September 27, 2012
Dear Parent,
The 2011-2012 End-of-Year Parent Survey was administered via the web on July 18 to August 8, 2012. A total of 59 parents completed surveys for 65 children. This was a very good participation level – the highest we have ever had. Thank you so much for your time and your valuable feedback.
Below is the full data for each question, a visual graph of some of the key questions, as well as a short summary of some of the identified trends from your comments.
School Satisfaction Ratings Table of Results
Classroom Satisfaction Levels Table of Results
School Satisfaction and Classroom Satisfaction Summary Bar Graphs
In addition to the number-ranking questions, there were three open ended questions:
If you could change one thing at Rainbow Mountain, what would it be?
Did you or your child have any concerns this year that are either unresolved or were never shared with a teacher or the Director?
Do you have any concerns about next year?
Survey Summary
Scores were, in general, quite high. Across the grades, parents felt their child made good social, emotional, and spiritual growth. The highest rating was in the area of safety, indicating parents and children feel a sense of safety at Rainbow. Not surprisingly, the lowest score was in regard to our facilities, which are in need of expansion, and the playground was specifically mentioned as a weakness. We listened. While we know that the opening of the new Orchard House and the new playground this year will vastly improve our facilities, we also know there is much more work to be done in the years ahead.
Parents of older children felt their children were very well prepared, which is important, since they are moving on to high school. Most parents with children in the lower grades also ranked academic growth high. Of the written comments from parents of the middle elementary grades, Math was specifically mentioned. Even before receiving the survey, we were aware of this sentiment, which is one of the reasons we began evaluating Singapore Math. We are piloting Singapore Math in 2nd and 3rd grades this year, and planning to bring in a Singapore consultant to help us determine how to best transition to a new Math program.
In administration and on the faculty, we are asking these questions constantly, and your survey results encourage us to continue to probe: “Is our learning curve steep enough, or too steep, in the 3rd – 5th grades?” “Are the methods we are using for academic subjects as effective as possible for this very important age?” We are working intensively to answer these questions and to further improve each child’s learning experience.
Thank you!
Of course, there are multiple factors that play into each child’s experience, parents’ perceptions, and the final outcome. Your survey ratings and comments were extremely helpful. The survey answered some questions, opened up new questions to explore, and helped us prioritize goals for the future. Thank you for your time, diligence, and thoughtfulness.
We would also like to thank volunteer board member, John Keller, for administrating and conducting data analysis of the End of Year survey. Thanks, everyone!
Sincerely,
Renee Owen
