Sara Peters, a mother of three and Possip team member, shares her experiences and appreciation for her child’s teacher! 

With love, to Teachers

Want some words of encouragement and appreciation to share with your teacher? Here is our Possip formula!

Thank you [insert teacher’s name], for helping [my student’s name] this school year! You have been a huge help to my [student’s name] and I am sure, countless others!

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We hear from a lot of parents at Possip.  Each week, we hear from parents who need answers to their questions, have feedback to share or have great things to say about schools.  Of all the praise that parents share, 65% is specifically for teachers. Check out this article to see how much impact praise can have on teachers! 

 

It’s easy to see why.  Teachers are some of the most important influences in a child’s life.  Many of us are who we are today, because of a teacher.  Teachers not only equip our kids with all the skills they need, but also love and care for them along the way.  And it’s really hard work!

 

So as we close out this year, another year where more has been asked of teachers than they ever could have imagined, I wanted to write a letter of love and thanks, and remembrance.

To Teacher Andrea,

My ode to teachers everywhere is borne out of my gratitude for one of the best that ever was– Teacher Andrea.  Most of us have had a Teacher Andrea in our own lives or our children’s lives– a teacher whose impact is so profound, it’s life-changing.  

 

My two oldest children were lucky enough to have Teacher Andrea for Pre-K.  Teacher Andrea was made to teach preschoolers–  she was warm, kind, calm, wise and truly loved each and every child.  My kiddos thrived in her class because they were known.  They learned all the basics, but also, life skills that have helped shape them into who they are today — problem-solving, empathy, sharing, kindness and love.

 

It’s hard to capture in words what an impact Teacher Andrea had on my children.  But it’s not just my children.  Over her years in the classroom, Teacher Andrea touched the lives of hundreds of children in our community.  I often think about this impact– the gifts she gave to all these children and their families and how we’re all better people having known her.

 

With her passing earlier this year, the world lost one of the best.  While so many, including our family, feel a deep sense of loss and sadness, we also feel a deep sense of gratitude.  Gratitude that my children had her in their life, and gratitude knowing she gave them gifts that will last a lifetime.

 

So, thank the Teacher Andrea in your life this holiday season.  And to all the teachers out there, thank you.  Thank you for teaching, loving, and showing up during yet another challenging school year, for our children.  And if you need a reminder, your impact is so profound and so lasting.  

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My oldest on her sharing day with Teacher Andrea.

4 years later, my middle kiddo on his graduation day from Pre-K.

The post With Love, to Teachers appeared first on Possip | Parent Engagement Platform | School Feedback App.

Staff Trends for Fall 2021 Semester

Amanda Richards, Possip’s Reporting Team Lead, pulled data from our 2021-2022 school year staff Pulse Checks to provide you with the top 10 staff trends for the fall 2021 semester!

Top 10 Feedback Trends from Possip Staff in the 2021 School Year so Far

 

Following our year-end family trends blog last week, we wanted to share out top 10 trends from teachers and staff for the fall 2021 semester. Like we mentioned in our family blog, the end of the calendar year is a great time to look back on the school year so far. Teachers and school staff members have been challenged in so many ways and also accomplished so many amazing things this school year. Our trends blog this week will cover the top 10 biggest trends we’ve heard from staff members and teachers so far this school year. In conclusion, we hope this will help you reflect on the past and continue shaping future actions based on staff feedback and needs. 

 

Since the beginning of the 2021 fall semester, Possip has heard from over 6,500 unique staff members through Possip Pulse Checks! As an average for the year, 53% of staff members stated they were happy with their school.

 

Here is what has been on the minds of teachers, staff, and support professionals the past 4 months…

 

Trend #1: Teacher Workload

This was the top trending topic from teachers and staff members across the country. Teachers are sharing that their workload continues to increase and their current task load is unsustainable. Staff members are asking questions about how the district will:

• prioritize manageable workloads for teachers
• equitable workloads for all staff members
• increasing planning time to complete all of the required tasks
• a focus on decreasing the current load on teachers’ plates

Trend #2: Mask Usage and COVID Safety Measures

Staff members shared worries, praises, and questions about COVID safety procedures on campuses. This continues to be a trend and is moving towards conversations around vaccination mandates and ending previous mask mandates in some of our Possip partner states. The main points of conversation were around:

• their personal safety mask mandates
• concerns about student and staff absences due to COVID quarantines
• questions about future changes to COVID safety procedures
• questions about sanitizing/clearing protocols on campus

Trend #3: Compensation

Compensation for teachers and other school staff members has been a large point of discussion this school year. Additionally, many teachers feel salaries are not competitive with other roles and feel good teachers will leave the profession in the future if compensation doesn’t increase. Staff members are advocating for:

• a higher pay
• stipends
• employee retention incentives
• more compensation for the additional responsibilities they are taking on

Trend #4: Sharing Feedback About Curriculum

Teachers are sharing feedback about the number of formal assessments, feeling like pacing is too rushed, and requests for more autonomy in their curriculum creation. Interestingly, both teachers and parents are requesting similar things in terms of curriculum changes. 

