By Myrna Trauntvein
Times-News Correspondent
Juab School District is continuing with the "What Counts" program and recently held another forum to discuss what patrons of the district consider important.
The Juab stakeholders "What Counts" forum focus was to do a needs assessment and use the data from the meeting to help with long term vision and planning in the school district.
A discussion was held and the attendees were asked to identify topics that they considered important, said Dr. Rick Robins, superintendent. Following that the topics were posted and each person was asked to identify those topics considered by them to be most important.
"The 'What Counts' concept was developed by the Utah School Boards Association as a method for school districts to gather valuable input from school community stakeholders," said Robins.
The format is designed to ask patrons, parents, students, and educators two questions: "What is positive about your school?" "What is the ideal school?" "The responses are then ordered and ranked as priorities," said Robins. "This feedback is then used by local school boards to help drive their respective decision making process."
The feedback highlights what is working well, but also areas for improvement to reach the ideal.
The first topic was: "What do you value in your school (district) on this topic--school safety?"
Eleven of the stakeholders responded that they would like to see more reenactments; nine valued seeing students warm, comfortable and safe; nine would like more specific drug information given to students; seven would like more lockdown drills in the elementary schools; and one would like to see appropriate consequences for bullying.
The question was then asked: What is the ideal you would like to see in your school or district on this topic--school safety?"
A school resource officer was ranked first by 32 people; 18 wanted a Hope Squad; 16 wanted RADKids; 14 thought more counselors in the high school would be ideal; eight wanted Red Ribbon Week; eight wanted the Community Night Out; and four wanted to see a drama program in the elementary.
Stakeholders were next asked" "What do you value in your school (district) on this topic--Whole Child Approach?"
Twenty-two of the participants would like to see more opportunities in computer science (coding); eight thought that the elementary fifth and sixth band program had helped secondary programs; five would like to see suicide prevention training every three years for teachers; and five would like to see Hope Squad training in grades 7-12 every year.
Participants were also asked what the ideal was for the Whole Child Approach in the school and the district.
A full time elementary counselor was high priority for 38 people; 12 favored art instruction all year; 12 wanted specific information about scholarship opportunities presented earlier in the Seventh Grade and a follow-up in the 10th Grade; seven thought first year teachers should receive suicide prevention training; four thought there should be an elementary coding program; four thought that suicide prevention training should be available to every student.
The next question was what was valued about the district, school, teacher, parent communication system.
Twenty-five said that they valued Powerschool (checking grades, assignments, attendance, weekly report); 17 valued the Text/Remind App, 12 appreciated the District App (reminders, district calendar, Parentlink); 11 liked the district website; one liked the district Facebook page; and there were no votes for the Twitter site.
The partner to this question was what stakeholders would see as the ideal when it came to communications among all parties.
The majority (18) would like to see the whole district calendar available on app; 17 would like to have parents made familiar with Mastery Connect; 14 would like the district to advertise the JSD app for all parent access (with training available for parents); and four would like to see texting reflect urgency in the time of day it is received.
"What do you value in your school (district) on this topic--Quality Teachers?" read the next question.
Well-trained teachers drew 18 votes; 13 thought district teachers did well in building student relationships; 7 thought caring relationships important; six thought it important to meet the needs of everyone; five thought teachers were knowledgeable; five thought teachers ethical; four thought they showed patience; two thought them dedicated; two thought them responsible; one thought them concerned; one thought them willing to listen/communicate; there were no votes for the topic--invested for life.
The ideal that participants would like to see in quality teachers were: 16 participants thought being well trained in content and pedagogy was most important; 11 selected common sense; eight thought being happy was important; seven thought it was important to be willing to learn and be a life-long learner; six thought it important to be flexible; and five thought it was important to be a skilled observer and communicator; four feel the teacher's hands are tied; three said: "I want the teachers to be well-trained, but in content that parents approve;" three want teachers to be responsible, two want them to work together; two think the ideal quality teacher avoids burnout, keeps it fresh; and one thinks the teacher should be strong both mentally and physically.
Participants were asked what they thought about Quality 21st Century Education and Personalized Learning in Juab School District and in local schools.
Twenty-two thought that educational personalization is done well; 10 thought communication with leadership was good; 19 valued communication with leadership; nine thought it important to be forward thinking (embracing technology); seven appreciate teachers using technology.
As for the ideal with the same topic: 24 thought that what was needed was avenues for students without interest in college; 22 thought there needed to be more consistent implementation of technology; nine think that students are being held back and that the system needed more advanced programs; and seven would like to see a gifted/talented program.
"We can now consider all of the comments and suggestions in forming future plans," said Robins.
