Student Survey - Grades 7-12

CONFIDENTIAL WHEN COMPLETED Please do not put your child’s name or student ID number on this survey. If you wish to complete the survey online, please go to www.ocdsb.ca and use this unique survey code:

Thank you for agreeing to complete this survey. The survey is VOLUNTARY and CONFIDENTIAL. Your individual responses will not be shared with anyone. You are invited to complete this paper survey or to complete it on-line. If you choose to complete the survey on-line, please use the unique survey code provided for each child in your household to log onto the system. If you have more than one child in our school District, please complete and submit a separate survey for each child using the individualized code provided for each child. For the purposes of this survey, “parent” includes a guardian or caregiver with significant or primary responsibility for the child. Personal information on this form is collected under the authority of the Education Act, RSO 1990, Ch. E.2 as amended, sections 169.1, 170(1), and 171(1). The information collected will be used to support student achievement and well-being and will inform our District and school improvement planning process. It will also inform future decisions about programs, research and partnership opportunities. The analysis of the survey information will focus on aggregates by District and schools, not individual students. The information collected on this form is confidential and will be protected. Questions regarding this collection may be directed to the Freedom of Information Coordinator, 133 Greenbank Road, Ottawa, ON, K2H 6L3 or at 613-596-8211 ext. 8607. THANK YOU for helping us educate for success, inspire learning and build citizenship.

SURVEY INSTRUCTIONS Please carefully follow the steps below when completing this questionnaire. It is estimated that the questionnaire will require less than 30 minutes of your time to complete.

Use a blue or black ink pen only. Do not use ink that soaks through the paper. Make solid marks that fall inside the response boxes.

If there are questions on the survey that you do not want to answer, please skip them and fill in as much as you can. Keep in mind that all of your responses are confidential.

MARKING INSTRUCTIONS: Use blue or black pen

DO NOT USE GREEN PEN, FELT-TIPPED PEN OR MARKER

Correct Incorrect

If you wish to leave a section unanswered, please DO NOT draw a line through the section, instead just leave it blank.

NOTE THAT QUESTIONS ARE PRINTED ON BOTH SIDES OF THE PAPER, SO PLEASE BE SURE TO TURN EACH PAGE OVER!

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Page 12010 OCDSB Student Survey (7 to 12) Personal information on this form is collected under the authority of the Education Act, RSO 1990. ©2010 OCDSB and TWI Inc. All rights reserved

PART I: QUESTIONS ABOUT ME

Knowing and building on current strengths is one of the key ways to inspire learning and student success. Please share some of the key areas that you have demonstrated a strength or strong interest in.

1. How often do you take part in the following activities in school?

Weekly Monthly

A Few Times a

Year Never

a) Arts (e.g., visual arts, drama, dance, music, poetry, storytelling) H H H H

b) Cultural group activities (e.g., language lessons) H H H H

c) Leadership programs (e.g., peer helpers) H H H H

d) Religious events and activities H H H H

e) School special events (e.g., dances, concerts) H H H H

f) Sports (e.g., intramurals, sport teams) H H H H

g) Student council activities H H H H

h) School clubs H H H H

i) Student publications (e.g., newsletters) H H H H

j) Other activities (e.g., computers, chess) H H H H 2. How often do you take part in the following activities outside of school?

Weekly Monthly

A Few Times a

Year Never

a) Arts (e.g., visual arts, drama, dance, music, poetry, storytelling) H H H H

b) Cultural group activities (e.g., language lessons) H H H H

c) Leadership programs (e.g., YW/YMCA) H H H H

d) Religious events and activities H H H H

e) Sports and recreation (e.g., swimming lessons, community sports teams) H H H H

f) Youth group activities H H H H

g) Youth publications (e.g., newspapers, magazines) H H H H

h) Other activities (e.g., computers, chess) H H H H

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3. How do you see yourself in each of the following areas?

