Presentation Transcript

1. Concord Community Schools Results ofFacilities/Grounds andTechnology Survey

   February 18, 2014
2. Survey Information August 2013: Updated survey (from original May 2013 survey) was sent to almost 2,000 homes (those who have village mailing addresses) via the school newsletter, Spotlight. Plus, copies were sent to homes not in the district, but those people who requested one. Four hundred more newsletters were made available to: staff, who are not Concord residents; businesses; superintendents in Jackson County ISD; and extras copies available in each building for new families or visitors.
3. Survey Information Cont’d Respondents had a variety of ways to access the survey: Take the URL that was given in Spotlight and type it into the address line of a computer. Take the survey using a hard copy (paper-pencil) by either taking the survey given in the newsletter or accessing a copy available at local businesses, post office, or all school building offices and either mailing it to central office or dropping it off at any of the buildings. [NOTE: Parents were encouraged to take the survey during the district’s all school open house – either using paper-pencil or using a computer in one of the computer labs open in each building.] Access the survey on the district’s website by clicking on the link.
4. Survey Information Cont’d Primary target population: taxpayers (with the assumption that they were also registered voters). Secondary population: non-taxpayers (for example, school employees who live outside the district, schools of choice families, renters, etc.) The May 2013 version of the survey closed on July 14, 2013. Due to a low response (on-line version had 45 responses and there were 19 hard copy responses received at central office), the superintendent and Board opted to update the survey to receive a better response rate.
5. Results As of January 31, 2014: On-line responses: 94 Hard copy responses: 35 Total participants: 129 [NOTE: Although one of the parameters set by the researcher for the on-line survey was that the participant could not move on to the next question without answering the previous question, there were several instances where a question was skipped. This is a glitch in the system that needs to be addressed. This accounts for less than 94 responses for some of the questions. Some of the hard copy surveys also had incomplete responses. Some participants chose to answer all of the questions, while others answered only certain questions leaving the others blank, with question marks, and/or adding a response other than one of the choices given.]
6. What would additional millage mean for your family home? Here is an example to help you understand how it fits in with your family budget: Based upon a $100,000 home (with a taxable value of $50,000). 2 mills = $100 per year (approximately $8.33 per month increase).
7. Results Continued Question #1- I think the school district should repair/maintain its facilities and grounds using current general fund dollars (which are used for all school operations, including student programming). Yes – 39.5% (51) No – 59.7% (77) Question #2 – I would vote “yes” for a ONE mill increase for a “sinking fund”. The money that one mill generates would be used for building and grounds repairs/maintenance/equipment for a minimum of three years to a maximum of five years. (This would allow general fund dollars to be used for student programming needs.) Yes – 79.8% (103) No – 16.2% (21)
8. Results Continued Question #3 - I would vote “yes” for a TWO mill increase for a “sinking fund”. The money that one mill generates would be used for building and grounds repairs/maintenance/equipment for a minimum of three years to a maximum of five years. (This would allow general fund dollars to be used for student programming needs.) Yes – 67.4% (87) No – 31% (40) Question #4 – I would vote “yes” for a ONE mill increase for technology (computers, infrastructure, wireless access points, one-to-one laptops or iPads for students and teachers, software programs, e-textbooks, etc.) for a minimum of three years to a maximum of five years. (This would allow general fund dollars to be used for student programming needs.) Yes – 78.3% (101) No – 21% (27)
9. Results Continued Question #5 – I would vote “yes” for a millage increase to support both a sinking fund and technology fund. Yes – 72.9% (94) No – 23.3% (30) Question #6 – I would vote “yes” to support a renovation and/or new construction project, grounds projects and technology for additional millage. (The project and additional millage would be determined following community forums.) Yes – 65.1% (84) No – 29.5% (38)
10. Results Continued Question #7 – If you answered “yes” to the previous question, how much of a millage increase would you support? One mill – 17.1% (22) Two mills – 16.3% (21) Three mills – 35.7% (46) I answered “no” to the previous question – 21% (27) Other – 9% (12) Question # 8 – This question distinguished between school employees and non-school employees. School employees – 45.7% (59) Non-school employees – 50.4% (65)
11. Results Continued Question #9 – Are you a taxpayer in the school district? Taxpayer – 70.5% (91) Not a taxpayer – 28.7% (37) Question #10 – Please indicate whether or not you have children that attend the school district and at what level. Some respondents listed students at multiple levels. 71% (91) indicated that they had children in the district.
