TASPAHR Connection Your Hr QuarterlY Newsletter2022AUGUST TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL PERSONNEL ADMINISTRATORS
TASPA Staff, Executive Board & Committees 04 President’s Message 06 TASPA President Max Flores Calendar of Events 07 2022 TASPA Events Welcome New TASPA Members 10 New TASPA Members Meet TASPA’s District IV Representative 12 Welcome Theresa Burkhalter Employee Grievances Made Easy 14 Navigating Complaints under DGBA (LOCAL) TASPA Executive Director Bids Fairwell 18 Thank You Dr. Lolly Guerra! Diamond Sponsor Spotlight 20 Featuring Kelly Education Diamond Sponsor Spotlight 22 Featuring Frontline Education Greetings From AASPA 24 Kelly Coash Johnson, AASPA Executive Director Creating Meaningful Evalutions for Non-Insturctional Staff 26 Brandon Chandler, Gregory-Portland ISD TASPA Summer Conference Conference Recap 30 Table of Contents
4 | HR Connection Staff & Executive Board TASPA STAFF Dr. Lolly Guerra, Executive Director Jeannie Tomasek, Director of Programs & Membership Chandelle Crane, Director of Marketing & Communications TASPA EXECUTIVE BOARD Max Flores, President, Lubbock ISD Al Rodriguez, President-Elect, Elgin ISD Kimberly Rich, First Vice President, Dickinson ISD Johjania Najera, Second Vice President, Keller ISD Chris Halifax, Secretary, Abilene ISD Martha Carrasco, Immediate Past President, Canutillo ISD TASPA DISTRICT REPRESENTATIVES Brandon Chandler, District I, Gregory-Portland ISD Dr. Tyrone Sylvester, District II, Goose Creek CISD Dr. Tamey Williams-Hill, District III, Austin ISD Theresa Burkhalter, District IV, Waxahachie ISD Rick Rodriguez, District V, Lubbock ISD Craig Lahrman, District VI, Ysleta ISD TASPA LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE Sharon Fuery, District I, Southside ISD Brian Kroeger, District II, Splendora ISD Bob Mabry, District III, Liberty Hill ISD Jason Liewehr, District IV, Denton ISD Heath Simpson, District V, Frenship ISD Bobbi Russell-Garcia, District VI, Ysleta ISD TASPA Committees
Krista Marx, District III, Elgin ISD
Melissa Aguero-Ramirez, District I, Pharr-San Juan-Alamo ISD
Kris Reyes, District III, Pflugerville CISD
5 | August 2022
Barbara Ponder, District II, Barbers Hill ISD
Sue Pfleging, District III, Waco ISD
Paul Kimbrough, District V, Canyon ISD
Kelly Gabrisch, District II, Humble ISD
Jiovana Gutierrez, District VI, Ysleta ISD
Dr. Nkrumah Dixon, District II, College Station ISD
TASPA SCHOLARSHIP COMMITTEE
Dr. Loraine Marazzano, District IV, Grand Prairie ISD
Kendra Hancock, District IV, Dallas ISD
Monica James, District IV, Waxahachie ISD
Paige TeBeest, District V, Amarillo ISD
Celina Stiles, District VI, Socorro ISD
**Includes President, President-Elect & District Representatives
Staci Ashley, District V, Ector County ISD
Cyndy Pullen, District II, Columbia-Brazoria ISD
Tammy Nobles, District III, Victoria ISD
Rosa Ramos, District VI, El Paso ISD
TASPA NOMINATIONS COMMITTEE
TASPA CONFERENCE COMMITTEE
Rhonda Dillard, District V, Frenship ISD
Jose Barraza, District VI, Canutillo ISD
Kayla Vaughn, District I, Gregory-Portland
Kayla Vaughn, District I, Gregory-Portland ISD
TASPA SBEC COMMITTEE
TASPA Committees
Pamela Linton, District IV, Frisco ISD
Charity Salinas, District I, Southside ISD
President’s Message
Although this shortage caused many obstacles for Districts, we fought through it and made the necessary changes to get schools started. The collaboration and ideas we shared were important in staffing our schools this summer to allow schools to open as scheduled. It may be time for a change. Change may be tough please know that TASPA will support you and the profession during the challenging times. Your membership and collaboration with TASPA is important during this time of change and will help us succeed in the future. Together we will embrace the change.
Hello TASPA!
