New Communication Protocol for ISD 194 Staff Unveiled!

I meet monthly with a district-wide team called the Collaborative Systems Improvement Team (CSI) formerly, the Shared Leadership Team. The membership represents every building and work group across our district. Last year the team used the PLAN-DO-STUDY-ACT problem solving process to tackle the issue of low staff morale.

We studied the many possible reasons for morale issues and determined that a lack of consistent information contributed to this problem. We created an improvement theory and followed that up with an action plan. In order to implement the plan, I will be working with the leadership team to share the expectations established for all providers of information in our district.

Staff will have to do their part as well. The employee expectations below are essential in order for communication to improve in our district.

Improvement Theory: If we make communication a priority, define what it looks like in our district, and make those processes non-negotiable, then we will have a better shared vision and more informed and engaged staff members which will contribute to higher levels of morale.

Expectations for Internal Communication (District & Providers)

• Email access for all employees
• Template for all committee reports
• District-level information goes to all staff at the same time
• Time in day for information updates (scheduled) 
• Information from meetings provided to those who cannot attend
• Provide training to all staff to be successful. Differentiated training to meet needs, for example, folders by employee group in Employee Alerts.
• Regular refreshers on expectations for users 
• Supply a list of contacts for internal information and an FAQ (online training modules)
• Hard copies of important information in lounges and key areas
• Copies provided to DO - Use school messenger for important messages to staff

Norms for Employees (users) - (Expectations)

• Check email once a day*
• Respond to inquiries within 24-48 hours
• Read all newsletters
• Read building level news from principal
• Check employee alerts daily
• Attend training for email/information access
• Seek out training/information you need

*Food Service, Custodians/Maintenance will all have email.  Department heads will provide hard copy information since some employees may not have time to access email during working hours.

EML Workload Committee Shares Recommendations

Don Sinner & Lisa Snyder

Representatives of EML and district administration met throughout the spring to examine current workload conditions in our district. Their work included studying the budget of the district both with and without a successful levy and gathering information from teaching staff through surveys to determine the critical issues that need to be addressed.

Their work culminated in May (and reviewed in August) with the following five recommendations:

• Create a single-site based shared decision making committee in each school, for greater acceptance of decisions and goals and increased teacher satisfaction.
• Clearly examine and improve prep time and schedules to better meet the needs of our teachers and students.
• Explore alternative models of delivering instruction.
• Create a calendar aligned to the needs in the district.
• Clearly define the "loose and tight" expectations of the district to increase consistency.

The first and last recommendations will be furthered through discussion and planning at principals' meetings this year and reviewed by the EML Workload Committee before implementation. The following two bullets will be incorporated in the district's strategic planning process.  

• Solution-driven collaborative work groups will be formed to research best practices and forward new ideas for the stakeholders to consider.  
• These ideas may be different approaches to instructional delivery, different structures to the school day or improved schedules.

The calendar committee will incorporate this recommendation into the development of the 2013-14 calendar.

We will continue to update staff members as this work progresses.

Welcome Back!  What fun it was to visit with so many of you on the first day of school! Your enthusiasm for the year is so contagious! Thank you!

The Teaching and Learning Department is here to serve the students of the district by providing you with what you need to be successful. Just as buildings and departments created their vision and mission last year, we did the same.

During the restructuring last year, our concern was to create a system that would provide seamless service for the staff.  Curriculum, assessment, educational equity, digital learning, and DSCIT (District Service Center: Information Technology) will no longer operate as individual departments, but rather as a collaborative team under the umbrella of Teaching and Learning to more efficiently and effectively serve our staff across the district.  

Click here to view the team members that make up the 2012-13 Teaching and Learning Department.

During the last month, we had two changes:

• Stacy Wells accepted the Educational Equity position in ISD 196: Rosemount-Apple Valley- Eagan.
• Sandy Hinding (DSCIT) just accepted the position of OSX/iOS and Casper System Administrator for ISD 197: West St. Paul-Mendota Heights-Eagan. Her last day is September 14th.

Our department will definitely miss their incredible expertise and service!  We are so sad to see them go while we are also very excited for their new opportunities!  We wish them both well!!

During the summer, we hired two positions from within the district to support our teachers as trainers and coaches in the area of intervention.

• Sandy Giorgi moved from Gifted Specialist at LME and OLE to Elementary RTI Specialist serving all staff K-3.  She will work with classroom teachers to maximize strategies to develop a workable system for interventions.  Her position is the direct result of ISD 194 Local Literacy Plan for elementary. Funding for Early Intervention through Special Education supports her position. Thanks to Renae Ouillette for supporting this project!

Penny Judson moved from her position as EPIC teacher at MMS to High School Literacy Intervention Specialist serving both high schools. She will work directly with students, work with teachers offering additional instruction and time for students during the day, and provide professional development on reading and writing across the curriculum. Literacy aid supports this position.

Teaching & Learning Corner: Formative Assessment

by Emily McDonald