Dear Haslett Community,
As part of our Imagine 2030 strategic planning process, we’ve been revisiting the feedback from last fall's open-ended surveys. Your responses have helped us see both what we're doing well and where we need to grow. The participation was impressive: 1,096 students, staff, and family members shared 979 thoughts, and then rated each other's ideas using a star system (providing 34,734 total ratings). This star-rating approach helped us identify which ideas resonated most with our community.
Over the past month, our Board of Education, aided by a 35-member district task force of teachers, administrators, parents, and students, has carefully reviewed your feedback. While many themes have emerged, I want to highlight five that resonated most strongly with our community:
1. Staff Retention and Professional Environment Your feedback consistently recognizes the dedication of our educators while emphasizing the need to create a supportive workplace that helps us retain our talented staff.
2. Student Voice and Self-Advocacy Students expressed a desire for more learning opportunities that connect to real life and allow them to actively participate rather than passively receive information. They also want our help developing confidence in expressing their ideas and asking for what they need—skills they see as essential for success in school and their future.
3. Safe and Supportive Learning Environment There was strong agreement on creating a school environment where all students feel safe and valued. Community feedback emphasized addressing bullying, promoting inclusivity, and balancing academic achievement with overall well-being.
4. Resource Accessibility and Facility Needs While our district offers many resources, we need to improve how we communicate about and provide access to them. Feedback also highlighted concerns about the condition of our aging facilities and building maintenance.
5. Building on Academic Excellence Your responses celebrated Haslett's strong academic tradition while emphasizing the importance of complementing it with opportunities to develop teamwork, adaptability, and ethical decision-making. This balanced approach ensures our graduates continue to excel academically while also mastering the interpersonal skills needed in today's collaborative workplaces.
This summary only scratches the surface of the meaningful conversations your feedback has generated. In the coming weeks, I'll share deeper insights from these discussions and from our ongoing school input sessions—conversations that are driving our planning process forward.
In the next month, you'll have more opportunities to share your thoughts. Please be on the lookout in school and district newsletters and on our district website for these opportunities. Your continued involvement is essential as we build on our strong foundation to create an even better future for Haslett Public Schools.
With appreciation,
Patrick Malley
