Welcome!

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Why We Are All Here

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SPPS MISSION:

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Inspire students to think critically, pursue their dreams and change the world.

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SPPS Guiding Values

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ACHIEVEMENT: Fostering academic success by taking action to increase student achievement through challenging and collaborative learning.

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COMMUNICATION: Engaging with sincerity and honesty by using language that can be understood by all.

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CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT: Pursuing excellence by identifying and strengthening what is working well and being flexible to change what is not.

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Our Guiding Values

COLLABORATION: Working together in a respectful manner that values and honors families, staff, students and the community.

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ACCOUNTABILITY: Holding ourselves to high standards for the outcomes of student achievement and operational, instructional and fiscal performance.

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INCLUSIVE CULTURE: Embracing each individual’s culture, race, ethnicity, ability and identity.

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Learning Targets

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• Purpose
• Overview of Professional Responsibilities
• Respectful Workplace
• Attendance
• Due Process/Third Party Billing
• Mandated Reporting
• Board Policies

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Purpose

• Important review of basic expectations and professional responsibilities.

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• Review information that’s not found in a job description.

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• Board policies, this video review and the staff handbook all provide the District’s overall standards and knowledge of how we want staff to behave and conduct themselves.

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• This is a general publication prepared for employees, many of whom are represented by various unions. For information regarding to terms and conditions of employment, please refer to the applicable union labor agreement.

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Staff Handbook

• KNOW YOUR SCHOOL’S HANDBOOK! You are responsible for reading and understanding the information detailed in the Employee Handbook.
• Provides a summary of guidelines, expectations, and provisions for employment with the district, and unique to the school you serve.

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Professional

Responsibilities

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Respectful Workplace

Everyone in the Saint Paul Public School District has a right

to feel respected and safe. Our policies prohibiting

discrimination, harassment and violence are intended to

maintain a respectful learning and work environment that

is free of discrimination, harassment and violence based

on a person’s race, creed, sex, marital status, national

origin, age, color, religion, ancestry, status with respect to

public assistance, familial status, sexual or affectional

orientation, gender identity and expression, or disability.

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District Policy Statement

Our Vision for a Respectful Workplace

• Supported by professional words, deeds and actions.
• Characterized by professional language and communication.
• Characterized by a respect for individual differences, beliefs and boundaries.
• Characterized by the ability to positively adapt to the evolving workplace dynamics (people, technology, processes).
• Inclusive to ALL!

Respectful Workplace - Key Considerations

• What professional purpose does my language serve?
• Does the chosen language help business operations?
• Would I be comfortable using this language around the person I respect the most (Superior, Mentor, etc.)? Could someone be offended?
• Is the language appropriate for students or parents to hear?
• Know your audience.
• What are the boundaries of the relationship?
• How is it received in the short-term and long-term?
• Could it be perceived as disparaging against a protected class status?
• Sarcasm doesn’t translate as humor to everyone. Could the sarcasm be perceived as condescending or insulting?
• Keep in mind intent versus impact.

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Respectful Workplace - Key Considerations

• Location, Location, Location!
• Hold private/difficult discussions in private
• Prepare/manage emotions/be empathetic
• When in doubt, leave it out!
• Don’t say it, don’t write it.
• Don’t display it, don’t wear it.

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Cultivating a Respectful Work Culture

• Keep humor neutral and professional while at work, representing work, or on a work-related activity.
• When frustrated, take a break and revisit potentially tense situations when you are calm.
• Respect personal space and boundaries.
• Do not make sexual jokes or innuendos no matter how comfortable you feel with others.
• Act in a professional manner you can be proud of, which is inclusive and respectful to all.

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Make Each Day Count

Staff attendance is directly related to the academic outcomes of the students. Not only does it affect the academic achievement of students, but it also affects the culture, climate and overall productivity. When you are absent, it puts undue stress on your team and your students.

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Attendance Expectations

• Supervisors should monitor their employees’ attendance on a regular basis and address unsatisfactory attendance in a timely and consistent manner.

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• When an employee has been previously coached and counseled regarding their unsatisfactory attendance and continue to be out, their attendance will be assessed to determine further disciplinary action.

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Attendance Reminders

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• Report to work and be at your assigned area and ready to work on time.
• Follow your school’s call-in procedure whenever you are going to be late or absent.
• Request personal leave in advance as outlined in your labor agreement.
• Licensed staff:
• Work 15 minutes before and after the beginning and end of the school day.
• AESOP
• Leave can only be used for related absences.

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Due Process

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• Special Education teachers are expected to work with their case team, the Office of Specialized Services (OSS), and the building principal to ensure each child’s needs are met and their legally-required services are provided.

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• SPPS provides special education and related services according to state and federal laws.

Due Process

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• Comply with due process law and provide basic services as outlined in student IEP’s.
• Maintain compliance and complete the necessary paperwork while adhering to the timelines listed in the IEP.
• Ensure all components of the IEP are fully completed and updated before the document is finalized.
• Ensure a District Representative is present at all IEP meetings.
• Complete the necessary progress reports for each student on your caseload.
• Routinely update contact logs for each student on your caseload.
• Utilize paperwork days to complete due process as outlined in your contract.
• Use OSS resources found at: spps.org/specialed
• OSS routinely completes due process audits.

