School Coordinator Orientation

This orientation guide serves as a general reference to assist you with planning your survey and navigating the resources available.

These resources provide an overview of the platform and guide you through the process of using it to customize and conduct the survey. The Learning Bar Teams are here to offer guidance and support for successful survey implementation and data analysis. 

We look forward to working with you to promote safe, engaging learning communities for your students that are built through strong relationships within your school community.

Your Role as a School Coordinator

The School Coordinator is the primary contact for the OurSCHOOL initiative at the school level. The principal may occupy this role, but the role can also be delegated to another staff member. This ‘on-the-ground’ leadership role is critical to the success of the implementation, encompassing logistics, administration of the survey, and effective communication. In your role as School Coordinator you will:

• Coordinate with your District Coordinator to implement the survey;
• Build your school's capacity to collect and use data;
• Communicate  survey purpose and results with all stakeholders;
• Commit to using the data for school improvement.

Resources

The sections below follow the main stages of a survey implementation process, and the principal resources at each stage are indicated. Explore each section of the Helpdesk for more articles on specific topics.

Stage 1: Preparation and Account Information

Before beginning the implementation, your District Coordinator will create or reactivate your OurSCHOOL account. See Account Information if you need help to update your account or reset your password. If you are unsure who your District Coordinator is, refer to the Finding your District Coordinator article.

Stage 2: Training & Webinars

Please refer to the OurSCHOOL Start-Up Training Hub page for pre-survey implementation support, and the OurSCHOOL Report Training Hub page for post-survey implementation support.  

New!

We are continually developing our webinar content to provide you with the support you need. Check out our latest webinar Creating Actionable Custom Questions. We would love to hear your ideas for other webinar topics!

Stage 3: Survey Setup

Once your District Coordinator has selected the main content of the survey, Survey Setup is the process by which School Coordinators complete the configuration of the survey and tailor it to their local needs. As you are preparing to implement your survey you may find it helpful to review the article Factors Affecting Survey Length which highlights best practice tips from OurSCHOOL members. Refer to the Survey Setup section of Pre-Survey Resources for more information and resources to support your survey setup and customization.

Did you know!

That by adding your own unique custom questions, you will be able to disaggregate your data using drill-downs tailored for your school. You will find resources to support your custom question development under the Creating Custom Questions section. You can also reach out to our Research Team for custom question support.

Stage 4: Communication

As a School Coordinator, you are responsible for informing students, staff and families at your school about the initiative. This involves communicating the goals of the survey and its importance, describing how OurSCHOOL is expected to benefit various stakeholders, and communicating results when the survey is complete. This is one of the most critical on-going roles of the School Coordinator to ensure a successful survey process. See the Communication and Student Preparation section for related articles and resources.

The Learning Bar has selected a few key resources to support powerful communication with your students. Student Survey: Guide for Survey Administrators, Survey Preparation: Terms and Definitions, and a Practical Tips for Generating Survey Excitement with Students.

Stage 5: Monitoring Progress

Once surveying has begun, School Coordinators can monitor progress for at their school using the Monitor Progress page. See How to Monitor Progress and the other articles available in the Survey Window Resources section.

Stage 6: Closing Surveys

Once you are satisfied with the number of participants, use the 'Close Survey' option to notify The Learning Bar that the survey is complete and you would like the reports to be generated. See the Closing a Survey section for more information.

Stage 7: Viewing Reports

Reports are normally released within two working days of survey closure. Refer to the Post-Survey Resources section for detailed articles on the different reporting tools, and for resources on using your data for sharing results and Success Stories using OurSCHOOL data.

Stage 8: Analyzing Data

At The Learning Bar our goal is to provide guidance as you make timely school improvement and planning decisions that are grounded in quantifiable evidence from your whole school community. Our team will provide support and resources at all stages as you move through a continual process of school improvement. Check out the OurSCHOOL Data Worksheets section for resources to guide your analysis.  

Did you know our Research Team now offers a range of new professional learning and consultation services. These sessions are designed to build your staff’s expertise in the areas of data-driven planning and decision making, and to discuss and share practical strategies for fostering a school climate where all students can succeed. Feel free to connect with us if you have questions regarding your data and would like additional support.

Parent and Teacher Surveys

If conducting either of these surveys, your District Coordinator will coordinate with The Learning Bar to activate them. Once activated, you can begin setup directly. Once activated, you can begin setup directly. For more information, see the Teacher and Parent Survey sections. 

It is our mission:

To show global leadership in enhancing the lives of children and youth by providing reliable student, teacher and parent voice to school improvement efforts, using actionable online-survey information.