Another power-packed 30-minutes in a series of talks that helps partners maximize use of Possip! Learn how to create a report reading team, and best practices for building capacity for follow-up!
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Possip Reporting Team Lead, Amanda Richards, writes about back to school staff trends in Pulse Checks.
Possip routinely hears from teachers and school and district staff from our Pulse Check. We wanted to share some big back to school trends we’re seeing in Staff Pulse Checks so that we can acknowledge educator needs around the country.
Over 2,500 staff members have responded since the first week of August. The Possip team reads through every comment submitted by Possip participants, and we use this data to strengthen schools and communities.
Here is a quick summary of staff member trends since the beginning of the school year:
Since the beginning of the school year, 56% of staff respondents said they were happy with their school, with the remaining saying they were mostly happy or not happy with their school.
Here are some of the trends from this week:
Here are the most frequently discussed feedback for staff in our last Possip Pulse Check:
Check out this video with Possip’s CEO and Founder, Shani Dowell, and Possip’s Reporting Team Lead and former principal, Amanda Richards, discussing the early trends they are beginning to see within both staff and parent feedback.
Look back next week for another trends blog! To read all Possip trends blogs, click here.
The post Back to School Staff Trends 2021 – 2022 appeared first on Possip | Parent Engagement Platform | School Feedback App.
Possip Reporting Team Lead, Amanda Richards, writes about back to school trends in Pulse Checks.
The start of the school year always brings a wide range of emotions for families, students, and teachers. Excitement, nerves, stress, happiness, fear–just to name a few. All of those emotions make sense, especially given the “back to school” context we’re living in during a pandemic.
Families and staff have responded to Possip Pulse Checks and shared needs, feedback, and praise about this atypical return to school.
About 23,000 parents, family members, and caregivers have responded since the first week of August. The Possip team reads through every comment submitted by Possip participants, and we use this data to strengthen schools and communities.
Here is a quick summary of back to school trends since the beginning of the school year:
Since the beginning of the school year, 76% of family or parent respondents said they were happy with their child’s school, with the remaining saying they were mostly happy or not happy with their child’s school.
We saw a few positive back to school trends from families across the country:
Here is the most frequently discussed feedback from families across the country:
Families want more (or streamlined) communication about COVID cases, information about COVID protocols, requests for virtual learning options, and contact tracing communication. Families asked questions about mask mandates most frequently. Masks were mentioned over 700 times by families. Here are a few representative quotes from families on this topic:
Families discussed wanting more consistent bus routes, bus driver shortages, lack of transportation options, concern for student behavior on busses, and feedback around carline drop-off and pick-up. Here are a few representative quotes from families on this topic:
Families are asking to receive more communication from the school and information from teachers on day-to-day happenings with their students. There were trends around families being more satisfied with teacher communication last school year and wanting more communication from school during quarantine situations. Here are a few representative quotes from families on this topic:
Families are asking to receive more communication from the school and information from teachers on day-to-day happenings with their students. There were trends around families being more satisfied with teacher communication last school year and wanting more communication from school during quarantine situations. Here are a few representative quotes from families on this topic:
Possip routinely hears from teachers and school and district staff from our Pulse Check. We wanted to share some big back to school trends we’re seeing in Staff Pulse Checks so that we can acknowledge educator needs around the country.
Over 2,500 staff members have responded since the first week of August. The Possip team reads through every comment submitted by Possip participants, and we use this data to strengthen schools and communities.
Here is a quick summary of staff member trends since the beginning of the school year:
Since the beginning of the school year, 56% of staff respondents said they were happy with their school, with the remaining saying they were mostly happy or not happy with their school.
Here are some of the trends from this week:
Here are the most frequently discussed feedback for staff in our last Possip Pulse Check:
Look back next week for another trends blog! To read all Possip trends blogs, click here.
The post Back to School Trends 2021 – 2022 appeared first on Possip | Parent Engagement Platform | School Feedback App.
As the 2021-22 year progresses, supporting mental health in schools is becoming a growing need and priority for school communities. The impact of COVID-19 on our communities and families was not universally identical. However, for many students, it resulted in learning loss, technology fatigue, and social isolation.
As we continue to transition into yet another pandemic school year, there will undoubtedly be aspects beyond our control. In the midst of these unknowns, the mental health of our students, teachers, leaders, and families is a key focus for all of us.
Here are a few ideas to help support mental health in your school communities:
In the midst of the pandemic, “Mental health” has evolved into a hot-button topic. However, it is important that we truly consider what it means and how we will prioritize it. In order to empower people to truly value their mental health, we must first provide them with the space and resources to do so. Poet Cleo Wade wrote, “One way to keep your heart together when the state of the world weighs heavy on it is to simply help somebody. Even if it is just one person.”
