West Warwick - Article 26 Part-Time Positions and Job Sharing

ARTICLE 26 - PART-TIME POSITIONS AND JOB SHARING

West Warwick School District

Section 1. Part-Time Positions:

(a) The Committee and the Alliance agree that positions within the bargaining unit are full-time positions. However, it is agreed that, upon occasion, as a result of a particularly high pupil ratio, there may exist the need to create, on a temporary basis, a part-time position in a particular grade level or subject area within the school system. The Committee agrees to consult the Alliance whenever it wishes to institute such a position.

(b) There shall be no more than one (1) part-time position in any particular grade level or subject area within the school system.

(c) Teachers serving in part-time positions shall be considered members of bargaining unit and, as such, shall be entitled to all benefits and rights that are inherent in this Agreement that are granted to teachers serving in full-time positions. However, with regard to Articles 15, 37, 38 and 39, such teachers shall receive only the proportional credit/compensation contained therein.

(d) Teachers serving in part-time positions shall receive only a proportional credit/compensation toward the benefits specified in Article 11 but shall have the right to reimburse the School Department in the proper and remaining proportional amount to secure the full benefits of any or all of the insurance groups/plans provided therein.

(e) Unless mutually agreed by the Superintendent and the Alliance President to the contrary, teachers serving in part-time positions at the secondary level shall be scheduled consecutive teaching periods in the instructional rotation either at the beginning or at the end of said rotation and with a proportionally lengthened preparation period scheduled to run consecutively with the teaching periods.

(f) There will be no part-time positions created to accomplish staff reductions.

(g) Teachers serving in part-time positions shall have the same amount of payroll deduction as specified in Article 13 for union dues or agency fees as teachers serving in full-time positions.

(h) A teacher serving in a part-time position shall accrue West Warwick tenure at the same rate as teacher serving in full-time positions. A full-time tenured teacher who transfers to a part-time position or a teacher who has been suspended/terminated/laid-off pursuant to Article 22 shall not have forfeited his/her accrued tenure in the West Warwick School Department.

Section 2. Job Sharing General Provisions:

(a) In the event that two (2) full-time employees wish to share one (1) of their positions or another position (e.g. extracurricular advisor, athletic coach, ramp-up coordinator, etc.) they must submit a joint written Job Sharing Proposal to the Superintendent of Schools. The proposal shall be submitted by April 15th preceding the school year for which they wish to commence job sharing or in response to a posting pursuant to Article 7-1(a). Likewise, in the event that one (1) full-time employee wishes to share his/her position with a future employee to be hired, he/she must submit his/her written Job Sharing Proposal.

(b) The Superintendent shall meet with the teachers or teacher proposing the request to determine the working hours, teaching schedule, etc. If the Superintendent supports the request, he/she shall then make recommendations to the School Committee for its consideration of approval.

Section 3. Job Sharing Requirements:

(a) The Alliance shall be consulted on the creation of any job sharing position.

(b) The granting of any job sharing request shall be at the sole discretion of the School
Committee.

(c) Preparation time and non-teaching duties shall be assigned to the shared position in relation to other staff members in the building. However, the scheduling of said preparation time and non-teaching duties between the job sharing teachers shall be at the reasonable discretion of the principal within the parameters of this Agreement.

(d) While both teachers shall be responsible for the information discussed at faculty or other staff meetings, only one (1) teacher need attend the meetings.

(e) Both teachers shall be responsible for completing Professional Development Center (PDC)
activities as if employed on a full-time basis.

(f) The job sharing teacher with less seniority than the other shall vacate his/her original full-time position.

(g) Upon retirement, resignation, separation or voluntary transfer by either job sharing teacher (or both), the remaining teacher shall assume both portions of the job sharing position as a full- time position.

Section 4. Job Sharing Financial Considerations:

(a) Each teacher’s salary shall be prorated based on the proportion of the teaching schedule which the teacher services.

(b) The cost(s) of fringe benefits, personal days, sick days or any other leaves shall not exceed what it would have cost otherwise for said items for the more senior of the job sharing teachers in a full-time position.