Greetings Nathan Hale Families, 

I am writing to inform you of the 2022 Norwalk Youth Survey, which has been authorized by the Norwalk Board of Education. The survey will be given to our Grade 7 and Grade 8 students on Wednesday, October 26, 2022 during homeroom.

Why survey our students?

This will be the third time Norwalk has surveyed our middle and high school students. The survey allows students to share their beliefs and experiences on matters beyond academics that impact their learning and their lives. The information is used to guide community, municipal, and school initiatives to support our youth and address issues they experience.

How will the survey be given?

Prior to the survey being given on the morning of October 26th in homeroom, classes will watch a short video made by students of Norwalk Public Schools, that explains the purpose of the survey, the type of data collected, and the confidentiality of the survey. Students will then click a link to complete the survey in either English or Spanish. The survey will take 15-17 minutes to complete.

What data will be collected? 

The survey is intended to gather information on both risk factors and protective factors facing our youth today. Specifically, it will gather information on our students' perceptions and experiences around substance use, mental health and suicide, online gaming, social media, bullying, toxic stress, extracurricular activities, and connectedness to others. The survey will ask for demographic information, such as - grade, race and ethnicity, gender and sexual identity, if the students is an English Language Learner, if they have an IEP - in order to identify groups that may be at higher risk. You are welcome to read over the survey questionnaire prior to the students taking the survey. Please contact the Dean of Students, Stephanie Peckham: peckhams@norwalkps.org

Is the survey confidential?

Please be assured that the survey is fully confidential and all findings will be anonymous.No personally identifying information will be collected. There is no way to identify individual students.

A few ways the survey findings have been used include: 

• The 2018 survey resulted in a five-year federal grant to support the Norwalk Partnership on preventing underage substance misuse and promoting mental wellness.

• The 2021 survey, conducted during COVID, was used to identify the mental health crisis in our students as well as to target the highest-risk populations. As a result, NPS brought in new mental health resources and trainings in our schools, as The Norwalk Partnerships, Norwalk ACTS and community nonprofits developed plans, sought funding, and launched support groups for the highest-risk students.

Who funded the survey?

This survey has been funded by Positive Directions - The Center for Prevention and Counseling, through a Drug-Free Communities grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as well as The Norwalk Partnerships, a coalition of community members and organizations dedicated to preventing substance misuse and promoting mental wellness in Norwalk youth and young adults. For more information, please contact Margaret Watt, Prevention Director at MWatt@PositiveDirections.org.

How to opt your child out of taking the survey:

• If you do not wish your child to participate, please contact the Dean, Stephanie Peckham via email - PeckhamS@norwalkPS.org by 3:00pm on Friday, October 21st.

• Your child may also choose NOT to participate on the morning of October 26th. If that is the case, they should inform their homeroom teacher. They will be asked to work independently and quietly while others take the survey.

Should you have any concerns regarding this survey, please contact our Dean of Students, Stephanie Peckham: peckhams@norwalkps.org

Enjoy the long weekend with your family!

Eric Jackson, Principal