SEA Qualitative & Quantitative Feedback Survey:
Flood Protocols & Strategic Decision Making
Prepared by the School Executives of Aurora
Garrett Rosa (SEA President)
Lisa Grosz (VP)
Steve Hamilton (Executive President)
September 24, 2013
25 responses
Quantitative Summary
Roles of those that responded to the survey
DOI
0
0%
Professional/Technical
3
12%
15
60%
Assistant Principal
2
8%
Support Services
2
8%
Division of Assessment
0
0%
Other
3
12%
Principal
How would you rate your level of support with the decision to release students to their families early?
Highly supportive
12
48%
Supportive
8
32%
Neutral
4
16%
I did not support this decision
1
4%
Other
0
0%
How would you rate your level of support with the decision to cancel school on 9-13-13 for all APS students in
order to assess damages?
Highly supportive
15
60%
Supportive
8
32%
Neutral
2
8%
I did not support this decision
0
0%
Other
0
0%
Qualitative Summary
What questions do you have about the decisions that were made that were not addressed in the Q&A?
What system does APS leadership use to assess weather conditions? Do you have access to resources that go beyond the typical news stations?
What can be the "takeaways" from these procedures that will make things run smoothly the next time? Not all schools or neighborhoods were impacted the same,
but when we are making those decisions maybe we should assume the worst case scenario and follow those protocols but follow up with a rationale to the
community in making those decisions.
What reflections and reviews were gathered around the automated message that went home that Thursday regarding the early release?
There was no consideration of high school schedule. There was no forewarning The media had the information before the schools
Parents were calling the school and telling us about the closing information prior to our knowing what was going to happen. we had 20-30 parents at our door
before we knew anything about the release. How can we get the information in a timely manner to be prepared?
Given the district's primary objective of ensuring student safety, combined the unpredictable nature of the flooding surrounding Peoria Elementary, arguably one of
the hardest hit areas of Aurora, is there defined district guidance suggesting levels of natural events and/or criteria to consider when ascertaining weather or not
students are considered safer remaining in a school than out on the roads in their parent's vehicle, if they have one?
The communication seemed sporadic. I was getting texts from IRT then emails later on. I realize it was a fast moving day I just want all the facts together to help
make decisions quickly and smoothly.
I was not sure if we were to be sending out a school messenger to families after IRT sent text related to students being dismissed only to parents. Then the district
responded later on saying they were calling.
We did not find out about the message that went to parents until parents notified us. A better means of communicating these mid-day decisions would be welcome.
We have a significant number of students at Pickens. Was the pickup procedure given to them?
What additional feedback would you like to provide our APS Leadership team?
I appreciate that you are willing to err on the side of student and family safety. You put our kids and families first and for that I am very grateful
I think this type of flooding is rare and it is very difficult to predict next steps.
Great support from BOTH Tudy, Georgia and Sturges' teams!
I appreciated the texts/emails regarding school issues. I was able to reach out to colleagues to offer support, but, more importantly to make sure everyone was
safe!
What district protocols do individual schools follow for checking out parents?
What runs smoothly? (ie, parents each signing out, or how do you use class lists, etc.)
How do we align our procedures with adjacent middle schools or do we align it with those students?
Decisions were being sent via email while we were making announcements that changed protocols; we need protocols for students who are bussed and for those
who walk.
According to our parents, the message that they received from the district was a bit ambiguous and as a result many of them were unsure whether to pick up their
child or not. As a result, we were swamped with parents requesting to pick up their child early from school. Our school had to rapidly respond and set up several
early release tables/computers for parents to check their kids out early. The process involved at least a staff of 10 people to verify identification, track down the
student and contact teacher(s) to release the student. We spent approximately 3hrs doing this and several parents became angry that they just couldn't walk in
and take their kid out without showing proper identification. Many of these parents had younger siblings waiting in their cars.
I think more clarity/options in the message would've helped and given more parents information needed to make an informed decision regarding the need to pick
up their child.
