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 benefits tied to the district's expiring master agreement. The master agreement is set to expire on June 30, 2025; several speakers said staff have interpreted board language to mean existing salary schedules, benefit levels and leave provisions will remain unchanged for the 2025–26 school year. Board members and staff committed to honor obligations that are already in place for employees with retirement paperwork submitted now and to treat the 2025–26 school year as the planning year for any future compensation changes. As board secretary Jason (last name not specified) summarized in the meeting, "these things are gonna be in place with no changes for 2526." The board asked staff to include a clear timeline in the handbook that explains when compensation discussions and decisions will occur so employees can plan.

On procedures for employee concerns and alleged retaliation, HR staff told the board the district is prepared to use a third-party reporting component already purchased through HR Acuity (referred to in the meeting by staff) to accept anonymous or named complaints and to allow HR to investigate and preserve confidentiality. Staff committed to draft a complaint/whistleblower protocol for the handbook and to clarify how employees may seek representation when pursuing personnel concerns.

The board provided several immediate instructions to staff: - Post the employee engagement group application and recruit broadly across the district; applications were described as due the week before the group's first meeting (date on slides and in discussion noted as "by next Friday," not specified in minutes). Staff said the first committee meeting is scheduled the week after applications are due. - Treat the engagement group as an advisory feedback body and return any draft handbook or contentious items to the board for formal action. The board reiterated that it will be the final decision maker on the handbook text. - Provide the board a short rubric and examples from other districts about typical timelines for compensation decisions and handbook review to guide the group's work. - After each engagement-group meeting, HR will provide a short written summary for the board that flags items needing board direction.

Board members requested the handbook include a clear "welcome" section with mission/vision language, a table of contents, a definitions/glossary, clearer sections on compensation and benefits (moved earlier in the draft), and specific subsections keyed to employee classifications (certified teachers, ESP/support professionals, executive/professional staff). Several board members asked that where board policy already governs a topic (for example, student discipline or harassment policies), the handbook either reference the board policy or include only a brief high-level summary with a citation rather than duplicating policy language.

Superintendent Goff and HR staff said they will collect district examples and return to the board with options; they also committed to provide regular reports from the engagement group and to post application and meeting information on the district site. Staff also said they would plan listening sessions (public town halls) and will work with the board to schedule those sessions and publicize them.

No formal motions or votes were taken during the work session. The meeting closed with staff reporting they have what they need to proceed and with board members asking staff to return with summaries and any items that require the board's further direction.