MARYSVILLE – The school district is hoping the Big 5 will improve customer service.
One criticism of the district in recent years has been about customer service. So, last summer a handful of district employees went to Disneyland to learn customer service from the best there is.
They brought back information that is now being shared in a plan.
The Big 5 are:
•Safety: Practice safe behaviors, take action but put safety first, speak up for the safety of all, ensure the social and emotional safety of all.
•Courtesy: Project energy and a positive self image, be courteous and respectful to all, strive to exceed expectations.
•Relationships: Develop positive relationships, ask for and offer support, recognize success of all.
•Learning: Focus on continued improvement, learning is a lifelong experience, support learning every day.
•Professionalism: Act with integrity and treat all with respect, commit to professional practices, show pride in the district and its facilities.
The district plans to roll out the standards via presentations at each school. Visual displays will remind every one of the Big 5 goals. The Exceptional Customers Service Workgroup will continue to meet to monitor progress.
At Tuesday’s school board work session, the school board saw a slide show on special education.
Their mission is equity for students with disabilities, not just with supports but by removing barriers and serving them in the least-restrictive environment.
A chart shows the number of special ed students from birth to age 21 helped in the Marysville district has grown from 1,739 to 1,895 since 2017. Total amount spent for students went from $16.427 million in 2017 to $21.488 million in 2019. Regarding test scores, five elementary schools saw improvements, while six fell, with Kellogg-Marsh dropping the furthest at 1.6. All middle schools saw improvement, except 10th Street, and while Legacy was up Marysville-Pilchuck was down at the high schools. The graduation rate improved from 52.3% in 2017 to 59.1% in 2019.
Ginger Merkel, executive director of Special Education, said students have the best success when working with teachers, staff, families and the community.
