Leadership Visioning Survey Results

July 25, 2017

S U R V E Y R E S U L T S

FIGHT THE NATURAL TENDENCY TO TO

IMAGINE WHO MIGHT BE BEHIND THE

COMMENTS, AND FOCUS ON THE VALUE

OF THE COMMENT AND WHAT WE MIGHT

LEARN FROM IT.

SURVEY

If you had to describe how you feel right now about the future of SK schools, what one word or phrase would you use? Why?

Optimistic

Concerned

Uncertain

Fragile

Expensive

Optimistic

Concerned but optimistic

What is possible?

Hopeful and optimistic

Provincial

Optimistic

I am excited about the program's we have in place and look forward to discussions about how our facilities can best support those programs for the best school system for all of our students.

Annual cuts to core programs and positions that are the backbone of SK schoolsThe town is at a crossroads where it must decide whether it is going to continue down the path of an aging retirement community or whether it will reclaim a more diverse family oriented identity.

We are at crossroads of sorts. We are tetering between losing the quality education that people expect from South Kingstown, or making significant investments in our programs and buildings. Without thoughtful consideration from both sides, and prompt attention, we could lose the chance to do either.

I feel this way because at least 76 cents of every dollar goes towards salaries and benefits alone.

We have very talented teachers and administrators who are continuing to serve our students well and are constantly planning and preparing innovative ways to teach them so that every student will be successful now and in the future.

Declining enrollment along with decreasing funds is always a problem. However, we have fabulous teachers, support personnel and administrators who work extremely hard doing their very best work despite the dismal funding

We have an opportunity to be bold and significantly raise the bar for educational excellence in SK

We have recognized the challenge that enrollment presents. We have been willing to move forward to understand the challenges in greater detail, and I believe that the people of South Kingstown have the courage to take necessary steps to create excellence in our public schools.

It is a district proud of it's heritage and the people moving through it. There is much to be proud of.

We have a strong school system here. I think no one would want to see the caliber of education diminish.

SURVEY

If you had all the power to improve JUST ONE thing about theschools (except financial), what would it be?

Physical structures aligned to educational programs

SLOW DOWN. Balance innovation with maintenance of existing programs-especially evidence based programs and supports.

I think the most important thing that could be improved is closing the gaps between the special education and impoverished student populations with the general education population.

The leadership

Efficiency

I would improve teaching and learning so that all students would be reading, writing and doing math on grade level or beyond!

Physical condition of buildingsInstructional technology

We already have excellent teachers, and excellent support staff, and excellent administrators. We must ensure that every child is challenged and every child receives the educational and community supports that will ensure that each child achieves to the level of their ability.

Change the culture to one of optimism when embracing innovation.

Technology

SURVEY

Imagine the year is 2027 and you still live in SK. What do you hope the schools have achieved in the past decade and how have those achievements affected the community as a whole?

I hope the schools and the community have stood behind innovative programs that prepare our students to compete at the top level in both college and career including top notch vo tech programs geared towards students who may or may not be college bound.

Families, students, educators, support staff and custodians feel part of a supportive school community which then pours out to entire sk community.

I hope that the SK school system provides students with the experiences they'll need to succeed in the economy of the future, whether it's getting into a great school or getting vocational training.

I hope to see a more diverse learning environment available to ALL our students. I'd like to see technical class offerings to compete with Chariho, a STEM program at our High School, a learning environment focused on the well being of our students and not test scores. I'd like to see schools that produce kind, thoughtful, productive students, with less focus on collegebound careers.

I would like to envision our schools as continually being in the top 3 school systems in the State of Rhode Island. I would like to see a new state of the art high school. Within 10 years I feel strongly that all of our additional facilities need to be renovated in order to provide the best possible educational environment for our students.

I hope that teachers and administrators were supported and encouraged to continue to innovate and improve so that all students are working to their utmost potential and so that students can access any opportunity in college and the world of work that they are interested in. The community will benefit because former students will be better educated and better employed and will be able to stay in SK and raise their families. The economic impact on the town and the state will be very positive.