We are back to school for the 2022 - 2023 school year. We hope everyone is doing well and able to get some time off to rest. I am happy to see teachers, administrators, student support staff, clerical staff, auxiliary staff, and bus drivers back at school working together to provide a great learning experience for our students. TASPA would like to say THANK YOU if you were able to attend the 2022 Summer Conference. It was a busy time and we hope the time away from the office was valuable. I would like to recognize the TASPA staff for all their hard work in putting the summer conference together. Thank you Dr. Lolly Guerra, Chandelle Crane, and Jeannie Tomasek for making the Summer Conference a success. Also a big thank you to the TASPA Executive Board and District Representatives for your commitment to making the organization the best it can be. We hope to see everyone at the Winter Conference in December, it will be a great time to collaborate and learn.
6 | HR Connection
School has started and many districts are still in the process of filling vacancies. This summer the teacher workforce could not meet the high number of teachers and staff leaving the profession. Human resources professionals answered this critical shortage by getting creative and collaborating. Districts created new practices that will pioneer hiring practices in the future and with the help of universities and teacher preparation programs we will get through this tough time. It was definitely a time to work together and to share resources. These were difficult tasks that required long work days and changes to “normal” processes.
Take the time to recognize that you and your staff have pushed through one of the toughest times in education. While it is not over we are headed in the right direction.
Remember the factors causing the shortage (pay, school safety concerns, and State accountability to name a few) and continue to advocate for change in public education that will help end this critical shortage. Be a voice when it comes to this issue so that and promote the benefits that a healthy school system can provide to the students it serves.
I am wishing all my TASPA friends the best 2022-2023 school year from my new home in West Texas. I will see you soon!
Max Flores Max is the 2022 TASPA President. He is the Executive Director of Human Resources in Lubbock ISD.
7 | August 2022 Calendar of Events DATE EVENT LOCATION September 23, 2022 Certification Fundamentals Workshop Ponder ISD October 3-4, 2022 2022 TASPA Fall Support Staff Conference Kalahari Hotel, Round Rock, TX October 6, 2022 Documentation Basics Lubbock ISD October 19, 2022 Certification Fundamentals Workshop Canutillo ISD November 7-8, 2022 TASB/TASPA HR Academy and Advanced HR Academy Sheraton Austin Georgetown Hotel, Georgetown, TX December 5, 2022 2022 Personnel Law Conference Kalahari Hotel, Round Rock, TX December 5-7, 2022 2022 TASPA Winter Conference Kalahari Hotel, Round Rock, TX For more information and updates, please visit our webiste at taspa.org or call 512-494-9353. Thank you to our 2022 Conference Diamond Sponsors:
10 | HR Connection Welcome New TASPA Members New TASPA Members (May 16 - August 16) Juliann Acosta-Segarra Coordinator of Human Resources Midway ISD Ravonne Allmon-Smith Human Resource Director Venus ISD Shayla Armstrong HR/PR WintersCoordinatorISD Lynn Austin Spring Branch ISD Daniel Barrentine Director of HR Aubrey ISD Traci Bass Human Resource Specialist Carroll ISD Brandon Campbell Benefits and Leave Specialist Splendora ISD Ashley Canuteson Assistant Superintendent of HR Midway ISD Kristin Carter Human Resources Generalist Westlake Academy Veronica Castro HRS Certifciation Specialist Galena Park ISD Nate Compton HS LonePrincipalOakISD Bridget Cooper Assistant Director of HR College Station ISD Justin Cowart Assistant Superintendent Sulphur Springs ISD Alexandra Elliot BridgesDirector Academy Austin Natalie Fitzgerald Director of Human Resources Ector County ISD Christina Garza Administrative Asssitant Bryan ISD O.T. Gonzales HR AlvinAssistantISD Angela Gonzalez Chief Human Resources Officer Socorro ISD Satara Green Accounting Clerk Randolph Field ISD Kelcie Griggs HR MidwayManagerISD Joseph Guidry Assistant Superintendent of HR Judson ISD Jessica Gurrusquieta Employee Management Specialist Tyler ISD Susan Holt Executive Director of HR Kingsville ISD Jim Howard Facilities Supervisor Eagle Mountain Saginaw ISD Darla Jackson Director of Human Resources McKinney ISD Heath Jarvis Chief of Human Resources Greenville ISD Laura Jeffery Dir of Columbia-BrazoriaHR/PR ISD Tiffany Johnson Human Resources Coordinator Port Arthur ISD Adrian Karr HR Pharr-SanManagerJuan-Alamo ISD Daniel Knowles Strategic Staffing Specialist ESC Region 11 Anthony Kosub Assistant PleasantonSuperintendentISD Ryan Labay Human Resources Coordinator Katy ISD Michele Leach Chief Finance & Operations Officer Region 8 ESC Felicia Limon HR GreenvilleSpecialistISD Kelly Martin HR AlvordCoordinatorISD Bobbye McCain Executive Director for HR Pasadena ISD Julieta Melendez Program Compliance Director Canutillo ISD Dale Mitchell Chief Human Resource Officer San Marcos CISD Amber Montelongo Human Resources Coordinator - Leave Del Valle ISD Drew Montgomery Director of Human Resources Manhattan-Ogden USD 383 Kelly Moreno Clinic Manager RN Socorro ISD Darla Nolen Academy ISD Michelle Rocha Assistant Director HRS Round Rock ISD Dina Rowe HR Director - Elementary Campuses Garland ISD Noe Sauceda Teacherbuilder.ComDirector