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Third Party Billing

• Comply with 3^rd party billing requirements.
• EdPlan is the legal record of services.
• Maintain accurate and up-to-date third party billing records and be in compliance with your caseload within one week of the services provided to the students.
• If applicable, bill transportation services for assigned students.
• Office of Specialized Services does routine 3^rd party billing audits.

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Mandated Reporting

• All staff at SPPS
• Teachers
• Paraprofessionals
• Administrators
• SPPS Volunteers
• SPPS Contractors

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What Do I Report?

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Physical Abuse: Includes any physical, threatened, or mental injury inflicted on a child by a person responsible for the care of the child, other than by accidental means. Physical abuse in a school setting includes the use of corporal punishment or prohibited procedures.

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Sexual Abuse: Includes any act of criminal sexual contact by a person responsible for the child’s care or by a person in a position of authority over the child. Sexual abuse also includes threatened sexual abuse.

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Source: Minnesota Department of Education

What Do I Report?

Neglect: Is the failure to provide a child with necessary food, shelter, clothing or medical care; the failure to protect a child from conditions or actions that seriously endanger the child’s physical or mental health when reasonably able to do so; and the failure to provide appropriate care and supervision after considering the child’s age, mental ability, physical condition, environment, and length of absence of the caregiver.

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Source: Minnesota Department of Education

Where & How to Report

• Minnesota Department of Education (MDE)
• Online – Reporting forms and additional information are available on MDE’s website: http://education.state.mn.us > Select School Support > Student Maltreatment.
• County Social Service Agencies
• MN Department of Human Services
• Police

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All reports of abuse or neglect should be submitted to the agency responsible for investigating the report as soon as possible no later than 24 hours. Please work with your Supervisor or an Administrator on how to fill out the appropriate form. You must notify your Supervisor when a report has been made.

Board Policies

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Understanding Board Policies

• As an employee, you are responsible for:
• reading and familiarizing yourself with the policies
• following the BOE policies
• Administration will enforce these policies.
• Violations of policy may result in discipline, training, or other forms of corrective action.
• Board Policies

Key Staff/Employment Related Policies

• This policy prohibits violence and harassment based on a protected classes.
• Report violations using 415 Form.
• Report Discrimination, harassment, violence, other offensive behavior, bullying, & retaliation.
• Retaliation against anyone who makes a report or who is a witness is prohibited.

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• This policy addresses the inequities some students, including intersex, transgender, and gender nonconforming students, confront as they navigate a system designed using a gender binary model.

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• This policy confronts the institutional racism that results in predictably lower academic achievement for students of color than for their white peers. Eliminating our district’s institutional racism will increase achievement, including on-time graduation, for all students, while narrowing the gaps between the highest- and lowest-performing students.

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Racial Equity (101.00)

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Harassment, Violence & Other Offensive Behavior (415.00)

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Gender Inclusion (500.00)

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Key Staff/Employment Related Policies

• This policy strives to maintain a safe and healthful environment for employees and students by prohibiting the use of alcohol, toxic substances and controlled substances without a physician’s prescription during the work day regardless of location.
• Paraphernalia associated with controlled substances is prohibited.
• The Testing policies are to provide authority so that SPPS may require employees to submit to a drug and alcohol testing.

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• This policy address professional and personal use of social media by District employees
• Employees may not use social media for personal use during work time.
• Employees must maintain the highest standards of professionalism and ethical conduct.
• Refrain from sharing confidential information on social media about students, parents or staff.
• Consider whether you would want your principal, students or parents to see what you are posting, before you post it. If in doubt, don’t post it.

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Drug-Free Workplace (413.00)

Drug & Alcohol Testing (415.00 & 416.00)

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Social Media

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Key Staff/Employment Related Policies

• All students must have a signed District authorized Media Release form on file with the school permitting the use of their photo in school or District-related media.

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• This policy, and accompanying guidelines & forms, outlines the proper use of technology resources.
• Do not use technology resources to engage in any illegal act or violate any local, state, or federal statute or law.
• Use of email or District networks for commercial, profit-making, political campaign purposes, or illegal activities is forbidden.
• A search of the individual’s system content and use will be conducted if school authorities have a reasonable suspicion that the search will uncover a violation of law or school district policy.
• Employees shall not use non-district owned electronic devices in any way that would violate any other District policies, including those regarding data privacy, copyright, plagiarism, acceptable use, or bullying and harassment.
• Maintain the security of the District technology resources – do not download inappropriate or unauthorized materials.
• Use of a personal email account for parent or student communication and official district business is not authorized.

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Media Release

Information Technology Usage and Safety Policy (520.00)

PeopleSoft Policy Acknowledgement

• Includes all the previously mentioned policies PLUS:
• COVID-19 Workplace Manual
• Nepotism Policy (Added 1/1/21)
• Expectation for all employees to acknowledge understanding and compliance to policies.
• Initial rollout Fall 2020
• New employees
• Acknowledgement Statement

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Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

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• Job Stress
• Depression
• Parent/Child Issues
• Relationships
• Estate Planning/Wills
• Divorce

Sand Creek

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Phone: 651-430-3383

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www.sandcreekeap.com

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www.mylifeexpert.com

Register with Company Code STPSCHOOLS and access a variety of resources, including “Marketplace” discounts.

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Find out more at: https://www.spps.org/benefits