School Culture

Pleasantdale School District 107 School Climate Staff Insights Survey - 2014 Culture  Comments/suggestions: -- Our district seems to be focused on one aspect of our students..their achievement on standardized assessments. We have stopped looking at the whole student, and focused on scores from a weeks worth of testing. The thought that tracking students performance on these aformentioned assessments,and then making decisions based on their performance is, at times, very hurtful and counterproductive to the relationships of staff members. -- Just because I am comfortable asking a supervisor for assistance does not mean I will get resolution or timely assistance. -- I truly do not feel like I have the opportunity to bring about change because I do not have enough of a role in the decision making process. I am almost never consulted for decisions being made on a large scale level. -- Grade/content areas are 2 different teams for many employees -- While we work hard on ways to improve, what does "work hard" mean? Since there is no vision, we all have way too many spinning plates. The plates are now starting to fall into a pile of broken hopes and expectations. In many cases, the curriculum was poorly written in a way that set the expectations for students at a low level. Because there was no assessment advice/training/supervision for the teachers, there is little higher-level thinking assessed at the ES. The directive from the administration was to get it done. Little was said about quality. -- staff evaluations need to be given for administration -- Our staff is wonderful!! Very hard working, open to ideas, collaborative, student focused, positive to our students, respectful. I don't feel comfortable asking any supervisors for advise because I know more than they do in my area of Early Childhood Education! I am not even confident being evaluated by a supervisor because they do not know how an ECE classroom works. We lost Kelly Voliva because administration did not want to make her full-time. She was a fantastic advocate for ECE...knowledgeable, helpful, approachable....our new ECE supervisor has not been effective to me as a teacher at all this year. It is like we have no one to be our advocate. -- The support from our Administration and staff members is overwhelmingly positive. -- Parent involvement is important, but I believe the principle puts too much emphasis on doing what the parent wants and not what the teacher feels is best. My teams work well together there are just a few who are clueless!!! -- 1. I totally trust the grade level team that I work within making decisions that impact our students. I do not, however, feel that anyone in our school does well in teaching LA due to lack of a series. Are we meeting CCSS is a good place to start. 2. I feel totally at ease asking Matt for advice or assistance. I feel that he does everything in his power to help us. He treats us with respect as the professionals we are. I feel he does not have the "power" needed to make decisions needed to be made by a principal. This may be because of the ineffective, destructive relationships between BOE and administration OR is it between the Superintendent and the principals? -- The staff is wonderful. They have the passion to what is best for all children. Many are discouraged because more and more is asked of them and we are not compensated in our salary. We need to be paid like other districts that achieve what we achieve. -- Many staff members work as team players, although there are people that don't. I'm sure this is everywhere but I believe it is getting worse and the principal and superintendent are not addressing the issues in regard to these situation. Being a team and trusting your team is crucial in getting things done efficiently. I have tried to bring about change as far as being a team, but have been told everything is fine. Our board and superintendent are focused on being more than 100%, which is unrealistic and 99% on standardized tests is inadequate. -- While we are able to participate in discussions, our opinions are considered worthless if they differ from the hidden agenda. Decisions are not really made by consensus. They are made outside of meetings and then we meet, and if we don't go in the right direction we're told we have no consensus. This will have to be an executive decision, even when it's obvious we do have consensus. Why do we have to be at these meetings if the decisions are already made? -- I feel comfortable asking our new principal for advice/assistance. -- I know I can speak openly for the most part as I am tenured. I have seen instances with nontenured staff that that was not the case. I do not feel I had an adequate say in areas such as Marzano, 50% for work not done, discipline, etc. There are some areas where we are asked for input but it is usually on minor areas. -- I do not feel that staff have been allowed to bring about change in our departments depending on who the administrator in charge of that department has been. I feel that some believe that the staff is not capable to making an educated professional decision concerning their curricular area. Or possibly, that staff is too lazy. I have not seen this to be at all in my department/grade level. We have an incredible number of staff with Masters degrees and beyond. We are educated and continue to seek knowledge in our fields. I can and have always been able to go to fellow staff members for advice and assistance. I have seen staff bend over