Why Your Participation in Pulse Surveys Matters
Posted on 08/25/2023
The atmosphere and welcoming ethos of a school are crucial to student achievement. It remains a top priority for the Douglas County School System. As part of our district’s efforts to deliver the best educational experience for our students, we have been working with Satchel Pulse, a platform we introduced last year that gathers and manages feedback instantly.
Pulse surveys are like a magic camera. They are like a mood radar that captures a snapshot of how students, staff and families feel about a school at the same time. The surveys allow school and district leaders to view what is happening in your child’s school and maintain a “pulse” on the culture and climate of schools. In addition to providing a pulse check on our schools, they help us monitor and improve Social Emotional Learning and overall student well-being. Studies have shown that by focusing on student social and emotional needs, students increase academic performance, attendance, behavior, and post-secondary success.
Once every four weeks, the Pulse platform sends out short, anonymous surveys. Pulse sends these surveys to all staff in DCSS schools, as well as groups of students and all families who sign up to participate. Each group receives different questions specific to their role in the educational process: for example, students might be asked whether they enjoy their classes or feel safe at school. Parents may be asked about their satisfaction with communication from the school or about the homework and learning activities their children receive. Teachers and staff give feedback about their overall job satisfaction, and whether their relationships with colleagues and supervisors are positive.
The student surveys, administered in grades 3, 5, 6, 8, 9 and 12, represent the district’s commitment to creating a safe and supportive learning environment. Surveys are quick, simple and anonymous. The responses help administrators make informed decisions about all aspects of our schools. Not only that, they alert administrators immediately to any challenges that may cause a sudden change to the morale or temperature of a school. The surveys provide powerful feedback that helps assess district and school performance and guides the success of our School Improvement Plan.
We need your help to help students succeed. Parent participation is essential to helping us improve and monitor the success of our culture and climate in every school. Therefore, once you receive the short monthly survey, please respond. Expect questions on the pillars of Communication, My Child’s Learning, My Child’s Safety, My Child’s Well-Being, School Culture, School Environment, School Leadership, and the Teaching Staff. Please provide your honest feedback once you receive your survey. Pillar scores, comments, and participation rates will be evaluated and shared for each survey.
If you receive a survey this year, you can expect it every month on the following dates: September 14, 2023, October 12, 2023, November 9, 2023, December 7, 2023, January 4, 2024, February 1, 2024, February 29, 2024, March 28, 2024, April 25, 2024 and May 23, 2024.
Finally, we look forward to your participation in our Parent Surveys this year. These Pulse surveys will be an important component of students' social, emotional, and academic success across the district. We are grateful our parents support this platform and share our commitment to student success.