It did seem that the initial automated phone call communication about the APS preschools closing early caused some confusion. I have a child at Pickens Tech
Kids Tech preschool and work with others who do as well and we mistakenly thought this included Pickens (as well as William Smith's First Steps/Young Parenting
Program). It wasn't a huge deal, I just called to both to clarify, but they seemed like they were getting a lot of calls/emails from parents because that first automated
phone call about the APS preschools closing early made it seem like both of those programs might be involved in the closure as well but neither of them were.
Later that afternoon William Smith's First steps/young parenting program did end up closing early, to my understanding, primarily because many of their staff have
students in other APS schools and because those schools were closing early there was a domino effect and now their staff had to leave to get their own children
so we had to get our children early as well. It was communicated at that point directly from them to parents and it all worked out.
Perhaps releasing students earlier might have been better. But I know making these kinds of decisions is like looking into the glass ball trying to predict the future.
Perhaps releasing students earlier might have been better. But I know making these kinds of decisions is like looking into the glass ball trying to predict the future.
I think the decision was appropriate given the conditions across the city. I was also super impressed that maintenance checked in with us before school started to
see if we were ok to start school. I appreciate the dialer coming from district, also. I also like that you are requiring names on feedback. I never respond to
anonymous surveys.
At M.C., during all of the decision making to close school, it was not raining on the prairie. (I know...weird out here.) Our students were outside for recess, and we
continued on with supervision. I even called Tudy Wicks to let her know our weather was vastly different out east. By the time I received the e-mail from William
about the dialer to parents, it was after 12:30. This was my first "evacuation" of students to parents because of weather. We always have a skeleton of a plan in
place for such an event. However, the speed at which phones started ringing and parents began to show up was super-fast. We adjusted/streamlined our plan
during the release of students to parents, AND we were also obtaining permission for students to walk home. The moment the phone dialer went out to parents,
our front office phones rang non-stop. Within minutes of the dialer, our neighborhood parents were at the school to collect their kids.
I would suggest a shorter, more focused early release message. Also, consider the audience as non-educator parents. Part of the message that was sent out that
day included K-8's closing early. What my middle school parents understood was that all students who are k through 8th grades will be released early. So, our
parents began showing up and calling in continuously over the next four hours to get kids. Considering we have never conducted a district wide early out for rain,
nice job. The assistance from Anthony Sturges’ s team as well as everyone else was absolutely outstanding.
Make sure schools get the information first...
It would be extremely helpful to have the messages go out to the schools in multiple ways before the public is notified. If the avenue of information dispersal is
email only then the message may not be read in a timely manner. The email came to the school during lunch when most staff are supervising the students who are
in for lunch due to the weather. Placing calls directly to the schools to let the admin. or their secretaries know ahead of time allows the schools to set up the
dismissal process for the students that is not rushed and stressful.
Nice work.
I am not sure how School Messenger works but I had parents that did not receive the message until after 2:00. They heard it from other parents then showed up at
the school. While at school they were getting the call. I also had staff members who have APS children who did not get the message until 2:00 or later. Overall
Sable dismissed smoothly and I was happy with the decision to cancel school, assess damages and be released to my building on Principals meeting day.
As a principal who stayed back with two students from my school until 5:45 pm on Thursday, another process to support students who don't get picked up may be
helpful. School Security responded as well as APD but we all just sat around until the mother arrived. I as just wondering if there may be another way to support
individual students at this point once we have waited 4 hours with little to no response from a parent in inclement weather.
If it is likely that a situation will arise in which principals are needed in their buildings, please do not have us report to district meetings or put us in a position in
which we are traveling under dangerous conditions.
Smart but difficult decision. Student safety was a priority.
I think the decision was the right one. I know of many staff and students that have relatives or friends that live in the Boulder, Lyons and Estes Park areas. The
canceled school day not only served for safety, but also for mental stress nurturing.