Dear Parent or Guardian,
Our school, in cooperation with the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services and the Virginia
Department of Education, is conducting the Virginia School Survey of Climate and Working Conditions. We will
survey students in grades {6, 7, and 8}, as well as classroom instructors and staff, beginning in January 2025.
The purpose of the student survey is to measure student support, student engagement, school discipline, and
safety conditions in each school. This information will be used to guide educational practices that produce a
safe and supportive school environment.
The student survey will be completed between January 6 and January 20th. The survey does not ask for your
child’s name and all answers are anonymous. No one, including teachers and administrators, will know how
your child answered the survey questions. You will not have access to your child’s survey answers. You may
preview the questions asked in the student survey at this website: https://tinyurl.com/VaSchoolSurveyDCJS .
The survey will ask questions such as how students feel about their school, how students get along with one
another and their teachers, how students feel about school rules, and their perceptions of their teachers’
willingness to help them. Please note that there are questions about topics that may be sensitive to some,
including questions about bullying, mental health, and suicide. This is a great time to talk to your child about
these important issues. For guidance and more resources on these topics, please see
https://tinyurl.com/MentalHealthdcjs or https://tinyurl.com/VDOEstudentservices.
All students in your child’s grade level are eligible to participate in the survey. The survey is voluntary, and you
and/or your child can decide they prefer not to participate. No action will be taken against you, your child, or
the school if your child does not participate. If you do not wish for your child to participate, please notify the
school office by telephone, email or letter by January 6th.
The Virginia School Survey results are provided to the school around the end of the school year. You can find
survey results for your school and division here: https://tinyurl.com/VaSchoolSurvey. The results are used by
the school, the division, and the state to identify strengths and to address relevant needs to improve learning
environments for your child as well as students across the state.
Thank you for your cooperation in this important study of Virginia’s schools.
{T. Ryan Potts}