Survey Gauges Wawasee Employee Satisfaction
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By Kathy [email protected]
A report was presented to the board of trustees Tuesday evening by Dr. Mary Bales of Notre Dame, who is also a Wawasee High School graduate. “My blanket statement is this is awesome,” said Bales, citing criteria which show more than 63 percent of participants plan to stay working in public education with almost 56 percent saying they would stay at Wawasee.
This is the first public school corporation studied, she added, and explained that results of the well-being of employees study were partly based on measures such as religiosity, work as a calling, job engagement, grit, flourishing and job satisfaction. Both men and women were surveyed; ages were 20.51 percent under age 34; 23.93 percent ages 35 to 44; 27.35 percent 45 to 54; and 28.21 percent ages 55 and over. All schools as well as corporation-level employee, were represented.
“Religiosity is so important,” she said. Over 93 percent of those surveyed said they believe God exists with little or no doubt, she reported. This moderates the effects of financial hardship, self-reported physical health, depressive symptoms and life satisfaction ,she said in the report.
“Take from it what you will,” she said, “but it is very important.”
Although most said they have enough money to pay the bills, there was about a third of those surveyed who feel a financial strain. Bale said the survey results showed that even those employees struggling to pay bills still care about teaching.
She also cited a supportive administration, a strong community and caring co-workers as factors contributing to the positive feelings, or employee well-being, at the schools.
Bales will follow up the study in another year.
Feeling not so positive about CTB/McGraw-Hill, makers of the ISTEP+, Director of Curriculum and Instruction Joy Goshert told the board that she was on the phone at least a half hour trying to talk to somebody there about problems. She said the long wait was an indication that Wawasee was not the only school having problems.
Since testing begins Monday, Goshert wanted to work out problems before then. “They told me they were experiencing issues, and they were working through them” she said. “This is not good for the kids, bottom line.”
Goshert did say that Wawasee Middle School has been approved to take the ISTEP+ with paper and pencils. The other schools still have to take the test online, but she is still trying to change that. Some changes this year in online tools, she added, include a highlighter, protractor, blocker and an option eliminator.
Goshert also reported that a recent GPS to Success College and Career Fair at Manahan Orthopaedic Capital Center was well-attended by high school juniors and seniors. There they were able to speak to representatives from colleges and businesses and to talk to some about summer jobs.
Wrapping up her report, she told the board that teachers Kristi Harris and Lisa Ernsberger have been selected to be on this summer’s Dream Team for LearnZillion, where they will work on free kindergarten to eighth grade math curricula.
In other good news, the board recognized the boys and girls swim team members who competed at the state meet; learned that 50 units of blood were donated at a recent Red Cross blood drive, resulting in the school receiving a $500 scholarship; and accepted $12,500 from the Dekko Foundation. Results of the Key Club state leadership convention were also reported. Wawasee’s club received first place overall for its Stuff the Bus project, the fashion show, video by Shae Henn and Zach Hunter and Ally Kuhn’s scrapbook. The top three talent award went to Hunter Dolsen, distinguished president award to Katie Kuhn and distinguished vice president award to Kamryn Foy.
In other business, the board:
• Was presented preliminary schematics for the new Syracuse Elementary from architectural firm Barton-Coe-Vilamaa. The drawings resemble insects, said Superintendent Tom Edington, with a main structure and classroom wings extending out from the center. These wings ensure every classroom will have windows.
• Accepted the resignations of Wawasee High School employees Esther Henderson, attendance secretary, Lisa Rhodes, cafeteria worker, and Mariah Robert, sophomore class sponsor; Diana Grossnickle, special education teacher; and Syracuse Elementary special education teacher Deb Fitzsimmons. They also accepted the resignation of 42-year veteran Pam Schumm, WHS science teacher.
• Granted a leave of absence to Becca Snider for the next school year.