11 | August 2022 Jessica Segura Human Resource Secretary Carroll ISD Wendy Smith Substitute Specialist Prosper ISD Ryan Steele Managing Director, Human FriscoResourcesISD Stan Stroebel Assistant Superintendent for HR Dumas ISD Josh Symank Director of Human Resources College Station ISD Margarita Thomas Leaves and Benefits Clerk Stafford MSD Megan Watts Director of Human Resources Ector County ISD Ruth Yamaguchi Assistant HR Director Pflugerville ISD
Theresa has served as a Family & Consumer Sciences textbook reviewer and TEA Technology Applications TEKS Review Committee member. She has served TASPA as a facilitator at conferences, she wrote a newsletter article about Vaccination Protocols during Covid, and has presented about Waxahachie ISD’s one year transition to a fully digital platform. During her first year in the Director of HR role, she obtained the professional Human Capital Leader certification through AASPA.
ADVICE TO THOSE NEW TO HR?
I am currently entering my 4th years as a Director of Human Resources in Waxahachie ISD and have found that I have a passion for working with and mentoring other leaders. I love the challenge that every day brings to the HR department! My advice to those new to HR coming from the education world is to give yourself time and grace because the move from educator to HR professional is a career change that challenges you to think in new and innovative ways. There is a lot to learn, but the network of HR professionals is an amazing group of people with whom to learn! I am always willing to talk through new ideas or share how I have worked through a problem with a colleague.
Waxahachie ISD is currently growing by leaps and bounds! We face the challenge of making sure that we have high quality staff fill our vacancies. Our district, like many others, faces a shortage of high quality applicants. We work closely with our principals and certification specialist to not only help fill these vacancies but to retain the high quality staff we already have.
Theresa lives with Chris, her husband Chris of 29 years, in Waxahachie, TX. They have two sons, Sam who attends the University of North Texas, and Stephen who attends junior high school in Waxahachie ISD.
HOW HAS TASPA BENEFITED YOU?
CURRENT CHALLENGES IN YOUR DISTRICT?
TASPA has been an invaluable resource to me while I grow as an HR professional. It helps so much to be a part of the robust network of other professionals in TASPA who are fantastic leaders and mentors. The conferences, newsletters, and other information help me make sure that I am staying up to date and not missing anything. I would recommend becoming active in TASPA by facilitating sessions at conference or volunteering to share information about your areas of expertise in a presentation to newsletter.
12 | HR Connection
Theresa Burkhalter is in her 26th year in education. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Home Economics Education from Texas Woman’s University and a Master of Education in Administration degree from Lamar University. She is currently working towards a Ph.D. in Education, Leadership, and Organization at Texas Woman’s University. She served as a Family and Consumer Sciences teacher for 12 years, a Technology Coach for 3 years in nearby districts. She began her administrative career in Waxahachie ISD with 5 years of service as an assistant principal, 3 years as principal of A-rated Shackelford Elementary, and is currently entering her 4th year as Director of Human Resources.
THERESA BURKHALTER TASPA DISTRICT IV REPRESENTATIVE Meet TASPA’s District IV Representative
Navigating Complaints under DGBA (LOCAL)
If you are interested in streamlining your grievance process and minimizing potential complications, consider these four takeaways when you receive a complaint:
1. CONSIDER THE ROLE OF EMPLOYEE GRIEVANCES
Employee Grievances Made Easy
14 | HR Connection
Tyler P. Ezell, Senior Associate LWithout fail, the beginning of a new school year is accompanied by a horde of difficult challenges for school administrators to navigate. Whether it be the impacts felt from a lingering statewide teacher shortage, last-minute student transfer requests, or public outrage toward the graphic novels gracing the shelves of your library, you can bet that the new year will come with a few headaches. In addition to the list of growing pains brought on with a fresh school year are employee grievances. No matter how hard we try to create an open and attentive working environment, employee complaints are inevitable. At first glance, the grievance process as outlined in your DGBA (LOCAL) is complicated and burdensome, prompting some to cringe at the thought of a formal complaint. Developing a consistent and measured approach to dealing with employee grievances contributes to a more collaborative workplace and ultimately, represents less time that you have to dedicate to handling these complaints.
