Focus on TUSD - December 2007

Teamwork Triumphs
Fickett Wins National Award for Professional Development
Reesa Fickett, a TUSD professional development specialist for the District's 3,000 classified staff members, believes in collaboration. That's one of the reasons her co-workers nominated her for the national award she received this month in Dallas.

Fickett accepted the Shirley Haven's Support and Classified Staff Award at the National Staff Development Council's 2007 Conference, which was held Dec. 1-5. About 3,000 representatives from all 50 states, as well as 10 countries, attended the gathering.

"When I first found out that I won, I thought I should not be winning because I'm just doing my job, and I'm never doing enough," Fickett said when she returned from the trip "I could always do more."

Co-workers who nominated Fickett are Professional Learning coordinator Mary Stuewe and Professional Learning Specialists Judith Rogers, Gudrun Godare and Katrina Smits.

Fickett, who has held her current job since 2003, described herself as a collaborator by nature, so she seeks out other people for their help. "Everything turns out better when you're on a team," she said. "There's no way I could do my job by myself."

She is the first person to hold the classified specialist position, which supports the professional growth of education support professionals. Fickett organizes programs such as last year's Customer Service Training. She also helped develop staff and professional development courses that can be used toward a pay step increase based upon each bargaining unit's specifications, and she helps plan the annual back-to-school conference.

"When I work with one group, I feel like I'm neglecting others," Fickett said. "There's never enough time to do everything. I need to work on building capacity so other people can do what I do. And that presents its own challenges."

The seven colleagues who wrote letters recommending her for the award are convinced she's doing an exemplary job already. The letters were written by Marketing Specialist Joe Bidwell and Web Editor Cathy Thwing from Communications & Media Relations; assistant director Terri Polan from Exceptional Education; Staff Assistant Norma Cota from the Governing Board office; Cal Rushing from Engineering, Facilities & Planning; Lead Cataloger Susan Pearson from Library Services; and Financial Manager Andrea Haber from Rincon High School.

"When I read the letters, I thought they must have been talking about someone else," Fickett said. "They were so nice."

After attending sessions led by leading researchers at the conference, Fickett said she would like to co-present a "Knock Your Socks Off" session next year, a professional development presentation she helped implement for TUSD employees.

Conference participants also informally met with their counterparts from around the country, picking up ideas and explaining practices that have worked for them.

"This was a tremendous experience that I will never forget," Fickett said.

Reesa Fickett's Bio

-- By Sharon Dunham
Communications & Media Relations

TUSD - Proud Supporter of Small Classes

Photos in the December issue by Jes Ruvalcaba of Communications & Media Relations, unless otherwise noted.

The deadline to submit material for the January Focus is Friday, Jan. 11. The Focus will be published Monday, Jan. 21. Email submissions to Chyrl Hill Lander or Sharon Dunham in the Communications & Media Relations Department or use the online Tip Sheet.