ECS Seeking Feedback

As announced in September, Elkhart Community Schools has partnered with School IQ/Sitelogiq to complete a long-term feasibility/facility study. To date, the agency has completed a full evaluation and analysis of ECS properties and building assets, and work has begun on a long-range demographic study of the ECS district. With this work under way, the district is now seeking community input related to a variety of topics. 

Survey topics include:

• Improved Collaboration and Communication between Board and District Leadership

• Developing and Improving Community Connections

• Loss of Students, Families, and Staff to Other Districts

• Public Relations and Community Perceptions

• School Safety, Security, and School Discipline

• Trust and Faith in District Leadership

The district has a dedicated page containing a link to each survey: https://tinyurl.com/ECS-surveys.

Each survey will take 5-7 minutes to complete. Respondents are invited to complete all of the surveys, or complete the surveys of most interest to them. Surveys are available in English and Spanish. Surveys will remain open through 5:00pm on December 23. 

Following the conclusion of surveys, the district will host stakeholder focus groups, whose participants will be asked follow-up questions based on survey trends to help the district understand perceptions, challenges, and needs. The focus group meetings are tentatively scheduled to begin in late January 2023. Individuals interested in serving on a focus group can email communication@elkhart.k12.in.us to indicate their interest and should include their name, home address, and primary role with the district (parent/guardian, teaching staff, non-teaching staff, community member).  

Other recent activity related to the study includes the formation of a Key Committee composed of teachers, support staff, administrators, business leaders, civic leaders, non-profit leaders, parents, and senior citizens. This committee will centralize data from surveys and focus groups, as well as evaluate data about ECS school facilities and community demographics. Following their evaluation, the committee will develop recommendations for the school board.