Trend #5: Student discipline

Teachers are sharing that student behavior in the class is unlike past years and has been impeding the learning process. School staff members are asking for more:

• logical and consistent consequences from leadership
• information on how to support students’ social-emotional needs while maintaining a strong classroom culture
• schoolwide behavior initiatives

Trend #6: Training on New Technologies or Practices

Teachers and staff want additional training on new things they are being asked to implement. They are also requesting less non-essential or repetitive professional development sessions or meetings. Specific requests include:

• social-emotional learning topics
• special education best practices
• how to help academically struggling students
• new technology systems they are using

Trend #7 Mental Health Support for Students and Teachers

School staff members are also heavily discussing mental health support topics for both students and themselves. Many teachers are sharing that they and their students are feeling overwhelmed, depressed, overworked, and stressed. Teachers also shared that they are struggling with work-life balance and being overwhelmed and want extra mental health days for teachers in the school calendar this year. Teachers are requesting:

• larger counseling teams
• information on how to support students with severe anxiety and mental health needs
• more effective counseling options for teachers and students
• extra mental health days

For additional information, check out this article explaining the association between COVID and increased mental health crises in education.

Trend #8: Increase in Duties and Responsibilities

Teachers are sharing feedback that they have too many extra duties and responsibilities being added to their daily task list. They are also requesting to decrease their need to take on extra duties like recess duty, lunch duty, arrival, and dismissal duty, subbing classes, and filling in on discipline duties. School staff members are commenting that they:

• are pulled in too many directions
• want duties and responsibilities evenly distributed
• need things taken off the plate as soon as possible

Trend #9: School Schedule Feedback

Teachers feel like the school day is too long for both teachers and students and are requesting shortened days. Additionally, they are also requesting adding one early release day during the week for:

• extra teacher work time
• shorter class periods
• more planning time in the school day
• more brain breaks for students added to the school schedule

Trend #10: More Communication

This includes more communication from the district leaders, more communication within the school and from department heads, more streamlined communication instead of having to check multiple apps and platforms, and requests for more proactive communication. School staff members are also sharing that there are many last-minute requests or last-minute events planned that would like to be discussed in advance. 

 

 

We wanted to start with a few noteworthy trends that didn’t make the top 10 trends, but we thought they were interesting to highlight: 

 

• We heard a lot of feedback, ideas, and comments about substitute teachers. This ended up as #12 on our staff trends list this year. Some specific substitute teacher topics that were shared include finding more substitutes for the sub pool, hiring permanent building substitutes, increasing substitute pay, and having more apprecation events or incentives for subsitutes. Overall, teachers are asking to not to be pulled for sub coverage and don’t want to combine rosters and make unreasonable class sizes.
• Technology needs from teachers were also still near the top of the list. Specifically, teachers want more consistent access to class set of chromebooks and reliable internet access, one-to-one technology for students, and requests to streamline all the different apps, programs, and tech systems they are required to use as teachers.

 

Want to hear what FAMILIES were saying during the fall semester 2021? Check out the blog here!

 

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In conclusion, thank you to all of the staff for participating in our Possip Pulse Checks this school year! Uplifting your voices in unity has helped identify staff trends from the fall 2021 semester. We want your voice to be heard and expressed to the right people as often as possible so keep sharing your thoughts, concerns, and ideas! 

If you have questions about these trends, how to resolve them in your school, or have feedback on our trends blog, please reach out to amanda@possip.com! 

 

The post Staff Trends for Fall 2021 Semester appeared first on Possip | Parent Engagement Platform | School Feedback App.

Back to School Tips for Spring Semester

Savannah, a current Possip reporter and former educator, shares tips for teachers returning back to school for the Spring semester! 

Five Tips for Back to School This New Year

 

The days of sleeping in, eating sugary treats, and binge-watching Netflix are almost behind us. Soon, students will be filling the school hallways and classrooms as back-to-school resumes. Going back to school after an elongated break can feel overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be!

