Hourly employees at Olathe Public Schools are seeking improvements in their pay and benefits, as the district focuses on strategies to retain its staff.
Erin Smith started her new position as a paraprofessional for the district at the beginning of the 2023-24 school year. With her passion for helping children and being a mother herself, this job felt like the perfect fit for her.
Smith expressed how rewarding it was for them to collaborate with children of different ages and learning abilities.
She decided to quit her job at the district after just six months because of the low pay.
Smith, a struggling parent, expressed her frustration about the financial burden of healthcare expenses. She shared, “After allocating a significant portion of my paycheck to cover the health benefits for my daughter and myself, it became evident that this was a necessary expense due to my health issues. However, it left me with less than $100 per week to make ends meet.”
Smith, a single mother with only one source of income and health issues, made the tough choice to leave the district.
Smith explained that she reached a point where she had depleted her savings. Despite her love for the children, she had to return to her original line of work.
Many district staff members are becoming increasingly concerned about the compensation package provided by the school district, and the departure of [Employee’s Name] brings this issue into the spotlight. In recent board meetings, numerous employees, including teachers, paraprofessionals, and support staff, have openly expressed their difficulties in coping with low wages.
Amber Grant, a paraeducator at Olathe South High School, passionately expressed the significance of their role in ensuring the smooth functioning of schools. “We are dedicated to fighting for the respect, dignity, and acknowledgment that our jobs deserve,” she emphasized.
The district staff members are increasingly embracing the idea of unionization. They believe that forming a union will empower them to advocate for improved pay and benefits through negotiations.
According to Smith, it wouldn’t come as a surprise if the classified staff requires a union to advocate for the rights of an underrepresented and underheard group. “I know the teachers have a union, so it wouldn’t surprise me that the classified staff does need some sort of a union to help fight for the rights of kind of an underrepresented or under-heard group of people, because we did do a lot,” said Smith.
The process of unionization is not without its hurdles, though. The petition for a unionization group at Olathe Public Schools is currently in need of additional signatures from hourly workers.
Superintendent Dr. Brent Yaeger responded by stating that district administrators will be conducting roundtable discussions with specific departments and their leaders in the coming months. The goal of these discussions is to listen and learn from the classified staff, with the aim of identifying actionable steps to be taken.
According to Smith, she would gladly return to the school district if there were improvements in the pay and benefits.
“It may not bring in a lot of money, but it brings immense joy and fulfillment every single day. Despite the backaches and sore feet, the satisfaction it brings is priceless. It’s a feeling that makes it all worth it at the end of the day.”
