NCSD board discusses culture surveys

A district culture survey was the topic of the longest discussion item at Monday’s regular Newton Community School District Board of Education meeting.

The 40-minute discussion about the direction of a possible staff culture survey, which was not on the agenda as an action item, came after a respected Heartland AEA representative discussed some of the benefits of a product called a Denison Culture Survey. The discussion included the timing of a survey, given the district is about to reconfigure into four K-4 elementary school campuses, the cost of hiring a firm for formal help and how much planning should go into a survey, and the definition of culture versus climate.

NCSD Board Member Donna Cook said she feels the district should move ahead with a survey, rather than wait until the fall once the reconfigured campuses are operational.

“We don’t have a very good track record with surveys,” Cook said during the discussion. “I think we should stick our feet in the water now and see where we’re at.”

Board member Ann Leonard echoed the need to move ahead soon with a culture survey.

Superintendent Bob Callaghan asked for input from the principals who were at Monday’s meeting. Thomas Jefferson Elementary School Principal Tom Bartello said it would be helpful to have enough time to let his staff know how the results would be utilized.

“I don’t need to be able to meet with the staff and say ‘Here’s how I want you to answer the survey questions,’” Bartello said. “But I do want to be able to say ‘Here’s how we’re going to use the information we get from the survey.’”

Board president Sheri Benson said it would be better to wait until after the reconfiguration to pursue a culture survey, especially since it’s already late in the school year.

“We’ve got a lot else going on right now,” Benson said. “And teachers will not be in school after the end of next month. Plus, when it comes to getting this information together and processing the results, that’s not our job.”

Board member Robyn Friedman said she disagrees with Benson and that providing guidance and support for teachers and principals is the board’s job. She also said she feels the district should utilize some of the free tools made available by the Iowa Department of Education before spending money on a culture survey.

The price tag for the same type of Denison Culture Survey paid for by the Heartland AEA is not known. Callaghan reminded the board Denison has never done a survey of a school district, and the Heartland AEA has been its only Iowa client.

Board member Andy Elbert said he didn’t want the board to engage staff in a survey simply for the sake of doing so.

“It seems like some people want to do a survey just so we can say we checked that off the list for 2016,” he said.

Cook said more than once she would like to have a representative of Denison address the board, even if it meant meeting on a special night.

The other main item the board tackled Monday was potentially naming the administration building and renaming its alternative school programs that are set to be housed there beginning this summer. A three-person committee — comprised of board members Donna Cook, Josh Cantu, and Ann Leonard — did not bring in any formal recommendations for names. Instead, the board and administration agreed to gather public feedback by May 5 through the district website and through the Facebook page “District Administration.”

Cook said the subcommittee advised the board would not oppose any attempt by a program or school within the new building to rename itself.

The Berg Complex Bond Committee will meet at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at Emerson Hough. The next regular board meeting is set for May 9.

In other action Monday, the board:

• The board will consider several 200 series and 300 series board policy revisions.

• Heard from Newton High School Principal Bill Peters about NHS’s modified block scheduling in the Board Learning Leadership Workshop held prior to Monday’s meeting. Peters outlined some of the advantages and challenges of NHS’s system.

• Heard a report from Callaghan on the progress in remodeling the administration building. He said it looks like the parking lot repaving phase will begin shortly after June 1.

• Held a closed planning session after Monday’s meeting to discuss ongoing union contract negotiations. An arbitration hearing is scheduled, and the district countered the teachers’ opening 6.5 percent increase proposal with a 2 percent increase. Callaghan said during Monday’s meeting all teachers currently under contract will be renewed; any staff who are not being retained for next year would already be notified.

• Heard from Director of Business Services Gayle Isaac regarding National School Board Association Membership. He said the cost to join as a district is prohibitive, but board members interested in receiving regular publications from the NSBA could receive them.

• Heard from Thomas Jefferson special education teacher Barb Hackworth about the staffing needs at her campus. She said adjusting from four special education teachers to three was a challenge, but current plans call for only two in 2016-17. Despite a lower number of expected students in special education at that campus next year, Hackworth doesn’t feel two teachers are sufficient, especially if the 24 expected students have a long list of goals to meet.

Contact Jason W. Brooks at 641-792-3121 ext. 6532 or jbrooks@newtondailynews.com