All students performing at or above grade level in reading, writing and math. 100% graduation rate. High quality schools improve the all over quality of life in a community. Also, more families will choose our public schools over other options because of this high performance

SURVEY

Imagine the year is 2027 and you still live in SK. What do you hope the schools have achieved in the past decade and how have those achievements affected the community as a whole?

Created state of the art facilities for academics, athletics, fine arts, technology, science labs, media centers, and community programs

High student engagement given project-based learning opportunities, collaborating on and solving community and global problems, virtual reality learning experiences, etc

Broader community support and involvement in education

Stronger, better resourced programs to support students who are vulnerable, underachieving

The facilities are recognized as supporting excellence, rather than excellent teachers overcoming the limitations of the facilities

I hope to see a district that elevates each student in the ways most appropriate for that individual. This departure from the old model of education would turn South Kingstown into a shining district in Southern RI about which everyone in town would be proud.

The generation of today and 10 years in the future need the technology skills to be successful in careers. Focus in this area should continue to be one of our educational priorities.

SURVEY

What may be some threats that could affect the School Department's ability to meet your vision (as stated in your answer to question #3)? Which of those threats do you fear the most?(We assume that the financial threat is ever-present. Please think beyond financial to other issues, if possible.)

Negativity and a 'can't do' attitude and the capacity to keep forward thinking leaders amidst a push back on innovation and growth mindset.

Looking past the unique needs of SK students and families by aligning with the RI Department of Education's strategic plan which shifts every few years depending on the political priorities of a few key players at the RI State House.

I think if the School Department thinks that its job is to prepare students for standardized tests and college placement, rather than focusing on content and experience that will be transformative for students, then it will be destined to become mediocre.

If we have leadership that continues to focus on administrative approaches, then we lose the value in hiring talented teachers. We do not allow our current teachers and staff to shine, instead they are micromanaged to fit into a rigid vision of what an accomplished student looks like. We need innovative thinkers that support our faculty and enable them to teach in the way that best supports their students. I fear that the school committee presently and future school committees do not/will not share that same value, and continue to hire leadership that intimidates instead of inspires.

The biggest threat is not having the vision and overall community support.

SURVEY

What may be some threats that could affect the School Department's ability to meet your vision (as stated in your answer to question #3)? Which of those threats do you fear the most?(We assume that the financial threat is ever-present. Please think beyond financial to other issues, if possible.)

*Declining enrollment is having an effect on staffing. It is becoming more difficult to provide innovative and equitable programs for all children.

* Elementary school parents and teachers are very concerned that because enrollment is declining their school may become vulnerable to school closure or re-districting and they are starting to compete rather than collaborate with each other.

*The town council is finding it harder to justify to greater community increase funding to the schools due to declining enrollment.

* Young families are moving into neighboring communities because there are homes for sale there that are affordable. Those communities will have more students in schools and more parents of school age children advocating for the schools. Whereas we have an aging community and fewer parents with young children. That makes our support base smaller for school and district programs. My worry is that will have an impact on our ability to continue to offer innovative programs. It is a vicious cycle, with less students there is less staff and with less staff there can be less vision and innovation and less of an ability to attract more students.

I fear teacher burn out as we continue to ask more and more of our educators with less and less resources. Many (if not most) of these are unfunded mandates for the State and Federal level.

In my opinion, there are some people in the community who continually put out negative information regarding the School District. I strongly believe that this is a drawback to enticing new families to choose to move to SK. In any academic environment, there is room for improvement, but I think it would be more beneficial to focus on the positive aspects of our schools, while working hard on our inadequacies so that by 2027 there is a 100% graduation rate and all students are performing at grade level.

SURVEY

What may be some threats that could affect the School Department's ability to meet your vision (as stated in your answer to question #3)? Which of those threats do you fear the most?(We assume that the financial threat is ever-present. Please think beyond financial to other issues, if possible.)