School districts are not necessarily compelled to grant any and all remedies requested by an employee-complainant, but we are required to give them a platform for sharing the concerns underlying their request and appropriately respond to legitimate issues in the workplace. More often than you would expect, the school district’s offer of a Level I conference where
Too often, our kneejerk reaction to employee complaints is despair— in the apt words of Bill Murray, it invokes feelings of “human sacrifice, dogs and cats living together, mass hysteria!” In its basic form, though, the employee grievance procedures are simply opportunities for an employee to air out their concerns and for the administration to reconsider previous action taken. Plainly put, a good way to think of the administration’s role in handling employee complaints is to “stop, look, and listen.”
2. UNDERSTAND YOUR TIMELINES
3 Most DGBA (LOCAL) policies indicate that ff the Board does not make a decision regarding the complaint by the end of the next regularly scheduled meeting, the lack of a response by the Board upholds the administrative decision at Level II. the complainant feels that the administration fairly and seriously considered their complaint and requested relief will result in a decision to not appeal to the next level. Provide your employee-complainants with a legitimate platform to share their concerns, listen and thoughtfully consider the complaint, and grant appropriate requests for relief.
The Board may issue an oral or written decision at any time before the end of the next regularly scheduled meeting.3
During a subsequent scheduled meeting of the Board of Trustees. When must the Board of Trustees issue a decision of the Level III Complaint?
2 “Days” are typically defined in DGBA (LOCAL) as District business days. In calculating timelines, the day a document is filed is “day zero.” The following business day is “day one.”
15 | August 2022
When must the administration schedule a Level I Conference with the complainant? Within 10 days of receipt of the written complaint. When must the administration issue a written decision of the Level I Complaint? Within 10 days of the Level I Conference. When must the Complainant appeal to Level II? Within 10 days of receipt of the Level I decision. When must the administration schedule a Level II Conference with the complainant? Within 10 days of receipt of the written Level II appeal. When must the administration issue a written decision of the Level II Complaint? Within 10 days of the Level II Conference. When must the Complainant appeal to Level III? Within 10 days of receipt of the Level II decision. When must the Board of Trustees schedule the Level III Conference?
It is critical that you docket applicable timelines for scheduling conferences, issuing written decisions, and the complainant’s right to appeal the decision. Generally1, your District’s DGBA (LOCAL) will provide the following periods for scheduling responses and conferences: Action Action
When must a grievant file his/her written complaint? Within 15 days2 of the date the individual knew, or with reasonable diligence should have known, of the decision or action giving rise to the complaint or grievance.
1 These are the most common grievance timelines, but please consult your DGBA (LOCAL) policy to confirm.
• Only permit complaints to be filed through submission of standard written complaint intake forms for each of Levels I/II/III.
We realize that employee complaints can be a daunting part of school business—it can disrupt an otherwise harmonious workplace environment and demands time and resources that could be utilized elsewhere. When it comes to employee complaints, adopting the recommendations we’ve shared here can significantly reduce the burden on your administrators and increase the chances of a shortened grievance process.
• Permit the Complainant to be accompanied by a representative of their choice.
The best practice is to implement a consistent approach in handling all aspects of the grievance process. Consider adopting the following practices:
• Listen to the Complainant present their grievance; do not argue with the Complainant on the facts or merits of their grievance.
4. ISSUING A DECISION—FINISH STRONG!
Do not issue a decision immediately after the Conference—waiting until the end of the allotted period implies that the District has thoughtfully and fully considered the complaint. Additionally, this provides a prolonged “cooling off period” that might result in emotions settling before the employee considers appealing to Level II.
Ensure that the administration’s decision is consistent with prior decisions on similar issues involving other school employees. If you deny a remedy that was granted to another employee pursuant to a prior grievance under similar circumstances, it creates the appearance that the administration’s actions are “arbitrary and capricious,” opening the door for subsequent challenges.
Finally, if the remedies requested by the Complainant are impractical or impossible, consider proposing alternative remedies that might appease the Complainant. It is often worth compromising with some type of remedy at Level I if it means that the Complainant decides against appealing the decision to Level II.
One of the major pitfalls associated with processing employee complaints is procedural inconsistency. Too often I get reports that “the Level I administrator went rogue and openly argued with the Complainant” or “we gave this Complainant 5 minutes to speak at her Conference although we typically provide 15 minutes for presentations.” This presents difficulties that will come back to haunt the District down the road, in some cases with the Commissioner of Education.