• Hired Alexis Mast as Title 1 paraprofessional at Milford School; Debby Hardesty, educational diagnostician; Bryan Kauffman, temporary WMS sixth grade language arts; Elizabeth Fish, Milford third grade teacher; and Dina Coverstone, Kim Jones and Lisa Ernsberger as tutors[[In-content Ad]]
A report was presented to the board of trustees Tuesday evening by Dr. Mary Bales of Notre Dame, who is also a Wawasee High School graduate. “My blanket statement is this is awesome,” said Bales, citing criteria which show more than 63 percent of participants plan to stay working in public education with almost 56 percent saying they would stay at Wawasee.
This is the first public school corporation studied, she added, and explained that results of the well-being of employees study were partly based on measures such as religiosity, work as a calling, job engagement, grit, flourishing and job satisfaction. Both men and women were surveyed; ages were 20.51 percent under age 34; 23.93 percent ages 35 to 44; 27.35 percent 45 to 54; and 28.21 percent ages 55 and over. All schools as well as corporation-level employee, were represented.
“Religiosity is so important,” she said. Over 93 percent of those surveyed said they believe God exists with little or no doubt, she reported. This moderates the effects of financial hardship, self-reported physical health, depressive symptoms and life satisfaction ,she said in the report.
“Take from it what you will,” she said, “but it is very important.”
Although most said they have enough money to pay the bills, there was about a third of those surveyed who feel a financial strain. Bale said the survey results showed that even those employees struggling to pay bills still care about teaching.
She also cited a supportive administration, a strong community and caring co-workers as factors contributing to the positive feelings, or employee well-being, at the schools.
Bales will follow up the study in another year.
Feeling not so positive about CTB/McGraw-Hill, makers of the ISTEP+, Director of Curriculum and Instruction Joy Goshert told the board that she was on the phone at least a half hour trying to talk to somebody there about problems. She said the long wait was an indication that Wawasee was not the only school having problems.
Since testing begins Monday, Goshert wanted to work out problems before then. “They told me they were experiencing issues, and they were working through them” she said. “This is not good for the kids, bottom line.”
Goshert did say that Wawasee Middle School has been approved to take the ISTEP+ with paper and pencils. The other schools still have to take the test online, but she is still trying to change that. Some changes this year in online tools, she added, include a highlighter, protractor, blocker and an option eliminator.
Goshert also reported that a recent GPS to Success College and Career Fair at Manahan Orthopaedic Capital Center was well-attended by high school juniors and seniors. There they were able to speak to representatives from colleges and businesses and to talk to some about summer jobs.
Wrapping up her report, she told the board that teachers Kristi Harris and Lisa Ernsberger have been selected to be on this summer’s Dream Team for LearnZillion, where they will work on free kindergarten to eighth grade math curricula.
In other good news, the board recognized the boys and girls swim team members who competed at the state meet; learned that 50 units of blood were donated at a recent Red Cross blood drive, resulting in the school receiving a $500 scholarship; and accepted $12,500 from the Dekko Foundation. Results of the Key Club state leadership convention were also reported. Wawasee’s club received first place overall for its Stuff the Bus project, the fashion show, video by Shae Henn and Zach Hunter and Ally Kuhn’s scrapbook. The top three talent award went to Hunter Dolsen, distinguished president award to Katie Kuhn and distinguished vice president award to Kamryn Foy.
In other business, the board:
• Was presented preliminary schematics for the new Syracuse Elementary from architectural firm Barton-Coe-Vilamaa. The drawings resemble insects, said Superintendent Tom Edington, with a main structure and classroom wings extending out from the center. These wings ensure every classroom will have windows.
• Accepted the resignations of Wawasee High School employees Esther Henderson, attendance secretary, Lisa Rhodes, cafeteria worker, and Mariah Robert, sophomore class sponsor; Diana Grossnickle, special education teacher; and Syracuse Elementary special education teacher Deb Fitzsimmons. They also accepted the resignation of 42-year veteran Pam Schumm, WHS science teacher.
• Granted a leave of absence to Becca Snider for the next school year.
• Hired Alexis Mast as Title 1 paraprofessional at Milford School; Debby Hardesty, educational diagnostician; Bryan Kauffman, temporary WMS sixth grade language arts; Elizabeth Fish, Milford third grade teacher; and Dina Coverstone, Kim Jones and Lisa Ernsberger as tutors[[In-content Ad]]
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