The post Supporting Mental Health in Schools appeared first on Possip | Parent Engagement Platform | School Feedback App.
Savannah Staley, a Possip reporter, and former English teacher, shares ideas about engaging and celebrating ESL families in your school community.
When you walk into a new community, what is it you notice first? A warm smile, or a familiar face? Or perhaps it’s an empathetic response or access to helpful resources? These are questions to consider when we think about how families feel when they engage with our school communities.
It’s also important to acknowledge that while the needs of our families vary, their experience matters. This means we need to consider the various languages, cultures, and backgrounds of our students and families. This is especially important for school communities with a high ESL population. Here are a few ideas to support engaging and celebrating our ESL families:
At the beginning of the year, use survey tools, personal phone calls home, or other communication platforms to find out what languages families are speaking at home. Make a commitment to share important information in the appropriate home language. When sending students home with printed materials, offer all students the option to choose the language that’s best for them and their families. This encourages both inclusivity and student choice.
As we continue to move forward into a digital world, parents are being asked to navigate more online platforms. If your school community holds trainings on platforms such as Google Classroom or Illuminate, include these trainings in multiple languages that accurately reflect your student population.
Our teachers and staff should represent our student body as much as possible. If you have a high ESL population at your school, consider intentionally hiring teachers and staff who are bilingual and speak the same home languages as your students. This creates a more positive experience for both your students and their families. Additionally, it allows for clear communication between families, teachers, and leadership. If the majority of your school population speaks 2-3 predominant languages, consider hiring a translator(s), to welcome and support families. This also eases the responsibility of your bilingual staff and teachers.
Invite students to celebrate their cultures through mindful and intentional celebration. Consider hosting a yearly International Festival where families bring favorite dishes together. Encourage students to regularly share music, literature, and films that allow them to celebrate themselves. For example, you can ask students to help plan a Black History or Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month Assembly, or designate a bulletin board to students’ quinceañera pictures. Celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month, and spend time learning about the various cultures in your community. Observe holidays for all cultures and religions represented if possible.
Audit your curriculum thinking about the voices represented. Consider how your student’s cultures are being represented in history. Does your curriculum adequately represent your student population? Engage in conversations as a staff that encourage diverse perspectives when it comes to curriculum choices.
Cherrie Moraga, a Chicana author, and activist said in her piece, The Bridge I Call My Back, “I am a woman with a foot in both worlds, and I refuse the split. I feel the necessity for dialogue. Sometimes I feel it urgently.” Our ESL families carry with them stories, cultures, and experiences, that we as learning communities, need to learn and warmly welcome. Our ESL students and families should not have to “split.” Ideally, we want them to carry their identities into our schools and communities to make them even richer.
When we think about the word “community,” we must consider what it means for every single one of our students and families, especially our ESL families. Consider using this resource to reflect on how you are engaging and celebrating ESL families in your community!
The post Engaging and Celebrating ESL Families appeared first on Possip | Parent Engagement Platform | School Feedback App.
A revised Possip Team favorite, 6 Guides for Talking to Your Kids About Tough Topics.
We see in parent feedback that many have mixed feelings about the role schools and educators should play in talking about difficult events that are happening, or have happened, in the world. Some parents want teachers and schools to talk about injustices, current events, and elections– others do not.
Whether conversations are happening in their child’s school or not, many parents may struggle to find a good starting place for conversations with their child on tough topics, like injustices, current events, and life. In this blog, we outline five tips for talking to your children about hard topics:
This is a time that is bursting with prompts. Your prompt should be informed by:
Here are a few of the prompts I recommend:
For example, if you have a young child you may want to read a book about a historical figure. If you have an older child you may want to read an article together about current events and conversations about the issue. Or you may just want to tell a personal story about either your experience or your friend’s experience.
If you are looking for prompts, Google is your friend.
Google prompt (e.g. books, articles) + child’s age + the issue you are trying to talk about. For example, google books for 7-year-olds discussing race. It won’t be a perfect science, but you’ll be connected to a wealth of resources. When searching, check for the source’s credibility.
As writing teachers know, point of view matters. What is your point of view?
Knowing what perspective or key points you make will inform what you use as a prompt and what questions you ask.
No matter which direction you come at the conversation, you can cross through multiple areas. For example, if you want to start talking to your kids about tough topics, like racism, from a historical perspective, you might choose to read a book on Ruby Bridges going to school on the first day. Teachers of reading often ask children to make connections to the text:
Have a sense of where you’re headed and what you want to walk away from the conversation with. Of course you aren’t going to just have one conversation, but the more successful you feel it is, the more likely you’ll keep the door open for future conversation.
