TASPA Fall Support Personnel Conference Topic Sessions
Monday, September 25, 2006
Topic Sessions I 9:45-10:45 a.m.
Session 1 What is Public and What is not, Confidentiality and the Public Information Act
This topic will cover what information in personnel files, student records, e-mails and other school district records is subject to the Public Information Act, and what information is considered confidential, requiring special procedures before being disclosed.
Presenter:........... Roger Hepworth, Henslee, Fowler, Hepworth & Schwartz, LLP Partner
Room: Austin
Session 2. The Intersection of Human Resources and the Business Office: Best practices for a Smooth Sailing
The presenter will share best practices that promote a collaborative environment between the Human Resources Department and the Business Office. Sample forms and procedures will be discussed and provided to participants.
Presenter:........... Rebecca Garcia, Lackland ISD Business Manager
Room: DeWitt
Session 3 NCLB update
An update on the highly qualified teacher requirements and paraprofessional requirements under No Child Left Behind. After a brief presentation, questions from participants will be answered.
Presenter:........... Cory Green, Texas Education Agency (TEA) Senior Director, NCLB Program Coordination
Room: DeZavala
Session 4 Critical Issues in Educator Credentialing
This session will focus on issues related to assignment of school personnel, language proficiency requirements for all certification applicants, changes in requirements for issuance of Probationary Certificates, payment of certification fees, new application procedures for Educational Aides, and customer service and training initiatives
Presenter:........... Mary Charley, Texas Education Agency (TEA) Director of Field Services for Educator Certification and Standards
Room: Dovers
Session 5 Investigations and Fingerprinting a TEA Perspective
This session will provide information and insight into the investigations and fingerprinting process for educators and applicants for teacher credentials, from a TEA perspective.
Presenter:........... Doug Phillips, Texas Education Agency (TEA) Director of Investigations/Fingerprinting
Room: Phoenix North
Session 6 How to Handle Conflict and Live to Tell About It!!
It's a take down, shake em' up, hair pulling confrontation!" From ringside to the mediation table, learn methods of working with conflict in a positive way. In an interactive session, participants will learn about various personalities and strategies to handle each of them. Be prepared to share and practice positive communication skills and have fun doing it.
Presenter:........... Dr. Lezley Lewis, Lewisville ISD Certification Administrator
Room: Robertson
Session 7 Becoming a "Best Place to Work": How One Education Association Made the List
Becoming a "Best Place to Work": How One Education Association Made the List. Becoming an employer of choice doesn't always take money, but it does take time, creativity, management commitment, and a willingness to do what's right by employees. Come find out how one large education nonprofit association put these assets to work to become one of the Best Small and Medium Size Companies to Work for in the Nation, as named by the Great Places to Work Institute and the Society for Human Resource Management.
Presenter:........... Nancy Cotton, TASB Associate Executive Director
Room: Capital 4th Floor
Session 8 Assisting With Retirement Preparation
The session will focus on Pre-Retirement Seminars available to school personnel. These seminars are scheduled and conducted in collaboration with school districts and with the TRS. Typically scheduled for three hours, the events include comprehensive information about steps to retirement from as much as three to five years before actual retirement. Seminar participation is at no cost to the school districts or participants. This session will also provide information for district HR personnel to use with prospective retirees.
Presenter:........... Aubrey Cherry, Texas Retired Teachers Association President
Room: Boardroom (5th Floor)
Topic Sessions II 10:50-11:50 a.m.
Session 9 Discrimination in the Workplace
This topic will discuss a number of different types of discrimination that can be the basis of legal action against the school. The most common types will be discussed, including what employees are covered and the elements of a cause of action. All the major areas of discrimination will be discussed, including age, sex, national origin, race, etc.
Presenter:........... Roger Hepworth, Henslee, Fowler, Hepworth & Schwartz, LLP Partner
Room: Austin
Session 10 The Intersection of Human Resources and the Business Office: Best practices for a Smooth Sailing
The presenter will share best practices that promote a collaborative environment between the Human Resources Department and the Business Office. Sample forms and procedures will be discussed and provided to participants.
Presenter:........... Rebecca Garcia, Lackland ISD Business Manager
Room: DeWitt
Session 11 NCLB update
An update on the highly qualified teacher requirements and paraprofessional requirements under No Child Left Behind. After a brief presentation, questions from participants will be answered.
