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Northland Pines presents survey findings and moves to standardize elementary communication
Summary
District administrators told the board parent survey response rate fell to about 19%; staff response was higher. The administration proposed steps including requiring Dojo for elementary teacher-parent messaging, continuing the behavior handbook, and expanding tiered supports and a new autism program.
The district administrator presented a summary of parent and staff surveys to the Northland Pines Board of Education on July 28, reporting a low parent response rate and several planned follow-ups.
"I was disappointed," the district administrator said of the parent response rate, explaining that only about 19% of parents participated in the district-wide perception survey. The presentation identified the top parent concerns (behavior/bullying, communication, and school safety) and noted areas of strength (staff quality, extracurricular offerings and facilities). The district compared results with peer districts and highlighted both school-level successes and district-wide areas needing attention.
On staff feedback, the administration reported a higher return — more than 50% of staff — and cited metrics on the impact of the behavior handbook: "36% rated a 4," and 67.4% rated the handbook a 3 or better on a 1–5 scale. Officials said the handbook helped lay out procedures and flowcharts that will orient new staff, and they described ongoing work to move the district from reactive to proactive supports for behavior and social-emotional learning.
To streamline parent communication, the administration said it is requiring elementary teachers to use Dojo as the single parent-communication app, while retaining Infinite Campus for official emails and district notices. "We are requiring all elementary teachers only to use Dojo for parent communication," the administrator said, adding that the district will still send certain information through Infinite Campus and other channels for families who prefer email.
Administrators also described program changes and investments: expanding the CLC to serve non‑special-education students who need intensive support, creating an autism program with an additional certified staff member, and hiring a behavior specialist at Eagle River Elementary instead of adding a second counselor. The district plans to continue collecting and reviewing data, present bullying data at a future board meeting, and consider a broader community survey in the fall to increase response rates.
Board members voiced support for consolidating communication apps and for continuing action plans on behavior, curriculum, and parent engagement. The administration said more details and action steps will be shared in upcoming meetings and in committee work.
The board’s discussion concluded with a plan to monitor implementation and to revisit metrics after initial rollouts in the coming months.