backwards to help others professionally and personally. That includes the secretaries at building level and the district office as well. Purchasing materials has been difficult in the past. Personal budgets and department budgets have been dwindled down so small that it is difficult to purchase curricular resources for your classroom with it. This year there seems to be an open check book for some departments, which is not necessarily ideal either. It is uncomfortable when you are told you need to choose a text or program too quickly without adequate time to evaluate the programs available and make a decision that is intelligent, based on research of companies and sources. Buying is fun especially when it is not your money, but one needs to evaluate at least a few options not just one. Time needs to be taken to review the materials, maybe even use a sample a few times in a lesson before giving the thumbs up to spending money. Teachers know the importance of such purchases. This will determine the course of the next few years of education for students, it should be studied and calculating in its approach. -- I know that parent involvement will greatly improve. Our new leadership has a lot to do with this. -- So many 0f these questions depend on the group or my answers this year vs. past years where very little parent involvement or or teacher input was encouraged or allowed. I feel like I could go to any staff member for advice or support. I feel that this year's principal is open to new ideas, and more contact with teachers, students and parents. -- I agree that employees are encouraged to share work-related ideas and suggestions, but I disagree that employees always feel comfortable enough to share these ideas. -- For the past several years the opinions of teachers as the experts of their subject area have largely been ignored. Not only that, but when opposing viewpoints were offer, those individuals were often perceived as problems and retribution sometimes followed. -- The greatest strength is the work ethic and the mutual support of the staff here at Pleasantdale. Everyone cares about others. The interaction and conversations are professional and purposeful among the teachers. -- Staff members are fearful that whatever they say may be used against them. They do not feel that they can be open and honest without being reprimanded. Pleasantdale School District 107 School Climate Staff Insights Survey - 2014 Results Summary Culture  Question: Please indicate your level of agreement for each item.  (items are sorted by average highest to lowest) Item Response Count % Students here believe the staff cares about them. percentages based on n=84 Strongly agree 51 60.71 Agree 32 38.09 Disagree 0 0.0 Strongly disagree 0 0.0 Don't know/doesn't apply 1 1.19 Average Response: 4.61   s= 0.49 I feel comfortable asking a peer for advice or assistance. percentages based on n=84 Strongly agree 46 54.76 Agree 37 44.04 Disagree 0 0.0 Strongly disagree 1 1.19 Don't know/doesn't apply 0 0.0 Average Response: 4.51   s= 0.63 My grade/content area operates as a team. percentages based on n=84 Strongly agree 36 42.85 Agree 37 44.04 Disagree 4 4.76 Strongly disagree 0 0.0 Don't know/doesn't apply 7 8.33 Average Response: 4.36   s= 0.71 My school invites parent involvement. percentages based on n=84 Strongly agree 21 25.0 Agree 49 58.33 Disagree 9 10.71 Strongly disagree 1 1.19 Don't know/doesn't apply 4 4.76 Average Response: 4.0   s= 0.89 I am encouraged to try new ideas or ways of doing things. percentages based on n=84 Strongly agree 26 30.95 Agree 40 47.61 Disagree 11 13.09 Strongly disagree 3 3.57 Don't know/doesn't apply 4 4.76 Average Response: 3.93   s= 1.08 Our school is focused on student growth. percentages based on n=83 Strongly agree 20 24.09 Agree 43 51.8 Disagree 12 14.45 Strongly disagree 4 4.81 Don't know/doesn't apply 4 4.81 Average Response: 3.79   s= 1.11 My school works hard to find ways to improve. percentages based on n=83 Strongly agree 23 27.71 Agree 39 46.98 Disagree 14 16.86 Strongly disagree 4 4.81 Don't know/doesn't apply 3 3.61 Average Response: 3.78   s= 1.17 Academic expectations in this school are reasonable. percentages based on n=83 Strongly agree 17 20.48 Agree 49 59.03 Disagree 13 15.66 Strongly disagree 3 3.61 Don't know/doesn't apply 1 1.2 Average Response: 3.78   s= 1.06 Staff members like me can bring about change in my department/school. percentages based on n=84 Strongly agree 24 28.57 Agree 34 40.47 Disagree 19 22.61 Strongly disagree 2 2.38 Don't know/doesn't apply 5 5.95 Average Response: 3.74   s= 1.17 I feel comfortable asking a supervisor for advice or assistance. percentages based on n=83 Strongly agree 21 25.3 Agree 43 51.8 Disagree 13 15.66 Strongly disagree 6 7.22 Don't know/doesn't apply 0 0.0 Average Response: 3.72   s= 1.21 Employees here are encouraged to share work-related ideas and suggestions. percentages based on n=82 Strongly agree 15 18.29 Agree 47 57.31 Disagree 15 18.29 Strongly disagree 4 4.87 Don't know/doesn't apply 1 1.21 Average Response: 3.66   s= 1.12 My school operates as a team. percentages based on n=83 Strongly agree 13 15.66 Agree 38 45.78 Disagree 23 27.71 Strongly disagree 8 9.63 Don't know/doesn't apply 1 1.2 Average Response: 3.3   s= 1.29 I have adequate opportunities to participate in decisions that affect me. percentages based on n=84 Strongly agree 11 13.09 Agree 27 32.14 Disagree 33 39.28 Strongly disagree 10 11.9 Don't know/doesn't apply 3 3.57 Average Response: 2.95   s= 1.32