During their regular meeting Sept. 13, members of the School System Viability Committee will present their findings from the 14-question survey released in mid-July to determine what the public considers "better Signal Mountain schools."
Committee members began combing through the 741 responses received from parents, teachers and community members during an education quality sub-group work session Aug. 30.
One of the most prevalent themes the two sub-group members present said they noticed during their initial read-through was the perception that the mountain's schools were unbalanced in regards to quality.
While respondents, on average, rated the overall quality of Signal schools as 4.5 out of 5, many indicated through their comments that they felt the elementary schools were "superb" while the middle/high school was "less than adequate." Several said they felt that quality education at the middle/high school was being reserved for students in the International Baccalaureate program while other kids "get the scraps."
Many said they believed the schools are excellent only because of financial support from the Mountain Education Foundation.
"So that 4.5 by itself doesn't really give you the full picture," said SSVC member Susan Speraw, who sits on the quality sub-committee.
The sub-committee also identified a number of broader themes throughout the questionnaire, such as concerns about a lack of teacher morale in Signal schools and criticism of the schools' early start times, which range between 7 and 8 a.m.
If the town chooses to move forward with forming its own school district, the findings from the survey could be used to give the district's new school board direction, Speraw said. Even if the town chooses not to break away from Hamilton County Schools, she added, the information would be useful for administrators in the county school system, allowing them to see the issues parents are concerned about.
"I think the new school superintendent would really appreciate seeing this," agreed Tom McCullough, a fellow member of the quality sub-committee. "It gives him a very broad picture of the perceptions the community has of these schools."
Speraw said the survey results may not affect the town's final decision to split or stay with county schools one way or the other, as they are meant to determine educational improvements instead of overall feasibility. However, the findings will be included in the committee's final report to the town council, said McCullough, meaning it could help council members determine whether the quality of the schools is adequate.
"In creating a municipal school system, if you can't create a better quality product than what you have now, why even do it?" mused McCullough.
He and Speraw will draft a summary of reoccurring themes from the survey to bring before the rest of the SSVC during the meeting Sept. 13, which starts at 7 p.m.