As you talk about difficult things, it may be tempting to talk about individuals. Kids love to make meaning of the world through simpler terms – good guys and bad guys, mean people and nice people. The reality is, these events are often more complex than that. It’s important that your kid has the freedom to know and talk about this. While there may be characters in books that are easy to dislike, as humans we all have potential to treat people unjustly. We need to be guard on that, and our kids need to be as well.
Finally, know what your next steps are. What are other books you want to read, the conversations you want to have, and questions you want to explore? Conversations are fluid and ongoing. My kids ask me questions that lead me to reflect and learn in new ways. Remember a few things:
For any topic that includes a combination of facts and feelings, we encourage you to teach facts and facilitate opinions and feelings. Share facts with your child, but then from there facilitate their opinions and feelings.
The post 6 Guides for Talking to Your Kids About Tough Topics appeared first on Possip | Parent Engagement Platform | School Feedback App.
Possip Marketing Intern and University of Cincinnati Lindner Honors-PLUS Scholar student, Adelene Somerville, shares a reflection on working with Possip.
Nine months ago, I had never heard of Possip, knew nothing about parent-school communication, and had never held a Marketing position. Now, after completing an 8 month long internship from January to August, I am amazed at the love I have for this company and its people, in addition to the extensive knowledge I gained.
From the start, Possip was different from other internships I had encountered. I was interviewed by CEO and Founder, Shani Dowell, who was interested in my work and thoughts on Possip’s current marketing. I was nervous—one Google search showed me the incredibly accomplished woman who would be interviewing me, a sophomore in college. Shani, however, made me feel welcomed and valued before I was ever offered a position. I knew immediately I wanted to be a part of the Possip team. Plus, how many college students get to say the CEO interviewed them for their internship?
That interview was just the beginning of one of the most meaningful experiences of my college career: working with Possip. I could write a novel on what makes being a Possip intern so special, but I will summarize three key points instead.
When I started my internship, there was no set calendar or list of items I had to complete. My supervisor asked me about my marketing interests. He then tailored training and projects to them, so I could help Possip while growing my skills for the future.
Rather than being told what to do, I could tackle a project, such as an Instagram post, and present my design. Members of the team would give me feedback and suggestions, so I was constantly learning as I worked.
Working with Possip allowed me to explore new marketing roles. During Black History Month and Asian-American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, I was able to write blogs on their history and significance.
My favorite project was the book lists I created for several months, including Black History Month,AAPI Heritage Month, and Pride Month.
Another reason I loved being a Possip intern was the community within the team. My very first day was the same day as a team-wide retreat, which is where I got to meet everyone and learn about their working styles.
While working full-time, I joined the daily huddle each morning, where we discussed needs and a “whip-around question” from different staff members. I learned about my coworkers’ childhood memories, favorite seasons and seasonings, what motivated them, and much more. Getting to share my own answers and ask my own questions also helped me feel more a part of the team.
Additionally, my internship was filled with 1-on-1 moments that I will remember beyond my experience. I loved discussing Taylor Swift with Hannah Hall (Sales), and my college experience with Jasmine Blue (Customer Experience and Support). I think it only took a month for me and my coworkers to follow each other on Spotify.
The most impactful interaction was when my supervisor Michael would always ask in our morning whip-around “How is Your Heart?” He created a safe space for me to share deeper thoughts about my work and life beyond the automatic “how are you?” typical virtually. From him and the rest of the staff, I learned how to connect with people even over a screen and to remember the people beyond the job title.
This may sound obvious for Possip given the company’s mission to elevate parent and family voice. However, I came in thinking that, stereotypically, interns might be wallflowers at meetings. I quickly learned that my teammates wanted to hear my thoughts on new initiatives and projects. I am not a parent or teacher, so my answers were influenced by other sources, including my younger siblings. However, I always felt my coworkers wanted to and valued my input.
I also had the opportunity to lead conversations in meetings. I led a content ideation session during a full team meeting. I was also in charge of presenting Possip’s social media analytics. I never felt like “THE intern.” The Possip team welcomed me as they would any employee. They wanted my experience to be as beneficial for me as it was for them.
Overall, working with Possip allowed me to grow my professional skills in a start-up environment and a new industry. I completed real work and made a tangible impact on the company’s efforts. I was able to do this AND develop critical skills, such as empathy, collaboration, and work-life balance thanks to the support of the entire Possip team. I knew my experience had been worthwhile when my last day felt less like a “goodbye” and more like a “see you soon.”
The post An Intern Reflection on Working with Possip appeared first on Possip | Parent Engagement Platform | School Feedback App.
Our first event in a new series that helps partners maximize use of Possip! In just 30 minutes feel equipped to successfully launch Possip and prepare parents and teams to start getting Pulse Checks and feedback reports!
The post Preparing Families & Teams for Possip appeared first on Possip | Parent Engagement Platform | School Feedback App.
