SECTION 3: EMPLOYEE EVALUATION
Evaluation of Support Staff Policy GDO
The appropriate personnel will evaluate the performance of every employee fairly and on a periodic basis in an effort to improve the quality of all work performance. The superintendent will enforce the rules, regulations and procedures necessary for conducting an efficient, effective program of employee performance evaluation. The elements of the performance evaluation program are as follows:
- Every employee is informed of the criteria by which his/her performance is evaluated.
- Every employee has the right to be informed of his/her performance evaluation.
The development of a strong, competent support staff and the maintenance of high morale among staff members are major objectives of the board. The major duties of the board regarding support staff are to establish wage and salary policies which encourage employees to put forth their best efforts and to provide a good atmosphere in which to work. A program of continuous evaluation is necessary for the board to fulfill its duties.
The board directs the superintendent to develop and implement a program of support staff evaluation. It will be the responsibility of each supervisor to inform the employee in advance of the criteria to be used in the evaluation. The areas of evaluation for support staff include but are not limited to the following:
- Job knowledge
- Quality of work
- Dependability
- Attendance
- Work attitude
- Professional conduct
The evaluation system for support staff is designed to measure the level of performance of individual employees and to encourage continued professional development. The evaluation system will not be a contract obligation of the district or a contract right of the employee. It is not intended to create, nor will it be construed to create, an expectation or assurance of continued employment. Neither the substance nor the content of the evaluation will be subject to the grievance process.
Evaluation of Certified and Professional Staff
The district conducts professional evaluations for the purpose of assessing soundness of instructional practices and to plan for professional development. Since the district believes in a holistic approach to judging teacher competency, formal evaluation data will be used as one criterion for making employment decisions. Other criteria may include, but not be limited to, these additional performance dimensions:
- instructional consistency
- professional conduct
- rules compliance
- attendance data
- professional accomplishments
- anecdotal information
- interpersonal competence
- student performance
Evaluation Results
All certified employees, if not satisfied with the final results of their employment evaluation, can request a review by a third party of the documentation used in their performance evaluation by putting the request in writing and submitting the request to the director of personnel services within five days of receiving the results of their final evaluation.
Professional Development
The professional development opportunities cover a broad spectrum of topics with emphasis on improving curriculum and instructional strategies to address the needs of all students. Curriculum upgrades determine specific sessions that everyone must attend. Beyond the identified sessions, staff members are given the opportunity to select other sessions based on their individual professional goals. In Sumter School District, the professional development program strives to meet staff needs, as well as, ensure quality classroom instruction.
Staff training is also available for classified employees such as secretaries, custodians, cafeteria workers, paraprofessionals, maintenance workers, and bus drivers. Workshop topics vary greatly including workplace safety, bloodborne pathogens, computer skills, and other helpful topics.