Schools seek more parental input

Thank you to all parents who completed and returned the recent Parent Needs Assessment Survey for our schools. School officials are now looking carefully at the results in order to determine areas of strength and need with regard to parent involvement and student achievement.

While administrators and teachers at each school have the survey information reported for their particular school, totals from all schools will be used to guide planning at the system level. Because there were slightly over 2,000 surveys returned out of an enrollment of over 6,000 students, the most obvious need to be addressed must be how to better communicate with parents.

Surveys were sent home with all pre-K through eighth-grade students and could have been picked up in the main office at the high school for students in grades 9-12. In addition, a copy of the survey was printed in the Southern Standard.

Parents were invited to cut out, complete, and mail the survey to the central office. And, for parents who did not want to complete a written survey, an online version was available on the school system?s Web site. School system officials have noted the overall 37 percent return rate and will be discussing alternative methods of surveying parents in the future.

Of the 17 ?agree/ neutral/ disagree? statements, more parents (93.4 percent) agreed with the statement, ?Parents are informed of the school?s policies,? than any other.

A total of 90.7 percent of parents completing the survey agreed that, ?Students have the opportunity to participate in school activities regardless of sex, ethnicity, religion, socioeconomic status, or academic ability.? And, 90.6 percent agreed that, ?Parents are treated courteously when they call or visit our school.?

In addition to the low number of surveys returned, statements receiving the lowest percentage of agreement are those in which particular attention will be paid.

A total of 70.9 percent (lowest for any statement) of parents completing the survey agreed that, ?The concerns of parents are reflected in decisions affecting our schools.? This sentiment may be related to the same reason for the low number of surveys returned ? the need for better communication.

Because only 77 percent agreed that, ?Drug, violence, and bullying prevention programs are used effectively at our school to educate our students,? professional development programs relating to these areas of concern will be offered on in-service training schedules for staff members.

Parents and community members are encouraged to participate in regularly scheduled parent-teacher conferences, PTO meetings, and school-wide Title I meetings held at schools throughout the year. The system-wide PAL?s Council meets quarterly and includes at least two parent representatives from each school. And, parent representatives from elementary, middle, and high school serve on the Tennessee Comprehensive Systemwide Planning Process Leadership Team.

Please feel free to contact your child?s school or the central office if you have other questions or concerns.

Bonnie Collier is the professional and community development coordinator for the Warren County School System.