Excellent Good Fair Having

Difficulty Not Sure a) Arts (e.g., visual arts, drama, dance, music,

poetry, storytelling) H H H H H

b) Leadership (e.g., leading a group or team) H H H H H

c) Math H H H H H

d) Oral communication (e.g., public speaking) H H H H H

e) Physical Activities (e.g., skateboarding, team sports, recreational sports) H H H H H

f) Problem solving (e.g., technical, mechanical, fixing things) H H H H H

g) Reading H H H H H

h) Social skills (e.g., getting along with others, finding ways to solve personal/social problems) H H H H H

i) Technology (e.g., computer knowledge, electronics) H H H H H

j) Writing H H H H H

4. Have you received any awards, certificates, or recognition for your participation in the following activities? (Please

check all that apply)

In School Outside School Not Yet

a) Academics H H H

b) Arts (e.g., visual arts, drama, dance, music, poetry, storytelling) H H H

c) Charitable or humanitarian activities (e.g., environment) H H H

d) Clubs and activities H H H

e) Leadership H H H

f) Sports/Recreation H H H

g) Volunteering H H H 5. At your current school, have you ever been asked to help students as a...? (Please check all that apply)

H Peacemaker/peer mediator H Peer mentor H Reading buddy H School ambassador

H Peer tutor H Greeter H Monitor H Link crew member

H Not been asked yet H Other: (Please specify)

___________________________

6. At your current school, how often have you been asked to lead an activity, a group, or a team?

Many times Sometimes A few times Never

H H H H

If never, would you like to be asked?

H Yes H No

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7. Please indicate the language(s) spoken most often at home. (Please check all that apply.)

Please note, the options listed below do not include every possible language; however, these are the languages most often reported to Statistics Canada.

Official languages H English H French

Aboriginal languages H Algonquin H Cree H Inuktitut H Ojibway

European languages

Celtic languages H Gaelic languages H Welsh

Germanic languages H Dutch H German H Yiddish H Danish H Norwegian H Swedish

Romance languages H Italian H Portuguese H Romanian H Spanish

European languages continued…

Hellenic languages H Greek

Northeast languages H Latvian H Lithuanian H Estonian H Finnish H Hungarian

Slavic languages H Bosnian H Bulgarian H Croatian H Czech H Polish H Russian H Serbian H Serbo-Croatian H Slovak H Slovenian H Ukrainian

Indo-European languages H Armenian

Turkic languages H Turkish

African languages H Akan (Twi) H Lingala H Rundi (Kirundi) H Rwanda (Kinyarwanda)H Swahili

Afro-Asiatic languages H Ormoro H Somali H Amharic H Arabic H Hebrew H Tigrigna

Indo-Iranian languages H Bengali H Gujarati H Hindi H Marathi H Panjabi (Punjabi) H Sindhi H Sinhala (Sinhalese) H Urdu H Kurdish H Pashto H Persian (Farsi)

Dravidian languages H Kannada H Malayalam H Tamil H Telugu

Asiatic languages H Japanese H Korean H Cantonese H Mandarin H Lao H Thai H Khmer (Cambodian) H Vietnamese

Malayo-Polynesian languages H Ilocano H Malay H Tagalog (Filipino)

Other languages H Other: (Please specify)

______________________

8. a) Do you have a disability, exceptionality, or a special education need that was tested by your doctor or school?

People with disabilities are those who may have a continuing difficulty in hearing, speaking, moving around, learning, etc. The Education Act defines an exceptional student as one “whose behavioural, communication, intellectual, physical or multiple exceptionalities are such that he or she is considered to need placement in a special education program by a committee”.

H Yes – continue to question 8b H No – go to question 9 H I don’t know – go to question 9

b) If yes, please check all that apply:

H Autism Spectrum H Blind/Low Vision H Communication (speech, language) H Deaf/Hard of Hearing H Developmentally Delayed H Down Syndrome

H Gifted H Learning H Mental Health H Mobility H Other

c) Are you currently receiving special education support?

