Massena Central School District seeking input on school climate from families

Bob Beckstead, Watertown Daily Times, N.Y.
·2 min read

Apr. 26—MASSENA — The Massena Central School District is looking for input from families on what they're doing well and what they can improve on.

They've created a Family Climate Survey that can be found at wdt.me/DKDmVb.

District officials are encouraging all families with children in one of its schools to complete the survey. The survey is anonymous.

"At Massena CSD we are committed to ensuring that all students have access to high-quality education that prepares them for success. The key to achieving this goal is through strong family and community partnerships. As a result, we are conducting a Family Climate Survey to help us better understand what we are doing well and what we can improve on. Our hope is to have feedback from every family in the district. This anonymous survey should take approximately 10-15 minutes to complete," they said in a social media post.

Anyone with multiple children who attend different buildings is asked to complete one survey per building.

"Please take a minute to fill out a climate survey about our schools. Your input will help us to find areas of success and identify opportunities for growth," high school Principal Alan C. Oliver said in a message to parents.

The survey is a follow-up to an earlier survey about school climate and specifically, meeting the social-emotional needs of students. It's being conducted by PLC Associates, LLC, who say they'll be able to compare the latest data with earlier data they compiled.

After confirming that a parent has a child attending one of the district's schools, they're asked to rate a number of statements, such as staff and students in this school listen to each other, students and staff treat each other with respect, students in this school can give their opinion, classroom issues/problems are handled well within the classrooms, students are welcomed back into the classroom after being disciplined, this school helps students learn how to solve problems among themselves, and the school staff/teachers help students identify causes and solutions of school problems.

They're also asked, "This year, what were some of the most positive changes or things that the school did to support students and help each student have a good experience? Consider academics as well as students' social experience."

The survey also asks if there are any obstacles or "things in the way" that make it hard for students to have a good experience in school and succeed and, if so, what they are.

In addition, they're asked, "Going forward, what should we work on/do more of so that students want to be in school, have their needs met and have a good learning experience?"

The survey wraps up on Sunday.