How did the community rate the school district? Overall, pretty well.
Of the 1,237 who completed the district-made survey, 87.7 percent graded the schools with an A or B. Around 10 percent gave a C or D. And only five responders ? a miniscule percentage ? said the district deserved a failing grade. The remaining percentage was made up of neutral responses.
Orion School Board President Bill Walters says the district plans to conduct another survey in the future as part of its on-going efforts to keep in touch with stake-holders.
‘The results are really positive,? Walters said. ‘Contacting and communicating with the community is part of our strategic planning.?
From the hundreds of individual comments, strength and weakness patterns emerged. ‘Good teachers,? ‘good learning environment? and ‘good parent involvement? appeared most among the strengths.
Common weaknesses included complaints like ‘high school is too large? (there are over 2,400 students there), ‘high school’s block schedule? and ‘lack of foreign language program at the elementary level.?
‘We really appreciate these comments,? Superintendent Ken Gutman said. ‘Perception is reality. We’re going to take a good look at these weaknesses and work on them.?
Over 90 percent said their most recent contact with Orion schools was positive. Another 92 percent described the schools as ‘a good place to learn.?
Just under 57 percent said the schools influenced their decision to live in the area. And 72.6 percent felt that the schools enhanced property values.
As for demographics, 94.7 percent of responders had children of school-age or younger. Nearly 90 percent had child enrolled in LO schools ? not surprising as that’s where the surveys were most advertised.
Nearly 760 responses came from Orion residents of at least 10 years. About 285 were from residents of between five and nine years.
Half of those who participated got their school news and information directly from school sources like notes/flyers and newsletters.
‘Those were probably from the elementary parents. I don’t think high school students bring anything home,? Gutman joked.
Only five percent got their information from newspapers, as opposed to the 15 percent who got theirs from the internet.
Linda Glowaz, an assessment consultant who’s worked with the district in the past, broke down the information and prepared it for district and public use.