It comes around every year. The little white envelope icon from Assistant Principal Ms. Hanly haunts the student body. Around the time second semester hits, while juniors are preparing for the ACT and seniors are in the midst of senioritis, the annual My Voice My School survey hangs over the heads of students.

But not much information is known about the survey. For juniors it is a survey they have to fill out in order to register for classes. For seniors it is their key at a chance to win extra graduation tickets.

The My Voice My School was designed by the University of Chicago. On the University of Chicago website the survey’s results are provided to schools to “help inform schools, teachers, parents and community members.”

“This is a partnership with CPS, this [survey] have been around for as long as I’ve been an administrator. I’ve been in CPS for 19  years and its been their for most of my career,” Hanly said.

Many Lane seniors did not think the My Voice My School Survey was necessary. Brianna Lewis, Div. 665, knows a lot of classmates that did not fill out the survey because it does not apply to them.

“Some of them did not fill it out because they won’t be here next year,” Lewis said.

Lewis was under the impression that the survey had to be filled out in order for her to graduate. She said during her division everyone filled it out.

Hanly shot down the rumor. It is not a requirement, she said. The purpose of the survey is to receive different grade levels standpoint on different issues like school safety and mental health.

“It is for parents and staff and students to voice their opinions about the school in relation to various things. We think it is the most honest feedback we get on the school and it gives the most detailed information about curriculum, teachers, general issues within the building,” Hanly said.

Lewis said she would have not completed the survey if she would have known it wasn’t a requirement.

CPS students are not the only people asked to take the survey. The parent survey opens April 1 and staff members were also asked to fill it out.

“From the staff perspective it talks about questions like how much do they trust the administration and how much do they think their voices are heard, how well they trust each other,” Hanly said.

Lewis lamented how often they got reminders to fill the surveys out. Hanly pushed the idea of representing the entire student body not just those who complete the survey.

Juniors have to fill out the survey in order to select their classes for the upcoming school year.

“We want the most well rounded of voices, if I get the same kids to fill it out I am only getting one perspective. If we get everyone to fill it out we have a good sampling on how kids really feel,” Hanly said.

As for which grade level participated the most in survey completion, seniors were the least involved. The juniors were the most, in order for them to pick their classes for next year they had to complete the survey.

“Out of the 700 and something seniors I think we only heard from about 200 hundred of them. So not as great as a number we hoped to get for that well roundedness,” Hanly said.

For those who worry about who will see their responses, the survey is completely anonymous. All the administration can see is who filled out the survey not each  individual answer.

“While we don’t get each students response we will get a general report. Something like trust in teachers is strong or students feel like they have one staff member they can go to for help,” Hanly said.

The administration uses the general responses from students and staff members to develop their CIWP, which is a two year work plan that each school needs to have. Lane uses the survey to drive their goals for upcoming school years.

“So from the results of the survey we know that teachers feel they need more professional development days so that is one of our goals. We look at social emotion learning which is one of the areas we were weak in our results. So we want to make sure we are supporting students with the things that they need,” Hanly said.

Lewis was under the impression that Lane receives money for the more people who complete the survey.

“Isn’t that why they care so much that we fill it out. We would not be getting all these emails to fill it out or be bribed by graduation tickets if Lane was not getting something out of it,” Lewis said.

Lane getting money for completing the survey is another rumor Hanly debunked. While every CPS school takes part in doing the survey it is more to see what needs to be improved.

The reasoning for the survey is simple, Hanly said. The school wants to hear from everyone. They want a widespread of responses from different people in order for the entire student body’s voice to be heard.