Nothing tests morale faster than a missing payment for extra hours worked. One of the biggest headaches I’ve seen over the years isn’t calculating salaries; it’s processing all the extra earnings — the payments for tutoring, department chair stipends, summer work, coaching, and those Friday night football game workers.
For years, this process was a paper chase. Staff filled out paper forms, handed them to their principal, who signed and forwarded them to the district office. If anything got lost in the shuffle or sat on someone’s desk too long, payroll never knew to expect it. I can’t tell you how many times I heard, “But I turned it in!” only to find out it never made it to payroll.
This isn’t just an inconvenience — it affects morale. When someone works extra hours and doesn’t see that payment on their next paycheck, it sends a message, even if unintentionally, that their effort wasn’t valued.
Windsor School District had the same struggle before switching to an electronic system. As Katrina Wicks, Instructional Technology Specialist, explained:
“People want to be paid on time. If they don’t get paid on time, it affects staff morale and their willingness to help with extra projects. Using electronic forms allowed us to validate approvals, keep everyone informed, and make it easy for payroll to process because everything is in one platform. Before, it was just a bunch of interoffice envelopes.”
Hallsville School District also faced the problem of forms never reaching payroll.
“Prior to going digital, our payroll department had no idea what to expect unless someone called them,” said Mary Brown, Assistant Superintendent of Finance. “Forms would sit on desks or be late getting initiated. People were told they’d get paid this month — and then they didn’t, because the paperwork never got there in time.”
Both districts saw immediate improvement after implementing a workflow automation platform. Staff, including teachers, could complete forms online, track their approval status, and know exactly when they’d be paid. Administrators could review and approve requests with a click instead of chasing paper.
This isn’t just about efficiency—it’s about creating a reliable system. Moving from paper to an online platform has several advantages:
The biggest impact isn’t just on payroll — it’s on culture. When people trust the system, they’re more willing to volunteer for those extra assignments that make schools run — tutoring after school, mentoring new teachers, coaching teams.
Digitizing extra earnings isn’t just a tech upgrade. It’s a promise to staff that their time is respected and their work will be recognized promptly. And that promise goes a long way in building a positive, collaborative workplace.
By: Jenny Delgado
CASBO Certified CBO/Consultant
Retired Assistant Superintendent, Huntington Beach City School District
Watch the full webinar featuring the Yakima School District team as they discuss implementation strategies, change management lessons, and the operational improvements they've seen since integrating Informed K12 with Skyward.