit who obtain maternity leave under this section, will return from this leave at the beginning of a semester or after a school vacation period. Substitutes will normally be employed on a semester basis to fill such maternity leaves.

4. The member of the unit should notify the Superintendent in writing by June 1 in the calendar year in which her maternity leave expires, of her intention to return in September or her intention to retire from the school system.