Sample Student Survey
Open-Ended Responses
March 2002
(N=193)
1. What do you like about your school?
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The teachers (86)
I like that our school is so small (37)
I really like our new principle (36)
I enjoy the students (34)
I like that we have a great sports program (32)
Everyone knows each other (24)
I like that is a safe environment (20)
I like my friends at Weed high school (16)
The extracurricular activities (13)
The classes offered (11)
Technology (10)
I love our football program (8)
The school spirit that we have (7)
The thing I like about my school is diversity (7)
Learning is fun (6)
Some of the teachers here make learning fun (6)
Learning (6)
The staff (5)
What I like about my school is the atmosphere (5)
I like how we are able to go off campus for lunch (5)
Weed high school is fun (4)
The work is challenging and it will prepare me for college (4)
The local Junior College (3)
Challenging work (3)
I like the assemblies because there fun and everyone is very loud (3)
The teachers know students on a personal level (2)
Individual attention (2)
Everyone is very friendly and considerate (2)
I like the campus (2)
I like the fact that I am getting a good education
I like the scenery: green trees, fresh air, the mountains, etc.
I like that it is cool to have good grades no one is going to threaten you or make fun of you if
you are smart and want to get good grades
At Weed High we have good discipline in the classroom and outside the classroom
The homecoming events
I like the way teachers and the students can talk and interact with each other
Everyone seems to care
Good communication
I am happy that I ended up at Weed High School because it is a good place to learn a
different language which is a big challenge for me
I like working in groups in my classes because I learn more
I like the opportunity that Weed gives to the students who don't plan on going to college
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I like our ASB president, he is doing an awesome job
I will be able to go on to the real world and feel I will do okay
The dances
I like that we have growing opportunities in reference to classes
I like the fact that academic excellence is expected
I like my school because it makes me feel successful in life
The way that I am accepted for who I am and who I want to be
I feel being here will help me
There are a lot of people that believe in this school to achieve high standards
I like that you get to choose your own senior project topic
I like the fact that we get to choose our own topics on the kinds of projects we want to do in
class and the books we get to read
I like how the lockers are big
I like the freedom we have on campus
The respect people have for you
There is a lot of home games
2. What do you wish was different at your school?
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I wish more classes were offered (38)
Our lunch time should be extended (31)
I wish our school was bigger (11)
I wish there were more people at this school (10)
I wish they had Honors and AP classes (9)
We need more school spirit (7)
Foreign language classes such as French or German (7)
The homework load (7)
More extracurricular activities (7)
Make learning fun (5)
Weed needs more students (5)
I wish some of our teachers were a little more understanding (5)
I wish that our parking lot was in better shape (5)
I wish we used the computers more often than we do (4)
We need a cafeteria (4)
More diversity (4)
I wish the dress code rules were different (4)
Longer passing periods (3)
Teachers should spend more time trying to explain the problem (3)
I wish we had a better sports program (3)
The teachers should be able to help and listen well to students (2)
I wish our school didn't have so many politics (2)
Better teaching techniques (2)
Too much gossip (2)
More dances (2)
The teachers need to be more fun (2)
I wish that we had strong girls sports programs (2)
I wish we had new computers (2)
More challenging curriculum (2)
I think we should have a counselor other than our principal (2)
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I wish that there was not as much homework during big weeks such as homecoming (2)
That some people were more respectful to some teachers
Some teachers should help the students a little more one-on-one
The schedules should be easier to set and work around your required classes
I would like to see the school grow a little more
Teachers who care about whether the students succeed or not
I wish we had more choices
Teachers should be more excited
I wish our school would have some sort of food program
I also wish that our media center was open until 6:30 everyday instead of just on Wednesdays
New books should be bought for some classes
I wish the teachers were really dedicated to the students
Teachers should ask students if we understand before moving on
Teachers should be nice and not so hard on us
Students shouldn't be required to type everything. Not everyone has a computer at home or
can stay after school
We should have a lunch area that is inside for the winter
We shouldn't work so much with the book
Tests should be more difficult and not only a review of the book
If academics were deemed as high as sports participation
I wish we studied art more
I wish this school had more money to spend on sport equipment
Real classes for careers I want to pursue
More research projects
The requirements to graduate high school such as a senior project
I wish our school had a soccer team
I wish our school had a better music program and arts department in general
I wish that our school focused more on individual work rather than giving one grade for a
group
I wish we had more projects
I wish that you didn't have to tuck in your PE shirt
I would like to learn new things
We need to celebrate and study Black History Month
We need to have more people work in teams or groups during class
We need to talk in front of the class more
I wish the school offered a study hall period
I wish that we didn't have to take the Golden State Exam in Spanish
I wish that students and teachers would not judge you by your outside appearance, they
should judge you by what's inside
Teachers should treat you equally and independent
I wish that the teachers would give us more work and talk less, so we could learn more
Too many people criticize
I wish that there were more diversity among the teachers
At this school, White kids get treated better than the Black kids and that's not fair
We should get out of school earlier
More freedom
I think our school should suspend the students that get in trouble and expel them if need be
Our school should have Saturday school instead of detention
Smaller class size
A better PE program
Teachers should discuss news or current events
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We shouldn't have to share classrooms
Less favoring of the football team
Cover assignments thoroughly
More hands on learning
I wish we got minimum days
Bigger classrooms
During free time people should be able to look at their email and chat online
Better teachers
Respect students
I wish PE was co-ed
I wish the office was open during the lunch period
Sports should be offered at different times of the year
I think there should be a late bus for those students who have to stay after for help and they
don't have a ride home
Teachers talk to the class too much
I wish we had an auto shop class
3. What do you wish we would have asked you about your school?
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I wish you would had asked me about some of the classes I take and how I like them (10)
I wish you would have asked about the sports program (7)
Do you feel that there should be more classes to choose from? (6)
Do you like the teachers that teach here? Why? (6)
What activities are you involved in? (3)
Do teachers take extra time to help you understand? (3)
Is there a food program at your school? (2)
How we feel about our new principle (2)
Do I wish there were more sports? (2)
Is there any school sprit? (2)
I wish you would have asked me how I felt about the discipline system (2)
Do I believe that this school would give me the education I need to get into the college that I
want to go to? (2)
I wish you would had asked me about honors classes
I wish you would have asked which areas of the school need improvements
If some groups are good or bad
Do the teachers listen to you?
If we have a long enough lunch
On a scale of one to ten how would you rate this school, and why?
Are teachers hard on us?
Are we having trouble in school?
Do we want longer vacation time?
I wish you would had asked me if I felt that I’m adequately prepared for my future based on
my government class
Does your teacher appreciate the way you are?
Is our school violent?
If I liked to work with other people
How the other students treat my friends and me
What we thought about the detention policy, and PE
I wish you would have asked me about the overall liking of our school
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What don't you like about your school?
I wish that you would have asked what we think about race and this school
What kind of student I am
What we do in each class
If the teachers are doing all they can to help you with your struggles
You could have asked if it’s a friendly place
What I want to do in the future
If I was a visual learner and do the teachers at this school teach visually
If I would like to be on a committee to express my ideas to better the school
Do we like how teachers grade?
About what we learn in school
Do the white people like the black people
You should have asked if we think that we feel comfortable at our school
Do you think the girls and boys get equal treatment when it comes to athletics?
Do you feel that students here need a better “cultural” education?
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