“Manage Information, Programs, and Resources,” Administering Appropriately: A Handbook for CES Leaders and Teachers (2003), 24–26
“Manage Information, Programs, and Resources,” Administering Appropriately, 24–26
Manage Information, Programs, and Resources
As leaders in the Church Educational System manage information, programs, and resources, they help to meet the needs and bless the lives of individual students, families, priesthood leaders, and other CES leaders and teachers.
Effective management is the wise use of means to accomplish a desired end. Leaders manage information, programs, and resources to help meet needs. Ultimately, all management efforts in CES should result in blessing the lives of individual students, families, priesthood leaders, or other CES leaders and teachers.
Managing Information
Leaders and teachers effectively manage information when they gather, organize, analyze, communicate, and use information to make wise decisions. Information is usually managed through reports, records, and other correspondence.1
Part of gathering helpful information is seeing that it is accurate and timely. The value of any information is dependent upon it being correct. Accuracy should be verified by the individual submitting the information before it is supplied to leaders.
To ensure that reports and records are organized into the most useful and uniform fashion, CES provides the format and forms for most reports and records.
Leaders and teachers analyze information to make appropriate decisions. Information may be used to analyze the following:
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Enrollment and attendance trends and projections
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Personnel placement needs and issues
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Expenditure trends and projections
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Program successes
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Acquisition, maintenance, and use of physical facilities, equipment, materials, and other resources
Once information has been gathered, organized, and analyzed, CES leaders and teachers need to communicate such information to the appropriate individuals. CES leaders should be careful to maintain appropriate confidentiality when communicating information and related decisions.
Using accurate and timely information assists leaders and teachers in making wise decisions as they strive to meet the objective of religious education. Leaders and teachers should seek direction from the Lord as they consider needs and how to provide help. It is important to remember that in CES enrollment reports, every number and statistic represents one of our Heavenly Father’s children. Moroni taught that after individuals were baptized, “their names were taken, that they might be remembered and nourished by the good word of God” (Moroni 6:4). Correct reports help identify those who may need special attention.
Managing CES Programs
CES programs are designed to help the Church accomplish its mission; therefore, they should be developed wisely with a long-term perspective. Capable leaders help to instill and maintain vision of a program’s potential. The Lord revealed through the Prophet Joseph Smith that “the gospel [shall] roll forth unto the ends of the earth … until it has filled the whole earth” (D&C 65:2). The Church Board of Education has directed that wherever the Church goes, CES programs will follow.
Leaders have the responsibility for effective management of all Church Educational System programs within their area of responsibility (see pp. 11–12). These programs should operate according to established policies, guidelines, and procedures. CES programs should be kept simple to understand and to administer. The primary focus of CES programs should be religious instruction.
Planning for CES programs requires continuous forecasting of needs. This is done in part by using the information collected from reports and records. Objectively forecasting needs assists priesthood and CES leaders as they seek to provide potential students with greater opportunities for quality weekday religious education. It also assists leaders in identifying needed facilities, personnel, and funding.
Managing Resources
The most important resource in the Church Educational System is people.2 Managing human resources includes striving to become Christlike leaders (see pp. 18–19), promoting professional growth (see p. 15), using councils and committees (see p. 22), making wise and timely decisions (see pp. 27–28), delegating responsibilities (see pp. 29–30), assessing teaching and administering (see pp. 31–32), providing training (see pp. 33–34), and interviewing and counseling (see pp. 36–37).
In addition to managing human resources, leaders and teachers also wisely manage other resources, such as facilities and property, equipment and supplies, curriculum, and other materials. Leaders and teachers should remember the sacred nature of tithing funds, which are the source of CES budgets and resources. President Gordon B. Hinckley reflected: “I keep on the credenza behind my desk a widow’s mite … as a … constant reminder, of the sanctity of the funds with which we have to deal. … They are to be used with care and discretion for the purposes of the Lord” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1996, 69; or Ensign, Nov. 1996, 50). Tithing funds are allocated to CES by the Church Board of Education to strengthen those who participate in CES programs.
To better utilize and manage the resources of the Church, CES works in cooperation with other Church organizations. For example, CES leaders are encouraged to pursue the joint use of facilities and properties between CES and other Church organizations. CES leaders are appointed as building agents for the facilities associated with the CES programs they supervise. Building agents work with local Facilities Management Groups and other CES leaders to oversee cleaning, landscaping, utilities, maintenance, and repair of buildings and to determine related budgetary needs. The Facilities Management Department of the Church provides and maintains CES facilities at a level of quality approved by CES. The Facilities Management Department schedules projects to minimize the disruption of CES programs.
CES facilities provide a place where the Saints can be nurtured with the word of God and participate in other wholesome activities. These facilities are to be properly cared for.3 President Gordon B. Hinckley taught: “Wherever one of our buildings is found, it ought to say to those who pass, ‘The people who worship here are people who believe in cleanliness, order, beauty, and respectability’” (in Conference Report, Sept.–Oct. 1995, 74; or Ensign, Nov. 1995, 54). Leaders and teachers demonstrate, by precept and example, appreciation and respect for dedicated facilities and properties.
In addition, leaders should know and actively employ principles of safety in the workplace. They should also be aware of appropriate responses in cases of emergencies (see Emergency Response Guide (2000). Safety and emergency response training is provided through local CES leaders.4
CES provides a variety of equipment and supplies. Equipment should be used for the approved intent, treated with care, and serviced regularly. Supplies should be adequately stocked and kept up-to-date.
The Church Educational System provides curriculum and other teaching materials to assist teachers. Leaders encourage teachers to fully utilize approved materials.