To: Michael Green
From: Vicky Barnes
Date: 10/24/2023
Subject: Human Resources and Safety Report
Human Resources Summary
Absences: Overall, most of our unfilled positions are classified. In an effort to help fill jobs that are currently going unfilled, I emailed active certificated substitutes to see if they were interested in adding classified to their skillset. So far, three have responded they do want it added, so I am hopeful it will help. I have processed six new substitutes and interviewed three more in the last 3 weeks. I posted the position on Facebook this week with detailed information with my contact information and have had several calls with questions. I also asked the classified substitutes if any barriers on our side kept them from taking a job. Several responded that more information about the job would be helpful, so I asked employees to upload information about their jobs to their absences so substitutes may feel more comfortable taking these jobs.
Reports: I am currently working on the SIRs report, which provides accurate salary and benefit comparisons of like positions across Washington state. I am also working on the evaluations from last year so I can report that information in the School Employee Evaluation Survey. Both of these are due in November.
Employee Meetings: I meet with employees who need to take leave due to a serious health condition or because they need to care for someone with a serious health condition. Many are using WA Paid Family Medical Leave, which pays them a percentage of their pay and allows leave up to 12 weeks. I work with Stacy Brown to ensure employees have information about how it impacts their pay. I also meet with employees who need accommodations due to a temporary or permanent disability to see if there is a change we can make in the work environment or the way a job is performed to enable an employee to continue working in their position.
Safety Summary
On October 19, 2023, at 10:19 AM, our schools participated in the Great Washington Shakeout, which is a statewide drill simulating that an earthquake has occurred. The week prior to the drill, I attended a meeting that went over the importance of drills, so staff and students have a quicker response in the case of a real earthquake, which is highlighted in this video of a school in Alaska. Administrators and staff were sent information on the drill and other ways to prepare.
Schools are required to have at least one drill a month. Drills build muscle memory in our students and our staff because in a real emergency, adrenaline kicks in, and what they “know” may not come to mind. Teachers taking the classroom backpacks, as well as the classroom packets, when there are evacuation drills increases the chances of those being grabbed in a real evacuation. All substitutes and new hires are trained on the Standard Response Protocol and reminded of the importance of wearing their badge whenever they are at work.