Project RESA Spotlight
A Berrien RESA Publication
Meeting Dates: March 30 and April 25, 2022
Attached, please find the latest issue of the Spotlight!
You are encouraged to share your culture questions and solutions with the Project RESA team. Contact us via email at projectresa@berrienresa.org or you can fill out a Google Form.
Meeting Minutes
The March 30 meeting was cancelled. Instead, the meeting time was used to meet with task committee groups.
April 25, 2022 Meeting:
Task Committee Updates
Positive Morale Task Committee
This group has submitted celebration ideas and suggestions. Some of those ideas have already been incorporated into the work environment, such as delivering treats to all program locations (offsite classrooms too!). As their responsibilities are complete, the task committee has dissolved.
Engagement/Wellness Task Committee
This group has met several times throughout the spring. They also hosted a series of focus groups (in-person and virtual) to answer the following questions:
- What is staff engagement?
- What does staff engagement look like?
Results from the focus group are anticipated to be shared during the next Project RESA meeting and will be shared with all staff at the start of the new school year.
Culture Guide Committee
The Culture Guide Committee is continuing to develop and release short videos to help staff learn about the district's 7 Guiding Principles. Their timeline has been adjusted to accommodate staff schedules and the time it takes to record/edit the videos.
HEARTwork 2022 Committee
The task committee met throughout the spring to develop, plan and host HEARTwork 2022 - a countywide celebration of school personnel. Nearly 900 people registered to attend from nearly every school in the county. The event was deemed a success. The group has already selected a date to host the celebration again next year; Thursday, May 4, 2023.
Communications from Impact Team:
Communications received from staff via email or online form dealing with our organization’s culture:
Upcoming Meetings
- 5-31-22-VIRTUAL
Resources
What is Project RESA?
Team Members (2021-22 Roster):
• Abbie Benfield
• Alyson Mol
• Amber Smith
• Bekki Crocker
• Beth Helm
• Chris Machiniak
• Chris Martin
• Eric Hoppstock
• Evelyn Mendoza
• Jasmine Good
• Jenna Hawkins
• Jessica McAuliffe
• John Phillips
• Karen Heath
• Katie Sheftic
• Kevin Clark
• Kimberley Shaffer
• Leanna Sysak
• Libby Wuszke
• Melanie Foster
• Melissa Hamil
• Melissa Springsteen
• Mindy Watson
• Noah Cooperider
Share your ideas! You are encouraged to share your ideas and suggestions with the Project RESA team. Contact us via email at projectresa@berrienresa.org or you can fill out a Google Form that will allow you to submit your thoughts without anyone knowing who submitted the comment. Please be assured, Berrien RESA cannot identify who submitted comments through the form.
Background: Participants from every department and building were invited to participate in the think tank (February 2017). Nearly 20 people joined the group. Committee members have agreed to serve on the committee for at least one year. An open invitation to participate will be offered to the RESA family annually.
Principles: Project RESA is founded on two overarching principles; candor, and the concept of no authority. This means that all conversations had by Project RESA members will be honest discussions. No authority means that while the group is not a decision-making entity, it will make suggestions on ways in which issues may be resolved. Those ideas will be shared with Berrien RESA’s Impact Team. It will be up to the Impact Team to make decisions for the organization.
Communication: To help keep all Berrien RESA team members informed of the topics being discussed by Project RESA, the suggestions being made to the Impact Team, and the decisions being made by the Impact Team regarding those suggestions, Project RESA will be issuing a “Spotlight” after each meeting. Spotlights will be shared via email as well as highlighted during staff meetings
Nondiscrimination Clause/Title IX
The Board of Education does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including sexual orientation or sexual identity), disability, age, religion, height, weight, marital or family status, military status, ancestry, genetic information, or any other legally protected category, (collectively, "Protected Classes"), in its programs and activities, including employment opportunities.
Title IX Coordinator/Compliance Officer and for all other concerns:
Breanna Bell, Director of Human Resources
Berrien RESA , 711 St. Joseph Avenue, Berrien Springs, MI 49103
Title IX Investigators:
Kevin Clark, Technology Services Director and Breanna Bell, Director of Human Resources
Title IX Decision Maker:
Chris Machiniak, Assistant Superintendent
Title IX Appeals:
Eric Hoppstock, Superintendent
Title IX Final Rule (Clark Hill)
For procedural information, please review Berrien RESA's Board policies.