H Yes H No H Not sure

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9. Where were you born? (Please check one only)

H In Ottawa H In Ontario, other than Ottawa H In Canada, in a province or territory outside Ontario H Outside Canada, in another country

10. Do you identify yourself as Canadian? (You do not have to be born in Canada to identify yourself as Canadian.)

H Yes H No

11. Are you of Aboriginal descent or ancestry?

H No – go to question 12 H Yes – pick one of the following

H First Nations (Status) H First Nations (Non-Status) H Inuit

H Métis H Aboriginal person from

outside Canada 12. What is your gender?

H Female H Male

H Transgender H Prefer not to disclose

13. How do you identify your sexual orientation? (Please check all that apply)

H Bisexual H Gay (male) H Heterosexual (straight)

H Lesbian (female) H Queer H Questioning

H Transsexual H Two-spirited H Prefer not to disclose

14. Do you expect to graduate from high school?

H Yes H No H I’m not sure

15. Have you thought about your future career or occupation?

H Yes, I have decided on my future career or occupation – Please specify _______________________________ H Yes, I have been thinking about it H Yes, but I have no idea H No, I have not thought about my future career or occupation

16. Upon completing high school:

Return to School for Additional

Credits Attend College

Attend University Work

Enrol in an Apprentice-

ship Program

Other Plans

Not sure

I plan to H H H H H H H

My parents/caregivers expect me to H H H H H H H

My teachers expect me to H H H H H H H

My friends expect me to H H H H H H H

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PART II: ABOUT MY FAMILY

The relationship between parents/guardians and educators is a critical one to ensure student success. Getting to know things such as your family values, culture, and structures is very important in helping us to serve our students better. 17. What is the ethnic/cultural group(s) of your parents and grandparents? (Please check all that apply)

Please note, the options listed below do not include every possible “cultural group”. The list of ethnic and cultural groups cited below reflects the major groups reported in the Ottawa-Carleton region during the 2006 Statistics Canada reports.

British Isles origins H English H Irish H Scottish H Welsh

French origins H Acadian H French

Aboriginal origins H First Nations H Inuit H Métis H North American

Indian

Other North American origins H American H Canadian

Caribbean origins H Barbadian H Guyanese H Haitian H Indo-Caribbean H Jamaican

Caribbean origins continued... H Trinidadian/

Tobagonian H West Indian

Latin, Central, South American origins H Colombian H Mexican H Peruvian H Salvadorian

European origins

Western European H Austrian H Belgian H Dutch

(Netherlands) H German H Swiss

Northern European H Danish H Finnish H Icelandic H Norwegian H Swedish

European origins continued...

Eastern European H Czech H Hungarian H Latvian H Lithuanian H Polish H Romanian H Russian H Slovak H Ukrainian

Southern European H Bulgarian H Croatian H Greek H Italian H Portuguese H Serbian H Slovenian H Spanish

Other European H Jewish

African origins H Black H Burundian H Congolese H Eritrean H Ethiopian H Ghanaian H Nigerian H Rwandan H Somali H South African

Arab origins H Egyptian H Iraqi H Lebanese H Palestinian H Syrian

West Asian origins H Afghan H Armenian H Iranian H Israeli H Turk

South Asian origins H Bangladeshi H East Indian H Pakistani H Punjabi H Sri Lankan H Tamil

East/Southeast Asian origins H Cambodian H Chinese H Filipino H Japanese H Korean H Vietnamese

Oceania origins H Australian H Pacific Islander

Other origins H Unknown H Other: (Please

specify) _________________

18. What is your religious or spiritual affiliation? (Please check all that apply)

H Aboriginal spirituality

H Anglican H Atheist H Baha’i H Buddhist H Catholic

H Protestant (e.g., Baptist, Presbyterian, Mennonite, United)

H Christian Orthodox (e.g., Eastern, Greek, Ukrainian) H Eastern Religions (e.g., Taoism, Shintoism,

Confucianism) H Hindu H Jewish

H Muslim – Shia’ H Muslim – Sunni H Sikh H I do not have a religious or

spiritual affiliation H Prefer not to disclose H I do not know H Other: (Please specify)

_________________________

19. Which of the following best describes your background? (Please check one only)

H Aboriginal H Arab H Black H Chinese H Filipino H Japanese

H Korean H Mixed race (e.g., biracial or multiracial) H South Asian (e.g., East Indian, Pakistani, Sri Lankan,

etc.) H Southeast Asian (e.g., Cambodian, Malaysian, Laotian,

Vietnamese, etc.)

