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Winchester launches Student Voice Project to collect peer-led qualitative feedback
Summary
The district will train students to conduct empathy interviews and analyze qualitative data to inform school climate and instructional practice. The program will train student interviewers Oct. 15, conduct interviews in November–December and report back in January 2026.
WINCHESTER, Va. — Winchester Public Schools presented a student-centered listening initiative on Tuesday that will train students to interview peers and use qualitative analysis to surface priorities for school climate, belonging and instruction.
Dr. Walker introduced the Student Voice Project, which partners with the Human Restoration Project to conduct “empathy interviews” led by trained student facilitators. The district will recruit 20 student facilitators (five at the intermediate school, five at the middle school and 10 at the high school) to interview approximately 100 peers during a day of listening scheduled between November and December; student co-analysis of the data is scheduled for Jan. 12, 2026.
The project will focus on five questions developed by staff and will target grades 5–12. Dr. Walker described the initiative as gathering “thick data” — recorded qualitative responses that are then coded for assets, challenges and recommendations. Teachers will be able to listen to anonymized recordings in a listening portal; students who do not want to be recorded can opt out and an alternate subject will be selected.
Board members and staff discussed representation and recruitment: the plan includes steps to ensure participation across demographic groups and efforts to incentivize student participation so interviews capture both engaged and disaffected students. Dr. Matthew Kimham (staff) supported the program as a complement to district surveys, saying the initiative captures qualitative perspectives that quantitative surveys can miss.
Why it matters: District leaders said the approach will produce actionable themes informed by students’ words and suggested using results for professional learning, school climate work and student-led presentations to the board. Project leaders plan to bring student-presenters to a future board meeting to summarize findings.
Next steps and timeline: Train student facilitators Oct. 15; hold interviews Nov.–Dec.; student co-analysis and results shared Jan. 12, 2026; selected student presenters will appear before the board to present findings.
