School board goes over responses on staff survey

Survey responses of praise, anger, distrust and admiration focused on the operation of the school district were picked over by the Colfax school board July 7 when they publicly discussed the results of a survey of school employees.

The board pinpointed better communication and more trust as places where the district needs help.

No official action was taken at the special board work session. The board also shot down a number of survey comments they felt irrelevant or too obscure.

Colfax school district has 98 employees who all received the survey.

“There’s some really good ideas in here, but some of it is really off the wall- vindictive,” said school board member Laura Johnson.

Lone residents at the session were Brenda Kneeshaw, who retired this year after teaching at Jennings Elementary, Kirby Dailey, originator of the survey process, and Maureen Appel Clausen.

School board president Brian Becker said he found two common themes throughout the survey results.

“It seems to me the heart of the issue is communication. The question is how can we improve communication?” He cited employees feeling distrustful as the other theme.

“And trust- trust is a big issue,” said Johnson.

The survey was prompted by Dailey in the wake of voters’ rejection of the first school district’s levy proposal last February. Dailey said he heard many complaints from citizens and staff about operations at the school after the levy failed. The survey, in addition to a shorter, earlier survey, was aimed at collecting staff thoughts on the functions or disfunctions within the district.

Board members July 7 suggested several solutions to curb problems mentioned by staff. Getting all employees on board with a school-wide set of goals, or vision, was one proposal. Publicizing school announcements or a weekly staff newsletter highlighting school issues was also suggested.

Johnson said she wanted to tout positive school aspects more often. She added, “a safe environment is a big thing because some in here [staffers] seem to fear retaliation.”

Superintendent Michael Morgan said he wanted to sit down with both school principals in the fall to create “a full plan for better communication.”

Survey results on a question of school leadership, indicated 26 percent surveyed said they completely agreed with school leadership, 39 percent said they agreed mostly, 19 percent said they agreed slightly, 12 percent said they didn’t agree at all. Four percent said they had no basis to judge.

In the comments section after each category, some staff were upset with the lack of student motivation, the leadership of Supt. Morgan, parents not helping students and athletics taking precedence over class time.

“I feel that there is a disconnect in the chain of command. I feel supported by my principal, but not by the superintendent and school board,” wrote another.

Others were pleased with teachers and pleased with the communication skills of Morgan and Principals Tom Arlt and Gary Weitz.

“I’d like the board to know that not all staff have been represented in their findings. I truly appreciate our board, Mr. Michael Morgan and our principals in their commitment to better the Colfax Schools in a professional manner,” wrote another employee. “I do not believe in personal vendettas and find them only hurtful and harmful.”

Board member Rob Smith said he noticed staff indicated there was too much money and time spent on sports in place of academics.

“That’s what I’d be interested in from the community perspective,” Smith said of learning the community take on the district balancing sports and school.

Before the board dove into comments, Smith announced he had had an encouraging phone call from an elementary teacher the night before.

“She was confident in the administration,” he said. “I was happy to hear that. She put a smile on my face.”

Dailey, who has been pushing the surveys at board meetings since the school levy failed last February, told the board he was happy with their progress.

“This is impressive,” he said.

Kneeshaw told the board she thought each teacher needed to be talking more to teachers of other grades.

“I would say in the last three to five years that’s diminished. Now it’s the state who tells us,” Kneeshaw said. “That’s a piece that’s got to stay in place. We’ve got to keep talking to each other.”

Clausen in a later interview with the Gazette said she wanted board members to take more initiative in school matters, instead of just accepting and approving everything the superintendent brings to them.

“It just looks like rubberstamping,” she said of the board approving decisions presented to them by Morgan.

The July 7 meeting was the first time she saw school board members taking that initiative, she said.