Interview Questions from Jessamine County, 1998

Questions for elementary school participants:

1. [Theme: How welcoming is school?] Let's take an imaginary trip into the future - just until tomorrow morning. You wake up. It's a school day. You get out of bed, get dressed, eat a breakfast:
   • What kinds of things will you be looking forward to at school?
     
   • What kinds of things do you dread about school?
     
   • What makes you feel good about being at school or about learning?
     
   • What kinds of things do adults in your school do that make you feel comfortable/uncomfortable?
     
   • How comfortable would you feel asking adults at your school for help? Who would you ask?

2. [Theme: How high does safety rank among students' concerns about school?] I am going to give each of you a set of six index cards. Please read them and then rank them individually from your most important concern about school (#1) to your least important concern about school (#6).
   • Having friends
     
   • Being treated fairly and with respect by teachers, counselors, office staff, coaches, and your principal
     
   • Being in the popular crowd
     
   • Feeling safe
     
   • Keeping up with your school work
     
   • The way your school looks, smells, and feels

     Why did you rank your concerns this way?

3. [Theme: What makes your school feel safe?] Think about your school day from the minute you get on the bus in the morning to the minute you arrive home in the afternoon.
   • What does it mean to be safe at school?
     
   • What kinds of things make you feel safe at school?
     
   • What kinds of things make you feel unsafe at school?
     
   • Describe some places at school where you feel safe.
     
   • Describe some places at school where you feel unsafe.
     
   • (If no student brings it up) How safe do you feel on the bus?
     
   • Can you think of a time when you felt physically threatened at school? Can you describe that?
     
   • Have recent news events or things that have happened to you made you have thoughts or feelings about school safety? Please describe some of those thoughts or feelings.
     
   • Have you ever seen a police officer at your school? What was that like?
     
   • How would you react to seeing an adult law officer in uniform at your school every day? [If no student raises the question] Does it make a difference if the officer is in full uniform with a gun?

4. [Theme: Specific advice about improvements.] What advice would you like to give the adults who have the responsibility for making school as safe and comfortable as possible?
   
   
5. Anything else?

1. [Theme: How welcoming is school?] Let's take an imaginary trip into the future - just until tomorrow morning. You wake up. It's a school day. You get out of bed, get dressed, maybe eat a little bit:
   • What kinds of things will you be looking forward to at school?
     
   • What will you be wishing was different at school?
     
   • What makes you feel good about being at school or about learning?
     
   • What kinds of things do adults in your school do that make you feel comfortable/uncomfortable?
     
   • How comfortable would you feel asking adults at your school for help? Which categories of adults?

2. [Theme: How high does safety rank among students' concerns about school?] I am going to give you a list of 12 concerns, written on a set of index cards. Please work as a group to rank these concerns, with #1 being your most important concern about school, and #12 being your least important concern about school. Come to some consensus about how to rank them and why.
   • Making good enough grades
     
   • Having friends
     
   • Being treated fairly and with respect by teachers, counselors, office staff, coaches, and your principal
     
   • Being in the popular crowd
     
   • Being part of extracurricular activities (clubs, band, academic teams, all non- sports)
     
   • Being prepared for life after high school
     
   • Having the respect of your peers
     
   • Feeli ng safe
     
   • Keeping up with your school work
     
   • Doing well in sports
     
   • Following school rules, like dress code, tardies, excused absences, parking, etc.
     
   • The way your school looks, smells, and feels

   Let's talk about your top three cards - Why did you rank your concerns this way? Why were these the most important? What about your bottom three cards? The cards in the middle?

3. [Theme: What makes your school feel safe?] Think about your school day from the minute you get on the bus in the morning to the minute you arrive home in the afternoon.
   
   
   • What kinds of things make you feel safe at school?
     
   • What kinds of things make you feel unsafe at school?
     
   • Describe some places at school where you feel safe.
     
   • Describe some places at school where you feel unsafe.
     
   • Can you think of a time when you felt physically threatened at school? Can you describe that?
     
   • When you go to school-sponsored events in the afternoons or evenings, how safe do you feel?
     
   • Have recent news events or things that have happened to you made you have thoughts or feelings about school safety? Please describe some of those thoughts or feelings.
     
   • Have you ever seen a police officer at your school? What was that like?
     
   • How would you react to seeing an adult law officer in uniform at your school every day? [If no student raises the question] Does it make a difference if the officer is in full uniform with a gun?
     

4. [Theme: Specific advice about improvements.] What advice would you like to give the adults who have the responsibility for making school as safe and comfortable as possible?

5. Anything else?