Zoom meetings have opened up many opportunities for attending training with no travel time or extra cost. I have attended the Washington School Personnel Association’s annual conference for the last six weeks, each Tuesday learning about legal review, training on investigations, Title IX, and hiring practices. I also attended one day of the BEST Grant Conference. BEST stands for Beginning Educators Support Team and focuses on how we can best support new educators since the first year can be a roller coaster. I attended a training on supporting special education teachers because they are often pulled in many different directions, and I am interested in how we can best support them. These training sessions have helped the BEST team be proactive in how we onboard certificated new hires, how we welcome them to the building and how we support them throughout the first two years.
I also attended a Harassment, Intimidation, and Bullying training done by OSPI with Asha Riley, who is the HIB Compliance Officer. Since HIB can also have Title IX or Civil Rights involved, it was helpful for us to get this training together. This annual required training focused on policy, procedures, and definitions; the role and function of the HIB Compliance Officer; and touched on bullying prevention and intervention best practices.
This month I worked on the Educator Equity Date Collection report for OSPI. This report shows teachers who are teaching out of endorsement so districts and school boards remain aware. Teachers who are teaching an assignment out of their endorsement can access Title II funds to help pay to add the endorsement, which shrinks the number of teachers reported out of endorsement each year. The process required by OSPI also keeps the board informed.
I spent some time this month communicating with staff and substitutes about the vaccine clinic at the high school. Staff can voluntarily add the vaccine card to their file since it can change quarantine requirements if they are exposed to COVID after being fully vaccinated. I continue to interview and process new substitutes as quickly as possible. With students back in the buildings, I am now seeing more unfilled positions. I am hoping the recent vaccine will increase the number of substitute teachers and classified staff who feel comfortable being back at work. Lastly, I continue to meet with employees for FMLA or leave as needed.