Granite District Administrators & The Granite Education Association: A Working Collaboration Star Orullian, Executive Director, Granite Education Association

“No problem can be solved from the same level of consciousness that created it. We must learn to see the world anew.” -Albert Einstein Our guess is that when some of you heard that the Association would be at this meeting, you were less than enthusiastic about it. We’re hoping that our discussion today will change your minds. While we may have differences of perspective from time to time, external forces which are negative toward public education and public educators are forcing a closer alliance between the Association and school administrators. There is nothing more harmful to public education than for every problem in a school to be aired in the press. The results are seen all around us. It forces administrators and the Association alike to take actions to a new level. Example, a teacher shows a film to students which is inappropriate to the grade level. That sort of thing can and should handled by the school administrators; however, once someone “leaks” it to the press, all actions escalate and administrators are almost always forced to handle the situation under scrutiny from people who know little about the problem. WE ARE HERE TODAY IN ORDER TO TRY AND SHOW YOU THAT AS AN ASSOCIATION, WE CAN BE OF MORE HELP TO YOU IN YOUR JOB THAN YOU KNOW.

The Association’s Role: To promote the cause of quality public education and advance the profession of education; expand the rights and further the interest of education employees; and advocate human, civil, and economic rights for all. AND, protect the orderly termination PROCESS!

Common Goals of Classroom Educators and Administrators Both School Administrators and Teachers have the desire to: Provide a quality education for every child; Enhance the public’s view of our schools; Protect Public Education as the institution best able to “fulfill the promise of a democratic society….” The last bullet is taken directly from the mission statement of the National Education Association.

How Can We Best Reach Those Goals? In attaining these common goals, the differences between classroom educators and administrators are generally realized in the perspective of each entity.

TWO VIEWPOINTS Teachers want to keep themselves and their students happy; Administrators want to keep everybody happy; So what happens when someone is not happy?

THAT’S WHERE WE COME IN!

In our role as educator advocates, our goal is to uphold and improve the rights and working conditions of our members, while at the same time doing what’s best for kids. This can be a slippery slope for us.

In fact, we can help make your job easier. Our goal is NOT—contrary to popular belief—to make your lives miserable! In fact, we can help make your job easier.

THE SECRET TO SUCCESS AS AN ADMINISTRATOR? IT’S THE RELATIONSHIPS!

Five major areas of concern: Teacher-Administrator Relations Building Committee Concerns Orderly Termination Teacher-Parent Relations Non-renewals

Administrators & Teachers Again, it’s the relationships Administrators want respect; so do teachers Respect must be earned Teachers who appear to dislike kids Administrators who appear to dislike teachers

School Building Committee (SBC) Start the year off with a SBC meeting. Confer with your AR. Follow the policy. Demonstrate your willingness to listen and respond to concerns without feeling defensive (easier said than done). Encourage input from your staff. Make your SBC a truly site-based experience. You can’t imagine the puddles you can avoid by working WITH your SBC to intercept small problems before they become big problems!

Orderly Termination BE FAMILIAR WITH THE POLICY! Don’t skip steps or procedures. Have a witness in the room who takes notes for you. If the individual who is being reprimanded is a member of the Association, advise him/her to seek our counsel prior to a reprimand. All educators have the right to be represented during the Orderly Termination process. Know when to involve your Association Building Rep. (AR) and when NOT to involve him/her.

SCHOOL RELATIONSHIPS Begin your tenure at any new school by being an observer the first year. Treat educators as professionals Not, “Because I’m the boss, that’s why! Get “buy-in” before implementing new programs. Make “equity” your middle name. Use positive phrases—never sarcasm. Use your Building Committee as a “site-based” sounding board. Remember what it was like to be in the classroom, and use common sense when scheduling meetings that go over contract time! Never, never talk about one educator to another. Don’t play favorites (although this can be very difficult to execute). You don’t appreciate teachers who are sarcastic with kids; you should be the model

Teacher-Parent Relationships Attempt to always refer a parent to a teacher as the first step in conflict resolution. Get both sides of every story. In meetings, never allow abusive behavior on either side (and that also means toward you). Let your faculty members know that you support them. This makes it easier when problems occur. However, if the parent is irate or abusive, keeping that parent away from a teacher can demonstrate your supportiveness even more than passing that parent on.

Loose Lips Sink Ships: or What to say to ensure trouble! “You’re broken, and I’m here to fix you!” “I don’t care what you think! You’ll do things my way, or you’ll get your walking papers!” “Are you on medication?” or “You need to see a therapist!” “I’ve heard about you!” Many versions of, “I’m the mommy, that’s why!”

More Loose Lips “How old are you?” “Maybe you should retire.” “Are you straight?” “Are you LDS?” or “What ward are you in?”

Association Help Always advise educators that they have the right to representation. Call us if you see a potential conflict between what your school is doing (or planning to do) and the Professional Agreement.

LET US HELP! UniServ Directors: Star Orullian starleen.orullian@utea.org Nikki Peterson nikki.peterson@utea.org

The Granite Education Association Q & A The Granite Education Association