12. Results Continued Question # 11 – I would attend a community forum. Yes – 68.2% (88) No – 23.2% (30) Other - .05% (7) Question #12 – Asked for input and gave respondents an opportunity to add comments. On the online survey – 27 respondents answered and 67 skipped the question. Hard Copy – 9 respondents answered and 26 skipped the question.
13. Where do we go from here? Walk-throughs with staff as guides? Revisit the previous plan as a starting point? How do we communicate and engage the community? Social Media? Community Forums?Door-to-door? Establish a community-based bond committee?
14. Question #12 - Survey Comments I live on a fixed income. What do you want "ME" to give up? (food, heat. lights?) If we don't keep up with neighboring Districts (Homer, H - H, Western), and keep losing students, we will have to shuts the doors. We need to replace in some areas instead of more band aids. But we also should get other estimates other than just giving to the good ole boys. You need to stop the bullying in your school at all levels. I will continue to vote no on any millage until a by penny breakdown of where our taxes go and for what and how much. I pay well of 3000.00 a year in taxes and I can't see where any goes. How about a quarterly newsletter of the breakdown? Our family supports the school in this bond as long as the money is used to improve the buildings and support my children's academics.
15. The over use of technology is eroding the basic knowledge & mastery of base skills, such as reading, writing, comprehension and math. The addition of more technology, i.e. I-pads and such, although it would seem to be a good idea on the surface, continues to undermine the core skills need for children to succeed as adults. I would support a millage for buildings and support infrastructure. I would prefer to pay my tax dollars for new construction rather than continued renovations. Children are our best investment. I think once a plan is in place that the entire staff should be informed of the plan and have a chance to ask questions. We need to be educated so we can educate the parents and voters we interact with. I believe that when asking for mills to be passed you may need to put in terms where the community can connect to. For example, being a farming community you may have to compare the school to a tractor. Because a farmer must maintain and repair the tractor to get his farming done so that is what we need to do to the school to keep our children's education at the best it can be. Also, keep the millage to what we need, not to what the community would see as unnecessary extras that rich communities can afford.
16. This is a good school and a great community. We need to make some repairs - we don't get to build a new house just because ours is old. Make quality repairs and take care of what we have. More work on the non-infrastructure things need to be done to keep students in our district before we keep revisiting new construction. I have an issue with how students are using technology. I don't see a lot of learning....some students do the work in labs while others use the computers and their phones to goof around on snap chat and it is out of control. They do it openly with substitute teachers and on the side behind books when teachers are teaching. I know it is a problem, due to new technology available to them, but they are playing on line games and it drives me crazy! When a teacher takes the phone, they often get angry and make some kind of threat. So as far as technology goes....I'm a bit skeptical about spending money to make it easier for students to become even more distracted. We need to talk to community members face to face. Meaning - not invite them to come to meetings, we need to go to them.
17. Not at this time...Good luck! This is a great way to get starting with helping these students who attend Concord Community. The school and technology need to be updated, otherwise there will continue to be a decrease in students. I would rather pay money to keep concord schools than see it disappear as happened to Albion. All the other schools around Concord look a lot better than we do. The first impression is one of being "outdated." If we wish to survive, we need to compete, so we NEED to make improvements to attract new students and to maintain the ones we have. There are $$$$ monies available for technology through grants. This avenue should be pursued. The track/football area is an accident/liability case waiting to happen. I think you need intense community input for any construction or major projects.
18. Other area school are upgrading facilities. We're falling behind! We really need to collectively work with our legislators on legislation and policies to support families, our public schools, and our municipalities rather than our current course of action of starving governmental services, driving more families into poverty, and encouraging wages that people can't live on and retirements that they can't count on. Additionally, some of our parents and students need to increase their efforts and as a school district we need to ensure that we are operating at maximum effectiveness to ensure all our students obtain the skills and personal attributes necessary to be successful in their adult live. Thanks for the opportunity to provide feedback. Be realistic taking into account the economy. Also building a new school won't fix the non-facility issues that we have to figure out how to fix. That has to come first! If we keep losing students, the buildings won't matter one bit. Build new/renovate or watch enrollment fall to Athens or Litchfield size!
19. I believe that in order for our school to be the best that it can be we need to have some serious updates. Especially in the middle and high school. We also need to be moving toward a time when technology is accessible in every classroom. Working computers and Ipads. It is important that we are able to compete with the districts around us or we will continue to lose students. Surrounding schools are making improvements to their buildings and technology. We need to do the same if we want to keep our school district strong. What do YOU think?