EDUL 639 Human Resources Development!

Michael Johnson!
Standards 3F, 3H, 4F, and 6F: Employee Handbook Development/Review!

Discuss the process used to develop that document. Please select one handbook item
you believe needs to be changed and discuss the process you, as a building principal,
will use to influence the requested change. Please be sure to cite the management
theory you believe speaks to the adoption of the new/revised handbook language.!

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The uncertainty felt in the educational world across Wisconsin in 2011 when Act

10 came to be was very hard for many veteran staff members to handle. It was the
uncertainty that seemed to give educators the most stress. Teachers had felt the
comfort and protection of the union membership which had now been swept away.
What would the future look like and did they want to be apart of that future was the
thinking for many close to retirement. Many left, many great educators walked because
they didnt feel comfortable with the uncertainty as the process for building a new
agreement with teachers and other staff was taking shape.!
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It was a long process and one that looked very different across the state. Prior to

our meeting, I looked at the the WASB link provided in Moodle which made me think
that most districts, including ours, used this template of insert here and there. It made
me wonder if the goal of the WASB was to create sameness across the state in terms of
employee agreements. Sitting down at the meeting and discussing the process the
School District of La Crosse chose to follow really cleared that up.!
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First off, I really was impressed with your logic of having a good agreement with

employees prior to Act 10. It was mentioned how that agreement, contract, would be
used as the foundation to the handbook which districts had to develop. The WASB
format was something that was deemed attractive, but La Crosse didnt want some
state organization telling them how to do their business. It was continually emphasized

that the district had a good contract with its staff and having so few grievances over the
years was something that everyone wanted to continue. !
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As far as the process for bringing change to the handbook, it feels like it is very

logical and sequential to me and a process that seems approachable by district staff. It
may come in the form of a Why do we do this in this manner? or Could we include
this new item in future handbooks? Either way the process is initiated with
communication with Dr. Salerno by the staff member through email or other means.
From there, a file is established (suggestions for 20..) and around the holiday season,
those suggestions are incorporated into the new draft handbook. That draft is
presented to the leadership and cost analysis of each change would be presented. If
changes have little to no financial impact and it is a feel good thing, those changes are
often incorporated into the new final handbook. When unintended consequences come
up or other situations arise that may require a little further dialogue, the transitions team
which is comprised of individuals from all parts of district employment, they discuss, not
negotiate, proposed changes to develop solutions. Changes and agreements are then
put into a final form and the document is ready for the next step.!
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Once a draft that is deemed sufficient is complete, that document is sent to

Superintendent Nelson where he decides which parts of it should or should not be

presented to the board. The document then goes back to you, Dr. Salerno, where the
final version is prepared and presented to the school board during the first meeting in
March, which typically is informational, and the board is asked to take action during the
second meeting. It was mentioned during our meeting that the handbook is really in a

pretty solid form and that it is not the desire of the district to make many changes
annually.!
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As we discussed during our meeting, I would like to try to move towards hiring

substitute teachers that are licensed in the profession rather than people who are
untrained in the field. I would first need to understand the current realities that keep us
from being able to do this at the present time. Once realities are established, what
could be possible solutions and what directions need to be established. Skills Theory of
Leadership supports having knowledge of the profession and that knowledge makes
you an appropriate candidate to lead. I have worked hard in my career to be the best
and share with my colleagues all I have learned to do right by my students. I believe
that skilled substitute teachers make for a better experience for our students. !
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What are the financial investments that the district would have to commit to

moving in this direction? What financial commitment would be realized if the district got
to the position of hiring all licensed subs? Those are the conversations that would need
to be had with the leadership team and decisions as to the feasibility of the direction
chosen could be researched and established. !
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I wouldnt like to put all of the substitute work on the shoulders of the teaching

staff so other options, long range options are going to be needed and hopefully through
careful planning long term solutions realized. My Servant Leadership style pushes me
to solve the frustrations felt by teachers who have experienced challenging days with
unlicensed subs, but more so the need to give students a quality day at school. I would
work with universities to learn more about the troubles they face with recruiting young
people to enter into the world of education. I believe that communicating the benefits

and possibly explaining the handbook language to young people entering the college
ranks could help to bolster our graduating classes with good young talents. !
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I realize this is not a handbook issue, but with your encouragement to explore it, I

believe that this is something that if I was an administrator I would like to investigate.