We also received about 45 specific comments about our mission delivery, with feedback highlighting several key areas of focus.  Many parents express deep gratitude for the dedication and care shown by teachers, noting how their support creates a nurturing and engaging learning environment. At the same time, a few share concerns about the clarity and purpose of homework, wishing for clearer guidelines and a more standardized curriculum across homerooms to ensure that all students thrive equally.  This is a reasonable expectation and one that the school will continue to work on.  Please refer to the homework policy in the parent and student handbook if you would like to know more, and please contact your teacher or the principal if you have concerns. 

Parents also highlight some challenges faced by new students in forming friendships and express a desire for more structured support during social times.  Our school counselors are on this, meeting with new students and addressing issues related to socio-emotional development and relationships in small groups and during classroom lessons once a week.  This is something we can all contribute to by encouraging our children to open their hearts to one another with acceptance and respect, so all feel a sense of belonging.  Also, empowering our children to advocate for themselves and resolve conflicts will help them grow in resilience and maturity.   If you are hearing about social issues at home, please refer to the Parent Resources section at the bottom of the Weekly Warrior.  Here you will find information to help you and your children navigate family dynamics, peer relationships, and strong emotions, among other things.

Additionally, there’s a genuine request for a balanced approach to digital learning, as some parents prefer traditional homework methods to help ease anxiety and manage devices in their homes.  This is something that the school is already working toward and will continue to adjust.  Much of the work done in the classroom and homework is already paper-based, and the Elementary school is looking for ways to further pull homework offline with more paper and pencil activity at home while still utilizing email, and learning platforms like SeeSaw and Google Classroom to facilitate communication and assignments thoughtfully.  Chinese language classes will more frequently require students to use SeeSaw to access audio and reading materials at their language level.  If your child says they need to be on their computer for more than 10-15 minutes for homework (and occasionally slightly longer at the upper grades),  please feel free to question that and to contact your child’s teacher.  

Overall, the feedback on this year’s Mission Delivery Survey reflects a strong satisfaction with our teaching staff and a commitment to nurturing a positive, appropriately rigorous and Christ-centered learning experience.  At the same time, parents are eager to see enhanced communication and support systems that will further enrich their children’s educational experiences.  

Thank you again for participating in this survey and for the support our school feels from the community. We are excited to connect with you during our Parent-Teacher Conferences this Friday and Saturday. These events are an ideal opportunity to build connections and share insights, both in survey form and face-to-face. We truly value your feedback and look forward to using it to improve our mission delivery and enhance our school.

Blessings,

Keith Welch

Kindergarten and Elementary Principal