Ninety-seven percent of respondents to our in-depth Spring survey (N= 325) report that they participated in parent-caregiver/teacher conferences, and in the April Possip pulse survey 86 respondents offered a range of suggestions for making “parent-caregiver/teacher conferences even more valuable.” Over the course of this school year, more than two-thirds of families have responded to one or more surveys sharing valuable insights, concerns, and appreciations with us. (For more on how Mundo Verde uses survey findings, please see the recently published blog: HERE).
From the two graphs below, we can see that respondents choose to engage in diverse ways with the school, and (in the second graphic) have a range of preferences for communications resources.
To ensure that we hear from as many diverse voices across the community, this Spring Mundo Verde also conducted bilingual telephone interviews with 184 family members who had not participated in any of the Possip pulse surveys. Below you can see how this cohort within the community compares with the ‘sentiment’ expressed by the community overall.
The following three graphs show the importance of both survey timing and technique. The first chart shows an increase in the number of respondents describing themselves as ‘unhappy,’ 41% compared with 19% in the prior pulse survey. Using a more nuanced measure, at a time when ‘happiness’ can be influenced by a host of external events, the second chart shows a year-on-year steady sense of ‘belonging.’ And the third graphic below shows in more detail that sense of belonging. Comparing this data: what explains 82% of respondents indicating a sense of “some,” “a lot,” or “quite a lot” of belonging – while at the same time 41% indicate they are ‘unhappy’? ‘Belonging’ taps into people’s broad and enduring sense of fundamental comfort. ‘Happiness’ captures a moment in time and reflects current events that are top of mind: an incident in a classroom, the resignation of a beloved teacher, and so forth. Both are important indicators of the community’s overall health and satisfaction.
One additional slide from the robust Spring survey offers another perspective on the key stakeholders in our community: students, families, and staff. As is clear below, two-thirds of respondents (N=325) believe that Mundo Verde has done a good job balancing the sometimes-competing needs of these three groups. That one-third thinks otherwise begs the question of why – and in what areas does this cohort see a lack of balance? Ongoing research will help us understand this and other questions.
