One of the most favorable responses was to the question “How respectful are the teachers toward you?” 74 percent of students who took the survey answered that their teachers are extremely respectful or very respectful.
“I would like to think that teachers care about our students, you know, and I think there’s a lot of evidence of that. I think when teachers wake up in the morning, they may not say it in these words, but I think we want to make a difference. I do think that it’s important that students feel respected, that they feel like they could be heard, and they can see that the teacher values them,” Associate Principal Steven Leib said.
25 percent of students answered the question “How well do the students follow the rules of your school?” favorably which is one of the lowest scores East received.
“Rules aren’t always fun, obviously, but I think there is safety in them and so we as people, I think when we’re told to do something, either we fall in line and do it out of like obedience or push back a little bit. Even our cell phone policy. I’m sure people who have feelings about it, and I struggle with it too. I don’t know what is in the mind of the student to take that survey, but at the end of the day, we want to feel like we have some autonomy as people, and we have choice,” Leib said.
Some may wonder what East plans to do in response to the areas that scored low. In this case students lack to follow the rules.
“One of the things we’re doing is we’re meeting as a school leadership team. It’s made up of teachers, counselors and just people that apply for it. We meet biweekly. On Nov.19, [we studied the results as a team and basically, we analyzed it.] What are students saying positively, what are some things that we’re doing that’s going to keep the momentum going? But from there we’re going to break into different small committees. I want teachers to know what the students are saying because if you don’t know, what are they saying? How are we going to change or do anything differently?” Leib said.
One of the main points of data throughout the years that East scored low on was the lack sense of belonging. So, it’s been a focus.
“I think we’re focused on sense of belonging because it was low historically. Because I think the theory of action is if people feel that they belong, I’m not saying you can have disagreements with people because we’re different. We’re very diverse. That’s the beauty of it. People can be in clubs, academics, sports, activities and knitting club and still not feel like they belong. I could be going to football practice and that kind of stuff and still feel like I’m alone in a room so that’s not always the answer to things. We do want people to feel like they belong in this building and that’s a very personal thing to feel like you actually belong somewhere that you like,” Leib said.
Change and growth planned each year based on the data East receives, the voices of students, staff and parents make a huge impact.
“If I don’t know what people are thinking, I’m just going to continue trying to do things and throwing it at a wall and hoping it sticks. So, whatever it is we’re doing, we want to try to connect the dots between these things we’re doing, and if it makes people feel like they belong, let’s continue to do those things, in fact, let’s continue to grow upon it,” Leib said.
The Panorama Survey not only contributes to East but the Des Moines Public School District. East’s data is compared to other schools in the district. It shows how East performed and compares to schools like Roosevelt, North and Hoover on how the district is doing. As it does compare to local schools, it also does on a national level.
There are two surveys required each school year, not only to see if there are still areas where East may be struggling or improving in, but to see the different emotional states in which the students take the Panorama Survey. In the Fall, most students are on an academic grind where they overtake challenges and work completion, while in the Spring some have a different mindset just trying to get to the end of the school year, seniors see graduation in the upcoming months.
The Panorama Survey is also extended to East High Schools parents. The district also wants to know how the parents are feeling, a way to give parents the chance to voice their opinions.
. I don’t know what they’re feeling. I can’t help. I can’t do anything and that’s why I got into this profession. That’s why we got into this profession, is to equip students, to empower them, to go out there and do something better every generation. It’s like checking the oil right, where are we at. Are we low or are we high?” Leib said.
