Within the context of the public school setting, students, faculty, and staff are considered a part of a very important key component to the organization. Specifically, as it relates to the interactions and overall well-being of individuals, the human resources frame is perhaps the most “hands-on” aspect of organizational institutions. As the name suggests, human resources deals with the continuing interest of employees as it relates to the organization. This covers the needs, issues, celebrations, and even problems that may arise internally.

When it comes to student needs, the foremost authority is the guidance counselor. With specialized meetings, continued check-ins, and the monitoring of grades and attendance, guidance counselors provide individualized aid. Likewise for teachers, the assistant principal and principal can be viewed in the same fashion. They are a teacher’s human resources contact point and ongoing link to policy and practice. Within this frame, on a professional level, teachers provide each other with support in teams and in professional learning communities.

In this context, students are motivated in many facets. At Thurmont Middle School, students are motivated and recognized with grades and eligibility to participate in activities like school-wide incentives and Show Choir. Further, teacher can give students Positive Referrals. Individual grade level teams recognize students for achievement by giving Character Counts! Awards, the Kiwanis Club Most Improved Student, and the Martin Luther King, Jr. Award. Further 8th graders are recognized for individual achievement at the 8th grade Awards and Recognition Assembly at the end of the year.

Teachers and staff are positively motivated to perform well due to evaluations and observations. Also, state testing and closing the achievement gap are also factors to be considered, although they do not carry the same morale as some of the positive motivations that carry teachers through the profession. Frederick County Public Schools offers an award for educators and professional staff that can be awarded by others. This First Class award is often presented at faculty meetings. The motivation for job performance also comes from feedback from administration. Weekly, our principal sends out a Panther Pride newsletter celebrating the many accomplishments and kudos that our faculty and staff have accomplished.

Teacher empowerment at TMS comes in many forms. It is through things like demonstrating and giving in-services and presentations that highlight the idea of shared decision-making. In addition, teachers find empowerment and trust—the verification of their worth as an employee and educator. Empowerment really is the continued affirmation of the effectiveness of an educator. Administrators task teachers with jobs and responsibilities because they are aware of their effectiveness and leadership. Further, it is through other school groups that teachers can seek to have a larger input. At TMS the school leadership is divided into grade level teams, the Teacher Leadership Team, and the School Improvement Team. Those many sub-groups in the school are responsible for autonomous decision-making that completes and compliments the educational program at TMS.

The level of trust and caring is largely implicit. As teachers we hold the public trust when it comes to the education of the community’s youth. To that end, every time a teacher has interaction with a parent, that teacher is representing the school overall and therefore is an envoy not only for education, but the organization and its goals as well. Our school is not only entrusted with student well-being but also with the idea of fairness. It is because of this that teachers need to give students multiple opportunities to be successful. As a result, this trust indicates caring. This trust indicates not only the possibility, but the probability of success.