# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_2004_S96 # Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration) 96 SYNODICAL REPORTS Peter Heckmann Paul Wagner Dan Kelm Michael Welmer Richard Koehneke Richard Wilkie Steve Kosberg Steve Wipperman PALS facilitators currently active: Robert Beinke Randy Maland Keith Besel Dennis Mann Richard Boche David Miller Thomas Braun Melvin Newman Philip Bruening Ron Rall Mark Buchhop Steven Rempfer Christopher Cahill Ronald Richeson Warren Davis Mark Rosenau Alfred Ebel Alan Rosnau Charles Gierke Timothy Rynearson Jack Gillam Carl Schneider David Groth Daniel Schneider David Haara David Simonson Barry Hildebrandt Charles Spomer Thees Hoft James Troyke Peter Holm James Van Dellen Charles Houska William Weedon Bruce Jeske Ronald Weidler Dale Johnston Don Williams David Jung Lee Wisroth Philip Kaufmann Ronald Young Steven Lange Members of the committee who facilitated the PALS initiative in this triennium: Alan Borcherding Herb Mueller Roger Gallup David Peter Dan GardJudy Van Dellen Bruce Hartung Judy Voelz John Hirsch New Teacher Handbooks Desiring to support new-to-teaching teachers in our Lutheran schools, the CMGS sought and was given a generous grant from Thrivent Financial for Lutherans to develop, produce, and distrib- ute a handbook to help new teachers throughout the first crucial year of teaching. Using experienced, active Lutheran school teachers, the first edition of the Handbook for Lutheran School Teachers was sent to over 450 first-year teachers in 2001 and to about 350 teachers in 2002. The first edition was in hard copy. In 2003 the Handbook was produced in compact disc form and was distributed to about 350 new teachers. The Handbook is also available on the CMGS Web site and may be downloaded from that site. Members of the committee who developed this resource: Paul Albers Kathy Mehl Bill Cochran Denise Rice William Dunk Carol Rudsinski Bruce Hartung Elaine Sipe Jonathan Laabs Judy Voelz Coaching Principals Taking the information discovered in the Teacher 2000 survey, the CMGS sought and received a grant from Thrivent Financial for Lutherans to develop ways to assist Lutheran school principals in their work as administrators and as mentors/encouragers of mem- bers of their faculties. The coaching model used in the corporate world is being tried with principals around the United States with the coaches being active LCMS principals who have been trained by Allen Nohre from Corporate Coach U. The 12 trained princi- pals are in the process of finishing coaching 6 other coaches each for a total of 72 principals. Thus, 84 Lutheran school principals will have participated in a coaching experience by the end of 2004. 2004 Convention Workbook Teacher 2000 evaluations are being used to determine if coaching makes a difference in the satisfaction of Lutheran school teachers. Coaches serving during the triennium: Robert Cooksey Janet Profilet Larry Hoffschneider Harvey Schmit Dexter Hoyer Elizabeth Skinner Leland Huebner Annette Sonntag Mary Meyer Mark Wilt Marlys-Jean Natonick Charles Winterstein Collegial Conversations With a generous grant from Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, the CMGS is developing and will distribute a DVD and study ma- terials resource for congregations seeking to better support their workers. The DVD is intended to be used as separate sessions with Bible study materials and additional study materials to enhance the discussion of each topic. Topics included in the DVD will be spir- itual warfare, pay and benefits, time management, self care, healthy family support, vocational development, spiritual growth, bound- aries and empowering, and letting go. It is intended that this will also be able to be downloaded from the CMGS and What A Way Web sites. A target date of fall 2004 has been set. Teacher 2000 Study In the most exhaustive and comprehensive study of our LCMS teachers attempted in at least the last decade, two research projects were undertaken. The first was a qualitative study to determine through small-group conversation the fundamental issues, con- cerns, and joys that our teachers face. The second was a quantita- tive study that focused on the identification of issues impacting teachers’ satisfaction and likelihood to remain in Lutheran school teaching positions. The results of this research are available at the LCMS Web site on the CMGS site, and are well worth reading in detail. A broad dissemination of the research results has occurred and will continue. The point of any research is to identify what “is” and to help chart the course of resource utilization. Additionally, the questionnaire itself, used in the quantitative study, is of such quality that it can be used for years to come to measure trends and developments among our teachers. ‘ What contributes most to the satisfaction of our rostered teach- ets? The biggest contributors are the teacher’s relationship with her/his administrator/principal, the teacher’s relationship with other teachers, and compensation. What contributes most to the likeli- hood of a teacher to remain in a Lutheran school teaching position? The biggest contributors are compensation and the teacher’s rela- tionship with her/his administrator/principal. Thus, attention to re- lationships and to compensation will contribute mightily to the re- tention of our teachers and to their satisfaction with their vocation. What are the basic areas of skill enhancement and continuing education desired by our rostered teachers? There are three basic areas: increasing skills in counseling with children and their fami- lies, learning new teaching methods and computer application skills, and improving classroom management skills. The develop- ment of just these three skill enhancement/continuing education tracks would offer something that would fulfill a need of every teacher in our study. This research was commissioned by the CMGS and was done in collaboration with the School Ministry unit of District and Congre- gational Services and the Lutheran Education Association. This partnership continues as helpful strategies continue to be developed. Health Issues and LCMS Workers In research conducted in this triennium the CMGS sought to identify the health strengths and vulnerabilities of our workers. This research, like much of the research work conducted by the CMGS, was comprehensive and targeted. We gained specific lifestyle,