NORTHFIELD — The Pioneer Valley Regional School District curriculum and personnel subcommittee approved exit interview forms, answering requests community members voiced repeatedly last year.
Subcommittee members agreed that given a large number of layoffs this year, it was particularly important to have an exit interview procedure established to conduct with all faculty and staff who retire, resign or are laid off.
The curriculum and personnel subcommittee released a copy of the exit interview form, which includes nine questions such as, “Do you feel you were given adequate support to do your job well?” “Did you feel that you were provided good opportunities for professional growth?” and “Were you satisfied with the working environment?”
Faculty and staff will also be asked if they have suggestions for changes to the work environment, or if they have concerns.
Pioneer Exit Interview by Joshua Solomon on Scribd
Once forms are done, faculty and staff will contact their respective principal to arrange an appointment to go over the completed forms. Interviewees are also invited to call, email or make an appointment with Pioneer Superintendent Ruth Miller to share concerns or comments regarding working in the district.
However, according to Miller, the practice of conducting exit interviews isn’t new, but the use of these forms is new. Miller said she routinely conducts interviews with some, but not all departing faculty and staff, preferring face-to-face conversations.
“Typically, if someone has left or is going to leave, they come in and meet with me at some point,” she said. “If you can catch them and have a conversation and take notes about what they said, I find that more purposeful.”
Miller said she believes faculty and staff might not be interested in filling out forms.
“I find that people, in all my years, 99 percent of the time they’re not filling it out,” she said. “But if you ask them for a conversation, they’re willing to have a conversation that doesn’t require them to write and analyze. And you get what they want to talk about, rather than on a piece of paper.”
Miller said she plans to meet with the five district principals to discuss how the form will be used. However, she said she doesn’t believe it’s appropriate to use them right away with this year’s large number of laid off or resigning faculty and staff.
“Given our current situation, I think it’s better for some of the tensions to reduce before we ask them for feedback,” she said.
Miller said she will likely start using the forms and conducting interviews “closer to September.”
Reach Shelby Ashline at: sashline@recorder.com
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