Human Resources

Employee Achievement Program

Employee Achievement Program 24-Hour Hotline: 1-877-256-9302

Because every employee is important, the Sun Prairie Area School District is vitally concerned with the health and well-being of each employee and his/her family. Should the need arise, you may want to take advantage of the Employee Achievement Program (EAP). It does not guarantee a cure-all for personal problems, but it provides a good start at resolving many of them.

What is EAP?
Simply put, it is assistance for employees. This free, voluntary program provides confidential assistance to help employees and their families resolve problems that affect their personal lives or job performance.

How Does it Work?
The request for help may be initiated by the employee or the family. Simply call the confidential 24-hour helpline and the counselor will work with you on finding the most appropriate program or agency to work with you. An appointment can be arranged or options can be explained to you about what help is available.

Who May Use EAP?
All employees of the Sun Prairie Area School District and their immediate family members may use the program. Employees are encouraged to call the confidential 24-hour helpline.

Confidentiality?
Maintenance of confidentiality, strictly followed within the specified guidelines, is one of the most important aspects of the EAP. Asserting and maintaining the confidentiality of an employee’s participation in the program is thus one of the most important responsibilities of ALL involved.

Employee Cost?
When referrals to outside resources are necessary, the employee’s regular health insurance and/or other benefits will be contacted for approval. If services that are not covered by insurance are necessary, the counselor will try to help the employee minimize the cost by making the referral to the most appropriate agency.

It is our sincere hope this program will prove to be of great benefit to the employee, his or her family and our school district. The program will help us retain, through early assistance, our most valuable resource — a healthy and productive employee.

For more information on the Employee Achievement Program, please contact the 24-hour helpline or the Human Resources Department.

One of Sun Prairie's recruitment strategies includes a program to help current non-certified staff earn their certification in hard to fill teaching areas. The district, in partnership with Edgewood College, has established a "Grow Your Own" Teacher Program to develop a diverse pipeline of teachers from the Sun Prairie School District community. The program, now in its 3rd year, has recently added three (3) additional participants, for a total of four (4) students.
 
"The Grow Your Own program helps us recruit, prepare and retain a greater number of teachers of color and male teachers interested in elementary education. The best human resources can be found within our own school community." the district's' Employee Relations Manager, Tracey Caradine says. "The district believes in the power of a diverse teaching workforce and recognizes that some of the best candidates can be found within our district."
 
Timothy Slekar, Dean of the School of Education at Edgewood College says that "Working in partnership with school districts like Sun Prairie is part of the School of Education's mission. The Grow Your Own partnership also helps Edgewood's School of Education continue to solidify its commitment to social justice and inclusion by working directly to help Sun Prairie diversify its teaching force and helping those future teachers focus on a justice model of inclusive education".
 
The program is open to non-certified, full time school district support staff who already have a Bachelor degree and is interested in earning a teaching certification in one of the district's hard to fill areas (special education, science or math); Male employee interested in teaching elementary aged students; or bilingual employees interested in teaching English Language Learning students.
 
The district provides financial assistance and mentoring by a peer advisor along the way. The student, the district and Edgewood College each pays 33% of the tuition to attend. The tuition is considered a loan from the district until the participant has become a teacher and worked in the capacity of a teacher for the district for three (3) years.
 
Current Grow Your Own participant Ronald Caito reflects on his experience, "I am thankful that the Sun Prairie School District and Edgewood College formed a partnership to provide an opportunity for expansion of diversity in the teaching population. Although my journey has been arduous at times, I have grown as a thinker and have become more reflective. The support that I've received, not only from the district but also Creekside Elementary, has been instrumental in helping me to be successful in this program."
 
Like Ronald, all of the current participants are in the 2-year Advanced Certification Elementary (ACE) program at Edgewood College. If you have questions about the Grow Your Own program please contact Human Resources at 608-834-6522.
 

Department Mission Statement
Our department, in agreement with the school board, strives for the following: The school district recruits, hires, and retains a highly qualified, diverse and culturally proficient workforce. All school district employees grow professionally to support the mission of maximizing all students' learning.            --   Policy BA-Mission and Goals

Statement of Nondiscrimination
No student may be unlawfully discriminated against in any school programs, activities or in facilities usage because of the student's sex (gender identity, gender expression and non-conformity to gender role stereotypes), color, religion, profession or demonstration of belief or non-belief, race, national origin (including limited English proficiency), ancestry, creed, pregnancy, marital or parental status, homelessness status, sexual orientation, age, or physical, mental, emotional or learning disability. (SPASD District Policy JB)

SPASD provides reasonable accommodations to a qualified applicant with a disability that will enable the individual, absent undue hardship, to have an equal opportunity to participate in the application process and to be considered for a job. Heather Gronke, Benefits Specialist, has been designated to respond to requests for disability-related accommodations in connection with the application process. Please contact her at hmgronk@sunprairieschools.org

More information about volunteering in our schools can be found here.