Speed Read (tldr) of Liberty STEAM Charter School's Advice for School Leaders:
- High Engagement and Satisfaction: Micah Vaughn, Elementary Academic Counselor shares how Liberty STEAM achieves a 94% satisfaction rate by effectively engaging with and acting on feedback from families and staff.
- Inclusive Feedback Practices: The school’s Possip Council includes key leaders to ensure every community member’s voice is heard, enhancing inclusivity and continuous improvement.
- Proactive Feedback Strategies: Liberty STEAM sets a strong example for other schools with its proactive strategies to increase response rates and effectively close the feedback loop, showcasing the power of teamwork and active listening in fostering positive changes.
Read below for resources, tips, and the why!
Happy families and staff- high survey response rates? Absolutely, at Liberty STEAM Charter School!
Erin Milligan-Mattes, Possip Education Consultant and a seasoned instructional leader who served in the Commissioner’s Office at the Tennessee Department of Education, shares best practices and advice from Possip Partner, Liberty STEAM Charter School.
In Sumter, South Carolina, leaders at Liberty STEAM Charter School partner with Possip to actively listen, learn, and respond to feedback from staff and families. Achieving response rates of up to 85% and an average yearly satisfaction rate of 94% with families, there’s a lot to celebrate here! Read on to discover how Liberty STEAM Charter School is exceeding staff and family expectations using Possip.
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Valuing Staff and Family Voices
It’s all connected! Happy staff lead to happy kids, which results in happy families. Micah Vaughn, elementary academic counselor at Liberty STEAM Charter School, shares how listening to staff and family voices fosters a more sustainable and joyful school environment.
The Possip Cycle at Liberty STEAM
Leaders at Liberty STEAM Charter School eagerly await their monthly Possip data drop. Enthusiastic leaders like Micah dive into the reports, ready to take action. Possip gathers and summarizes the data into actionable reports, while Liberty STEAM leaders have systems in place to review and respond effectively. Here’s how it works!
Thursday:
Liberty STEAM leaders promote the Possip Pulse Check with posters and signs outside the school, reminding families and staff to participate.
Sunday:
A weekly family newsletter prompts families to complete their Possip Pulse Check by the end of the day.
Monday:
Possip reports are ready for review.
Tuesday:
The Elementary Academic Counselor and Culture Interventionist at Liberty STEAM meet to complete the following:
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- SOAR Analysis – They analyze the school’s Strengths, Opportunities for Growth, Aspirations, and Results (SOAR) based on the Possip data: Liberty STEAM Charter School_SOAR Analysis.docx
- Cup of Joy – Specific praise comments are emailed to individual staff members, while general praise comments are compiled into a Jamboard and shared with all staff via the school’s Slack channel.
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- Family Follow-Up – Leaders call families or staff who were flagged by Possip for follow-up or who answered “Mostly” or “No” to the sentiment question.
Wednesday:
The Possip Council meets to discuss feedback, determine actions, and efficiently manage follow-up tasks.
This proactive approach ensures that Liberty STEAM Charter School continuously improves and maintains a joyful, thriving school environment.
Liberty Steam's 30 Minute Possip Council
Liberty STEAM has established a dynamic team structure called the Possip Council, which meets for 30 minutes each month to review Possip data. Micah emphasizes that responding to family and staff feedback is a team effort, not the responsibility of just one person. The Possip Council includes the Executive Director, Principal, Instructional Coach, Academic Counselor, Culture Interventionist, Special Populations Coordinator, and Operations Manager. Discover the impact of Liberty STEAM’s Possip Council as Micah shares their powerful approach to fostering a responsive and inclusive school community!
How to Increase Response Rates
At Liberty STEAM, it’s go big or go home! More voices provide a more accurate snapshot of the school experience. Amazingly, Liberty STEAM’s response rate goal is 85%…and they achieve it! Curious how they do it? Listen as Micah explains their successful strategy and then review his tips, below!
Advertise!
Use posters and signs at school pick and drop off to remind families and staff to take their Pulse Check. Then consider using social media to spread awareness as well! (Check out the video below or @libertysteamcharter on Instagram)!
Remind!
Include a pulse check reminder in your weekly family newsletter or on Class Dojo pages.
Close the feedback loop!
More than anything, closing the feedback loop encourages future participation. When your school listens and acts, families are more likely to respond.
- Share praise! Send Possip praise directly to staff through email or internal communication channels.
- Publicize your 360 script! Share the pulse check data summary on social media so staff and families know they’ve been heard.
- Announce your actions! Post the steps your school will take based on feedback on Class Dojo, social media, or in newsletters. This shows staff and families how you plan to respond.
- Show completed actions! Share pictures, videos, or send an email once actions are completed. For example, Liberty STEAM recorded a video of staff explaining the carline procedures to clear up confusion.
Set clear expectations!
Not all feedback is immediately actionable. Inform families and staff when feedback has been heard but not yet addressed, and let them know when it may be addressed in the future.
Advice for New Possip Users from Liberty STEAM
Micah has three key pieces of advice for new Possip users:
- Act: Treat feedback as a gift and use it to make a meaningful difference. Read more about the Gift of Feedback here!
- Make it a team effort: Reviewing and acting on feedback should involve the whole team, not just one person. Gather the right people to ensure Possip’s success.
- Follow up: Have individual conversations via phone, email, or in person with staff or families who need follow-up. You never know what valuable insights you’ll gain!
Liberty STEAM Charter School shines in its dedication to creating a joyful and thriving school environment through its innovative partnership with Possip. By actively engaging with feedback from families and staff, they achieve remarkable response rates and high satisfaction levels. The Possip Council’s structured approach ensures every voice is heard and valued, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and inclusivity. With effective strategies to boost response rates and a collaborative spirit, Liberty STEAM sets a stellar example for schools everywhere. Embracing feedback as a gift, they show that teamwork and active listening lead to meaningful, positive changes in the school community.
