In these days of increasing budget reductions, personnel administrators are faced with more challenges than ever. ACSA’s 2010 Personnel Institute can help administrators sort out the sometimes complicated facets to this area of education.
The 2010 Personnel Institute, “A Compass Through Uncharted Waters,” will be held Sept. 29-Oct. 1 in Berkeley. As one of the oldest professional development opportunities offered by ACSA, this workshop is designed to appeal to those in all areas of human resources as well as those who are aspiring to move into this field.
The presenters are a well-chosen mix of practitioners, consultants and attorneys. This three-day event offers interactive as well as workshop sessions that provide information on a variety of current issues that confront HR and also the opportunity to network in both the sessions and social settings.
The event program has been specially designed by the members of ACSA’s Human Resources Council and based on input from attendees of prior years. It will appeal to top level HR staff by providing excellent legal and operational topics, as well offering strands to develop the fundamental skills required for effective school personnel management and to discover resources to succeed on the job for those new to or aspiring to HR.
Tanya Krause, chair of ACSA’s Human Resources Council, said the event is especially timely, as budget cuts have led to many new administrators taking on HR duties. Sessions therefore focus on the needs of beginning HR leaders, as well as more experienced leaders.
The institute touches on a number of current issues important to personnel leaders, including Response to Intervention, Race to the Top, the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, California Standards for the Teaching Profession, credentialing and evaluation changes.
Specific sessions focus on issues such as the fiscal aspects of negotiations, understanding employee leave, Program Improvement, Worker’s Compensation and disability, Average Daily Attendance, the Brown Act, Twitter in the new age, equity, and many others. Even for experienced personnel leaders, the event provides much-needed updates on legislation and policy.
“There’s so much newness in the field, even for those of us who’ve been here a while,” Krause said.
In fact, the theme of the event, “A Compass Through Uncharted Waters,” addresses this. Educators will soon face a world led by a new governor, a new superintendent of public instruction, and new mandates from the state and federal government.
“We see a lot of change coming our way, but we’re unsure what those changes will look like,” Krause said. “We’ll have to navigate through a course we have not yet gone. We’re guiding ourselves through new territory.”
Krause said ACSA’s Personnel Institute is a great use of professional development funds, as there will be attorneys and practitioners on hand to make sense of complicated issues.
“It provides practitioners and legal opinions in a three-day workshop that’s cost effective,” Krause said. “It’s a great way for HR people to get their questions answered.”
This year, the event also offers more flexibility to attendees in the form of a day rate. Those who are unable to get away from their districts for more than a day can take advantage of a one-day strand with all the highlights.
Another highlight is the opportunities the event provides for networking. Due to the highly confidential nature of the field of human resources, these leaders are often without the support they need from colleagues.
“HR is such a private field, it’s rare to network with others. This provides a chance to dialogue and pick people’s brains about the work they do,” Krause said.
For more information or to register, click here.