H West Asian (e.g., Afghan, Iranian, etc.)

H White H Other: (Please specify)

______________________

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20. a) Who are the adult caregiver(s) you live with most of the time? (Please check one only)

H Mother and Father H Mother only H Father only H Half-time with each parent H Mother and step-father

H Father and step-mother H Foster parent(s) H Two mothers H Two fathers H Adult relatives/guardians (e.g.,

aunts, uncles, grandparents)

H Group home staff H None go to question 20d H Other: (Please specify)

_________________________

b) Using your selection in 20a, what level(s) of education have your parents/guardians completed in Canada or in any other country? (Please check all that apply.)

Caregiver Male

Female

Elementary

School High

School

Trades or Apprentice-

ship College University I Don’t Know

Parent/Guardian 1 H H H H H H H H

Parent/Guardian 2 H H H H H H H H

c) Using your selection in 20a, what is your parents’/guardians’ employment status? (Please check one only

Caregiver Employed Full-Time

Employed Part-Time

Self-Employed

Un-employed

Stay at Home Parent Retired

I Don’t Know

Parent/Guardian 1 H H H H H H H

Parent/Guardian 2 H H H H H H H

d) How many people live in your home on a regular basis?

One Two Three Four Five

Six or more

Adults (18 years and over) H H H H H H

Children (under 18) H H H H H H PART III: LEARNING ENVIRONMENT

Creating and sustaining a positive learning environment is critical to student success. Please share your thoughts on your experiences within your current learning climate. 21. How do you feel about your school?

Always Often Sometimes Rarely Never

a) I enjoy school H H H H H

b) My school is a friendly and welcoming place H H H H H

c) My school building is an inviting place to learn H H H H H

d) I get along well with other students in my school H H H H H

e) I feel accepted by students in my school H H H H H

f) I feel accepted by adults in my school H H H H H

g) My school offers courses that I am interested in H H H H H

h) My school offers extracurricular activities that I am interested in H H H H H

i) Extra help is available at my school when I need it H H H H H

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22. Do you feel that you belong at your school?

H Yes – go to question 23 H No – continue d

If no, do you think it is because of any of the following? (Please check all that apply)

H Your gender H Your ethnocultural or racial background H Your Aboriginal background (First

Nations, Métis, Inuit) H Your first language H A disability that you have H An exceptionality that you have

H Your grades or marks H Your appearance and/or

clothing H Your religion or faith H Your family’s income level H Your sexual orientation

H Your perceived sexual orientation

H Your perceived body image

H Your family structure/composition

23. In your school, how often have you learned about the experiences and/or achievements of...?

Often Sometimes Rarely Never

a) Women and girls H H H H

b) Aboriginal peoples (First Nations, Métis, Inuit) H H H H

c) Different ethnocultural or racial groups H H H H

d) Different religious/faith communities H H H H

e) People with disabilities or exceptionalities H H H H

f) People of different sexual orientations/identities H H H H

g) People of different income levels H H H H 24. In your school, how often are people of different backgrounds and abilities seen and/or included in:


a) Pictures or posters in the school H H H H

b) Displays of student work H H H H

c) Materials used in class (e.g., books and videos) H H H H

d) Discussions and presentations about topics studied in class H H H H

e) School publications (e.g., yearbooks, newsletters, newspapers) H H H H

f) Special events and celebrations H H H H

g) School staff H H H H

h) School council H H H H

i) Volunteers H H H H

j) Other students H H H H

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25. a) Do you feel there are barriers that stand in the way of your learning at school?

