CSD Calendar Committee Seeking Parental Feedback
Decatur Metro | January 9, 2010Assistant Superintendent Thomas Van Soelen points out this blurb posted in the most recent school newsletter…
After collecting preliminary data last spring, the District Calendar Committee is seeking more details from a broader array of constituents to offer their thinking about what their plans are regarding the September 2010 and February 2011 week-long breaks. Data collected in this survey will (1) be made public on the district website, (2) guide the District Calendar Committee in deciding how to support families in making those arrangements, and (3) offer insight to camp providers. The survey will be distributed on green paper with 3rd marking period student report cards. In addition, the same survey is available through the Campus Parent Portal. Both surveys are identical and can be taken via either method.
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I look forward to this survey and hope that CSD considers using surveys or other methodology to get broad feedback on other issues in the future. A problem with small committees is that they can be cherry-picked inadvertently to support a particular position rather than to represent the true range of views. Blogs and list servs are also biased towards the opinions of those who enjoy using them. But a survey or other methodology that tries to reach everyone is only biased against the views of those who don’t care to participate. If one doesn’t participate, one can’t (or shouldn’t) complain.
Surveys can also be biased in the way questions are asked and in the way results are interpreted.
Good point. We have to trust that CSD will try to develop the most useful survey. If the results are shared openly, then the interpretation can be made by anyone from whatever their perspective. Most good surveys have an open-ended “Comments” or similar section. If the survey seems biased, that’s where respondents could comment and then those comments would be available.
On this note, see CSDMom’s comment below and my response.
And if one does participate and a decision is made to do something other than what the participant wanted? Would it then be incessant complaining? Likely. What do you think, Mama Karass?
We’re goin’ to Disney World!
will this survey be given to the current Pre-K parents, since the ’10-’11 schedule will impact us as well with our kids being in Kindergarten?
Good point. Mention it to your principal or to Dr. Van Soelen.
Do Decatur Heights parents have a campus portal account? If so the survey is on there I think.
You can only pick one grade level on the survey. I haven’t done it yet, but I’m hoping I’ll just be able to take the survey 4 times so I can do one for each of my kids.
Does having 4 kids make your opinion three times more important than the parent who has only one child in the system ? Seems like each stakeholder should get one chance to register an opinion.
This is why I have concerns about putting lots of focus on surveys to guide policy decisions .
I’ll probably have different plans for each of my kids given that they range from pre-k to high school.
The school calendar discussion often seems to hold up “getting the right calendar” as the desired outcome but this is probably the best illustration of the reality of the situation — even within a single family there may not be consensus on what works best.
I don’t need to be surveyed. I don’t think I have any critical insight that the Board, Superintendent, Leadership Teams, Principals, Teachers, Paras, Room Mothers, and all the other dedicated folks who help our schools run, failed to think of. Just give me enough of a heads up that I can make arrangements and be done with it.
Yes! Well put…and I wholeheartedly agree.
If you plan to send your children to the “enrichment camps,” you might want to complete the survey.
Oh, and this particular survey has nothing to do with policy decisions. It is a query about the enrichment camps that the city will be holding during those weeks. Thus, they need to know what I’m doing with each of my children in order to make decisions about where the camps will be held and what will be offered.
Yep. In case it wasn’t clear, I was speaking in a cursory way to the overall calendar issue only. Obviously the issue of “What kind of programs can help serve parents and kids when school is closed?” is one in which parents have particular, relevant expertise. I’m all for that.
Fifi, to most clearly answer your concerns (and mine), the green paper survey that came home today says,
“Please answer this survey for one child. If you wish, multiple surveys may be submitted for multiple children, as needs may vary for each child.”
Sorry – I guess I don’t understand this. I thought the discussion concerns the systemwide CSD calendar.
I don’t have kids in the system but I thought that all the schools regardless of grade level have the same school calendar. Is it an option to have different breaks for the various grade levels ? If so, wouldn’t that be the most difficult scenario for most families to manage ?
Fifi, I had to ask for clarification on the announcement as well.
As I understand it, it’s not a survey to ask people whether or not they like the new calendar. It’s a survey to determine how CSD can help parents make alternative arrangements for their rugrats.
Thanks for the clarification.
CSDMom – my apologies – I totally misunderstood the purpose of the survey – should have gone to the CSD page before for the full details commenting . Of course it makes sense to register an opinion for each child – sorry I questioned your motivations.