[Ma-pta-enotes] Feedback Box

[ma-pta-enotes at listserv.seq.org]

Feedback Box
by Gregg Whitnah, SDMSC Chairperson

Many of us here at M-A think it is a great school and I hope you
agree.  Still, we have many areas in which we can improve and you can
help us do so.  A parent member of Shared Decision Making Site Council
(SDMSC) suggested at a SDMSC meeting that we should have a process for
students, parents, staff and the M-A community to make suggestions on
how we can be better.  After some research and discussion we have
arrived at a process which we hope will give us ideas and, at the same
time, help M-A's governing process be more transparent.

We are now encouraging students, parents, and staff to make
suggestions to help M-A be a better school.  This can happen in one of
two ways.  We have placed a suggestion box on the front counter in the
main office and anyone is welcome to put written suggestions or comments
in it.  This may not be convenient to parents who are not regularly on
campus so instead they can email their suggestions to
feedbackbox at seq.org.  Suggestions can be anonymous though people are
welcome to sign their name as well.  Having a name with an idea would be
helpful if we need more follow-up information in understanding the issue
being raised.  People who use email to give feedback should state
whether they wish to be anonymous or not.  The principal's secretary
will remove all identifying information from anonymous ideas before
placing the suggestion in the feedback box.

The feedback box will be managed by the principal and her secretary with
suggestions sent to the appropriate responder such as the administrative
team, SDMSC or the individual responsible for the area in which the
suggestion was made.   When appropriate, responses(and actions) will be
shared on the M-A website, ENOTES, and staff email.

We have to say "when appropriate" because issues regarding personnel,
student privacy issues and school safety will not be shared.

Our principal already receives hundreds of emails  a day so we do ask
that before you send us feedback you try to deal directly with the
person in charge first.  For example, if you have a suggestion for the
math department, contact the math department chair.  If, having done
that, you think it needs to go to a broader forum, then share your
feedback to the feedback box.  This does not preclude you sending us
feedback that might be easily remedied by one of our leadership teams
first if you think that is most appropriate.

Positive feedback that does not necessarily require a response is
welcome as well.

Ideally this process will be helping us address system-wide issues
with individual concerns handled by the appropriate individual.