Week 7 Discussion - Meeting Attendance

Meeting Attendance

Sunday, December 1, 2019, 1:49 PM

 

What do you tell her?

I think I would make an exception for the teacher. People often make mistakes with planning, and as long as this is one of the first times this has occurred with the teacher, I would be fine with her missing the staff meeting. However, if this has been a common occurrence, I would not be afraid to put my foot down and not permit her to miss without consequences.

When is it permissible to allow one of your staff to miss staff meetings?

I believe everyone deserves a freebie or two. Often times things come up that are out of a teacher’s control. Kids get sick, appointments get set for the wrong date, etc. Therefore I believe each circumstance is different and every person deserves the benefit of the doubt. Just as I would expect the same thing from my staff if I needed to miss a meeting for a personal reason.

Should teachers know the rules in advance, or will you consider these kinds of requests on a case-by-case basis?

Every situation needs to be treated as its own, therefore a case-by-case basis should be used. No one circumstance is the same. As an administrator, it is important for my staff to put their family first and feel the support of the school. Even though this is a hair appointment, there could be more going on at home that could throw off this teacher’s entire month if I require them to reschedule the appointment. Every case needs to be treated differently because every situation is different.

Will allowing this teacher to keep her hair appointment set precedent for future meetings in your building?

I do not think so because I believe it is important to be honest about these types of things with staff. This can be done at the beginning of each school year. In doing so, everyone is on the same page. I would be sure to explain to the staff that I will not let someone take advantage of the scenario. If the precedent of one missed meeting is established and allowed, the precedent is already established.

Is that sending a message that the meeting really isn't important? Or are you showing that teacher that you can be flexible and sensitive to personal needs?

I am a firm believer in being flexible with multiple situations. Meeting minutes are important in situations as noted above so the teacher does not have to feel as if they missed out on anything. Ruling in strict manner is a good way to lose the support of many staff members when it comes to personal reasons.