The Olathe Public Schools supports job sharing opportunities as a way to meet some personal or professional needs of the staff members. Criteria have been established so that no job-sharing agreement hinders the educational services to Olathe Public Schools. Job sharing means two staff members will share one full-time position. The amount of time each staff member devotes to the job is determined by the partners, the supervisor and the district. Job sharing is not the same as two, half-time positions.

Certified Criteria:

• Job sharing partners must have both completed at least three years of teaching experience, two of which have been in the Olathe Public Schools.
• Job sharing partners should have demonstrated strong, positive professional work relationships.
• The district prefers each job sharing partner to have experience at the grade level or subject area in which they want to share.
• All job share proposals will be considered. Each proposal will provide reasons for requesting a job share, including but not limited to the following:
  • Child care needs
  • Personal medical condition
  • Special medical condition of an immediate/household family member
• Job share proposals must be reviewed for input and approved by building administrators where the job share will occur. (If more than one building is involved, department approval may be required.) Upon approval by building administrators, all job share proposals and renewals will be submitted by March 15 to Human Resources.
• The school district prefers to limit each building to one job sharing team per school year, but will consider other job share applications from the same building.
• Job share staff members are expected to attend all scheduled building staff meetings, professional development sessions, and pre-service activities, unless other arrangements are made with the building principal and included in the job share application. Job share staff members are encouraged to attend staff opportunities beyond those required. Each partner is responsible and accountable for the content presented at all of these activities and sessions. No additional compensation will be provided for such attendance. Professional development points are available for attendance at approved sessions.
• Job share staff members are expected to attend all scheduled Parent-Teacher Conference days.
• Planning time for job share staff members will be determined by the partners and building administrator. Planning time may not be equitable between the job sharing partners.
• Unless initially approved otherwise, job share staff members agree to substitute for one another on a daily basis (not long term) when possible at the established substitute daily rate of pay.
• The salary each job share staff member receives will be determined in accordance with the salary schedule and in proportion to the amount of time devoted to the position. A job share staff member will be entitled to a full year credit on the salary schedule for each year of employment with the school district. Decisions concerning supplemental positions will be made on an individual basis.
• The district shall be obligated to continue only that portion of the employment contract designated to the job share educator on an annual basis. The dates specified in reference to the continuing contract statutes shall be enforced in respect to notification of non-renewal or termination of employment by the educator.
• The district shall contribute an equivalent amount to health and dental benefit payments proportional to the employee’s FTE. Half-time employees in job share agreements shall be entitled to one-half of the full-time benefit or to the equivalency of one full-time benefit should one teacher of the arrangement choose not to participate in the benefit.
• The district and the educator agree that should either educator of the job share arrangement be unable to fulfill his/her duties and responsibilities, thus interrupting continuous service to students, the remaining educator shall provide all services regularly affiliated with a full-time employee in the same position if the district has been unable to secure other satisfactory employment arrangements. Due to the responsibility placed upon the district for educational services, in all cases, the district shall be the sole determiner of a satisfactory employment arrangement and such determination shall not be subject to grievance or contest by the employee.
• Job share participants must provide the principal and Human Resources an annual evaluation of the job share.
• In the event that an educator seeks a job share but cannot find an interested second partner, the first partner, with administrator support, may complete and submit an application to Human Resources. If Human Resources approves the application, the second half of the position may be posted INTERNALLY to consider transfer applications for current staff. If, after a two-week period, no suitable current employee surfaces, the position may be posted to consider applicants outside the district.
• Human Resources may consult with Professional Council regarding job share proposals received after March 15 and/or other extenuating circumstances on an individual basis.

For more information regarding certified job sharing, please contact Dr. Cathy Donovan, Director of Elementary HR, at 913-780-8044 or by emailing donovanc@olatheschools.org.

• Job sharing partners must have demonstrated a prior professional working relationship in the same building or other educational settings.
• The district prefers each job sharing partner have experience in the job in which they want to share.
• Job sharing proposals will be reviewed and approved by the supervisor then submitted to Human Resources for review.
• All job sharing proposals must be evaluated and re-approved on an annual basis.

For more information regarding classified job sharing, review Board of Education Policy GCF and contact Human Resources.