Nine Mile Families,
During the 2022-2023 school year the Nine Mile Falls School Board and Superintendent Baerwald launched the Parent Engagement Committee. This committee is open to all parents and the attendees set the agenda for each meeting. During our April 2023 meeting the topic of conversation was student mental health and the Healthy Youth Survey. All attendees at this meeting were provided with a copy of the 2021 Healthy Youth Survey to review prior to discussing. During an hour-long robust conversation, the parents in attendance at that meeting asked the district to ensure that we offer the Healthy Youth Survey in 2023 to all 6th, 8th, 10th, and 12th grade students. They were also very clear that all parents and students should know that they can opt out of this survey – it is not required.
We share this information with you for multiple reasons:
- In October of 2023 all 6th, 8th, 10th, and 12th grade students will take the Healthy Youth Survey –unless the student or the student’s parent opts them out.
- We want to be as transparent as possible and have provided a copy of the 2023 Healthy Youth Surveys for families to review before deciding to take the survey or opt out of the survey.
- The survey and the results are anonymous. The district will receive data at the school/grade level, at the district level, and at the state level. The survey does not identify any individual student.
- The survey results are used by district staff to determine if we have areas of need within our student population that identify a gap/problem that must be addressed.
- Our local Educational Service District (ESD101) uses the Healthy Youth Survey data to write grants for schools in our region. Lakeside High School and Lakeside Middle School currently share a full-time staff member that is funded through a grant, written by ESD101, that is directly tied to the results of the Healthy Youth Survey.
If you have any questions or concerns regarding the administration of the 2023 Healthy Youth Survey to our 6th, 8th, 10th, and 12th grade students, please do not hesitate to reach out to me.
Jeff Baerwald
Superintendent
[email protected]
509-340-4303