A majority of teachers in Prairie South School Division (PSSD) either agree or strongly agree that their overall satisfaction with the division is positive, according to a recent survey.
When asked how satisfied they were overall about working in PSSD, on a scale of one to four, nearly 80 per cent of educators indicated they were satisfied (three) or very satisfied (four). In comparison, when teachers were asked the same question in 2018, about 72 per cent indicated they were satisfied or very satisfied. In 2016 their satisfaction level was about 86 per cent and in 2015 that level was again around 80 per cent.
The results of the survey were presented during the PSSD February board of education meeting.
Background
PSSD began a staff engagement process during the 2014-15 school year. One part involved creating a satisfaction survey, where employee groups — teachers, CUPE, and out-of-scope such as division office employees and bus drivers — could provide information about their work, the survey report explained. This survey was conducted in 2015 and 2016, followed by every second year in 2018 and 2020.
The most recent survey was administered for two weeks beginning on Jan. 5, with the data collected in late January. A detailed analysis of the data is expected and could lead to a school division response that would guide the work with staff satisfaction for the next two years.
Division response
It’s too early to comment on the feedback received since the board report is only a summary and there are more than 400 pages that haven’t been reviewed yet, said education director Tony Baldwin. Digging through that information and those comments will be where the interesting pieces of the survey lie.
However, a cursory review of the survey results indicates some staff groups are more satisfied now than in 2018, although CUPE members are less satisfied, he continued.
“The collective bargaining (process) was a challenging one and lots of comments related to that process (were received),” Baldwin said. “That’s a necessary evil when you’re in a unionized environment, but I do think we need to go through that pretty carefully.”
Someone from the union reached out to Baldwin to help analyze the data, which he thought was exciting since it’s not often a staff member does that.
“Overall, we continue to have a very satisfied staff … ,” he continued. “But we certainly have lots of work to do as an organization in individual cases and right across staff groups to make the place a good place to teach and work and make a living and make a difference for kids and families.”
Baldwin wanted to say PSSD teachers were more satisfied than teachers in other school divisions but couldn’t since he didn’t know how many other divisions had similar surveys.
“I am sure our teachers who have challenging work to do, I’m sure those challenges impact them in many of the same ways that teachers in general in Saskatchewan are impacted,” he added. “But I also know, because of this, that in general teachers think that Prairie South is a great place to come and teach and learn.”
Survey results
The survey asked all three employee groups the same questions. As of June 2019, the division had around 906 full-time equivalent (FTE) employees. This included 468 FTE teachers and principals/vice-principals, 318 FTE staff in education support, administrative, finance, plant operations and maintenance, and 115 FTE members in transportation.
The highest percentage went to out-of-scope employees’ understanding of their role expectations, at 93 per cent. This was followed by 93 per cent of teachers having positive relationships with their co-workers and 90 per cent of CUPE staff having positive relationships with their co-workers.
At the low end, only 52 per cent of CUPE members said they felt included in the division.
Teacher results for 2020 vs. 2018
- Effective communications (PSSD): 80 per cent/75 per cent
- Effective communications (workplace): 76 per cent/82 per cent
- Feeling included (PSSD): 71 per cent/61 per cent
- Feeling included (workplace): 82 per cent/85 per cent
- Physical work environment: 78 per cent/72 per cent
- Positive relationships (co-workers): 93 per cent/92 per cent
- Positive relationships (supervisors): 87 per cent/89 per cent
- Feeling respected (PSSD): 78 per cent/73 per cent
- Feeling respected (workplace): 86 per cent/90 per cent
- Understanding role expectations: 89 per cent/91 per cent
- Available tools/resources: 67 per cent/68 per cent
- Feeling valued (PSSD): 74 per cent/67 per cent
- Feeling valued (workplace): 85 per cent/89 per cent
- Work/life balance: 59 per cent/55 per cent
The next PSSD board meeting is March 3.
