Seniors Give High Marks to School District

Jan. 18, 2012 ~ After 13 years of someone else grading them, Olathe's high school seniors were given the opportunity to grade their teachers, schools and district in the 2011 Senior Exit Survey. Overall, they gave their educational experience in the Olathe Public Schools high marks.

"We are very pleased with the results that were obtained on the Senior Student Exit Survey," Deputy Superintendent Alison Banikowski said. "We feel this is a testament to the wonderful education our students experience in this district."

Each senior had the opportunity to complete the 40-question survey and more than 1,310 responses were gathered and reviewed by the Teaching and Learning Division and high school principals.

"The information is used to determine what aspects of the educational program are perceived as strengths and aspects to consider for improvement," Banikowski said. "Principals shared the data with teacher leaders at their school. Members of the Teaching and Learning division analyzed data as well to determine positive trends and areas for improvement."

A detailed report was shared with the Board of Education in December and included these comments from seniors.

"Whenever I was at school, I felt safe. In many ways, I felt it was my second home with many teachers that I could trust."
"I feel like the staff always strives for excellence and encourages us as students to do the same."
"It's a great school because it has so many opportunities for students."
"It has always been a place that has placed students before anything else and made it so that when a class graduates, they are ready for their next step into the world."

Preparing Our Seniors

Seniors who gave an A or B grade to the district for preparing them in a specific area:

88 percent - reading comprehension skills
87 percent - written communication skills
86 percent - critical thinking and problem-solving skills
85 percent - teamwork and collaboration skills
84 percent - computer and technology skills
81 percent - leadership skills
80 percent - oral communication skills
77 percent - ethics and social responsibility skills
77 percent - college/career planning and preparation skills
72 percent - study skills and time management skills
66 percent - financial aid and scholarship skills

School Environment

Seniors who agreed or strongly agreed with these statements:

95 percent - their school is clean and well-maintained most of the time
94 percent - their school maintains a safe and positive learning environment
92 percent - the school staff is friendly and helpful to students
90 percent - their teachers care about the students
76 percent - the student was encouraged to take advanced courses
75 percent - the cafeteria menu includes a variety of food choices
74 percent - teachers pay attention to all students

Extra Opportunities

Students generally took advantage of the varied educational and extra-curricular activities offered in their schools.

60 percent participated in academic assistance offered by teachers before or after school
59 percent were involved in clubs and organizations
48 percent visited post-secondary institutions
48 percent participated in community service or service learning activities
46 percent were involved in sports or athletics
43 percent took advantage of ACT, SAT or AP test preparation study sessions