Monday, October 24, 2016

Attention Freshmen Parents: Freshmen Only Student Survey

The importance of successful school transitions cannot be overstated. Whether transitioning from elementary school to middle school, from middle school to high school, or from high school to post-graduate opportunities, it is imperative that we educate and engage students in the process.  We aim to make these potentially anxiety-producing, pivotal moments in their lives seamless.  We are committed to making all students feel safe, welcome, and connected at CCHS.  

This is the impetus behind taking part in the anonymous survey conducted by a graduate student at a local university.  Please review the letter from graduate student Robert Serino, which provides detailed information about the survey including instructions on how to opt-out.  To be clear, no class time will be sacrificed as the survey will be conducted during advisory.  Lastly, if you wish to preview the survey please follow the link provided.  Survey Link


Dear Freshman Parent/ Guardian:


Hello, my name is Robert Serino and I am a graduate student at the University of Massachusetts, Lowell. Currently, I am working on my dissertation under the direction of Prof. Jill Lohmeier, Ph.D. I am also a teacher, coach, and advisor at Masconomet Regional High School in Topsfield, Ma.  I have been teaching freshman students at Masco for many years and I am extremely passionate about programs and services that support students during their first year of high school. Thus, for my dissertation project, I am researching school advisory programs to determine their effect on school connectedness for transitioning freshman students.

In an effort to ensure that all freshman students are having a positive transition to high school, Concord Carlisle administration, teachers and support staff work diligently to plan events and programs that support their academic, social, and emotional development. The goal of these programs is to ensure that all incoming freshmen are engaged in and adjusting positively to the Concord Carlisle High School Community.

In an effort to determine how each freshman student is adjusting to the new school setting and with the support of the high school principal, Mr. Michael Mastrullo, I will be administering a brief survey to freshmen to measure their engagement and connectedness to their school, teachers, and peers. The survey consists of questions that will allow freshman students to choose answers from a 5-point rating scale ranging from (1), “not at all true”, to (5), “completely true”. Examples of questions include, “I attend most school-sponsored events” or “If I had a problem, I would go to a teacher for help”. (A complete copy of the survey is available for your review if you send an e-mail to my address below). The completion of the survey by freshman students will help me with my dissertation project on school connectedness during the first year of high school. In the survey, I am hoping to gather information that will help high schools across the state better ease the sometimes difficult transition to high school for all freshman students. More specifically, the data will be used and shared to help high school principals improve their advisory programs to ensure that they are successful initiatives for supporting transitioning freshman students.


The survey will take place in English classes or during school advisory periods next week. The same survey will be given in May in order to see how freshman students’ opinions and thoughts have changed over the course of the year. The survey can be completed on a student’s cell phone, but paper copies and/or laptops will also be available for any student who does not have a phone or does not wish to use their phone to complete the survey. The survey will also ask students to agree /disagree with several statements related to their feelings regarding the transition to Concord Carlisle High School. The survey will be anonymous, completely voluntary, and will take only 10 to 15 minutes to complete. All students that participate in the survey will be entered into a lottery to win a $25 gift certificate to Chipotle. Students who do not participate in the survey will still be allowed to use their phone during survey administration and will still be entered into the lottery for the gift card.

This survey will be administered again at the end of the school year to gain an understanding of how students’ opinions have changed over the course of their first year of high school. Therefore, at the end of the survey there are three questions that will help match each student’s survey to the one they will complete in the future. Please note: This will NOT identify any student specifically, but will just allow their answers on this current survey to be compared to their answers on the survey that they will ideally complete in May.

If you prefer that your son/daughter NOT participate in the survey, please email me, Robert_Serino@student.uml.edu (researcher) or Jill_Lohmeier@uml.edu, (dissertation advisor) by Wednesday, November 2nd.  The decision to not participate in the survey will not affect any student’s grades. For more information, you may also call (978)-887-2323 ext. 1222.

The study is being conducted for partial fulfillment of a doctoral degree under the direction of Professor Jill Lohmeier (Ph.D.). In addition, the study has received approval from the UMass Lowell Institutional Review Board (IRB), which reviews and approves research studies involving human subject participants.

Sincerely,




Robert Serino
Graduate Student

University of Massachusetts, Lowell

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