D11 board sets guardrails for employee handbook, creates staff engagement group

The Colorado Springs School District 11 Board of Education and district staff met in a Jan. work session to set the scope and ground rules for a new employee handbook and for an "employee engagement group" that will help draft it.

Superintendent Goff said the district has circulated applications for the employee engagement group and expects the first meeting the week after applications close. "The number 1 way to student achievement is access to high quality instruction," Goff said, framing the handbook effort as part of supporting staff who deliver instruction.

The board and staff spent most of the session defining the group's role. Facilitator Thomas Takari described the engagement group as advisory: "the group at the end of the day is not a decision making authority," he said, and any handbook the group drafts will come back to the board for formal adoption. Director (Dr.) Julie Nelson pressed for specific language about scope and settled the board on calling the group a provider of "feedback and input." "Feedback and input... the group being existing to provide feedback and input," Nelson said.

Board members and staff also addressed worry among employees about…