At the April 1, 2024, Board of Education (BOE) meeting, the board reviewed the results of a Climate Survey. According to the report, which you can see in its entirety here, “The Climate Survey directly aligns to the Board of Education goals of supporting the Stafford Public Schools efforts to improve on the Next Generation Accountability Index and increasing its presence in Stafford Public Schools.” The survey solicited results from staff members across the district.
BOE Chair Sara Introvigne-Kelley presented the results, saying there were things to celebrate and areas that represented growth opportunities. “It really gives the board data to plan ahead,” she said. About two-thirds of the staff responded, largely with positive feedback about their feelings about working in the Stafford school district. Kelley did acknowledge that the option for “Other” responses likely skewed the data and that the board will reconsider that option next year.
Kelley singled out the responses to the question, “The programs and resources at this school are adequate to support students’ learning,” as one area for growth. She said, “A lot of the feedback…is connected to the impact we had with the budget over the past couple of years.” She referred to the loss of staff and resources and noted that the “Other” category had higher responses. She also noted that when it comes to “Social Emotional Learning,” there is a need for additional training due to a significant increase in need.
When it came to a question about discipline, Stafford Elementary School’s (SES) responses stood out, with 31% of people strongly disagreeing that the school effectively handles discipline issues. This ties back to the paragraph above, which indicates higher needs among students with social and emotional issues and fewer resources across the board. In general, responses at SES were often a standout and seemed more likely to “strongly disagree” with many of the statements in the survey.
Staff comments for open-ended questions seemed to focus largely on the lack of resources' impact on the staff. For instance, one comment said, “Staff need to feel valued and respected,” which echoes sentiments from staff who spoke at BOE meetings about the budget. Another said, “Staff are exhausted due to added responsibilities, being pulled to cover.”
One cryptic response to the question about how the BOE can better support staff said, “Fully support the district, not the agendas of groups in the community.” Which groups and agendas are being referred to is unclear. The meaning of one comment saying, “Competitive wages for teachers and paraprofessionals“ would help support the schools, is a bit more obvious. Stafford has trouble hiring for many positions, and while that can sometimes be due to a shortage of people with the right qualifications, it’s also because Stafford pays less than many (if not all) other nearby districts and is therefore at a disadvantage when it comes to filling positions.
The data from the Climate Survey will be used to develop goals for the Superintendent and the Board of Education Strategic Plan for the 2024-2025 school year. However, it seems many issues around staffing and resources hinge on the district’s ability to get the budget passed, as there is very little to trim that will not directly impact these issues. One of the comments from staff sums up the ongoing issue: “Budget cuts from previous years have significantly impacted not only staff and programs but also the overall climate of the district.”
BOE member Mike Delano asked if the district sees a difference in retention rates based on how long they have been teaching. Superintendent Steven A. Moccion said that, in general, staff learn after they become tenured – after five to ten years – when they have more experience and are more marketable. That coincides with increased opportunity as other districts are also experiencing staff shortages. He estimated there are about 100 special education positions open in the state, and districts with higher socioeconomic status surround Stafford. He also noted that sometimes, staff is not the right fit for the district.
BOE member Aaron Hoffman, a veteran teacher who currently works in the Ellington Public School System, noted that 73% of teachers are happy to be working in the district and that he loves the “safety data.” He noted that the question about teaching students with IEPs was a good place for growth and suggested that during the next professional development day, they offer a class to teachers to learn how to better work with students who have IEPs. He noted he had never had a good professional development presentation from the teaching perspective about this topic.