LETTER: Cooperation taps superior results

To the Telegram:

I was interested to see school board member, Pat Dorin’s, commentary on good school morale in the Nov. 6 Superior Telegram. He made several points that my many years in school administration caused me to agree.

I remember one district in Montana where I was superintendent that had morale problems when I took office. With board, administrator and faculty help, we turned that around. I had had an advisory council in a previous district, and we created one there. The district paid for a three half days relief for staff members elected to represent school buildings, grade levels and subject disciplines.

We, first, identified areas where effectiveness and morale could be improved, second, ways that might be done, and third, developed some reasonable changes and with board approval we implemented successfully.

The thing I had learned earlier and relearned there, is that educational staff are highly trained perceptive individuals who are willing to go that extra mile when they are part of the planning. Cooperative decision-making is the best way to gain superior results with good morale, utilizing staff member education and experience.

Bernie Hughes,

Superior

Tags: opinion, letters