H Yes – continue d H No – go to question 26 H Not Sure – go to question 26

b) If you answered yes, do you think that these barriers exist because of any of the following? (Please check all that apply)








26. In general, how do you feel you are treated by school staff?

H The same way as everyone else H Better than others H Worse than others

27. a) Do you understand your school’s expectations regarding?

Yes No

Academic success (e.g., belief that all students can learn) H H

Attendance H H

Behaviour/Code of conduct (e.g., discipline) H H

Community of Character/Character Development H H

b) Do you feel that these expectations have been applied to you in a fair manner?

Always Often Sometimes Rarely Never Not Sure Academic success (e.g., belief that all students can learn) H H H H H H

Attendance H H H H H H Behaviour/Code of conduct (e.g., discipline)

H H H H H H

Community of Character/Character Development H H H H H H

28. At your current school, have you requested religious accommodation?

H No – go to question 29 H Yes – continue d

If yes, please indicate the type of accommodation requested? (Please check all that apply)

H Permission to observe a religious practice during school hours H Permission to wear an item of clothing connected with a religious belief H Time away from school to observe a religious holiday H Curriculum modification based on religious beliefs H Other: (Please specify)

_____________________________________

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PART IV: SAFETY

Safety is an important part of ensuring student success. “Feeling safe” means feeling comfortable, relaxed, and not worried that someone could harm you physically or emotionally.

Bullying is defined as the use of one’s strength or popularity to injure, threaten, or embarrass another person. Bullying can be physical (hitting, kicking, or shoving), verbal (teasing, putting down, or insulting someone on purpose) or social (involves getting others repeatedly to ignore or leave someone out on purpose). It is not bullying when two students of about the same strength argue, fight, or tease each other. 29. Do you feel safe...?


at school H H H H H

on the way to and from school H H H H H

in your neighbourhood H H H H H 30. a) Within the current and last school years, have you been bullied/harassed in any of the following ways?


Verbally with insults or name calling H H H H

Verbally with threats H H H H

Physically by an individual H H H H

Physically by a group of individuals H H H H

Socially by being excluded or shut out from a group H H H H

Socially by theft or destruction of your personal property H H H H

Electronically via e-mails, Facebook, texting, etc. H H H H Other: (Please specify)

_________________________________________________

H H H H

If you answered “Never” to all of the items in question 30a above, please go to question 31.

b) If you have been bullied/harassed by anyone at your current school, do you think it is because of any of the following? (Please check all that apply)








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c) If you have been bullied/harassed by anyone at your current school, where and how often did it happen?


Areas off school property H H H H

Cloakrooms or locker rooms H H H H

Classrooms H H H H

Computer rooms H H H H

Library H H H H

Lunchroom or eating area/cafeteria H H H H

Office H H H H

Electronically (via Facebook, twitter etc.) H H H H

Gym H H H H

Hallways H H H H

School entrances and exits H H H H

School playground H H H H Washrooms H H H H

d) When and how often have you been bullied/harassed?


Before school H H H H

After school H H H H

Between classes H H H H

During breaks (e.g., spares, lunch) H H H H

During classes H H H H

During extracurricular activities H H H H

On school field trips H H H H

On the way to and from school H H H H

School bus H H H H

On weekends H H H H

e) Who do you go to for help when you have been bullied/harassed? (Please check all that apply)

H Your teachers H Your guidance counsellor(s) H Your principal H Your vice-principal H Your social worker

H Your coach H Your friends H Your parents, guardian, or

caregiver

H Other family members or relatives

H Teen Hotline H Other H No one

f) If you have been bullied/harassed, has it affected...?


Your feelings about going to school H H H H H

Your performance in school (e.g., your grades have dropped) H H H H H

Your attendance (e.g., skipping classes) H H H H H Other: (Please specify)

______________________________________

H H H H H

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31. a) Does your school promote character development (e.g., acceptance, cooperation, fairness, integrity and respect)?

H Yes – continue to question 31b d H No – go to question 32 H Not sure – go to question 32 b) If yes, do you believe that your school’s focus on character development helped in creating a safe,

welcoming and inclusive learning environment?