- Lack of community support

- Lack of political will on part of one or both elected bodies

- Failure to hear principal and teacher input

- Failure to consider multiple possibilities

That investment in public education will fail to serve as a rallying point for the community, resulting in divisions (or further divisions) in the community

That enrollment decline will exceed projections, placing more pressure on consolidation.

That increasing support for charters and religious education at the state and/or federal level will threaten the town ability to afford quality.

That existing splits within the community about the school committee will contribute to an exodus from the schools

Resistance and skepticism from parts of school community. Culture of negativism in and out of the schools might squash new ideas. Bureaucracy around compliance consumes too many resources that could otherwise affect and drive new innovations.

Financial of course. I also think that continual teacher training and hiring practices that seek the most qualified individuals should be a priority. Cost is a factor but if you want to breed success and keep a reputation as having a model school system there will always be a price to pay. You can't have it both ways.....(spending minimal dollars but expecting the best).

SURVEY

Rate the following words (phrases) to the extent that eachdescribes your vision for the future of SK schools:

SURVEY

Rate the following words (phrases) to the extent that eachdescribes your vision for the future of SK schools:

SURVEY

From your perspective, where are the schools succeeding?(Leadership, program, extra- or co-curricular activities, facilities, etc.)

Facilities are lacking. All else very successful

Passionate teachers

I think SK is blessed with a lot of high quality teachers who are able to educate motivated students to excel in core educational areas as well as in extra-curricular activities.

• The DLI program is thoughtful and innovative, and has the potentional to attract families to SK. However, its implementation has been troublesome, and there is community angst about the consequences of the program in how it affects other schools. There is also the question of student equity when using a lottery system- is it really serving the needs of ALL our students?

• I really appreciate the leadership offered at the High School with the new principal. Although I have some reservations with the dean positions, the data seems to support that model as being most effective and serving the most amount of students most efficiently.

I believe that our schools are succeeding at the elementary level for the most part.

• *Elementary reading program is world class. • *Elementary math program is excellent. • *Elementary dual language program will lead to greater opportunities for students. • *Increasing career opportunities at the HS will keep SK students in SK and will

attract students to SK. • *SKHS AP classes are serving more students and students continue to score well. • *Our high school students are attending very prestigious colleges. • *We have made closing the achievement gap a priority. • *The investment in Technology will keep our students and staff current and able to

adapt in college and career. • *Our music, art and sports programs are exceptional. • *Our teachers are talented and committed to student success. • *Our administrators are innovative and visionary. • *School committee, town council and town manager support our schools.

In my opinion, the SK Schools are extremely strong academically. In addition, we have a strong co-curricula activities program available to all students.

SURVEY

From your perspective, where are the schools succeeding?(Leadership, program, extra- or co-curricular activities, facilities, etc.)

• Leadership is committed to excellence • Extra curricular activities for many students - athletics, fine arts, other • Schools are well-maintained but are aging • Innovative programming such as DLI, developing CTE at SKHS • Great teachers

Significant majority of our students achieve at a high level; excellent teachers; strong support staff; administrative team is very productive; elementary community schools are strongly supported by parents and community; elementary education is extraordinary; athletic activities are broadly inclusive; music program is as good as it can be;

We have done a good job transforming the high school. Ten years ago, there were several deficits. The positive changes there are heard regularly. Similar effects are occurring in the lower levels, but they were stronger to begin with. There are some areas of bold innovation that are impressive as well.

The schools do a great job with extra curricular activities which is so vital to a well rounded student. Also, the new Rec center should be utilized for after school events/programs for our youth.

SURVEYRate the importance of the following issues as they relate to the future of SK Schools:

SURVEYRate the importance of the following issues as they relate to the future of SK Schools:

SURVEY

Describe your ideal school of the future. What would teaching and learning look like? What's happens outside of the classroom (extra- and co-curriculars, internships, externships, etc)? What do the school and its facilities look like?

Individualized

A priority on human connection and relationships.

I would love to see teachers have more flexibility in the classroom. Whenever possible I think the curricula should be tied to what's happening in the broader community. I'd like the schools to be part of a general reawakening of civic culture.