16 | HR Connection 3. ADOPT AND IMPLEMENT A CONSISTENT CONFERENCE STRATEGY
• Maintain an audio recording of the Conference.
• Remain professional at all times during the Conference.
• If necessary, ask questions only to seek additional information or clarification.
www.edlaw.com | (800) 488-9045 | information@edlaw.com We represent school districts, period. No superintendent searches No lobbying No representation on the other side We make school law.
Dear Fellow TASPA members, As I complete my final month as full-time executive director of TASPA, there is only one thing left to say – thank you! Many times, the leader of an organization is credited for the organization’s accomplishments, but I know that TASPA has succeeded the last few years because of its loyal members. It is the hard work, dedication, and teamwork of Board members that have allowed TASPA to progress during the last 5 years. We survived a pandemic when many organizations essentially stopped functioning. We not only survived, TASPA did not miss a step in providing our members with quality professional development opportunities during those difficult years. In addition, with the support of the Board and TASPA members, TASPA was able to purchase and move into its new home in the Summer of 2021. I am grateful to the various TASPA presidents with whom I have served. Willie Watson, Sundie Dahlkamp, Johjania Najera, Rick Rodriguez, Martha Carrasco, and Max Flores, you have all been there when you were needed and provided just the right amount of guidance to help TASPA progress. You have been my trusted colleagues and always helped me make the right decisions on various issues and difficult situations we have faced. The co-workers I have been blessed with on this journey have been amazing. Nancy Cowley, Mary Torres, and Jeannie Tomasek have all made my job so much easier as we worked to provide TASPA’s services. Chandelle Crane, you have been here through my entire tenure. I am eternally grateful to you for all I have learned from you and your constant help and support. As I have traveled around the state to present TASPA workshops, I have always been inspired by the many HR staff members I have met who are so dedicated to providing their districts the best HR services so that students can have the best educators. Please know that your dedication does not go unnoticed, and you are making a difference. Finally, but most importantly, thank you to our incredible members. You have truly been the best part of my job! I will continue to serve TASPA on a consultant basis from September through December. I look forward to seeing you at upcoming TASPA events during those months. It has been my honor to serve this amazing organization. Thank you for your kindness and your LollySincerely,support!Guerra
TASPA
18 | HR Connection
Dr. Lolly Guerra
Executive Director Bids Farewell
As the largest education talent solutions company in the U.S., we place more than 4 million education roles across all levels of the education system. From substitute educators and paraprofessionals to tutors and school nurses, our innovative workforce solutions are designed to address all areas of your organization—when and where you need it. Through rigorous vetting and ongoing professional development, we ensure our partners always have access to superior candidates they can trust. We bring the best practices in talent engagement, cost savings, predictive supply and demand analytics, and more. We’re the experts in finding talent, so you can get back to the important—vital—work of educating our future.
Area EmailMobileDirector843.637.6702john.meekins@kellyservices.com kellyeducation.com An Equal Opportunity Employer © 2022 Kelly Services, Inc. All rights reserved CM-944
Hello, Texas educators and HR leaders, Kelly® Education believes a talented workforce is the key to facing the challenges in education. With more than 20 years of education staffing experience, Kelly Education is the trusted source in workforce solutions
• The revaluation of education. A disruption to the school system has untold ripple implications. The world now knows that education and school districts are paramount to the success of our communities. Schools are no longer simply important; they are vital to society as a whole. Let’s get back to learning. Kelly Education can help. We are one of the largest school districts in the nation. Our district has maintained a relationship with Kelly for 13 years. The Kelly Education team has provided exceptional customer service. They are flexible and continually change and adjust their program to meet our needs. They have filled nearly 2 million absences with an average fill rate of 96.6 percent.
DiamondSponsorSpotlight
John Meekins
Mobile 903.331.1449 Email bryan.mccaskill@kellyservices.com Joshua
We all know the work is never done. At Kelly Education, our goal is to understand the issues facing our schools, and to partner with districts to solve these challenges. Our research shows the pandemic has revealed three major shifts in education:
- HR Projects Director McCaskill Texas Montemayor
• Students are falling behind. Today’s students are predicted to lose as much as a year from learning, as a result of shutdowns and extended periods of remote instruction. Some students will require gap tutoring to catch up.
It’s no secret that the pandemic has changed education forever. As leaders, you were forced to rethink how to educate students almost overnight. From developing remote learning tools and instituting clean classroom protocols, to providing lunches and filling growing staff vacancies—you found creative, innovative solutions to ensure learning continued and your communities stayed safe.