Presenter:........... Cory Green, Texas Education Agency (TEA) Senior Director, NCLB Program Coordination
Room: DeZavala
Session 12 Critical Issues in Educator Credentialing
This session will focus on issues related to assignment of school personnel, language proficiency requirements for all certification applicants, changes in requirements for issuance of Probationary Certificates, payment of certification fees, new application procedures for Educational Aides, and customer service and training initiatives
Presenter:........... Mary Charley, Texas Education Agency (TEA) Director of Field Services for Educator Certification and Standards
Room: Dovers
Session 13 Investigations and Fingerprinting a TEA Perspective
This session will provide information and insight into the investigations and fingerprinting process for educators and applicants for teacher credentials, from a TEA perspective.
Presenter:........... Doug Phillips, Texas Education Agency (TEA) Director of Investigations/Fingerprinting
Room: Phoenix North
Session 14 How to Handle Conflict and Live to Tell About It!!
It's a take down, shake em' up, hair pulling confrontation!" From ringside to the mediation table, learn methods of working with conflict in a positive way. In an interactive session, participants will learn about various personalities and strategies to handle each of them. Be prepared to share and practice positive communication skills and have fun doing it.
Presenter:........... Dr. Lezley Lewis, Lewisville ISD Certification Administrator
Room: Robertson
Session 15 Working with the Media in a Crisis
From major student or staff misconduct to accidents and tragedies, the media is sure to be there. Learn how to handle the media in a crisis from four school communication officers who will discuss various scenarios that have occurred and how these school districts worked with the media. Hear how to work with your communication officers during a crisis or learn what do when your district doesn’t have that position and YOU are the person assigned to work with the media.
Presenter:........... Celina Bley, Del Valle ISD Director of Communications and Community Relations, Julie Crimmins, Hays CISD Chief Information Officer, Kair Hutchinson, Comal ISD Communications Director and Randy Reese, Pflugerville ISD Assistant Superintendent and Communications and Operations.
Room: Capital 4th Floor
Session 16 Assisting With Retirement Preparation
The session will focus on Pre-Retirement Seminars available to school personnel. These seminars are scheduled and conducted in collaboration with school districts and with the TRS. Typically scheduled for three hours, the events include comprehensive information about steps to retirement from as much as three to five years before actual retirement. Seminar participation is at no cost to the school districts or participants. This session will also provide information for district HR personnel to use with prospective retirees.
Presenter:........... Aubrey Cherry, Texas Retired Teachers Association President
Room: Boardroom (5th Floor)
Topic Sessions III 1:30-2:30 p.m.
Session 17 What is Public and What is not, Confidentiality and the Public Information Act
This topic will cover what information in personnel files, student records, e-mails and other school district records is subject to the Public Information Act, and what information is considered confidential, requiring special procedures before being disclosed.
Presenter:........... Roger Hepworth, Henslee, Fowler, Hepworth & Schwartz, LLP Partner
Room: Austin
Session 18 Commissioner's Rules on Creditable Years of Service
This session will address the state laws, rules, and practices on how years of service are considered for salary increment purposes as mandated by the Commissioner's Rules on Creditable Years of Service. In addition, this session will discuss the new changes concerning teachers aides' additional years of service as well as the new requirements concerning international teaching experience. This session will discuss the newly adopted pay raise for classroom teachers, full-time librarians, full-time counselors, and full-time nurses.
Presenter:........... Joseph Mezher, Texas Education Agency (TEA) Program Director
Room: DeWitt
Session 19 Managing Personnel Records
This session will address new developments and present strategies for managing school district personnel records to ensure that information is accurate, current, and readily accessible. Questions that will be answered during this session include the following: What must be kept in personnel files? Where should the information be kept? How does the Public Information Act relate to personnel records? What documents are confidential and how long do we keep this record?”
Presenter:........... April Mabry, TASB Senior HR Consultant
Room: DeZavala
Session 20 Document retention, destruction, and handling of electronic mail
This session will address the importance of document retention and disposal for school districts in the electronic age.
Presenter:........... Pablo Escamilla, Escamilla & Poneck, Inc Attorney and Shareholder
Room: Dovers
Session 21 Relationship Strategies
Participants will identify four communication styles and how to use these styles to best influence the behavior of others. The key is to use the platinum rule of treating people the way "they" want to be treated rather than the golden rule of treating people the way "you" would like to be treated.
Presenter:........... Randy Christal, Texas State Comptroller Staff Development Specialist
Room: Phoenix North
Session 22 The Platinum Rule: A Valuable Tool for Working with People
We all know the Golden Rule, but do you know about the Platinum Rule? Come to this session and learn some skills that will help you work with people different from yourself, from your spouse to the parents of the children we serve. Understanding differences and diversity will help you be more successful in your interactions with others, and will help you maximize the benefits those differences bring to your work, family, and other groups.