 

It’s also a wonderful opportunity to reset with your students by revisiting classroom norms, setting aside time for reflection, and helping students with intentional goal setting. Additionally, taking the time to reflect rather than jumping straight into the curriculum will help establish trust with your students. From my own experience, the human-centered, holistic approach yields higher buy-in and motivation from students because they feel invested in.

Here are five tips and ideas for coming back to school this January:

 

1️⃣ New Years Reflections

 

Rather than making New Year’s Resolutions, consider writing New Year’s Reflections with your students. Here is an example I used with my 11th and 12th graders, but this could easily be adapted for younger students as well. My advice is not to assign this as homework, even though it’s tempting to! Instead, take the time out of daily instruction to work on this. This will show students that this really is a priority for you.

 

Consider completing this worksheet yourself and using it as an exemplar. Encourage, but do not require, students to share out in a safe and community-centered environment where students feel comfortable and heard. Choose one of the prompts, and ask students to record their answers on a notecard or sticky note. Hang these on a bulletin board, or somewhere where students can see them as a means of personal accountability. Spend time revisiting these reflections throughout the remainder of the school year.

 

2️⃣ Ease Into January

 

While it’s tempting to jump right into curriculum, it’s important to provide space for students, and yourself, to transition back into the school year. If possible, avoid heavy homework loads and spend time revisiting classroom norms and expectations. Transparently share your own goals and hopes with your students and ask them if these goals feel achievable and appropriate. If you are noticing student fatigue throughout the day, provide opportunities for brain breaks and socialization / community building. In the moment, it might feel like you’re “wasting time,” but you’re not! This intentional resetting will greatly pay-off and set the tone for the new year.

 

Here is an article to provide you steps on how to ease into January!

 

3️⃣ Set Goals and Intentions

 

Help students create academic goals and intentions for themselves. These goals should be measurable and achievable. Encourage students to share their goals with a peer, family member, or teacher to help hold them accountable. Consider making a class goal, or set of goals, as well to promote community building and collaboration.

 

4️⃣ Provide Socialization Time

After spending a significant time away from school, it’s natural for students to want to connect. However, the nature of COVID has also changed this a bit, and has caused students to become more isolated. Teachers are seeing that students are having a difficult time collaborating academically with other students, or even just socializing.

 

Create structured time for students to connect with one another. Perhaps it’s a restorative circle, or a ten minute weekly class check-in. For a more creative approach, write a handful of age-appropriate and inclusive questions on a ball and ask students to pass the ball around the room. Whatever question the student lands on when they catch it is the question they are encouraged to answer. While providing students time to connect is important, just make sure it’s structured and purposeful so that it will in turn be meaningful.

 

5️⃣ Revisit Communication Norms

 

As a former teacher, I remember how difficult it was to keep up with my own family and student communication goals. Year after year I would tell myself that I would communicate with ten families weekly and hold regular student writing conferences. However, as the school year progressed and I became more overwhelmed and exhausted, this dream rarely lasted for more than a couple of weeks, until I approached it more strategically.

 

Consider creating a student communication tracker individually or with your grade level team. Ask students to write down their family’s emails, phone numbers, the best time to reach them, the best way to reach them, and home language. Once you have this information, mindfully communicate with families. You might send out a monthly newsletter or family email, then track which families you’ve connected with. Block time out on your calendar so you prioritize this!  Revisit and rework your communication goal as needed throughout the semester.

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Welcome Back!

 

Possip’s staff really does hope you’ve enjoyed your winter break and are looking forward to the new semester! Hopefully, these ideas spark some excitement as you think about returning to school with your students. Overall, choose mindful practices that will allow your students and yourself an opportunity to slow down and ease into the new year with intention.

The post Back to School Tips for Spring Semester appeared first on Possip | Parent Engagement Platform | School Feedback App.

Gift Ideas for Teachers

Savannah, a current Possip reporter and former educator, share gift ideas for teachers during this holiday season!

 

Teacher Gift Ideas from School Admin and Families

 

If the holiday season is all about giving, we definitely can’t forget about our teachers! Teachers spend the entire year giving their time and resources to their students. Now it’s our turn to show our gratitude. This year, we want to share a few ideas of gifts that teachers will truly appreciate! 

 

Gift Ideas for Teachers – from Administrators and Leaders

While a hat or backpack with the school name and logo on it is nice to have, these items are essentially still functioning as marketing swag. Teachers might use or wear these items at school, but chances are they aren’t being used much outside of school. This year, give teachers a thoughtful gift that isn’t necessarily school-related. Additionally, teachers have shared that they don’t necessarily need any more “stuff,” and instead would really appreciate an experience! Here are a few ideas.

