Thompson superintendent urges community to complete annual climate and culture survey

Brett Heller, superintendent of Thompson School District R-2J, urged students, staff, families and community members to take the district's annual climate and culture survey and noted the district will add shorter monthly check-ins to gather more timely feedback.

Heller said the survey was “collaboratively created with a wide group of stakeholders” and called it a key source of information for the district. “This isn't just a survey, it's a tool for positive change,” he said, adding that the district uses survey data to make informed decisions about programming, staffing and processes.

The superintendent described the student portion as intended for grades 3 through 12, asking pupils to reflect on social-emotional skills, relationships with teachers and how safe and supported they feel. He said responses from students will help school staff and district leaders provide “more immediate and responsive support.”

Heller also encouraged teachers and staff to participate, saying their feedback will inform professional development and efforts to strengthen staff leadership relationships and the overall school environment. For families and community members, he said the district seeks perspectives on priorities and communication to guide ongoing improvement.

Logistics: Heller said the survey is online and will take only a few minutes to complete. He announced the district is introducing shorter monthly check-ins this year to monitor progress between the annual surveys and to surface issues earlier. "Your voice matters. Your feedback is our roadmap," he said, thanking the community for its partnership and support.

The district did not specify a deadline for completion or the vendor/platform hosting the survey in these remarks. Questions about response rates, data privacy or how results will be published were not addressed in this statement.