To assure that all of you are kept up to date on a regular basis, the three regional directors and the state Extension Administration Office provides bi-weekly Extension Updates. This forum is for all Extension announcements, so if you have something to distribute, please forward it to Lori Bates with FOR EXTENSION UPDATE noted.

February 5, 2015

On Behalf of Bill Nobles:

• Program Plan and Reporting – 2015
• Professional Development Funds Have Been Expended – Judy Barth
• Regional Meeting
• Peaks and Plains Performance Review Input for County/Area Directors
• Just in case you forgot! 2014 Performance Review – Peaks and Plains Region: Take II
• New Staff
• Retiring Staff: Words from Bruce Bosley

Program Plan and Reporting – 2015

POWs will soon be available and agents can enter their Plans to Invest (PTIs). Deadline for PTIs is March 1st and supervisors have until March 15 to approve your PTIs. As soon as one’s PTI is approved, that person can begin to report. So, no one can report now. The first reporting “deadline” is April 10.  Click here for the program calendar.

Professional Development Funds Have Been Expended – Judy Barth

As of February 6, all professional development funds for 2014-15 have been expended. Funds availability for ’15-’16 will not be known for several months (later in the state budgeting process). As soon as I know if, and how many, funds will be available, I will let you know. Please do not request professional development funds at this time.

Regional Meeting

Peaks and Plains Regional Meeting is scheduled for May 5-7 in Salida and will be held at the Hampton Inn. The official meeting will start mid-day on Tuesday, May 5 and finish mid-day on Thursday, May 7. Kurt Jones is the Planning Committee chair and committee members are Kindra Plumb, JoLynn Midcap, Amy Henschen, Sheila Kelley, Michael Fisher, Deb Lester, Robin Young and Christy Fitzpatrick. Information on the scope of the meeting and activities are forthcoming.

Peaks and Plains Performance Review Input for County/Area Directors

Click here for improvements to the forms you will be using for the 2014 year. Changes primarily give you more space to provide information. County directors will have a choice of forms to use for their review.

This year for the first time, support staff and agents will be asked to provide input on county/area directors as part of the performance review process. County/Area directors also may share this link with their commissioners and or county managers as a means for feedback on how things are going in their communities. This input will be in the form of an on-line survey. While not required, I would encourage all employees to provide input about their county/area director. Click here for the link to the form.

I would like everyone to have an opportunity to evaluate me as well by electronic survey. Information on how to do this is forthcoming and I will share more information in the near future.

Just in case you forgot! 2014 Performance Review – Peaks and Plains Region: Take II

It is that time of year for county directors to focus on performance appraisals. We want all county/area directors to be on the same page as the regional directors. I will send out a check-sheet of questions you may use and should be asking at a review. For 2014, it was expected that reports in CPRS reflect a year’s worth of work and the expectation was to report monthly which included data, demographics and narratives for 2014. Therefore, it’s time to start thinking about working on your performance appraisal document and there is no preconceived intention that CPRS will document all the work you do in a performance year. Expectations are you should have other means of documentation such as commissioner monthly or quarterly reports and so forth. I will arrange times for your respective performance reviews starting mid-February, through early April, to suit our mutual schedules. Consistency and understanding of this document is important by county and area directors. I will need all information to me and or county/area directors two weeks prior to your interview. This includes the following information:

• A copy of the core areas of performance document with yourself assessment completed. Remember to review progress toward your 2014 goals and formulate SMART goals for 2015 which is within the document. If you forgot what a SMART Goal is I have an attachment included. SMART goals are required and if they do not pass the criteria they will be sent back to you to complete!
• A list of presentations, publications authored and reviewed – your professional development plan may include this as well.
• An updated CSU job description which will need to be turned into me for review and placed in the CSU directory. I noticed quite a few which need updating.
• A copy of the PS-1 with your self-appraisal indicated.
• An employee narrative indicating challenges, successes and disappointments has been added to assist you in discussing and sharing your story.

Reviews are to be completed by April 8 with signed originals from all staff to me no later than April 24.

New Staff

Kacy Atkinson, Extension Agent (Agriculture and 4-H Youth Development), Logan County was born and raised on a commercial Angus cattle ranch in Wyoming, where she still runs cattle with her family. Kacy judged both livestock and horses in college, which took her to West Texas A&M University, where she majored in agribusiness and received a M.B.A. as well. After college, Kacy returned to the family ranch, and received her second bachelor’s degree from the University of Wyoming in agricultural communications. Kacy returned to Texas, and worked for WTAMU for the next 8 years in the Admissions Office, followed by the Residential Living Office. Kacy taught various courses part-time for 3 ½ years for the agriculture and communications departments. During that time, Kacy completed a second master’s degree in speech communications. She then moved to Colorado to work as the 4-H/Livestock Agent in Arapahoe County. Kacy briefly moved back to Wyoming to work with the Leadership, Education and Development (LEAD) program for producers in the state and now she is excited to be the newest member of the Logan County office, where she will serve as the 4-H Livestock and Agriculture Agent for the county.

Retiring Staff: Words from Bruce Bosley

I will be retiring on March 19th this year. However, I prefer to think I’m graduating on that date. My major satisfaction in my Extension career has been to see customers who have followed their curiosity by designing & implementing their own on-farm experiments & trying new research based techniques. Most rewarding, are those who share their experiences with others in building profitable and sustainable farms. These and some of their pupils have become life-long learners.

It is time in my life to focus more attention on personal goals. These include: botanical surveys of northeast Colorado Counties, family genealogy, church building, expanding my bird list, and especially spending time swapping lies with friends and family members. I intend to continue to live and serve in Colorado. People who dedicate their lives to serving others through CSU Extension are the absolute best!

Sincerely, Bruce Bosley

“Bruce will truly be missed”