Presenter:........... Yvette Gale Scott, Texas Association of School Boards (TASB) Division Director, Communication and Marketing Services
Room: Robertson
Session 23 Working with the Media in a Crisis
From major student or staff misconduct to accidents and tragedies, the media is sure to be there. Learn how to handle the media in a crisis from four school communication officers who will discuss various scenarios that have occurred and how these school districts worked with the media. Hear how to work with your communication officers during a crisis or learn what do when your district doesn’t have that position and YOU are the person assigned to work with the media.
Presenter:........... Celina Bley, Del Valle ISD Director of Communications and Community Relations, Julie Crimmins, Hays CISD Chief Information Officer, Kair Hutchinson, Comal ISD Communications Director and Randy Reese, Pflugerville ISD Assistant Superintendent and Communications and Operations.
Room: Capital 4th Floor
Session 24 Reservists Employment and Reemployment Rights
The presenter will outline the rights and responsibilities of the Guardsman and Reservist when required to train or deploy with his military service. We use case situations to simplify the more complex areas of Title 38 of the US Code, Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights. The presenter will focus on known teaching issues.
Presenter:........... Gary Walston, Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve Program Manager
Room: Boardroom (5th Floor)
Topic Sessions IV 2:40-3:40 p.m.
Session 25 Discrimination in the Workplace
This topic will discuss a number of different types of discrimination that can be the basis of legal action against the school. The most common types will be discussed, including what employees are covered and the elements of a cause of action. All the major areas of discrimination will be discussed, including age, sex, national origin, race, etc.
Presenter:........... Roger Hepworth, Henslee, Fowler, Hepworth & Schwartz, LLP Partner
Room: Austin
Session 26 Commissioner's Rules on Creditable Years of Service
This session will address the state laws, rules, and practices on how years of service are considered for salary increment purposes as mandated by the Commissioner's Rules on Creditable Years of Service. In addition, this session will discuss the new changes concerning teachers aides' additional years of service as well as the new requirements concerning international teaching experience. This session will discuss the newly adopted pay raise for classroom teachers, full-time librarians, full-time counselors, and full-time nurses.
Presenter:........... Joseph Mezher, Texas Education Agency (TEA) Program Director
Room: DeWitt
Session 27 Managing Personnel Records
This session will address new developments and present strategies for managing school district personnel records to ensure that information is accurate, current, and readily accessible. Questions that will be answered during this session include the following: What must be kept in personnel files? Where should the information be kept? How does the Public Information Act relate to personnel records? What documents are confidential and how long do we keep this record?”
Presenter:........... April Mabry, TASB Senior HR Consultant
Room: DeZavala
Session 28 Document retention, destruction, and handling of electronic mail
This session will address the importance of document retention and disposal for school districts in the electronic age.
Presenter:........... Pablo Escamilla, Escamilla & Poneck, Inc Attorney and Shareholder
Room: Dovers
Session 29 Relationship Strategies
Participants will identify four communication styles and how to use these styles to best influence the behavior of others. The key is to use the platinum rule of treating people the way "they" want to be treated rather than the golden rule of treating people the way "you" would like to be treated.
Presenter:........... Randy Christal, Texas State Comptroller Staff Development Specialist
Room: Phoenix North
Session 30 The Platinum Rule: A Valuable Tool for Working with People
We all know the Golden Rule, but do you know about the Platinum Rule? Come to this session and learn some skills that will help you work with people different from yourself, from your spouse to the parents of the children we serve. Understanding differences and diversity will help you be more successful in your interactions with others, and will help you maximize the benefits those differences bring to your work, family, and other groups.
Presenter:........... Yvette Gale Scott, Texas Association of School Boards (TASB) Division Director, Communication and Marketing Services
Room: Robertson
Session 31 Documentation for Unemployment Claims
Learn what are the best procedures and documents to have on hand to win your unemployment claims
Presenter:........... James Ezell, Texas Association of School Boards (TASB) Attorney
Room: Capital 4th Floor
Session 32 New Technology in the Human Resources Department
Every year technology provides more ways to streamline and improve the tasks in your HR department. This workshop will demonstrate how you can use on-line applications, eForms for paperless workflow, automated substitute placement technology and Highly-Qualified analyses to increase your productivity, add services for your staff - and lower your workload at the same time.
Presenter:........... Seth Gurss, AESOP/Frontline Placement Technologies Regional Account Manager and Paul Montgomery, Combined Computer Resources/WinOcular Director of Marketing
Room: Boardroom (5th Floor)