Important Parent Message (2/21/23)

February 9th, 2023 Dear Chiawana families, We are very thankful for you and your family for being valued partners as we work together to educate the students in our school. As we all learned from the pandemic, social emotional skills are incredibly important, just as important as academic skills. Research demonstrates that supportive relationships and opportunities for social emotional development lead to improved academic outcomes. Unfortunately, not all students feel valued or connected to our school. If we hope to affect student achievement, we must also support their social emotional development. On Wednesday, February 22, 2023, we will be asking all students at Chiawana High School to complete a survey about their connection to or sense of belonging in their school environment. The survey consists of 24 questions and is completely anonymous. Five of the questions will ask students about demographic information such as race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, etc. There will be an option to select “prefer not to answer” should students wish to do so. The purpose for collecting this information is to identify specific populations of students who may not feel they belong and need additional support. When the survey has been completed, building team members will review the results to plan for meaningful social emotional supports and activities. Thank you again for supporting your student(s) in their educational journey. If you have any questions or concerns about the survey, please contact Chiawana Principal, Jaime Morales, at (509) 543-6786.