Page 8 - The Edge - Spring 2021

VENDOR/BUYER CONFERENCE

BY DON HARRIS
Michelle Hamilton Lari Staples Jeff Thomason Kristin Turner Chuck Hink Michael Baer
Unprecedented Challenges Pop Up for Managers Working Remotely

Managing your workload from home creates unforeseen “The more my home desk was like
challenges, especially if you have kids or pets making
noise in the background. my work desk, the more efficient
I was.” Lari Staples, Dysart USD
In the keynote presentation at AASBO’s Vendor/Buyer
Virtual Conference on February 9, a panel of school Staples of Dysart said she keeps her family from hollering
business officials and company representatives told of at one another by giving them a heads up – that she has
their experiences, some quite humorous, and how they an important meeting from 11 to noon. “I let them know
keep things running smoothly. first thing in the morning, and then give them a five-
minute warning,” she said. “Headphones can be a life
The panel consisted of Michelle Hamilton, Mesa Public saver – they minimize background noise.”
Schools; Lari Staples, Dysart Unified School Distric;,
Jeff Thomason, Roosevelt School District; Kristin What about working in pajamas? Newscasters for years
Turner, Paloma Elementary School District; Chuck Hink, only dressed nicely from the waist up, Baer of Sunland
Pueblo Mechanical; and Michael Baer, Sunland Asphalt. Asphalt said. “Can’t stand up,” he said.
Lisa Folsom, who is with Sunland Asphalt and is the
Vendor Representative on the AASBO Board, asked the Asked how panel members are keeping their remote
panel several questions. employees engaged and supported, Staples said it’s a
different kind of support. “It’s more of emotional support,
Like a lot of people today, Hamilton makes many being a sounding board, listening to how they’re doing
online purchases for her home. To keep her dogs from personally,” Staples said. “That’s very important. Even
unnecessary barking while she’s on a business-related when we have a team meeting, first we ask how things
meeting, she puts a note on her front door telling delivery are going in a more personal way – we don’t stick to
folks not to ring the bell. “That’s the funniest thing I’ve business topics all the time.”
had to do,” she said.
Another difference involves communication. When using
Turner of Paloma Elementary has issues when she and Zoom or some other format, not everyone is included
her husband are working from home and their kids in a conversation, Staples said. “At school in the office
One day she heard her son playing the piano. “I hit the mute button we’re all in on the conversation. I learned that I was
and yelled at him, ‘You’re supposed to be in class,’” she leaving people out of conversations, not intentionally.”
said. “He said, ‘I am in class. I have myself muted.’ You can Hamilton of Mesa uses Webex Teams for video
avoid most distractions by using the mute button.” conferencing with staff members and is able to keep side
issues separate from running the office.
Hink of Pueblo Mechanical compares such distractions to
getting a flat tire. “You overcome conflicts throughout Turner said Paloma Elementary uses Google Meet for
the day,” he said. “Accept the new norm. A dog barks in their remote meetings. They even use Google when on
the background, you glance over and people at the other campus – students might be remote but staff are in their
end have the same issues.” Hink said he keeps his dog own offices or classrooms, maintaining separation. She
kenneled up in another part of the house during working recommended having two monitors, one for seeing each
hours. other and one to refer to documents as needed. “That’s
pretty essential,” she said.
Thomason of Roosevelt School District has a special
collar for his “super high-energy” dog that reminds the Baer of Sunland Asphalt said keeping staff engaged
pet to be quiet. “We’re all in same boat, all navigating, can be difficult. He emphasized the need for constant
trying to figure it out,” he said. communication, having a more personal connection.

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8 THE EDGE SPRING 2021