Warren County School District Superintendent Dr. Robert Terrill presented a plan to increase the positive perception of the district during a meeting of the school board's Personnel, Athletics and Co-Curricular Committee recently.
Terrill identified the customers, or constituents, to be the students, parents, taxpayers and residents along with business and industry. The stakeholders, according to Terrill, are comprised of the customers, school board directors, teachers, support staff and administrators.
The presentation outlined indicators of customer satisfaction, including quality of teaching, exploratory opportunities, involvement of parents in school and the attitude of school staff. The satisfaction will be measured multiple ways, including a constituent satisfaction survey, taxpayer acceptance and student graduate follow-up surveys.
Constituent satisfaction surveys were conducted in 2008 and this year, with the number of responses decreasing from 173 in 2008 to 158 in 2009 among elementary students and from 201 to 79 among middle and high school students.
The presentation further evaluated the specific survey questions, which generally showed an increase in satisfaction from 2008 to 2009.
For example, in 2008, nearly 44 percent of those surveyed were satisfied with the academic rigor at their child's middle or high school. In 2009, that number was up to 55 percent.
"We have a lot of ways to grow," said Terrill.
Customer service will be delivered in three ways utilizing internal, external and recognition communication systems.
The internal approach will encompass directors' meetings and personal visits, and according to Terrill, two new components of "problem solving training and board, superintendent and central office team building."
The external approach will include open houses, parent nights and community presentations. The recognition approach will include board meeting recognition, administration and board visibility at school events and awards assemblies. Teacher of the Year and senior honor banquets, volunteer recognition will be the new components. Problem solving training will be a new component for both the external and recognition approaches.
To accomplish the goal, Terrill explained that the district will "redirect existing resources to the Communication Department" as well as training administrators and marketing district accomplishments.
Terrill said accomplishments will be marketed through various outlets, including the district website, newspaper, school newsletter and phone blasts.
The delivery will be monitored beginning in February 2010.