• There’s an educator shortage. In Texas—and across the country—teachers are leaving their jobs, while more students are also requiring the expertise of paraprofessionals. Sourcing these roles is a burden for districts, especially as fewer people are enrolling in teaching degrees.
“ ” Bryan
Strategic Sales Manager Mobile 210.540.0023 Email joshua.montemayor@kellyservices.com
Strategic Sales Manager - North
Establishing a school culture where teachers feel they have a voice and are being listened to creates a better environment for student growth and achievement. Keep in mind this doesn’t just happen by checking off a list and saying, “Okay, we did it!” Cultivating a positive school culture is an ongoing process. Remember, teacher appreciation isn’t confined to one week — it’s important to remind your teachers they are supported year-round:
The teacher shortage isn’t anything new — and neither are the day-to-day challenges that come alongside it.
Support Teacher Wellness
While there are many ways in which you can promote teacher growth, if it’s not ongoing and continuous your teachers may not feel fully supported.
Throughout the pandemic, the notion of “normalcy” didn’t really exist. Although the dust has begun to settle and more normalized routines have returned to classrooms, the weighted impact of the last few years still lingers.
With a rise in anxiety and depression, it’s critical to support and promote mental health in your district. Prioritizing your staff’s mental health will ultimately help them avoid burnout.
This widespread issue has become even more glaring in recent years. School districts are experiencing high turnover rates — which can lead to a massive interruption of student learning.
• Provide continuous and relevant feedback
• Offer a mentor program to new teachers
Teachers who feel supported are teachers who stay Whether it’s prioritizing your staff’s mental well-being or implementing personalized professional development, combatting teacher attrition starts with supportive leadership. Districts that ensure their teachers have a voice and feel continually listened to are on track to increasing retention rates. So, take the first step in getting your employees to stay by surrounding them from all directions with consistent, year-long support.
DiamondSponsorSpotlight
Interested in more content? Check out our data-driven blog post on hire rates
Teacher Retention Strategies: Ideas to Keep Great Educators
You likely already implement parts or all of the following strategies to increase teacher retention. Below are some additional ideas and resources to supplement your efforts.
Promote growth opportunities
• Give teachers voice and choice: One of the simplest ways to both establish an atmosphere of supportive trust and implement effective professional development is to involve teachers in choosing their own PD. Rather than taking a one-size-fits-all approach, consider whether professional learning opportunities are meeting each teacher’s individual needs, providing learning that evolves over the course of a teacher’s career.
Because these struggles are so rampant and far-reaching, it’s essential to take steps, big or small, toward improving staff retention. You may be asking yourself, “But how do we get our staff to stay?” If that question makes your head spin, you can breathe easier, because we have a list of ideas. Answering the “how” will not only improve instruction and impact student achievement, but it will also help your staff feel continuously supported and heard. After all, when teachers feel respected, taken care of, and have the support of leadership, they are far more likely stay.
Cultivate a positive school culture
• Give acts of kindness — perhaps it’s snacks, supplies, or free lunch on Monday!
• Create personalized growth plans: Collaborate directly with your teachers to create a plan for their future. When you work with your educators to hear their unique needs and goals, you are not only establishing an open dialogue, you’re also building a relationship.
What would your day-to-day look like if you could make inefficiencies a thing of the past? With only so many hours in a day, you need to be able to make the most of your time — not only for the sake of your district, but also for your own sake.
Effects
FrontlineEducation.com/HCM
Struggling to recruit for open positions may lead to a heavy heart. Work-life balance might feel out of reach — an ever-increasing workload induces a feeling of walking along an endless tight rope.
Aches and pains pop up due to the physical strain of lugging around heavy piles of paper.
Endless manual data entry induces soreness in fingers and hands. Thanks to late nights at the office and early mornings, administrators rarely get the recommended 8 hours of sleep — and wake up feeling like they have bags under their eyes.
Constant dull aches in the pit of your stomach are common when every season brings a fresh set of challenges.
The of Inefficiencies on School Administrators
Missing a few hairs on your head? You might be spending time pulling out your hair dealing with a temperamental printer.
There’s a better way!
Relentless compliance deadlines can induce brain fog.
