FPS Superintendent Reviews Exit Surveys from Departing Staff

Fairbury Public School Superintendent Stephen Grizzle presented the results of exit surveys of certified teachers during a Board of Education meeting the evening of Monday, June 13, 2022.Grizzle said, “As a result of our community stakeholders work this past year, one of the things we talked about, our culture goal, was to bring back the exit surveys. So, we completed those.”According to Grizzle, out of 12 certified teachers that left employment of FPS during the 2001-2022 school year, 10 returned the surveys.Grizzle reported, “Six out of 10 either retired out left for family considerations. One out of 10 was dissatisfied with their job. The work load was generally accepted to be about right or just right among the teachers. And then nine out of 10 enjoyed coming to work.”Other results:• 9/10 felt treated well by co-workers• 9/10 felt their efforts were appreciated• 10/10 felt their supervisor treated them fairly• 9/10 felt they could talk to their administrator• 9/10 felt treated well by co-workers• 9/10 felt their efforts were appreciated• 9/10 felt rules were enforced fairly and consistently• 7/10 felt communication was adequate in their building• 9/10 felt communication was adequate in the district• 9/10 felt they could talk to the superintendent• 9/10 said they would recommend employment with FPSThose teachers who filled out the surveys offered comments regarding reasons for leaving. One teacher wrote, “I no longer have the desire the teach. The district curriculum & culture has made teaching a chore and rigid and no longer have joy in the classroom.”Four teachers said they were changing jobs to be closer to home. Another wrote, “Prefer teaching middle school.”When asked what they found most satisfying about working for FPS, some answers included:• “I really enjoyed working with everyone in this system - the administration, the staff, my teaching peers & the students. It will be difficult to find another place like Fairbury.”• “I liked that administrators always went out of their way to check in with everyone, and that they always listened whenever I had problems.”• “The people I worked with.”On what they found least satisfying, disruptive behaviors and a lack of respect for adults and peers by students was noted. Others wrote:• “Contacting parents and trying to schedule IEP/MDT meetings.”• “Having to deal with behaviors.”• “Sometimes I felt that people had their own agenda and they didn’t realize that they were negative themselves. People should go to the person they have a problem with and solve them together.”Leaving teachers were also asked what suggestions they had for improving the school. Again, disruptive behavior and lack of respect among students were noted as areas needing to be addressed. Other suggestions were:• “Everyone needs to be more positive and take care of their own job.”• “Keep school fun. Laughter in the halls, smiling teachers. Smiling para professionals and support staff. Schools should be (a)pleasant place to come and learn. It feels like an institution.”• “More focus on behavior interventions, reaching out to other professionals/organizations when things are not working, finding SLP services that are not virtual, staff development opportunities that are individualized to the person’s specialty.”Grizzle said, “I felt their comments were good, constructive.”

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