Oak Knoll Site Council Parent Survey Results February 2010 (Results collected from November 30, 2009 to January 15, 2010)

Survey Statistics 634 total respondents (last year 486) –129 from kindergarten –95 from first grade –105 from second –111 from third –109 from fourth –85 from fifth Collected significant amount of feedback from text boxes or open-ended questions this year: –Classroom experience comments –Curriculum comments –Administration comments –Things that work well comments –Opportunity areas comments

Classroom Experience

Classroom Experience Statements My child’s teacher has established a home/school communication system that works effectively My child’s teacher understands my child as an individual Homework has been appropriate and has taken a reasonable amount of time My child’s teacher has established an engaging climate that emphasizes hard work and personal growth The recess experience provides children with appropriate opportunities to develop social skills and practice self-directed behaviors

As in Years Past, Overall Satisfaction Is High Home/school communication Understands my child Homework Engaging climate Recess % scoring “Meets Expectations, Exceeds Expectations, or Outstanding” Classroom Experience: Total Respondents (Last year’s score on comparable question)

Classroom Experience: Home/School Communication Total Kindergarten First Second Third Fourth Fifth % scoring “Meets Expectations, Exceeds Expectations, or Outstanding” My child’s teacher has established a home/school communication system that works effectively. Responses Last year’s scores

Classroom Experience: Understands Child as Individual Total Kindergarten First Second Third Fourth Fifth % scoring “Meets Expectations, Exceeds Expectations, or Outstanding” My child’s teacher understands my child as an individual. Responses Last year’s score

Classroom Experience: Homework Appropriate Total Kindergarten First Second Third Fourth Fifth % scoring “Meets Expectations, Exceeds Expectations, or Outstanding” Homework has been appropriate and has taken a reasonable amount of time. Responses Last year’s score

Classroom Experience: Engaging Climate Total Kindergarten First Second Third Fourth Fifth % scoring “Meets Expectations, Exceeds Expectations, or Outstanding” My child’s teacher has established an engaging climate that emphasizes hard work and personal growth. Responses

Classroom Experience: Recess Total Kindergarten First Second Third Fourth Fifth % scoring “Meets Expectations, Exceeds Expectations, or Outstanding” The recess experience provides children with appropriate opportunities to develop social skills and practice self-directed behaviors. Responses Last year’s scores Playground experience is positive - Playground supervision is adequate

Classroom Experience Comments Fall into Three “Buckets” Teacher specific -- used by David and Maria as part of the teacher review process Homework concerns –Either too much or too little or not challenging enough –David’s “no homework” policy may still be fueling confusion –Most common rating (37.8%) was “meets expectations” Concerns about recess –Most common rating (41.2%) was “meets expectations”

Classroom Experience: In Sum Overall, parents believe Oak Knoll teachers are still delivering great classroom experiences Parents are most concerned about homework and recess

Curriculum

The ___ program is effective in developing student interest, skills and knowledge –Art –Music –Physical Education –Library –Spanish –Everyday Math My child has sufficient access to technology and training

Parents Rate Program Satisfaction Slightly Lower Than Last Year ArtMusicPELibrary Spanish Everyday Math Technology % scoring “Meets Expectations, Exceeds Expectations, or Outstanding” Scores % na77.9Last year’s scores Curriculum: Total Respondents

Many Parents Mentioned Not Knowing Enough About Any of these Programs “I get no information on any of the activities my teacher does not lead.” There is an opportunity to improve communication about what’s going on Most describe basing their assessment on whether their child talks favorably about the program or not, shares any new skills, or participates in a presentation for the parents

Curriculum: Art Program % scoring “Meets Expectations, Exceeds Expectations, or Outstanding” Total Kindergarten First Second Third Fourth Fifth The Art Program is effective in developing student interest, skills and knowledge. Responses Last year’s responses

Curriculum: Music Program % scoring “Meets Expectations, Exceeds Expectations, or Outstanding” Total Kindergarten First Second Third Fourth Fifth The Music Program is effective in developing student interest, skills and knowledge. Responses Last year’s scores

Curriculum: Physical Education Program % scoring “Meets Expectations, Exceeds Expectations, or Outstanding” Total Kindergarten First Second Third Fourth Fifth The Physical Education Program is effective in developing student interest, skills and knowledge. Responses Last year’s scores

