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 of a school in Alaska. Administrators and staff were sent 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 , 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 and reminded of the importance of wearing their badge whenever they are at work.