Survey shows positive feelings for KIBSD culture, highlights wellness concerns

Results showed consistently positive ratings in school safety, relationships with adults and recognition of cultural diversity, but lower scores in family engagement, student peer climate and emotional well-being.

School Board President Kerry Irons said the annual survey serves as an important “check in†for the district and gives administrators information they can use to improve school climate and student support.

“This information isn't especially useful unless you use it,†Irons said. “The team of principals and administrators is already talking about and thinking about what action steps need to come next.â€

Irons, who previously worked as both a teacher and principal in the district, said the survey has been used in KIBSD for more than two decades and helps educators understand how students, staff and families feel about their schools.

Families gave some of the district's highest marks to school safety and cultural connectedness.

About 94% of respondents said their child feels safe at school, while 85% said schools value family language and culture. 

Elementary schools scored particularly high in those areas, earning 96% favorable ratings for school safety and 94% for cultural connectedness.

At the same time, family responses showed dissatisfaction with communication and involvement in school decision-making.

The district's school-family partnership category scored 70%, 11 points below the statewide average for participating Alaska districts.

Just over half of respondents said schools regularly share ideas for supporting learning at home or ask families how to help students succeed academically. Fewer than two-thirds said families are involved in important decisions related to policies, safety and school climate.

Irons said the lower ratings in family-school partnerships likely reflect the strain of several difficult budget years that included public meetings, staff reductions and concerns over larger class sizes.

“We've had three years of pretty tough budgeting,†Irons said. “Teachers are facing concerns with larger class sizes, and families are feeling that concern too. Everyone is feeling it.â€

District staff reported strong workplace relationships and positive interactions with students.

Staff-to-staff relationships received a 93% favorable rating, while staff-to-student relationships scored 89%. Nearly all staff respondents said they feel safe at school and feel a sense of belonging in their workplace.

Staff also gave positive ratings to school leadership and cultural connectedness. But staff wellness remained a concern.

The wellness category scored 57%, with nearly one-third of respondents saying they feel worn out at work in ways that negatively affect other parts of their lives.

Irons said the lower wellness scores did not surprise her given the uncertainty staff have faced during ongoing budget discussions. It's been that way for three years now.

“Everyone on staff, they've been through so much, and it isn't just teachers. Staff wellness is everyone and everyone is feeling fried. My heart goes out to them, it's a really challenging time,†Irons said. 

“When we as a board have these community conversations leading to ‘I'd cut back on positions,' and it's just hard on people … We've been in this lose-lose kind of world for way too long.â€

Staff also identified family-school partnerships as a weaker area, scoring 68%, below the statewide average.

Slightly more than half of respondents said schools regularly provide opportunities for families to give input on school decisions.

Students in grades 6-12 reported improvements in connectedness and support from adults, but continued concerns about bullying and peer behavior.

Among middle and high school students, family and community involvement scored 85%, while cultural connectedness scored 84%, both at or above state averages.

Most high school students said schools value their family culture and teach local history and traditions. Eighty-one percent said there is at least one adult at school they can talk to about problems.

Still, school safety and peer climate received the district's lowest high school ratings at 54%, below the statewide average. 

More than two-thirds of students said teasing and bullying are common, while 60% reported students frequently spread hurtful rumors online through social media platforms. More than half said fights and bullying happen regularly at school.

Students also expressed mixed opinions about fairness and discipline. Only about half agreed students are treated fairly when they break school rules.

Irons said one of her biggest takeaways from the survey involved social and emotional learning, particularly students' ability to manage emotions and disagreements.

“If you dig into the individual questions that scored low, kids feel like they don't have enough strategies to manage their emotions and reactions,†she said. “That's actionable.â€

Irons said the survey results give counselors, teachers and administrators a clearer understanding of where students need additional support.

“These are basic life skills,†she said. “How do you deal with people who disagree with you? Kids recognize they need more help with that.â€

Elementary students in grades 3-5 generally reported the most positive overall experiences. The district's highest rating among all survey groups came from elementary students in the “Caring for Others†category, which scored 86%.

More than 90% of elementary students said there is an adult at school they can talk to about problems, and nearly all said they feel safe in their classrooms.

School safety among elementary students scored 83%, above statewide averages. But teasing and emotional regulation remained concerns.

Nearly 40% of students said classmates are often teased or called names, and fewer than half said they know how to disagree without starting a fight or argument. 

“Learning these skills, teachers and principals at all the schools are working really hard to help kids manage that,†Irons said.

Social and emotional learning received the lowest elementary student rating at 57%, though that still exceeded statewide averages.

Irons said the district is already taking steps to address some of those concerns through new peer mentoring programs planned for next school year.

The district plans to introduce programs pairing KHS upperclassmen with incoming freshmen and older middle school students with students entering sixth grade.

“It can be a very scary transition for students moving into middle school or high school,†Irons said. “This is one example of how administrators are recognizing the need and trying to support kids through it.â€

Across all four surveys, respondents consistently highlighted the district's cultural diversity as a strength.

About 35% of students and families reported speaking a language other than English at home, and respondents across all groups gave favorable ratings to schools' efforts to value local cultures and community history.