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Superintendent introduces on-line parent survey

By Dr. Edward Costa, II

Superintendent, East Longmeadow Public Schools



We Need Parents!



EAST LONGMEADOW East Longmeadow Public Schools is currently designing their second five-year Strategic Plan.We need to hear from parents.

We have just launched our parent survey on a commercial web site. 2,900 post cards were mailed this past week to the parents in the school district. The post card invited parents to log on to a specific web address and take our survey.

This survey has 71 questions and will only take 12-15 minutes for parents to complete.

Through a web-based survey, we believe we can ask the same kind of questions we asked in the many PTO and Business meetings we held six years ago in person. However, this time we have brought the meetings to the parents (through the internet) rather than ask parents to give up another night to attend a school meeting. We know parents are pressed for time- especially family time.

Our School Committee is asking all parents to please take a few minutes and fill out the strategic plan survey.

The answers parents provide will guide the School Committee and your school district for the next five years.

Six years ago, the School Committee held numerous meetings to discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the school district.Hundreds of parents and staff members attended these many meetings.

The anonymous data collected from the meetings were synthesized and became goals and action plans for the district. Last year, the School Committee published the results of our first five-year strategic plan in our district newsletter that is an insert in The Reminder each fall and spring.

Clearly, the public knows that the data they give us is used to strengthen our school district and you saw results.We hope for the same kind of parent involvement again.

Our Strategic Plan parent web survey is cost effective too! Six years ago we spent well over $1,000 with printing costs, pencils, pens, markers, written surveys, and software, etc.

This year, we spent just over $300 for a web-based survey subscription to do it all.We designed it online, cut our costs by two-thirds, and brought the meeting to each parent's home via the web.

Now you can participate from home with a cup of tea, between TV commercials, and in your favorite bunny slippers too!