HVRHS survey shows areas for improvement

FALLS VILLAGE — Region One Superintendent Melony Brady-Shanley reported on the recently concluded school climate survey for Housatonic Valley Regional High School at the regular Region One Board of Education meeting Monday, March 3.

The survey was administered Jan. 15 to Jan. 31 and includes three distinct groups: parents, students and staff.

Brady-Shanley said the survey is required by state law. Any action that needs to be taken will be incorporated into the school’s improvement plan for next year.

She said 97% of staff members reported feeling physically safe at HVRHS often or always, but there was room for improvement in safety-related protocols and procedures and on training for emergencies, with 63% of staff members expressing satisfaction in those areas.

Staffers also indicated that professional development opportunities need to be more relevant.

Some 88% of parents give the school high marks for academics, but just 65% were content with the school’s ability to meet their children’s emotional and social development needs.

Parents were happy with the school communications (92%) but only 53% felt they had “opportunities to participate in school decision-making processes relevant to my child.”

A little under half (49%) of students agreed they enjoy coming to school, and 33% expressed enthusiasm for participating in class discussions.

There were also open-ended questions on the survey.

Brady-Shanley summarized areas for improvement by the responding group.

Staff do not like the “Not Yet Proficient” grading policy because it creates problems with time management and accountability for students. Staff would like professional development to be more focused on their subject areas, believe that communication between teachers and administrators could be better, and believe there is a lack of departmental meetings.

Parents want to see more challenging coursework, dedicated support for students not going to college, guidance from coaches on collegiate athletics, and possibly a School Resource Officer for additional security.

Students want more one-on-one support and personalized feedback from teachers and staff. They ask for clear communication on assignments, deadlines and grading policies, more rigor in Advanced Placement and Early College Experience classes and clear communications on assignments and tests.

In a response to a question from Region One board chair Pat Mechare, Brady-Shanley said that future meetings on how to implement improvements will include parents.