October 31, 2023

Dear Hastings Families, 

Over the past few years, we have used Panorama survey resources, developed by researchers at the Harvard Graduate School of Education and Panorama Education, to understand student perceptions of their overall social and learning climate.  We plan to continue administration of the Social Emotional Learning (SEL) Panorama Survey, for grades K-12, this school year.  

Panorama Survey of Social Emotional Learning

The Panorama screener is confidential but not anonymous, with results valuable for individual and district-wide purposes.  For individual students, the screener will be one of several measures of social and emotional wellness teachers use to determine which students require differentiated attention through the multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS). MTSS is a three-tiered instructional framework designed to support students with intervention and enrichment opportunities. For school and district-wide purposes, the screener results will enable us to identify and respond to patterns across groups of students. Because the survey is taken by students in over 6,500 schools, we can benchmark our students’ self-reports against national findings. 

Overview of Survey Content

In kindergarten, first, and second grade, teachers will respond to four screening questions on behalf of individual students. This approach is recommended by Panorama to account for young students’ varied readiness to read and respond to a survey. The screener questions investigate the following categories: (a) social awareness, (b) self-efficacy, (c) social perspective taking, and (d) emotion regulation.  They may be reviewed here.

In third, fourth and fifth grade, students will respond independently to 51 questions. The screener questions investigate student competency and wellbeing, and student supports and environment.  Sub-topics include (a) challenging feelings, (b) emotion regulation, (c) positive feelings, (d) self-efficacy, (e) self-management, and (f) supportive relationships.  The questions may be reviewed at these two links: Part I and Part II.

In grades six through twelve, students will respond independently to 60 questions. The screener questions investigate student competency and wellbeing, and student supports and environment.  Sub-topics include (a) challenging feelings, (b) emotion regulation, (c) positive feelings, (d) self-efficacy, (e) self-management, and (f) supportive relationships. The questions may be reviewed at these two links: Part I and Part II.

Schedule for Survey Administration

Students at Hillside Elementary School (grades 3-4), Farragut Middle School (grades 5-8), and Hastings High School (grades 9-12) will take the two surveys on their Chromebook. In total, the two-part screening process is expected to take 18-21 minutes. 

Please note that this year, additional questions related to the Dignity for All Students Act have been incorporated into the screener at the middle school level. The reason for this change is to understand and monitor students’ understanding of the new discipline code and perceptions of associated processes and protocols. These questions are as follows: 

1) Was the FMS Discipline Code for Students explained to you this school year?

2) To what extent do you understand DASA?

3) Do you know how to report an incident of harassment or bullying?

4) How confident do you feel that when an incident is reported it is investigated?

5) How confident do you feel that when an incident is reported it is addressed?

The Panorama survey will be administered this year during the weeks of November 13th, February 7th, and June 12th. 

If you have additional questions or concerns about either survey, please feel free to contact your child’s principal.  

Best regards,

Melissa Szymanski

Assistant Superintendent, Curriculum & Instruction