Today, students took the 5Essentials Survey in their second period classes.
“I think [the survey] can be used to give the school an overview of what education needs to be improved as a whole, not just grade-wise,” said OH senior Madeline Mundsinger. “I also think it shows how attendance is important and how involved teachers are at the school.”
The University of Chicago’s 30-minute, research-based 5Essentials survey, which has been administered since the ’18-19 school year, is open for all community members at OH to take.
Today, OH Assistant Principal Brian Cooney, along with other administrators, announced the survey and its importance, as well as steps to complete it during the students’ 2nd-period classes.
“Receiving feedback from multiple stakeholders is important as individuals have differing experiences based on their role in the system,” said Cooney. “Taking all of these perspectives into account allows us to target the greatest areas of concern.”
The goal of this survey is to improve the school and make it as safe as possible for everyone. OH wants parents to feel content with their kids attending the school, students can thrive in the learning environment, and teachers can thrive in their workplace.
“[The student survey] covers what classes you take, as well as how involved you feel the teachers are, how supportive the classroom environments are, and what you feel might need improvement,” said Mundsinger.
The student version of the survey includes questions about the students’ attitudes, experiences, and activities at their school and how they negatively or positively affect their environment. This information is crucial for the school to be aware of student opinions and change things for their comfort.
“Survey data can be used to make small adjustments to our process and procedures or could lead to larger initiatives within the five indicators: [effective leaders, collaborative teachers, involved families, supportive environments, ambitious instruction],” said Cooney.
The parent version of the 5Essentials survey shifts the questions to best fit the takers, asking about their relationship with the school and how it may have affected them or their child. The teacher version goes more in-depth about their professional development and the school as a work environment.
“From the parent results, our school can see areas where parents feel, OH is very strong and also identify areas where improvement is needed,” said Matthew Borrowman, OH math teacher and parent. “These areas can be highlighted and used as a school-wide goal for the following year.”
The overall objective of the implementation of the 5Essentials Survey is not only to gather various opinions, but also to act upon them, and collaborate among teams to guarantee a positive and comfortable environment for everybody.
This is my first year as a staff reporter on 42Fifty and I am a senior at OHS. I am also involved in NEHS, Best Buddies, and Reading Corner at the school and in my free time I volunteer at the Naperville Area Humane Society. You can contact me by emailing 42Fifty@sd308.org and putting my name in the subject line. We welcome comments on our articles and feedback on our publication!
