LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2004, Page 96

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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,