Classrooms and teaching styles are diverse yet equitable. Some classrooms will be drastically different from one another, and that's okay. We allow teachers to teach in whatever fashion they can best meet their students needs. There is emphasis on outdoor time at all grade levels, and a wide range of skills taught including managing finances and homesteading tasks. There is a garden maintained by students, and technical skills class offerings. We don't need the newest buildings to implement these ideas, but we do need them to be maintained. Teachers will think "outside the box" and administrators will fall back as we would need less micormanagment.

We need ensure that all students get all of attention and support they need to thrive. Currently many people feel that if your an advanced student or special needs you get all of the attention, but if you are a middle of the road student that you get lost in the middle. Teaching would be customized to each and every student's learning style.

We are meeting the needs of all learners and all students are successful.

SURVEY

Describe your ideal school of the future. What would teaching and learning look like? What's happens outside of the classroom (extra- and co-curriculars, internships, externships, etc)? What do the school and its facilities look like?

Child centered classrooms. Technology readily available to all students and in all classrooms. Schools where students can learn and teachers can teach in the manner and environment best suited to their individual learning/teaching style. Flexible scheduling at all levels - including MS and HS levels.

Virtual and F2F project-based learning, interdisciplinary teaching and learning, networked communities of practice

We already have quality teaching and learning. We must close the achievement gap. Teachers embedded in a continuing and growing collaborative process with administrators and school committee.

Less seat time, Teachers are more facilitators than directing the learning

Instill a sense of demanding respect in the classroom from both the teachers and the students to each other

SURVEY

As we embark upon this planning process, what advice do you have for the facilitator that will help ensure the ultimate success of the process?

Listen to all stakeholders and be sure to get those not currently engaged involved

When crafting recommendations for the future of South Kingstown Schools please pause and earnestly consider the needs of minority and disadvantaged families and students in our community who may face barriers to voicing their perspectives throughout this facility study. There are individuals and "cohorts" of students who have been historically left out of decision making-even programs and initiatives in SK schools. It is imperative that legacy planning research and include the needs of our most vulnerable populations in the vision of the future of SK schools.

We have an amazing opportunity to revitalize SK's schools, and I think it's critical to think outside of the box. We should be bold.

Be open to all opinions, even the unpopular ones. Accept feedback at every opportunity. And if you want this to work, you *must* involve the public in every single aspect of the process. It isnt enough to invite them to our meetings to watch us digest data and talk amongst ourselves. We need to ensure that all stakeholders are involved and offering their thoughts. This includes people who don't have a vested interest in our schools but do have a vested interest in being able to afford to live here. From the begining, I have advocated for having a meeting to inform the public about this process and to demonstrate all the opportunities that will be available for them to join us in this process. Not in September, but now. People have been anticipating this study for almost a year now, and they are anxious. It would go a long way in earning their trust if we could allow them to be more informed and involved from the start.

We have to be open and very transparent throughout the entire process. The facilitator should not be influenced in any way.

Keep the needs of the students and their success and future as the absolute priority. Stay the course with visioning and determining the values of the educational community. Reassure the community that the final outcome will result in a better school system for our children.

A very wise Principal in this district once said to me "you have your son at the center of your thought process, Ms. X has her 3rd grade class. I on the other hand have this entire school to consider." There are many individuals in this community who each have their own agenda. Each individual's "agenda" needs to be considered as well as the needs of every individual in the community, from the senior citizens to the pre-school children. However, the greater good of the community as a whole needs to be at the forefront of the final decision making with the specific needs of the students of our district, both current and future as the target population. What is best for students, families and teachers will need to be at the absolute forefront of our final decisions and this should be what the facilitator considers for the ultimate success of this process.

Help all of us to challenge our assumptions

1. Keep Steve Alfred in the mix - directly in the mix. He loves SK and has earned a big chair at the planning table. 2. Keep the question of elementary from gridlocking the conversation about educational excellence

Do as much as possible when engaging the community.

Get to know this community very well