Some parents recently received a survey from the school regarding possibly adopting a uniform policy. We will not discuss our opinion on this for fear Dr. Fredisdorf will do the exact opposite because he does not like our viewpoints. We will, however, raise some questions about surveying district families in general.
We think the idea of gathering information from parents on various topics is a good one. We are, however, leery of the method the administration uses to go about gathering information.
If you look back on previous surveys the district has administered through Survey Monkey, the response rate among school families is always very low. Does the district have email addresses for every family in the school? We know that some families received the survey twice – a survey for the husband and one for the wife. Does every family get two opportunities to fill out the survey, or just certain families? Can each parent fill out the survey, or is it just one survey per family/household? What if the parents are divorced? Which parent gets to fill out the survey?
We really don’t think Survey Monkey is a comprehensive enough way to go about gathering data. Often times people shy away from online surveys for fear of it not being truly anonymous. Dr. Fredisdorf himself said at Internet Safety Night that nothing sent to the school is truly anonymous. Can people really be themselves and express their true feelings without fearing retribution to their children?
Is the survey response rate reflective of the entire school community or just the 60 or so families that usually take the time to fill it out?
What other methodologies have been researched in an effort to gather data? We are curious to know if there is a better, more comprehensive way of gathering input from each school family rather than continuing to use Survey Monkey.
We feel this is something the district should look into, but they won't.
If Dr. Fredisdorf and the school board really valued your opinions, they would find a better way to hear from you.
Finally, it is rather interesting that this survey even came about. Over the past several years, parents have come before the board requesting the school community be surveyed on various topics and it is NEVER done. Dr. Fredisdorf picks and choses who he will and won't accommodate.
If he really valued input from the school community, why didn't he survey families on their opinions before he implemented the new standards based grading system?
Monday, October 18, 2010
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Ha! Survey parents before implementing the new standards based learning system!?! What a joke. Most parents did not know anything about this change until our children came home and told us about it (obviously after the fact). Just last week I received a four page letter from one of the middle school teachers explaining the process. We had been in school for seven weeks before I heard anything and it came from a teacher – not the school board or communication committee. While I appreciate the four page letter, I am perplexed at how this major change came about without prior communication.
The new grading system which I understand is going to be implemented across the entire school as early as next year, is a joke. But to me, the interesting thing is that P'dale is a school that prides itself on testing and scores. The reality is that the kids in the 'pilot' classrooms are doing worse under the new system which will be a lot to explain when test scores begin to drop in the coming years.
Subjective grading is all this is and then you put teachers in a very precarious and unfair situation. The teachers I have spoken to hate this system but are afraid to spek up for fear of retribution by the administration.
Chalk it up to another head in sand move by Mark and Co. One of these days, he will wake up and realize that parents pay his salary.
I think if they really wanted EVERYONES opinions they would of sent something home in the Friday packet. Oh wait we dont get the Friday packet anymore!! I think if they actually sent home surveys in paper form they may get more response. And like you said why did some familes get two surveys? Because the school has both parents email addresses? ANd what about the familes that don't use email communication, did they get a paper survey or were they just not important enough to give there opinions? Just sayin!!!
I also wanted to say how I feel about uniforms. I have a child in the elementary school and I do not see a need for uniforms there. However there may be a need for them at the middle school. Personally I feel that if we wanted our children in uniforms they wouldn't be going to Pleasantdale.
Are you gonna do a story on the three kids that got kicked out of school yesterday?
Just wait until your child gets to the Middle School! It becomes very obvious who the "haves" and the "haves not" are. The children that show up in the designer clothes, shoes, etc. verses those that may not be able to afford $150boots for their 12 year old. Not to mention how often teachers need to ask children to change into their gym clothes (as their clothing is inappropriate - shorts too short or shirt to revealing)!
I dont think that uniforms are going to make the shorts too short or skirts too reveling problem go away. I have seen the way girls alter there school uniforms! As for the boots and such thats not going to go away with uniforms either. Kids will always know who has stuff and who doesn't no matter what we make them wear. If we think that putting our kids in uniforms will make our kids nicer to each other and not tease kids, I think this is the wrong way to go about it! Not that I think our good old school board is actually going to anything about it anyway!!!
I'm not a fan of the Survey Monkey surveys. Not a fan of school uniforms. Not a fan of the new grading system. Pleasantdale needs a better way to communicate with parents BEFORE a new system is put in place -- I never saw any type of correspondence asking MY opinion about the new grading system and yet, now we have one in place that doesn't seem to make any sense to the parents I've talked to (and we're all educated people). Is the school talking to these parents too? Or just a certain group?
I heard that there is another meeting scheduled for Wednesday (11/3) at the middle school - to discuss standards based learning. Could someone please confirm this - and the time??? Tx!
It certainly would be nice if this information can be found on the school's website, but it never is. To find anything there is like looking for a needle in a haystack. Good luck with that! Maybe you can call the school and ask.
All middle school parents are invited to attend a meeting at on Wednesday, November 3rd at 6:30 p.m. in the middle school APR regarding the standards-based pilots. There will be a brief overview of the pilots and an opportunity for parent feedback.
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