80 members of Lab community present at open meeting
October 15, 2018
Approximately 60 parents and 20 members of the faculty and staff attended the first of two open meetings Oct. 15 at 8:45 a.m. about the results of the 2018 Student Health and Wellness Survey released Oct. 12. Betsy Noel, health and wellness coordinator, said she didn’t notice any students at the meeting in Gordon Parks Assembly Hall, but they will have another chance Oct. 23 at 5:30 p.m. in the same space. Faculty members may also attend a meeting just for them Oct. 17 at lunch.
According to Ms. Noel, the discussion today included how the survey was developed, questions were structured, what the survey is going to be like next year and security.
One safety statistic caught attention. According to the executive summary, “four students reported carrying a gun on school property since the beginning of the 2017–2018 academic year, and 14 students reported that they knew first- or second-hand of another student bringing a gun or having a plan to bring a gun to campus.”
Ms. Noel described today’s event as “very productive” and the participants “very thoughtful” with their questions. Parents wanted to understand the survey as a whole, she said.
“People were thinking really generally and holistically rather than zeroing in on a particular issue,” Ms. Noel said. “It was nice to see people engaging with the whole picture.”
As of noon Oct. 15, Ms. Noel said about 10 parents reached out to her to join the working group.
Lauren Polite, co-president of the Parents’ Association, said parents are excited to use the new data. She said they now have more to work with than just their “anecdotal experiences.”
“The question is how can you have the rigor without all the anxiety,” Ms. Polite said.
Ms. Noel said high school students interested in participating in the working group should send her an email.
