The Guilderland Central School District will launch a culture and climate survey the week of May 27; students in grades 3-5 and 6-12, staff and families will be invited to participate.
Why conduct a culture and climate survey?
A significant aspect of the district’s mission is to create learning environments where all feel welcome and connected. A positive climate plays a pivotal role in shaping the experiences of everyone within the school community and can result in many beneficial outcomes, including healthy emotional and physical well-being, successful academic performance and consistent attendance.
Survey participants will be asked about a variety of topics, including inclusivity and diversity, connections at school, active participation, emotional well-being, battling bullying and the quality of learning. Survey results will help the district and building leaders more fully understand our community’s perspectives and the current state of our school climate while identifying areas for improvement.
How will the survey be administered?
The district is utilizing ThoughtExchange to conduct the survey of students in grades 3-5 and 6-12, staff and families. Students will be given time during the school day to take the survey; families will receive a link via ParentSquare and staff will receive a link through their GCSD email.
While this survey is not required, the district requests that all members of the school community participate. It takes approximately 10 minutes to complete; responses will be confidential and anonymous. By participating in this survey, stakeholders will be actively contributing to the creation of a nurturing and empowering educational environment for all.
How will the district use the survey results?
Community insights will guide GCSD in developing targeted strategies to enhance communication, collaboration and overall satisfaction within GCSD schools. Each of the seven buildings’ Equity Action Teams will review the data this summer, pinpoint specific strengths and areas of concern, and use the data to further develop and refine their action plans. These plans are specific to each GCSD school building and include short-, mid- and long-term goals that will help foster positive, more inclusive and supportive learning environments for all. This survey will be offered on an ongoing, yearly basis, allowing the district to gauge and track progress.
Questions regarding the GCSD culture and climate survey can be directed to Derek Westbrook at westbrookd@guilderlandschools.net.