Staff meetings are important because they allow staff to come together to share ideas, questions, and/or concerns. They allow the Director to address good and bad issues that arise within the program. They allow staff to come together as a team to support each other in ways that could reduce stress, burnout, and turnovers.
This is the agenda for my last staff meeting:
STAFF MEETING TOPICS
1) Performance evaluations
2) Professional development plans
3) DHS licensing visit
4) Upcoming health inspection
5) Classroom cleanliness
6) Behavior/Injury reports
7) Surveys
8) Afternoon cleanup
9) Children's belongings
10) Playground rules
11) Discrimination/Prejudice
12) Requested time off
Each teacher is given this list with an attached sheet for them to list any topics they would like for me to cover. At the end of each meeting the floor is always opened for anyone to comment.
The following is the sheet that i have with my notes as to what i want to say about each topic. Having this allows me to stay on point and not get off track.
1) I will be completing performance evaluations on each staff member. Once completed, they will be discussed with each staff member, both staff and director will sign and it will be placed in the the staff members file.
2) Each staff member is required to complete a professional development plan. Even if you do not plan on continuing in this field, it still needs to be completed for whatever you plan on doing.
3) September is the month of our licensing worker is due to conduct a periodic visit. Please make sure that everything required is posted on your parent bulletin board, centers are clearly marked, changing tables are clear of debris, cots are labeled, etc...
4) Our health inspector is due at any time. Please make sure everything is in order.
5) Classrooms need to be cleaned and presentable at all times. Floors need to be kept swept and mopped and carpets need to be vacuumed. When parents walk in a classroom and see stuff all over the floor it leaves a very bad impression. Also, having too many things available is just as bad as not having enough. Materials need to be age appropriate, in proper containers, labeled, and placed in an orderly fashion on your shelves in the correct centers.
6) Please make sure injury and behavior reports are filled out at the time of incident. If time lapses, you may forget some important information that needs to be included. Also, if a child suffers an injury to the head, face, or mouth, parents are to be notified immediately.
7) Discuss teacher surveys and feedback from parent surveys.
8) Please make sure classrooms are clean at the end of the day as well as the playground. I have noticed that there seems to be cups, trash, and toys scattered all over the playground when I come in the morning. That makes us look very bad. It is not difficult to maintain the playground and if it is then we will discontinue having snack and drinks outside. Also the big trash cans need to be emptied every day. There is no reason for those trash cans to be over flowing. That can easily leads to rats and roaches, which we are not trying to deal with.
9) Please make sure that if clothes are removed from a child that they are labeled with that child's name. If washed, please put back on the child or in the child's cubby. Too many parents are complaining about their children's missing clothes. Also, children's clothes are getting bleached out. This is something that should never happen. If we are bleaching tables, chairs, and/or changing tables, we need to make sure they are completely dry before we allow a child to sit or lay on these items.
10) I have asked before that we station ourselves around the playground so that all children are visible to all staff, yet incidents continue to happen that are not witnessed by any staff. This causes a problem with parents and with me when we can not give a clear account of what happened to their child. We cannot supervise children if we are sitting and visiting. It's just not possible.
11) We all know that there are people all around us that are prejudice. Although I think that's wrong, it is certainly not my place to judge another. However when it causes you to discriminate against children, parents, and co-workers; I must say something. People should not be made to feel lower than others. Please be respectful and appreciative of the diversity we have here at Kiddie Haven in our staff, children, and parents. If there is something that is bothering you, please come to me and let's discuss it.
12) As we all know we are at our maximum capacity. That is very good but it can cause a problem should one need time off. I want to remind everyone that although I try to accomodate everyone's request, there may come a day when I will have to say no. It will work a lot better if all appointments are scheduled for the morning. It is entirely too hectic in the afternoon to allow time off. I have given each of you a list of time already requested off and days that will not be approved due to school being out.
20/20 Peggy Adams
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