Dear Monroe School District Families,

This fall, we surveyed students in grades 3-12 to better understand their views of the climate and culture in our schools. To facilitate this survey, we partnered with Panorama, a platform that helps identify areas of strength and opportunities for growth related to school climate and culture. The insights gathered from this survey guide district-wide improvement goals and contribute to our schools’ annual improvement plans.

Sense of Belonging: A Key Focus
As part of our annual improvement planning, we set goals aimed at enhancing students’ sense of belonging at school. A sense of belonging reflects “the extent to which students feel they are valued members of their school community.” It encompasses feelings of acceptance, respect, value, and connectedness—all of which play a critical role in students’ engagement, behavior, and academic performance.

Fall 2024 Student Survey Results
This fall, 88% of students in grades 3-12 completed the survey during school, an increase from 77% in the spring of 2024. (Note: Sky Valley Education Center students will take the survey at a later date, so their data is not included in this percentage.)

The Panorama survey measures students’ sense of belonging as part of their broader perceptions of school climate and culture. Below are the results from the Fall 2024 survey regarding students’ sense of belonging:

• 50% of students in grades 6-12 reported a positive sense of belonging (a 6% increase from the fall of 2023).
   
• 63% of students in grades 3-5 reported a positive sense of belonging (a 6% decrease from the fall of 2023). While this is a decrease from the fall of 2023, our results remain near the national average for grades 3-5.

You can view all district-wide and school-specific survey results HERE.

District-Wide Student “Sense of Belonging” Growth Goals
Because students’ perceptions about their sense of belonging at school can fluctuate throughout the school year, we compare survey results from fall-to-fall and spring-to-spring. Our annual goals for improvement are based on the previous spring’s survey results, which tend to be lower than the fall results.

For the 2024-25 school year, our district goals for increasing students’ sense of belonging, as measured by the Panorama survey, are:

• Grades 6-12: 45% of students will report a positive sense of belonging in the spring of 2025, an increase from 42% in the spring of 2024.
   
• Grades 3-5: 70% of students will report a positive sense of belonging in the spring of 2025, an increase from 67% in the spring of 2024.

Each of our schools also have set school-specific goals related to increasing students’ sense of belonging, which they will share with their families in January.

To help us measure progress over time, we will continue to administer these perception surveys twice each school year. Students in grades 3-12 will be asked to take the survey each fall and spring and school staff and families will be asked to take the survey each spring. 

Thank you for your ongoing support as we work together to create a school environment where all students feel valued and connected. Your partnership is vital to helping our students thrive.

Sincerely,

Shawn Woodward
Superintendent