Kelly Coash Johnson, AASPA Executive Director
We hope you will plan to attend the AASPA Annual Conference October 10-13 in Orlando, FL. I say without reservation that this year’s event will spotlight the best practices, innovation and creativity that has been seen this year in human capital leadership. We are planning to roll the red carpet out for all of you to have an opportunity to learn, network and have a little fun in Orlando. If you have not checked out the conference website and viewed the keynote speakers, preconference sessions, breakout sessions and yes the amazing networking events be sure to do so at: https://www.aaspaconference. com/
We were excited to release the new Human Capital Leaders in Education (HCLE) standards this year and once again Texas lead the way in Professional Human Capital Leaders in Education (pHCLE) trainings and test takers. As this program continues to grow, we can’t wait to offer more opportunities to highlight the great work of leaders like you. You can see it is a great time to get involved with your national association. We are accepting committee volunteers as well as volunteers to present, write articles and conduct webinars. You can sign up on our Get Involved Form at: https://bit.ly/3AstOha
Greetings from AASPA! I was thrilled to be asked to share a few words and updates from your national association. We have had an amazing year in 2021-2022, and continue to work towards being the leader in the education, support and advocacy for our members and the student they serve. We know that the educator shortage is a nationwide crisis, and is being felt by all of our members. As a national educational organization, AASPA has been addressing the issue on multiple fronts by dedicating resources, professional development, advocacy and data to support you. In February 2022, with the help of key advocates and friends of education, we hosted the 2022 National Educator Shortage Summit. This event was the first of its kind and brought together various partners and players to address and discover our similarities as well as our differences. As the educator shortage continues to grow, we want to start addressing it from a collective perspective by leveraging the knowledge and influence of multiple stakeholders. Organizations cannot solve the shortage alone. The results of the summit produced not only stronger partnerships and relationships with higher ed, department of education and PK-12, but also produced a white paper dedicated to five shifts we believe can be taken to move the needle. This white paper moves beyond the surface-level responses to examine deeper, systematic issues that contribute to mismatches between educator supply and demand. The five shifts can serve as a framework for not only school districts, but for organizing state-level summits on staffing shortages or helping stakeholder groups identify opportunities for collaboration. Through a common understanding of the issue, a unified vision, and focused action, the essential task of eliminating the educator shortages within our reach. I invite you to take a look for yourself and download your copy at: www.aaspa.org/national-educator-https:// shortageIn addition to addressing issues that most impact our members, AASPA has continued to add benefits and grow our professional development program. We officially endorsed three national pieces of legislation through our legislative committee and hosted our first Day on the Hill with AASPA board members. Our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion committee has been hard at work both assisting in our DEI Summit as well as DEI resources on our website.
Creating Meaningful Evaluations
Brandon Chandler, Chief HR Officer Gregory-Portland ISD
Consideration was also given for the recently adopted District Beliefs and District Culture that guides our daily practices within the District.
BSC, there are 4 Priorities of which the Human Resource team is responsible for Priority 2: High Performing and Engaged Workforce. Within Priority 2 of the BSC, there are 2 goals: annually increase the percentage of staff satisfaction; and annually increase the retention rate of highly effective faculty and staff. This created a dilemma for the HR team, because we had no true way to consistently measure what “highly effective” staff meant or looked like for anyone not appraised by T-TESS or T-PESS. My team and I considered the T-TESS rubric to be a strong model that does define what a “rock solid” or “highly effective” teacher looks like, so we used that as a general guide to create a tool that could be used with all other staff.
26 | HR Connection
One thing every supervisor must do is evaluate staff! As an HR department the question we have to ask ourselves is, “how can we support our supervisors in providing feedback to their staff and make the appraisal process more meaningful?” That is the question my team and I asked when looking at the goals of our district and how we could improve the former appraisal tools used in the District. Our Board of Trustees recently adopted a District Balanced Scorecard (BSC) that included goals. The HR Team and I looked at the goals outlined in the BSC and thought about the impact that could occur if we reshaped how we appraise and recognize staff for great Withinwork.theDistrict
Instructional Staff
When reviewing appraisals from previous years, we found that some employees are very effective at completing the tasks outlined in their job description, however struggle with soft-skills or other skills necessary to be highly effective in their roles. To truly measure “highly effective,” we needed a way to measure not only job description tasks, but also other skills necessary for an employee to be effective. We wanted to provide supervisors opportunities to coach and grow across departments – in essence, our supervisors would be speaking the same language when measuring and discussing performance of employees, regardless of the employee’s role within the District. Consideration was also given for the recently adopted District Beliefs and District Culture that guides our daily practices within the District.
When reviewing appraisals from previous years, we found that some employees are very effective at completing the tasks outlined
What we also realized is that using a rubric similar to T-TESS for nonteaching staff within the District would help align language across departments – in essence, our supervisors would be speaking the same language when measuring and discussing performance of employees, regardless of the employee’s role within the District.
