CASTLE ROCK SCHOOL DISTRICT 401 Focus Group Sessions Summary Winter 2016-17

Presented By: Jim Mabbott Castle Rock School District Superintendent

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Castle Rock School District

Focus Group Sessions Summary

Castle Rock School District Focus Group Sessions Summary

This past fall, Castle Rock School District teachers, staff, students, parents and community/business leaders participated in a series of 18 focus groups to provide input into the District’s visioning process. The groups were held from October 6 through November 30. Participants engaged in discussions around the following topics specific to the District:      

District communications; Future goals for the District; Facilities and Safety; Change vs status quo going forward; District/individual student academic progress; and Qualities of our graduates

At the end of each session, participants were encouraged to share any additional thoughts/ideas for school board and leadership consideration. Below is a summary of the input captured from the focus groups. District Communications How does/should the District share information with stake holders? Overall, focus group participants believe that the District does a fair job of communicating proactively with stakeholders but improvements are needed. As is true in many communities, there is a general perception that a significant number of community members may be apathetic about what’s going on and uninterested in becoming more involved/engaged. However it was suggested that a strong two-way communication strategy will help this issue. The most popular District communication vehicles are:

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School Messenger system (parents, students); Email (parents, students, community members, staff); Social media (not widely seen).

Castle Rock School District

Focus Group Sessions Summary

District Communications Continued

The District website was generally described as a useful tool for tracking down contact information, but there were some concerns about the ease of navigation. Some senior participants explained that they don’t use computers and would prefer to see flyers/bulletins at the Senior Center and other community locations. Some individuals mentioned that they do not have internet access in the areas where they live.

New website! Welcome to our new school website!

How does/should the District get information from stakeholders? Overwhelmingly, the top suggestion here involves the Board members and superintendent having listening meetings with the staff and community throughout the year instead of one event every year or so. Several groups stated that face-to-face communications cannot be replaced. Communication Ideas              

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Increase face-to-face opportunities for all stake holders Expand use of social media (Facebook, blogs, twitter) Provide Board member contact information on the website Update the District website on a regular basis Publish a periodic (at least quarterly) District newsletter sent by email/mail Increase Board member and superintendent presence at school and parent meetings and in buildings (visit when there is not an issue, concern or bond pending) Use school reader boards more effectively to communicate important District information Meet the School Board night Add text messages to School Messenger Frequent articles in the newspaper Posters in Castle Rock, Vader and Ryderwood advertising the District’s website (submit information in Ryderwood publication) Add an email area on the website for stake holders to add their email address Reach out to families of past students Keep your word and keep the communication strong between District and community

Castle Rock School District

Focus Group Sessions Summary

Future Goals for the District There were many suggestions for the future of the District. There were also many compliments regarding the District, especially the three schools including students, staff and parents. The most suggested goals for the future included:

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Increase parent/community involvement; make parents feel welcomed Inform families/community of academic progress/performance Increase academic achievement/graduation rate Skills/Careers and Technical Center Make student attendance a priority Develop a technology plan that includes greater integration into the classroom Fiber optic internet New/updated aligned curriculum materials/resources for teachers Greater access to study halls for secondary students Attract and retain quality staff Strong professional development program for all staff Add advanced placement opportunities Increase elective opportunities Partner with outside agencies to assist with mental health and all ‘wrap around’ services Emphasize life skills for all students Strengthen connection between information and application

Facilities and Safety While a new targeted bond levy was encouraged by the majority of participants, there was overwhelming agreement that the District needs to clearly prioritize facility needs and take immediate action on the highest priorities. Safety was mentioned by every group as a top priority and that security measures need to be implement as soon as possible. Teachers and building administrators asked for clarification on school budget maintenance items vs. District maintenance items. There is a perception by many that the District only addresses crisis issues and does not deal with deferred maintenance issues which can lead to greater expense in the long run.

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Castle Rock School District

Focus Group Sessions Summary

Facilities and Safety Continued

Facilities and Safety Ideas                 

Build a new Middle School Covered area for Elementary School Remodel at Elementary and High Schools including improvement of supervision/security Safety/evacuation drills need to be updated and practiced including on buses Community/Schools plan for natural disasters HVAC systems need to be updated for circulation and efficiency Electronic communications need to be updated Key card system – eliminate outdated key system Current school layouts are not safe Security presence on high school campus Update facilities use process for community Electronic reader boards Updated music facilities School offices must be able to clearly view the entrance door and screen all visitors Build a pre-school/Kindergarten in Vader Updated furniture including lunch tables Implement community tours of the schools – everyone should have the opportunity to see the needs

Change vs Status Quo Going Forward In every group, there were many complimentary items listed that the District is doing well and should keep doing and enhance.            

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Positive attitudes around the District Strong, caring and passionate staff and administrators Small town values PBIS program Keep honored traditions – Paint The Rock, school spirit days, etc. Continue use of and add to Chrome books Community gardens/America in Bloom partnership Caring that goes above and beyond Partnerships with police, fire and city leaders Retain Teaching & Learning and Human Resources positions Partnership with the Senior Center Visible superintendent

Castle Rock School District

Focus Group Sessions Summary

Change vs Status Quo Going Forward Continued

However, there were also many suggestions for improving the District/schools in the future. Those included:

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Improve District and school communications Increase academic performance Start a skills center with several vocational training opportunities including certification Add counselors Standards are needed for instructional targets and program evaluation Implement strong professional development on classroom management Develop District/school referral/intervention programs Strengthen the STEM program K-12 Add early release or late start for professional development/training Before/After school programs for late start/early release Increase parental involvement Outreach program to parents and families Attract and retain strong/dedicated staff members Need to stabilize administrative positions Add college prep courses Have regularly scheduled forum discussions Add after school programs Increase elective offerings at Middle and High Schools Partner with Trade organizations More training for teachers to integrate technology into instruction Stronger partnerships with mental health partners Time outside of Board meetings to interact with the Board Work more closely with Ryderwood and Vader Activity buses Outdoor School Reading/Instructional/PBIS coaches in schools

Castle Rock School District

Focus Group Sessions Summary

District/Student Academic Progress Academic achievement was mentioned by all eighteen groups. However, there was a lack of knowledge in all groups regarding the specificity of scores in Castle Rock as compared to other districts. There were strong opinions on this topic including:

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Big gap throughout the District with lack of communication Schools and learning are not among the highest priorities in the community Need consistency between schools Varies from class to class and grade level to grade level Community is not pleased with academic progress Lack of parental involvement No consistent curriculum Expectations are not aligned across K-12 We do not have enough information on test scores to know where the District stands Academics have not been the number one priority Meeting expectations for rural Cowlitz County Students not ready for life after graduation Should have 0% of students transferring out of District Low because no one complains Some people have just given up

Qualities of our Graduates Every educational institution wants to celebrate the completion of a program for their students. We asked our groups to name the qualities or evidence that would convince them that the graduates of Castle Rock School District were ready for the world following graduation. Their comments included:

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Castle Rock School District

Focus Group Sessions Summary

Qualities of our Graduates Continued

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Well honed life skills Clear career path(s) Ability to write a resume, job application and interview Senior presentations should have higher expectations Schools should help their students find their strengths Understanding of civics; being a productive citizen Confidence and responsibility to self Work experience Strong work ethic Ability to use resources available to them; critical thinking skills Sense of community; team player Has a job, accepted into college/university or vocational school Lifelong learning attitude History of community service Reading, speaking, mathematical and writing abilities Listening skills

Castle Rock School District

Focus Group Sessions Summary