Guidelines for WNEP Nutrition Educators - Your Performance Review

November, 2009

It is hoped that the performance review experience can be a positive one, building mutual trust and enhancing personal growth and development. The process should challenge you as a nutrition educator to work up to your potential within the program's operational guidelines.

This process will:

NOTE: For Nutrition Educators who have been hired within the last year, the conversation during the Performance Review process should focus on the overall progress being made by the new Nutrition Educator, because it is likely that no goals have been set. But, it is important that the Performance Review conversation take place, even with new Educators. Goals should be agreed upon and noted for the coming year.

A Nutrition Educator has Important Roles in the Performance Review Process

Each Nutrition Educator is responsible for important contributions to his/her own Performance Review process. These include:

Celebrate Accomplishments during the past year

Look back at goals set the previous year. Review each of those goals and think about progress you have made during the year.

Success Story: All Cooperative Extension colleagues, including Nutrition Educators, are encouraged to write a Success Story each year. A Success Story is a brief description of a particularly successful or compelling educational experience or event. Cooperative Extension has some good resources about writing Success Stories. Go to:  http://www.uwex.edu/ces/techservices/prs/docs/FAQs_about_team_impact_st.doc
During some budget years, there may be funds available for additional compensation associated with merit review. In order to be considered for a possible Merit Compensation salary increase a Nutrition Educator must submit a Success Story to his/her Coordinator by January 8, 2010. (If funds are available, merit increases would take effect in July 2010.)

Ask for Feedback about your Work

All Cooperative Extension colleagues are encouraged to regularly seek input and comments from others about their work. Sometimes this practice of asking others to give feedback is called “360 Degree Feedback.” More information about 360 Feedback are available at: www.uwex.edu/ces/admin/360.pdf and http://www.uwex.edu/ces/admin/siprfeedback.htm

On-line Feedback Survey:  An on-line system with questions that pertain to nutrition educator tasks and duties is available for optional use. Follow the instructions for using the system. You will use the system to send emails to persons from whom you wish to receive feedback and they will be able to use an on-line survey form to provide anonymous ratings and comments about your work. Go to: https://www.uwex.edu/ces/apps/360review/index.cfm

Feedback from Extension office colleagues: Nutrition Educators could ask for feedback from any or all of the following: other Nutrition Educators in your county or other counties, county Department Head(s), Family Living Agent/Educator(s), and others.

Feedback from colleagues from a few partner agencies: A Nutrition Educator could ask for feedback from staff at agencies where you do a significant amount of teaching. Comments/Feedback can be designed to be quick and easy for the respondent. You may decide to ask 1 or 2 open-ended questions such as, “What is one thing that I could do to be a better teacher when I come to your site or agency?” Or, a team of Nutrition Educators in an office may decide to work together to design a short, simple form which partners could complete. See examples of questions and formats at: http://www.uwex.edu/ces/admin/siprcreating.htm
It will be wise to plan together as an office team about asking for Feedback from agency partners to avoid over-burdening particular persons with requests each year.

Teaching Observations: Another valuable and important source of Feedback for Nutrition Educators is through regular Teaching Observations. In most counties, the County Coordinator observes at least one teaching event by each Nutrition Educator every year and completes a Teaching Observation form which is found at:  http://www.uwex.edu/ces/wnep/files/obsnts98.pdf . You may also want to ask any of the following colleagues to observe your teaching: another Nutrition Educator, a state specialist, a colleague from a partner agency.

Set Goals for the Coming Year

Refer to the document entitled, “Nutrition Educators’ Tasks and Duties” at: http://www.uwex.edu/ces/wnep/train/neduties.cfm for a comprehensive detailed description of the usual components of the WNEP Nutrition Educator position.

Consider completing the “Self-Evaluation of Tasks and Duties” which is available at: http://www.uwex.edu/ces/wnep/files/selfeval.pdf

Explore Trainings or Professional Development Opportunities for the Coming Year

All Cooperative Extension colleagues are encouraged to continually develop their skills and competencies related to their positions. Links to many sources of information about trainings and professional development opportunities are available at: http://www.uwex.edu/ces/wnep/train/index.cfm

The Nutrition Educator Prepares Summary Documents for his/her Performance Review

Select either Option 1 or Option 2, described below.

OPTION 1. Use of WNEP Nutrition Educator Performance Review Form

A complete packet of information ready for the Performance Review would include:

1. The form entitled “Nutrition Educator Performance Review—Goals and Progress 2009,” [available at: http://www.uwex.edu/ces/wnep/train/index.cfm] with comments section completed by the Nutrition Educator.
2. Teaching Observation form(s) [available at: http://www.uwex.edu/ces/wnep/train/index.cfm] as completed by any colleague(s) who observed teaching activities during the year
3. Summary of 360 degree feedback received along with a brief statement about what you learned. This summary of feedback could be included as part of your comments related to the progress toward your goals, or it can be a separate document.
4. Goals for the coming year. Base your goals on the Tasks & Duties of a Nutrition Educator, feedback you have received, and projects & accomplishments started during the past year. Write your goals for the next year on the form “Nutrition Educator Performance Review—Goals and Progress 2010,” [available at: http://www.uwex.edu/ces/wnep/train/index.cfm]. You will work toward these goals during the year and look back on them at the end of the next year to assess your progress.
5. A Success Story about your work during the past year (submitted to your County Coordinator by 1/8/2010)  [Optional]
6. Ideas for training and workshops you would like to attend written on the form entitled “Professional Development Plan for WNEP Nutrition Educator” [available at: http://www.uwex.edu/ces/wnep/train/index.cfm]

OPTION 2. Use of County Self-Initiated Performance Review (SIPR) Forms and/or Procedures

This Option uses some documentation that is based on the forms and procedures that are used by all Cooperative Extension colleagues in a particular county office; other forms are specific to WNEP. A complete packet of information ready for the Performance Review would include:

1. A SIPR document prepared by the Nutrition Educator following the outline or guidelines used in their county.
2. Teaching Observation form(s) [available at: http://www.uwex.edu/ces/wnep/train/index.cfm] as completed by any colleague(s) who observed teaching activities during the year
3. Summary of 360 degree feedback you requested and received along with a brief statement about what you learned. This summary of feedback could be included as part of your SIPR summary document.
4. Goals for the coming year. Base your goals on the Tasks & Duties of a Nutrition Educator, feedback you have received, and projects & accomplishments started during the past year. Include your goals for the next year as part of the SIPR document you prepare. You will work toward these goals during the year and look back on them at the end of the next year to assess your progress.
5. A Success Story about your work during the past year (submitted to your County Coordinator by 1/8/2010)  [Optional]
6. Ideas for training and workshops you would like to attend written on the form entitled “Professional Development Plan for WNEP Nutrition Educator” [available at: http://www.uwex.edu/ces/wnep/train/index.cfm]

Performance Review Conference between Nutrition Educator & County Coordinator

Each Nutrition Educator should have a Performance Review conference or meeting with his/her County Coordinator in the fall or winter of each year.
During the Performance Review Conference, the following things are accomplished:

Submit Completed Performance Review form

The completed and signed Performance Review form or SIPR document is to be mailed to the state WNEP office by the March 15 of each year. Copies should be kept by the Nutrition Educator and the County Coordinator.
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