 

• Consider funding a holiday lunch for your staff, or even a staff outing! If this is too difficult to coordinate, consider sponsoring movie tickets for each staff member and a companion. 
• Let teachers choose how they want to spend their gift by purchasing them an Amazon gift card, or grocery store certificate. 
• If you want to support local businesses within your community, choose 3-5 businesses and allow each staff member to choose a gift card to their local business of choice. While some people hesitate to give gift cards or certificates because they feel less personal, it’s important to also think about what our teachers would most appreciate as well. And this year, teachers definitely deserve to be appreciated! 
• If possible, the best gift you can give a teacher would be time off. Whether that be relieving them from duties, or covering a class period so they can leave early from school, or even providing them an extra day of PTO if possible. We also want to acknowledge that we know schools are struggling to find coverage as is, so this one is difficult. However, it’s something teachers always appreciate! Click here to review the staff retention trends we are seeing and how they think the additional time off would help retain these great teachers! 

 

Gift Ideas For Teachers – from Families

 

We know you love your teacher, and with the holidays just around the corner you might be thinking, now is the perfect time to celebrate them! While coffee gift cards are always nice to have, we have a few other fun teacher gift ideas for this year:

 

• Off Duty Socks – Want to get a giggle out of your favorite teacher? This is a fun and easy gift all your teachers will love. Pair it with a note, their favorite coffee drink, or holiday candle for something extra thoughtful. 
• A Homemade Card – Write your teacher a thoughtful note! Words of affirmation are welcome! In fact, teachers love anything handmade. Consider crafting your favorite teacher a holiday ornament paired with a thoughtful note. 
• Flair Bundle – We don’t know if you know this, but teachers love flair pens! This fun flair pen bundle is perfect for any teacher, and is designed by a teacher himself! So by giving this to a teacher, you’re also supporting a teacher. 
• East Nash Teacher Gifts – East Nash Teacher is another local business owned by a teacher you can support! There are lots of fun items to choose from, including shirts, sweatshirts, and classroom posters. 
• Make a Donation in Your Teacher’s Name – Is there a cause your favorite teacher is an advocate for? Consider asking your teacher if there is a local group or organization you can make a donation to in their name.
• Local Bookstore Gift Card – Teachers love to read, but sometimes it can be tough to pick out the perfect book for them! If you’re thinking about getting your teacher a gift card, purchase one from a local bookstore. You’ll be supporting your teacher and shopping locally! 
• Amazon Gift Card: Teachers always could use more supplies and classroom decorations! An Amazon gift card will allow them to make these important purchases.

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At Possip, we LOVE our teachers, and we want to make sure they know it! This year, consider surprising your teachers with one of these gift ideas. Finally, if you do end up using one of these ideas, we would love to hear about it. Consider reaching out to us, or better yet, sending us a picture! Thanks for helping us support our teachers.

 

The post Gift Ideas for Teachers appeared first on Possip | Parent Engagement Platform | School Feedback App.

Live Possip Demo – December 8th, 2021

Join us for a live demo with Possip on Wednesday, December 8th, 2021 from 2:00 – 2:30 PM CT! Click HERE to register!

The post Live Possip Demo – December 8th, 2021 appeared first on Possip | Parent Engagement Platform | School Feedback App.

Family Trends for Fall 2021 Semester

Since August this school year, Possip has heard from almost 77,000 unique family members through Possip Pulse Checks! As an average for the year, 72% of families stated they were happy with their school. We are excited to hear from Amanda Richards, Possip Reporting Lead, dive into the list of family trends for the fall 2021 semester.

We know parents and family members hear from their school after Possip Pulse Checks, but you may wonder what else is happening across the 26 states where Possip partners with schools, districts, and families. Take a look at an overview of parent praise and insights from across the country.

 

Top 10 Feedback Trends from Possip Families in the 2021 School Year

As we head into 2022, it’s a great time to look back on the school year so far. We can reflect on all we’ve accomplished, and set new goals to tackle challenges or obstacles in the coming year. Our trends blog this week will cover the top 10 family trends for fall semester 2021. We hope this will help you reflect on the past and continue shaping future actions based on family feedback and needs. 

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Since August this year, Possip has heard from almost 77,000 unique family members through Possip Pulse Checks! As an average for the year, 72% of families stated they were happy with their school.

What has been top of mind for families this school year so far? Parents share both praise and feedback about academics, teachers, school culture, and operations.