Evaluations for Non-
After a few trials runs, a new appraisal template was created that eliminated the multiple appraisal forms we had. We then solicited feedback from our supervisors at all levels of the organization and asked for honest feedback. We asked them to “shoot holes” in the template and offer suggestions to improve it for their areas. Once feedback was gathered, language within the appraisal tool was refined, while keeping it broad enough to apply to all positions within the District. When the evaluation tool was finalized, supervisors were given training in a “round table” setting and provided the “why” behind the creation of a new evaluation tool. Use of the new tool began with supervisors appraising professional staff across the District and identifying areas of reinforcement (employee strengths) and areas of refinement (opportunities for development) with these employees. The second phase of use of the new evaluation tool was with our hourly employees which also identified areas of reinforcement and refinement. Once all appraisals were completed using the new tool, informal feedback was gathered from employees and supervisors. The overwhelming feedback was very positive as we have found it has opened dialogue between employees and supervisors, and also given employees opportunities to grow within their Thepositions.impact the new evaluation tool has had on the Human Resources department has been tremendous, as we no longer have multiple appraisal forms to maintain. This new tool eliminated the need to create new appraisal forms as new positions are added to the organization; and eliminated the need to annually update multiple appraisal forms as current job descriptions are updated. Most importantly to the HR team, this has created a true way for us to measure what a “highly effective” employee looks like across all departments within our District. I challenge you to consider ways you can improve your evaluation practices within your respective Districts that lead to growth and development of ALL employees. (Also, feel free to use the evaluation tool we created to help transform your appraisal process).
27 | August 2022
in their job description, however struggle with softskills or other skills necessary to be highly effective in their roles. To truly measure “highly effective,” we needed a way to measure not only job description tasks, but also other skills necessary for an employee to be effective. We wanted to provide supervisors opportunities to coach and grow employees with these soft skills not generally present within jobdescription based appraisals. Once we understood the components/areas we wanted to measure in the appraisal tool, the design process began.
TEACHERS READY TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE. Teachworthy candidates enter the classroom ready to engage, connect, and inspire student success. Powered by Flippen G roup All candidates attend Capturing Kids’ Hearts® - 1 training to learn how to build self-managing, high-performing classrooms. Contact us today! 210-874-5094 info@teachworthy.org www.teachworthy.org Self-Sustaining Grow Your Own Model High-Quality Teacher Preparation and Support Accelerated Path to B.S. Degree for AssistantsInstructional
30 | HR Connection Summer Conference Recap
Thank you to speakers, sponsors, TASPA board members, TASPA staff and TASPA members to help make this conference a huge success! We hope you will join us for again at the Kalahari for the Fall Support Staff Conference October 3-4 and Winter Conference December 5-7!
The TASPA 2022 Summer Conference was held on July 13-15 at the Kalahari Hotel & Convention Center in Round Rock, TX. The Summer Law and Summer Conferences were a huge success. We had 171 attendees for the Law Conference and 235 attend the Summer Conference.
During the Law Conference, Eichelbaum Wardell Hansen Powell & Muñoz, P.C. provided two General Sessions and 10 breakout sessions. We value our continued partnership with Eichelbaum, and we are proud of the professional development and continuing education they provide to our members.
During the TASPA Summer Conference, we were able to host three general sessions and 39 breakout sessions. We also provided opportunities for all 6 TASPA districts to hold meetings. These district meetings are critical in providing structure to our association. During these meetings, members elect their TASPA district representatives and committee members. We had over 63 speakers that included law firms: Eichelbaum Wardell Hansen Powell & Muñoz, P.C.; Walsh Gallegos, Treviño, Russo & Kyle, P.C.; J.Cruz & Associates, LLC; Escamilla & Poneck, LLP; & Law Offices of Tiger Hanner. We also had presentations from TEA, TRS, TASB HR Services, TxCEE and many others. We are especially grateful to our Diamond Sponsors: Gulf Coast Educators FCU, ESS, Frontline, iteachTEXAS, Kelly Education, and Texas Teachers of Tomorrow. Thank you to our Gold Sponsors: Edustaff, PowerSchool, Red Rover and Teachworthy. And finally our Bronze Sponsors: Swing Education, 240 Tutoring, Skyward and Upbeat. With their support, we are able to continue to serve our TASPA members.
of Substitute Program. A Different Kind Maybe it’s time for a change. Your substitute teacher program is essential to the success of your schools, staff, and students. That’s why you deserve a substitute management partner willing to do things differently. You deserve ESS. ESS is Texas’ largest education-exclusive provider of full-service substitute solutions. Contact us today to find out more about how ESS can do things differently in your schools. Fred Bentsen, Vice President of Business Development FBentsen@ESS.com | 832.244.5015 | ESS.com
