Every year, students at Metea Valley take part in several school-wide surveys that are used to get an insight into their experience inside and outside of school. We all skip our PE class, go to the auditorium, sit in nice rows, and answer questions about how much stress we have in our lives.
No one likes them. But this year was a little different. We all took our surveys, but now I can recognize the deliberate efforts of our administration to respond to these surveys and better the school life of their students.
Survey results say students aren’t doing well managing their workload. Our teachers lighten our load and run a lesson on work management.
Survey results say students don’t feel safe in the bathrooms. Administration locks a few bathrooms and adds additional hall monitors.
We gave them data and they took decisive and direct action to better the lives of their students. And this got me thinking, because many of the issues raised by the survey are not so easy to tackle.
For example, how do you change school culture to be more inclusive and inviting for all students? The answer is you don’t. Not in one year. It takes intentional and constant molding by teachers and students over the course of years.
In an interview, Jessica Thomas, the English Department Chair at Metea Valley, described a school improvement plan that was created by Metea Valley administrators to help support their students.
Using the survey responses provided, they created a plan that focused on developing school pride, creating a sense of belonging, and encouraging equitable practices in and out of the classroom. This plan has been the precept for Metea Valley faculty during this school year and is helping guide our school culture toward one of acceptance and accountability.
