What do Muscogee parents, students think about reopening schools amid COVID-19? Take a look
The Muscogee County School District has released the results of two initial surveys regarding reopening amid the coronavirus, and also launched a larger survey that has raised questions among some residents.
Last week, MCSD conducted four video conferences: two totaling more than 100 middle and high school students and two totaling more than 100 with parents. These focus groups, called Connect & Chat, were live-streamed and are available for viewing on MCSD’s YouTube channel.
This week, MCSD posted on its Facebook page an invitation “calling all MCSD parents” to take the survey. The survey link is live through 11:59 p.m. June 28.
Among the comments under that post, Becky Clark wrote, “Why is this public?!?!? Only people with children in the school system should be able to answer! Answers from non MCSD parents/guardians will skew the responses.”
Asked to respond to the concern, MCSD communications director Mercedes Parham said the survey was shared widely to help increase accessibility for parents.
“The survey was emailed to all parents via our mass notification system,” she told the Ledger-Enquirer via email. “It is posted to ensure it is accessible and allows for one respondent per IP address.”
The survey does ask participants how many children they will have enrolled in MCSD for the 2020-21 school year and in which school and grade level.
Parham provided a link to the results from the surveys taken by the participants in the Connect & Chat focus groups last week:
Parent survey
The parent survey had 169 responses.
How do you feel about this upcoming school year? Check all that apply:
- 47% said they are nervous about their children’s health and safety.
- 38% said they are ready for their children to return to school.
- 34% said they are anxious about the potential changes.
- 21% said they are excited for their children to see their friends and teachers.
- 16% said their children aren’t ready to return to school.
I would prefer the following the option for the new school year:
43% said they prefer a partially virtual and partially in-person opening.
- 36% said they prefer a full in-person opening.
- 20% said they prefer a full virtual opening.
I know how and where to communicate concerns or make suggestions about COVID-19.
- 24% said they strongly agree.
- 33% said they agree.
- 33% said they disagree.
- 9% said they strongly disagree.
I have access to resources and teachers to help my child/ren succeed with remote learning:
- 37% said they strongly agree.
- 42% said they agree.
- 14% said they disagree.
- 6% said they strongly disagree.
I know how to create a workspace for my child/ren to effectively complete remote learning.
- 43% said they strongly agree.
- 43% said they agree.
- 9% said they disagree.
- 4% said they strongly disagree.
My child/ren and I were able to adjust virtual learning from March through May.
- 28% said they strongly agree.
- 46% said they agree.
- 17% said they disagree.
- 8% said they strongly disagree.
I need the following support or resources to feel confident about a reopening plan. Check all that apply:
- 82% said regular updates on the progress of the plan.
- 76% said details for class scheduling procedures.
- 65% said cleaning and sanitizing resources.
- 59% said screening and testing resources.
- 50% said masks, gloves and other protective equipment.
- 24% said mental health resources.
- 17% said internet access in case of virtual learning.
I am most concerned about how the reopening plan could affect my child/ren’s:
- 52% said health and safety.
- 23% said grades.
- 19% said peer group and social interactions.
- 3% said family responsibilities or interactions.
- 2% said extracurricular activities.
Student survey
The student survey had 167 responses.
How do you feel about this upcoming school year? Check all that apply:
- 53% said they are excited to see their friends and teachers.
- 52% said they are ready to return to school.
- 35% said they are anxious about all the potential changes.
- 24% said they are nervous about their health and safety.
- 10% said they are not ready to return to school.
I would prefer the following options for the new school year:
- 46% said they prefer a partially virtual and partially in-person opening.
- 45% said they prefer a full in-person opening.
- 9% said they prefer a full virtual opening.
I know how and where to communicate concerns or make suggestions about COVID-19.
- 25% said they strongly agree.
- 45% said they agree.
- 24% said they disagree.
- 7% said they strongly disagree.
I have access to resources and teachers to help me succeed with remote learning.
- 37% said they strongly agree.
- 44% said they agree.
- 14% said they disagree.
- 5% said they strongly disagree.
I know how to create a workspace to effectively complete remote learning.
- 35% said they strongly agree.
- 48% said they agree.
- 10% said they disagree.
- 7% said they strongly disagree.
I was able to adjust virtual learning from March through May.
- 28% said they strongly agree.
- 44% said they agree.
- 18% said they disagree.
- 9% said they strongly disagree.
I need the following support or resources to feel confident about a reopening plan. Check all that apply:
- 80% said regular updates on the progress of the plan.
- 73% said cleaning and sanitizing resources.
- 66% said details for class scheduling procedures.
- 51% said masks, gloves and other protective equipment.
- 44% said screening and testing resources.
- 22% said internet access in case of virtual learning.
- 21% said mental health resources.
I am most concerned about how the reopening plan could affect my:
- 43% said health and safety.
- 26% said grades.
- 23% said extracurricular activities.
- 19% said peer group and social interactions.
- 3% said family responsibilities or interactions.
“This is not all encompassing,” MCSD superintendent David Lewis said during the school board’s meeting Monday night, “but it gave us a good insight into what people are feeling and thinking.”
In addition to the survey that was emailed to MCSD parents this week, MCSD employees and “many of our business and community members” also are being surveyed, Lewis said.
“It’s going to be important to hear back from as many people as possible to help inform our planning that we will then share with the board next Monday evening at 6 o’clock,” he said. “We do plan to make a final decision on the plan we hope to implement and execute early in July to give people ample time to plan accordingly.
“Of course, all of this is contingent upon health conditions at the time, which are constantly in a state of flux. We will continue to monitor those. But I will assure you that we are working closely with our health department and our medical experts in the community to ensure we are making decisions that will ensure the safety and welfare of everyone.”
Board chairwoman Pat Hugley Green expressed concern about parents who don’t have online access not being able to participate in the survey.
“It seems like we’re going to have to rely very heavily on our principals to get a wider sampling of our parents to get those surveys completed or at least disseminated,” Green said.
Lewis added that MCSD department leaders also must accommodate employees who don’t have online access so they can participate in the survey.
This story was originally published June 23, 2020 at 5:09 PM.
