Executive Summary

2018 Parent Survey

March 6, 2018
19 Adar 5778

Dear Levine Families,

I want to thank all of you who took the time to fill out the Parent Survey in December. Our previous comprehensive survey was conducted in the first half of the 2014/2015 school year, and this year's survey was largely drawn from the last survey, which offers us valuable feedback, key trends across school quality measurements, and important data to guide our school's next school improvement plan this Spring.

In this communication I will share some chief takeaways--both the positive commentary and the constructive feedback--from the 100 parent respondents (compared with 111 respondents in 2014), with a large majority of these respondents representing children enrolled in the K8 program. I also want to use this opportunity to invite parents to meet with me and hear my presentation about the survey results. The presentation will include a more in depth look at the data and percentages. There will be three sessions offered: two on Monday, March 12, at 8:00 AM and 9:15 AM, and one on Tuesday, March 13 at 7:00 PM. All meetings will be in the Multi-Purpose Room just inside the K8 school entrance.

The main categories of our survey included: academic: curriculum and instruction; overall school tone and climate; communication; auxiliary and extracurricular programs; and strategic priorities.

Academic Program

  • Positive: Highest satisfaction marks in the academic program were given to Judaic Studies, Language Arts, Hebrew, and Math. (Satisfaction with the math program was substantially positive compared with the 2014/15 survey.)
  • Positive: Parents whose children are receiving support/attention from learning specialists were unanimously satisfied.
  • Positive: Highest marks for educational ideals were given to cooperation, teamwork, creativity, and exploration.
  • Constructive Feedback: Families with highly capable children would like to see more attention given to their children's needs.
  • Constructive Feedback: There is opportunity to improve the teaching of technology and computer skills.

Overall School Tone and Climate

  • Positive: Nearly 100% of parents feel that their children are receiving a solid foundation in Jewish values.
  • Positive: Similar percentage confirming the school's tone as positive and welcoming; also, high marks regarding parents, teachers and staff exhibiting respect for one another.
  • Positive: Nearly unanimous agreement among parents that their children feel safe at school.
  • Constructive Feedback: Faculty and staff should consider student voices regarding conflicts and issues, instead of jumping to conclusions.
  • Constructive Feedback: Room for improvement in the area of student engagement with prayer services.

Communication

  • Positive: Widespread agreement that E-Newsletters are a helpful source of information.
  • Positive: Highest percentage feel comfortable talking with their child's teachers.
  • Positive: Large majority feel the teachers' class-wide weekly communications are timely and informative.
  • Constructive Feedback: Website needs to be well-designed, content-rich, and user-friendly.
  • Constructive Feedback: While a majority felt teachers were doing a satisfactory or better job at this, a good number of parents feel teachers should be more consistent and thorough regarding communicating their child's academic progress.

Auxiliary and Extra-Curricular Programs

  • Positive: Highest percentage feel that the overnight trips (middle school) are exemplary.
  • Positive: Large majority feel that transition-readiness programs (Pre-K to K; middle school snapshot; high school readiness program) are very valuable.
  • Positive: Very high satisfaction marks given to Educare/After School programs.
  • Constructive Feedback: Auxiliary services--Opportunity to improve our lunch program; carpool can be improved; better management of parking lot, especially during big events.
  • Constructive Feedback: Enhance resources devoted to supporting the Middle School sports program. 

Strategic Planning Priorities

When parents were asked to list their top priorities for the school, here are the top four strategic priorities, listed in order of most frequently cited by parents:

  • Academic Excellence
  • Financial Support and Affordability
  • Communication
  • Jewish Education and Values

I want to point out that there were so many families who commented with unconditional high praise and satisfaction about their Levine experience, and it was especially heartening to hear from parents who have been at Levine for several years comment that the school has implemented several positive changes recently. Of course, there were also lots of very helpful comments and suggestions that touched on areas of the survey beyond the scope of the topics listed above. These comments and suggestions are equally valuable to us.

I look forward to delivering a follow-up message to the community regarding near-term steps we will take to address as many of the items above as we can.

Again, thank you to all of our parents for providing the school with your valuable input. The feedback and data have been significant factors in all of our strategic planning committee work. Unquestionably, Ann and Nate Levine Academy is blessed with a community who cares about a high quality educational experience and is strongly supportive of our school mission. I look forward to the good work we will all do together to advance our school, follow through on the constructive feedback, and strengthen our mission for the benefit of all of our current and future students.

I hope to see you here at one of my presentations on Monday, March 12 or Tuesday, March 13.

Sincerely,

Tom Elieff

Head of School

Ann & Nate Levine Academy