Wellesley High School Principal Jamie Chisum is asking all WHS families to take a Challenge Success survey designed to measures parents’ perceptions of their children’s experiences in areas such as academic stress, homework, sleep, technology use, and family rules and norms.

The Challenge Success initiative was put into action at WHS last year in an effort to increase students’ academic engagement while addressing concerns over their health and well-being in areas such as homework, extracurricular activities, sleep, physical health, stress, parent expectations, academic engagement, academic integrity and teacher support. WHS is this year focusing on “balance” with an emphasis on technology, sleep and workload.

The parent survey, and its resultant data, is part of a Challenge Success pilot program that is free to WHS. In order to gather a large enough sample, WHS needs a 50% or higher participation response rate.

Since I’m a WHS parent, I took the approximately 15-minute survey. I kept it real when they asked what our family’s biggest stressor is right now (the college applications process) and was honest about the technology use (why yes, since you ask, my child does spend an inordinate amount of time on various devices). I even confessed to not knowing how much time is spent on homework. Who could know with distractions popping up and dinging their alerts at every turn?

Here’s a link to the survey. Show your school spirit and dive right in.

For more on this, check out our interview with Principal Chisum on the Challenge Success program.

Semi-annual MetroWest Adolescent Health Survey

Students at Wellesley High School are being asked to participate in a survey called the MetroWest Adolescent Health Survey so that administrators can learn about their attitudes and behaviors with regard to a variety of health issues, Principal Jamie Chisum said in an email to families.

The questions of the survey cover many topics including alcohol, tobacco and other drug use; violence and safety; nutrition and physical activity; sexual behaviors; online behaviors; mental health; and protective factors. This project will help the district develop and enhance its health education and prevention services. Wellesley has participated in the survey six times now, over a 12-year period. Students in grades 9-12 will take the survey on Thursday, November 8th during an extended Advisory period.

The survey is anonymous. There will be no identifying information on any of the surveys. Completing the survey is voluntary. Students’ grades in school will not be affected by whether or not s/he participates. Students can opt not to take the survey and may skip any questions. Parents/guardians may see a copy of the survey in the Main Office at the High School through November 7th.

For questions, contact Joanne Grant, Director of Fitness and Health atGrantJ@wellesleyps.org, or 781-446-6210, Extension #5894

MORE: Wellesley stress levels high, mental health levels a concern according to 2014 survey results