H Yes H No H Not sure

PART V: LEARNING SUPPORT, TOOLS AND RESOURCES

There are various tools and resources available to help you succeed. In this section, please share with us what you are aware of and what additional support you may need to achieve success. 32. Do your parents, guardians or caregivers...?

Always Often Sometimes Rarely Never Not Sure

a) Expect you to succeed in school H H H H H H

b) Help you to set goals and make plans H H H H H H

c) Talk to you about your schoolwork H H H H H H

d) Communicate with your teachers (e.g., by telephone, e-mail) H H H H H H

e) Attend parent-teacher interviews H H H H H H

f) Attend meetings and events at school H H H H H H

g) Volunteer at the school H H H H H H h) Other: (Please specify)

______________________________H H H H H H

33. After school, if needed, who usually helps you with your homework? (Please check all that apply)

H Parents/guardians/caregivers H Teachers H Brother(s)/sister(s) H Other family members H Friends

H People in the community H On-line tutors H Paid tutors H Free tutor(s) offered in my

school or community

H No one H I do not need help with homework H Other: (Please specify)

___________________________

34. Outside of school, who usually gives you advice about school and career opportunities? (Please check all that apply)

School Career

Opportunities

a) Parents/guardians/caregivers H H

b) Grandparents H H

c) Brother(s)/sister(s) H H

d) Other family members H H

e) People in the community H H

f) Friends H H

g) Teachers H H

h) Guidance counsellors H H

i) Other counsellors (e.g., youth counsellors) H H

j) No one H H k) Other: (Please specify)

___________________________________________________ H H

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35. Have you had your eyesight or hearing tested in the last two years?

Yes No I Don’t Know

Eyesight H H H

Hearing H H H 36. Have you been to a dentist in the last year?

Yes No I Don’t Know

Dentist H H H 37. How often do any of the following prevent or delay you from finishing your homework?


a) Difficulty of the homework H H H H H

b) Health reasons H H H H H

c) Household chores H H H H H

d) No proper space at home to do homework H H H H H

e) No study materials to help me H H H H H

f) Part-time job H H H H H

g) Religious/faith activities H H H H H

h) Spending time on the internet H H H H H

i) Spending time with friends H H H H H

j) Sports or recreation activities H H H H H

k) Watching TV H H H H H 38. About how many hours a week (including weekends) do you spend on...?

None 1 to 5 hours

6 to 10 hours

11 to 15 hours

More than 15 hours

a) Homework and studying H H H H H

b) Part-time work for pay H H H H H

c) Community service H H H H H

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39. On a regular school day, how much time do you spend on the following activities before or after school?

None Less than one hour

1 to 2 hours

More than 2 hours

a) Household chores H H H H

b) Looking after brothers, sisters, and/or family members H H H H

c) Helping with a family business H H H H

d) Watching TV H H H H

e) Playing computer/video games H H H H

f) Playing sports and recreational activities H H H H

g) Religious/faith activities H H H H

h) Other leisure activities (e.g., going to movies, texting, talking on the phone, listening to music, going to the mall, hanging out with friends) H H H H

i) Reading H H H H

j) Internet/e-mail/social media sites H H H H 40. During the school week, how often do you...?

Every day

Most days

Some days Never

a) Eat breakfast before coming to school H H H H

b) Eat lunch H H H H

c) Eat dinner H H H H

d) Have a snack during the school day H H H H

e) Have a snack after supper or before bed H H H H 41. How often do you use a computer?

Not available

Every day

Several times a week

Not very often

Almost never

a) At school H H H H H

b) At home H H H H H

c) In the community (e.g., friends, internet café) H H H H H

d) At the library H H H H H

If you have completed a paper format of the survey, please remove the top sheet that has your child’s name on it, place the completed survey in the self-addressed return envelope, and seal it before returning it to the school

with your child no later than December 12, 2010.

If you have completed the survey online, simply press submit and the process is complete.

Thank you for your participation.

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Documents

Student Survey - Grades 7-12