The Jamesville-DeWitt Central School District recently conducted a ThoughtExchange to see how the school community is feeling as we head into the second half of the 2023-24 school year. We asked participants to tell us about their biggest successes and challenges.
ThoughtExchange participants were able to anonymously respond to the question and then read and rate other people’s thoughts. We had 343 participants, 212 thoughts and 8,749 comment ratings for the exchange, which was open from Jan. 30-Feb.9. Of the participants, 1% were students, 24% were staff members and 75% were parents or caregivers.
“We’re going to look into new ways to reach students and get them more involved in future ThoughtExchanges. Their perspective is critical to creating the best learning environment possible. We’re here for them and we want their input” said Superintendent Peter Smith.
ThoughtExchange responses indicate a mix of successes and challenges in the 2023-24 school year. Successes include the addition of a School Resource Officer (SRO) in each school building, excellent communication with parents, and musical productions. However, challenges include the five-week marking periods at the middle school, concerns about short lunch times, lack of guidance for excelling students, and the need for more control over cell phone use in school.
“We’re so thankful for this feedback and are already looking to address some of the challenge areas. For instance, Middle School Principal Andy Eldridge is already planning to make changes and improve marking periods for the 2024-25 school year” said Superintendent Peter Smith.
You can view the full ThoughtExchange report here. Superintendent Peter Smith presented this report to the board of education during its regular meeting on Monday, March 4.