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As most of you know, I occasionally schedule time to work in schools. I've had the privilege of edging fields at Anderson, installing water heaters at Gaiser, cleaning classrooms at Fort, painting bathrooms at Sacajawea, replacing door locks at Felida, and dicing vegetables at Bay. The crews have been very gracious. I always tell them to direct me like any other member of the team, and I'm pleased to say that most do! Some folks think it's a bit odd that I do these field shifts. I commit to spending time this way for two simple reasons: To build relationships and to understand the contributions that different work groups make to the organization. It's impossible to know people and their work deeply unless you roll up your sleeves and work along side them.
Here's what I've learned in the last three years: All employees are proud of their efforts and the impact they make on Vancouver Public Schools. They should be proud! Our employees embody this district's commitment to excellence. That's why this month's e-newsletter is a story of personal sacrifice, coming home, and making a difference. The two main characters (I mean that in a good way!) are electricians Craig Witt and Julio Valencia.
I recently had an opportunity to work with Craig and Julio retrofitting outside light fixtures at King Elementary. Changing light fixtures from ballast and high wattage bulbs to compact low wattage fluorescent bulbs may not sound like racy work, but it's vital stuff. Going green and saving green are important outcomes any day! Retrofitting these light fixtures at King is projected to save $300 in utility related expenses. That may not seem like a huge amount, but multiply those expenses throughout the district where we reasonably and programmatically can replace outdated or high wattage bulbs, and we've saved some serious cash. Here's the kicker: we get a rebate on the hardware installation through a program administered through the Bonneville Power Administration and Clark Public Utilities.
This retrofitting program was launched through employee initiatives. Someone had a good idea and ran with it. That kind of creative thinking and permission to take strategic risks brought Craig back to Vancouver Public Schools. Craig learned that the grass isn't always greener. He left our district for an electrician's position with another government entity. The difference in compensation was too good to pass up. After two months in his new job, he wanted to come home to his Vancouver family. The money was better, but he was less satisfied with his work.
As we were leaning against the ladder, I asked Craig what makes Vancouver so special that he would willingly take a pay cut to come back. Craig responded “It's the people I work with, like my friend Julio, who are so enthused about making a difference and we've got the freedom to act upon it.” I understood immediately; having a cause is different than having a job.
As St. Paddy's Day rapidly approaches, recognize that our success as a school district is built upon the talent and hard work of caring people, not just good fortune. The focused, dedicated, and entrepreneurial spirit of our employees across all work groups makes this district a special place. Julio and Craig get it. I'm proud of their work and their contributions to “our bottom line.”
button above. 
As most of you know, I occasionally schedule time to work in schools. I've had the privilege of edging fields at Anderson, installing water heaters at Gaiser, cleaning classrooms at Fort, painting bathrooms at Sacajawea, replacing door locks at Felida, and dicing vegetables at Bay. The crews have been very gracious. I always tell them to direct me like any other member of the team, and I'm pleased to say that most do! Some folks think it's a bit odd that I do these field shifts. I commit to spending time this way for two simple reasons: To build relationships and to understand the contributions that different work groups make to the organization. It's impossible to know people and their work deeply unless you roll up your sleeves and work along side them.