On October 20, a team of teachers and administration from Mount Pleasant High School sent out surveys through email. They sent different versions to students, teachers, staff, and families affiliated with the high school. The results have been compiled and evaluated. I met with Mrs. Willey, an assistant principal of MPHS and a large contributor to the surveying process to review the results.

This article will cover the results of the latest student survey and last year’s student survey results to see any changes. Mrs. Willey also shares her plan for moving forward in response to the results and what will most benefit the school. The student survey is a rare opportunity to hear from about 864 students, a large portion of the student body. Their responses provide insight into how students feel about different aspects of school.

The survey covers a broad range of topics with responses typically being I agree or I do not agree. Mrs. Willey and I focused on the results that stuck out to the team of surveyors as more important or relevant. They identified these results as glow areas, or positive data points, and grow areas, or data points that need improvement.
One positive result is 92% of students agreed “teachers treat me with respect”, an increase from last year’s 90.7%. Another positive result is 96% of students agreed they know what to do in an emergency situation (ex. fire, tornado, lockdown). This increased from last year when it was at 92.3%. The last identified glow area is the response 96% of high school students agree that they have at least one friend at school.

A less favorable result is 48% of students agreed “In my school, students are treated with respect and kindness by everyone (teachers, adults, and other students)”. This percentage increased from last year’s 40%; however, it is still fairly low. Another less favorable result is 52.9% of students agreed with the question, “Are students in this school respectful to the staff?” This percentage is better than last year’s 42.3%, but still needs improvement. The last identified growth area is the response 47.7% of students agree “Students are frequently recognized for good behavior.” This is a slight increase from last year when it was 47.1% agreement.

Mrs. Willey attributes the positive trends in this year’s data to new procedures including the SmartPass (digital hall pass system), the implementation of Capturing Kids Hearts (a social emotional learning program), and the phone policy which does not allow for phones to be in use during class time or passing time.
When talking to Mrs. Willey, she mentions one way to address the growth areas is through spreading student awareness. This could mean students taking steps to talk about the level of respect shown to teachers. Another example is students could choose to treat peers with respect. Mrs. Willey also hinted she is planning to introduce some sort of system to incentivise positive student behavior.

Hopefully this article is a helpful summary of the student survey and a step towards spreading awareness to continue the positive direction MPHS is moving in.