Keystone Academy employee Spring Survey brings best results ever

The Spring 2022 survey of the 57 employees of Keystone Academy, brought 100% response and the highest results ever at the school.
Keystone Principal Jorvonna Drain told the school board at its June 2 meeting, “It’s the best survey we ever had and 100% of the staff took the survey.
“At the beginning of the year they all pitched in and helped each other,” she said of school staff, noting there was COVID and contact tracing.
In the Spring results 99% of the staff reported “I feel physically safe at my location” compared to 83% company-wide for National Heritage Academies’ schools nationwide. All the scores were higher than Keystone’s survey in Fall 2021 and Spring 2021.
Also, in the six questions asked, 92% has confidence in their leadership team; 90% believes their location has a great culture, 89% agree “My location is focused on meeting our students’ and families’ needs, and 88% agree they have good opportunities to learn and grow and 88% agreed they have a sense of belonging.
In other business at the one-hour-and-38-minute meeting, the board:
• Discussed the ESSER I, II, and III stakeholder survey of parents, staff members, and school board members, that showed the top suggestion of use of the federal funds is for retaining and attracting teachers and staff. Second was summer and/or tutoring programs. Third was academic materials. Principal Drain said NHA recommends $8,000 stipends to certified staff and $4,000 for uncertified staff over the next school year. The NHA representative said that was for putting up with all the nonsense surrounding COVID. Those stipends are in addition to the raises, retaining bonuses, and competency evaluations also done for the teachers. Board vice president Steve Harsant said teachers are receiving a lot of money in one-time bonuses and then will go back to a lower salary when the federal money is gone in 2024. He said they may leave for other jobs. It was mentioned that some school districts are laying off teachers and Drain stated, “NHA doesn’t lay off teachers”;
• Approved the updated 2022-23 Parent and Student Handbook, with the board adding one sentence and taking out one from the proposed document. The dress code now allows any color of shoes that are loafers, dress, or tennis and the color gray was added as an approved shirt color;
• Approved the 2021-22 final amended budget of $7.7 million in revenues;
• Approved changing the open enrollment period to Oct. 1 through the last business day in November. Enrollment of 690 was anticipated to form next school year’s budget and 692 are enrolled so far;
• Heard Drain report on the special “Grey Out” spirit day on May 31 in support of Harper Mathis and her family as they continue their fight against medulloblastoma. She said the school was able to raise $3,000 for the wonderful Keystone family who has been a part of the school community for more than nine years;
• Was advised of the activities of Admissions Representative Stefanie Lorey who is sending handwritten birthday cards to all applied, accepted, and registered, along with waiting list, students. She also has arranged a Little League team sponsorship with t-shirts, a Compuware Drive-In Movie (30-second commercial) that runs six times a night May-September, put together a Parking Lot Touch Point with gifts to parents. Also in May there has been a Middle School Mixer for all NHA schools in the area, Regional Parking Lot Bingo at Ann Arbor Prep High School (300 cars), Keystone Carnival, and teacher appreciation cookie tray delivery to day cares;
• Learned everything is set to take care of improvements to the swampy soccer field this summer. There will be work on drainage, adding soil, and seeding; and
• Heard Drain report that only two students did not reach the third-grade standard in reading for promotion.