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We wanted to start with a few noteworthy trends that didn’t make the top 10 trends, but we thought they were interesting to highlight: 

1. We heard more substantial feedback from families of students with 504 plans or Individualized Education Plans this school year. This ended up as #14 on our top trends list this school year. Families are advocating for their student’s plan and feel their needs aren’t always being met. Additionally, we’ve also heard a need for more Special Education teachers and support staff on campus to meet IEP or 504 plan requirements. 
2. We also are continuing to see that families are sharing feedback around decreasing fighting and unsafe student behavior on campus. Families are asking school leaders to provide effective discipline to students to resolve safety concerns, provide students with social-emotional or mental health supports, and increase security. This trend landed on our list at #17 this school year.
3. School Uniform feedback was surprisingly in the top 20 on our list this year. Families are giving feedback about uniforms, the cost of uniforms, and asking for uniforms at schools that don’t currently have uniform policies. In addition, families are sharing feedback about gender equality regarding the enforcement of dress code policies.

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Here are the top 10 trends in parent praise and insights across the country for this fall semester:

1. COVID Safety Measures and Mask Usage

   Families shared differing opinions about what safety measures they wanted at their student’s school. This continues to be a trend and is moving towards conversations around vaccination mandates in some of our Possip partner states.

   • The main points of conversation were:
     • mask mandates
     • social distancing
     • outdoor lunches
     • schoolwide temperature checks. 

2. Increased Communication From Teachers

   Parents want to hear from teachers and the school more frequently.

   • Specifically, families want to know:
     • how their student is performing academically and behaviorally in class
     • more information regarding the curriculum taught in class
     • the speed of instruction
     • more opportunities to make personal connections with the teacher
     • volunteer opportunities for parents to connect with their child (ie. lunch day)

3. Carline Logistics

   This could be because many families had a year-long break from carline, but families want safer, more efficient, and more strategic pick-up and drop-off systems.

4. Bus Feedback and Student Transportation Needs

   This trend has become much more prevalent than any other year that we’ve seen.

   • Some hot in-depth topics include:
     • bus driver shortages
     • late bus pick-ups
     • inefficient or inconvenient bus routes
     • busses getting students to school late are all hot topics discussed by families this year.

5. Curriculum Interests 

   Parents want to know what is being taught in class. This has become is a major trend and we want to share that would have global intrigue. Check out this recent article to read more! 

   • We heard families share requests for more emphasis on:
     • life skills like financial literacy and job preparedness
     • more challenging course offerings
     • more of an emphasis on languages and the arts
     • less screen time in class.

6. Increased Academic Support

   Finding ways to help students learn better, beyond normal curriculum and teachings is needed for students. Parents are concerned their students are falling behind and are in need of more one-on-one tutoring support or intervention. Check out some tips on this blog: Tips for Supporting Your Students’ Academic Recovery.
   

7. Extracurricular Activities

   Extracurricular activities for students to build connections and a sense of joy after school.

   • Families are asking for more:
     • sports offerings
     • club or event opportunities
     • clarity around how to learn about extracurricular offerings
     • information on how to sign up their students

8. Bullying

   Notably, bullying on campus has been top of mind this school year more than in the past. Families are sharing that their students are getting bullied or that their student sees others getting bullied. Check out this blog on supporting mental health in schools! 

   • Families want action taken on:
     • bullying allegations
     • appropriate consequences given
     • clear policies to prevent and resolve bullying on campus

9. Cafeteria Food and Logistics

   Cafeteria food and logistics are a new trend this year. Again, this could be a consequence of having lunches at home for a year during at-home learning, but families are more in-tune to what students are eating at lunch.

   • We have heard feedback about:
     • the cafeteria food and providing more healthy options
     • requests for more time in the cafeteria to finish their meal
     • more social distancing in the cafeteria
     • more supervision from teachers and cafeteria staff

10. Homework Assignments

    Families are requesting less homework overall so students can have some downtime at home, while some families are requesting more homework be sent home. There is also confusion about what the homework is and when it is due, feedback on grading policies for homework, and requests for example problems or tips for parents so they can help their students with the homework. 

 

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Additionally, here are some Possip blogs to share with our Possip partner schools…

• • 5 Tips to Support Student’s Academic Growth
  • 3 Key Points to Sharing Academic Progress with Families
  • Creating Inclusive School Communities

 

Thank you to all of our Possip parents for making the Family Trends for Fall 2021 Semester available to share with Education Leadership Teams, Parents, and Staff! Your voice DOES make a difference! 

 

If you have questions about these trends, how to resolve them in your school, or have feedback on our trends blog, please reach out to amanda@possip.com! 

The post Family Trends for Fall 2021 Semester appeared first on Possip | Parent Engagement Platform | School Feedback App.