Survey gives insight into students Moms...

Survey gives insight into students

Moms and dads crowded into a Surf and Sand Hotel conference room

to review the results of the Laguna Beach Unified School District’s

“The How I See Things Survey” as part of the PTA Coffee Break

program.

Beginning in May of last year, the survey was administered to 95%

of the district’s second- through 11th-grade children and measured

their social and emotional well-being. The project also included a

survey of teachers who evaluated individual students selected on a

random basis.

“The data is part of a larger picture,” California State Long

Beach Professor Michael E. Bernard said. “The schools recognize that

when kids feel good within themselves, academic achievement

increases.”

Among the findings, an average of 76.5% students demonstrated

positive social and emotional well-being.

“We don’t have to have a happy campaign,” Bernard joked. “We even

have happy adolescents.”

The findings that drew concern not only from parents but also

principals and school officials were: an average of 48.6% of students

indicated that they worry too much; an average of 37% of elementary

and middle school boys do not feel safe; and academic achievement

dips noticeably among middle school students.

Bernard pointed out that the worry experienced by children focused

on grades and what people think of them. “It’s partly because we

expect so much of them,” he said.

Principal Chris Duddy addressed concerns about what is being done

at Thurston Middle School to help alleviate the safety fears among

children. He felt that the behavior support program has made a change

in the culture and that the lifelong fitness program also helps

students better deal with stress levels. With Principal Nancy Blade,

he is working to with the city to designate a school resource officer

at the high school.

“There is no other school district in the state using this kind of

data,” said Assistant Supt. Steven Keller.

He also indicated that there have been efforts to enable better

articulation between elementary, middle and high school teachers to

create a curriculum that better prepares fifth-graders and

ninth-graders to move from one educational environment to another.

He hopes that the data for middle school achievement can be used

to show decision-makers at the state level that funding needs to

target this group of children.

“The kids are leaving a self-contained, nurturing elementary

environment,” he said. “This where the kids mentally drop out.”

Tapes of the Coffee Break session will be available for parents at

school libraries. The next meeting will take place at 8:30 a.m. Feb.

26 at the Surf and Sand Hotel, 1555 S. Coast Highway. For more

information, please call (949) 494-0447.

-- Mary A. Castillo