Teachers and other staff at the Wright City R-II School District last fall got another opportunity to provide input on how the district is doing in providing a positive climate for teaching and learning. The responses indicate the district is working to provide a strong foundation for classroom productivity and academic rigor. Results of the annual survey, conducted in November, were presented to the district’s school board during its December meeting. “The results were very positive,” Assistant Superintendent Dave Buck told the board. “In situations where the scores were lower, it usually came down to issues about communications and what teachers feel is a need for more transparency.” The study — which is intended to help guide planning to ensure the school has the right mix of resources, collaboration and learning environment to help students achieve — asked staff about their agreement or disagreement on a series of statements about the school’s climate. Survey results were broken out by elementary, middle school and high school staff, with an aggregate summary of all responses. Satisfying Climate Ninety-one percent of teachers and staff surveyed report that they look forward to coming to work each day as an employee of the district, and 100 percent said they believe their building (elementary, middle school, high school) is a supportive and inviting place for students to learn. Nearly nine in 10 or 88 percent said their building sets high standards for academic achievement. Eighty-eight percent of those surveyed said they would choose teaching as a profession if they had the chance to choose again. The district’s commitment to professional development also received high marks. More than seven in 10 said they have participated in seven or more professional development courses over the past two years. Ninety-seven percent of the district’s teaching staff agreed that they are expected to participate in professional development activities to enhance their teaching skills. Every teacher (100 percent) surveyed said they believe that professional development is “an integral part of my job.” Nine out of 10 surveyed agreed that the district’s school board has high expectations for student learning and academic rigor. Room for Improvement While the majority of responses were highly favorable, the survey did show some areas in which the district could improve. More than eight in 10 agreed with the statement: “In regards to academic rigor, this school has support in place to ensure student academic success,” while 16.2 percent said they disagreed. The response breakout was similar to the statement: “In regards to academic rigor, this school identifies students who are having difficulty making the grade in order to offer them extra academic support.” At previous board meetings, school officials have discussed new data-driven programs now in place that are aimed at identifying specific student performance issues that allow for earlier intervention to address individual problem areas and deficiencies. Nearly all teachers report using computers and related technology in their classrooms daily, and others say they use computers several times a week in the classroom. Again this year, while staff generally gave the district good marks in providing healthy food choices, scores indicate there is room for improvement. “What can we as the board do to help support this climate?” asked Board President Austin Jones. “Help us keep the focus on academic rigor,” responded Buck. “Student achievement is key, but it takes time and fidelity. As long as we keep our eyes on this, we will all be successful.”