Curriculum: Library Program % scoring “Meets Expectations, Exceeds Expectations, or Outstanding” Total Kindergarten First Second Third Fourth Fifth The Library Program is effective in developing student interest, skills and knowledge. Responses Last year’s scores

Curriculum: Spanish Program % scoring “Meets Expectations, Exceeds Expectations, or Outstanding” Total Kindergarten First Second Third Fourth Fifth The Spanish Program (4th and 5th graders) is effective in developing student interest, skills and knowledge. 55.1% of parents (237 respondents) “don’t know” if the Spanish Program is effective. Last year, 44.7% (188 respondents) checked “don’t know.” Responses Last year’s scores

Curriculum: Everyday Math Program % scoring “Meets Expectations, Exceeds Expectations, or Outstanding” Total Kindergarten First Second Third Fourth Fifth The new Everyday Math Program is effective in developing student interest, skills and knowledge. Responses

Curriculum: Technology % scoring “Meets Expectations, Exceeds Expectations, or Outstanding” Total Kindergarten First Second Third Fourth Fifth My child has sufficient access to technology and training. Responses Last year’s scores

Curriculum: In Sum In parents’ eyes, art and music are beginning to suffer due to stretched resources More minutes of all of these programs, particularly PE is desired Increase educational component of library time Perception of Spanish program’s effectiveness is low First year approval ratings of Everyday Math lower than other established curriculum Technology is too teacher dependent

Administration

The school office operates in an efficient and supportive manner The principal and vice principal are responsive to parent concerns and student issues Health issues are handled by the office appropriately

Satisfaction With the Administration is High and Comparable to Last Year Office efficient and supportive Principal and VP responsive to concerns and issues Health issues handled appropriately % scoring “Meets Expectations, Exceeds Expectations, or Outstanding” Last year’s scores on comparable questions Administration: Total Respondents

Administration: Office % scoring “Meets Expectations, Exceeds Expectations, or Outstanding” Total Kindergarten First Second Third Fourth Fifth The school office operates in an efficient and supportive manner. Responses

Administration: Principal and Vice Principal % scoring “Meets Expectations, Exceeds Expectations, or Outstanding” Total Kindergarten First Second Third Fourth Fifth The principal and vice principal are responsive to parent concerns and student issues. Responses

Administration: Health Issues % scoring “Meets Expectations, Exceeds Expectations, or Outstanding” Total Kindergarten First Second Third Fourth Fifth Health issues are handled by the office appropriately. Responses

Administration: In Sum Office and administrators are doing a good job –Leadership is accessible, responsive –Office is organized and helpful Kindergarten parents feel insufficiently prepared for the day-to-day of OK (e.g., drop off and pick up, snacks, events), don’t like being forced to “learn on the fly” Parents perceive that Office needs help handling medical issues, unsure of capabilities is something major happened

In your view, what are three things at Oak Knoll that work really well?

The Following Were Listed Repeatedly Outstanding teachers Dedicated staff Well-organized school Curriculum in general Parent involvement and community support “Small-school feel” despite large student body OK traditions, e.g., Otter Run, Book Fair, Chinese New Year Parade, buddy program, KNOL

The Following Were Listed Repeatedly (cont.) Library, music and art New traffic flow Spirit of innovation and accessibility, as seen in the development of the multi-age classes Opportunities for kids, e.g., curriculum enhancement programs, assemblies, after school classes Communication in general Individualized attention to kids

In your view, what are three areas at Oak Knoll that need to change or improve?

Parents Brought Up Many of the Issues We Have Already Covered Drop off & pick up lines (access to campus for 2:20 K pick up a repeated problem) Effectiveness of Spanish Recess More PE and Art Support for Music teachers Effectiveness of Everyday Math Updates on what’s going on in Spanish, art, music, PE, math classes with non-homeroom teachers

Other Ideas Were New Organization and time management skills for 5th graders, more emphasis on the transition to middle school Less focus on standardized tests Clear and consistent approach to homework and grades that narrows the variation between teachers More sharing of best practices between teachers, particularly around parent communication; focus on improving inconsistent teaching quality

Other Ideas Were New (cont.) Later start time (too early for young kids, no more Spanish for most kids) Smaller class sizes Character program One electronic location for classroom information -- teacher news, homework updates, upcoming events - - for all OK classrooms More transparency in the class assignment process Second parent/teacher conference in the spring