Focus Group Report Executive Summary

February 25, 2015

This Executive Summary synthesizes the experiences and perceptions of participants in parent and staff focus groups conducted on Feb. 22 and 23, 2016. TeamWorks International, Inc. was asked by the leadership of Stillwater Area Public Schools to conduct three independently facilitated focus groups for the purpose of convening stakeholder parent and staff voices from across the district. The participants were asked to share their personal experiences with Stillwater Area Public Schools and perspectives on the Building Opportunities to Learn and Discover (BOLD) proposal.

In compiling the perspectives, TeamWorks International used the Whole System View FrameWork, assigning insights to one of three areas of the system. As an interdependent system, the areas often overlap; we have taken the liberty to record each insight in only one area to minimize redundancies.

Work Arena The Work arena is the economic portion of the organization and the human, physical and financial resources needed to provide for that work. It is the tangible aspect of the district, the WHO and WHAT. Organization Arena The Organization arena is composed of the internal structures and systems and external networks that provide the "order" and connections of the organization. It is HOW things are accomplished. Culture Arena The Culture arena holds the mission, purpose, story, spirit and relational norms and expectations of an organization. It defines the meaning and purpose for the existence of the organization and exerts a strong influence over the allocation of resources for both the Work and Organization arenas. This is most often intangible and dictates WHY we do things as we do.

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Experience Themes

Focus group participants were first invited to walk through their experience of the education and support provided by the Stillwater Area Public Schools. The following experience themes will be expanded upon in the full report:

Deep appreciation for the teachers and support staff in all of the buildings. This was one of the few consistencies in the participants experiences.

Wonderful educational experiences for many children and some difficult educational experiences for some. High concern of multi-year cycle of financial instability. The lasting effects of the turnover in district and building leadership including: Confusion/changes in direction, inequities in

services across schools, inconsistent/poor implementation of initiatives, myriad decision-making processes, communication issues, restarts in community and relationship building and a resulting feeling of being forgotten.

Past non-action and reverse decisions that compounded issues and created a perception of haves and have-nots. Program differences seen both positively (choices) and negatively (intermittent services that should be assured). Surprise among some participants to hear first-hand about the resource inequities including: computers and other

classroom technologies, library materials, support services. Agreement on what BOLD is seeking to achieve (goal of success for all students) with differing positive and negative

perspectives on how the district has proceeded and should move forward.

Focus Group Report Executive Summary

February 25, 2015

Benefits and Risks of BOLD

The following is a sampling of the benefits and risks of the BOLD proposal outlined by focus group participants, should it be approved by the school board. The complete list of perspectives will be submitted with the full report in these three categories.

Advice Moving Forward

What follows is a summary of the advice offered to the board for moving the district forward no matter what the vote. The complete list will be included in the full report.

o Please just support us, and slow down for the next two years. o There have been missteps that need to be repaired with families for or against the BOLD proposal feeling forgotten, outside

of the process and unclear about what it means for them. o Develop a long-term plan, at least five years, and stay the course. o Conduct a full financial audit by a third party and how to address/eliminate the shortfalls year after year. o Share publicly the options that were considered before BOLD share the criteria, the rejected options and why. o Have respect for schools proposed for closure and do not dismiss them as emotional parents. Provide respect to all schools. o Dont be afraid to be wrong or to take a step back. o Empower our administration to run the district more parent voice yes, but parents dont run the district. o If small schools are closed now or in the future, keep those kids together in their new schools. o Advise the new Superintendent to create cross-school district advisories (staff and parent) rather than the school-by-school

approach used now and in the past that perpetuates silos. o Once a decision is made, stick with it and dont give in only to have the decision unravel once again. o Solidify processes so we dont continue to default to the whims of whomever is in charge (board, district, and building).

WORK ORGANIZATION CULTURE

BENEFITS

Services provided in house to students with fully present student advocates and psychologists

Possible increased enrollment Save and stabilize funding Adult education in a centralized

location and fully accessible Bigger % of budget focusing on kids

instead of buildings Stabilized staffing annually and less

uncertainty

Positive step toward correcting an unintentional slide toward inequity

Stabilizing class sizes Provide opportunities to more kids with

improved learning through fully supported programming

Opportunity for students to grow and go to a new school and be confident and successful there

We can redefine ourselves and Stillwaters value proposition

ALL Stillwater students are ours Grow and move forward rather than

just hang on as a district. Feeling of equity, inclusion with families more willing to partner

Opportunities for people and students to build stronger communities and make new friends

To be able to hear each others voices about what it is like in the trenches and across the district get out of our silos

To cross team/develop to overcome obstacles and collaborate with other schools rather than compete

RISK

S

That there will not be the expected savings projected given the cost/financial risk of multifaceted change with so many variables

Creating schools similar in size and style cookie cutter resulting in diminished choice

Lawsuits that could take money, time and energy away from the district/schools and the transition

Suspicion of anything proposed in the future (curriculum, programming)

Leadership has spent a lot of political capital, hard to regain trust

Losing building(s) we might need in the future

Loss of enrollment

Unknowns regarding borders not being set and how they will change

Whether the benefits of BOLD will actually happen its now a philosophy and not a detailed plan

A lot of the circumstances, culture and changes have been festering for the last several years and before BOLD was proposed. Is this enough to fix Stillwater schools?

Amount of change is huge and may cause chaos too many initiatives operational execution could fail and it would be a bigger mess

Difficulty of managing, communicating, implementing so much change at once

Inability to pass a levy or bond for another generation

Even if it succeeds, it will be perceived as failing due to positions and filters that exist now

Loss of community identities (like Marine) where the school is historical there, part of its identity

That the leaders will change their minds after the decision because some parents were vocal (historical precedent)

Alienating communities and existing parents

A widening community divide that impedes the integration of northern students and their families

That leadership will turnover once again perpetuating the cycle