October 14, 2020

Dear Parent/Guardian,

We are excited to announce our participation in an initiative with the New York State Education Department to promote a healthy and positive school climate. As part of the School Comprehensive Education Plan (SCEP) we are seeking input from all members of the school community. In the upcoming months we will be meeting with a team to develop a SCEP for Jarvis Middle School and Central Valley Academy. School climate is the attitude or collective mood of the people in the school, particularly as it relates to their sense of safety and acceptance. The Research has shown that when schools and districts focus on improving school climate, students are more likely to engage in the curriculum, develop positive relationships, and demonstrate positive behaviors.

As part of this process, we will ask you, your child, and school staff to complete a confidential school climate survey. The surveys, developed by the US Department of Education, ask questions about student and parent experiences in school. Having direct information from our school community is valuable data for us to use as we work toward improving the climate for learning. The surveys will be available to complete until November 2 by students in grades 5-12. We ask that when completing the survey, you answer the questions honestly, so the results are helpful to our school. Your input is essential to the success of this initiative!

Student and parent participation is voluntary, and all information is confidential. You and your child/children will not be asked to include your name, birth date, or any other identifying information in the survey. The information gathered from the surveys will be summarized for the entire school, and will help administrators learn more about our needs. If you do not want your child to complete the survey, please contact your child's building principal.

If you are interested in learning more about the New York State Education Department's initiative, please visit the New York State Center for School Safety's webpage at: http://www.nyscfss.org/promoting-school-climate-pilot-2017. To review the surveys, please visit: https://safesupportivelearning.ed.gov/sites/default/files/EDSCLS%20Questionnaires.pdf.

Questions regarding the initiative are welcome! If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Kathleen Carney, Director of Curriculum and Instruction at 315-894-9934 or kcarney@cvalleycsd.org.

Thank you for collaborating with our school on this important initiative.

Sincerely,

Jeremy Rich Superintendent of Schools and School Principal


Links to the survey:

Fisher Elementary

Barringer Road Elementary

Jarvis Middle School

Central Valley Academy