--- ## title: 04.08.2026 School Board Survey Feedback --- ## School Perceptions ## Survey School ## Board Feedback April 8, 2026 ## Prepared by Dr. Kristine Wehrkamp Herman Students are the heart of all we do ## Hastings ## Public Schools ## Hastings ## Public Schools ## Timeline ●3rd year administering survey ●October 27, 2025 - Survey deadline for staff, parents and students ●November 19, 2025 - Results shared at regular board meeting ●December 2025 & January 2026 - Superintendent Wehrkamp Herman held feedback meetings buildings/departments ●February & March 2026 - Follow up with leadership teams ●April 8, 2026 - Results of feedback for the board ## Recap of School Perceptions 2025 ## Survey Results ## Parent Results (Highest/Lowest) ## Parent Results (Least/Greatest Decline) ## Staff Results (Highest/Lowest) ## Staff Results (Least/Greatest Decline) ## Staff Feedback on Staff/Board ## Relations ## Staff Feedback Overview Superintendent Wehrkamp Herman conducted comprehensive, face-to-face review sessions with school building and departments, including: Custodians, ## Food Service, Tech Department, District Office and Administrative Assistants ## Process ●Reviewed survey data ●Collected feedback to understand the "story behind the data." ●Identified key trends and concerns specifically relevant to School Board governance and oversight. 1. Professionalism and Trust The most consistent feedback is the request for the Board to respect the expertise of educators. ●Staff feel devalued by comments made during public meetings and by policies that imply a lack of trust. ○Example: Negative comments made by board members at public meetings (e.g., alleging that teachers grade based on political bias or providing negative comments regarding information on benefits/salaries) has damaged trust. ●Staff urge the Board to trust their degrees, years of experience, and institutional knowledge. ●Multiple responses emphasize that the Board should focus on high-level oversight and advisory roles. 2. Communication and Presence ●Staff describe the Board as unapproachable and disconnected from the daily reality of the classroom. ●There is a strong call for Board members to visit buildings and classrooms in a supportive, non-evaluative capacity. ●Staff feel that while the Board seeks input, they often dismiss it quickly. There is a desire for informal "talk sessions" and more direct engagement. ●Perceptions of non-transparency and leadership turnover have created an atmosphere of instability. 3. Micromanagement and Overstepping Staff provided examples where they believe the Board is interfering in operational details that should be handled by professionals. Concerns include: ●Board members questioning curriculum recommendations, questioning teaching methodology, and micromanaging field trip chaperones. ●Micromanagement of Student Council, Homecoming, and Snoweek was specifically noted as stifling student-led initiatives. ●Staff feel the Board is making ill-informed comments about staff salaries and benefits during public meetings. 4. Culture of Belonging ●Staff are upset about the removal of Policy 100, and the denial of the single stall bathroom renovation grant at Kennedy. They feel both occurred without proper communication or consideration of staff input. ●Feedback states that staff and school board are not on the same team. ## DISCUSSION ## AND ## NEXT STEPS