Oxford community members are being asked for their thoughts and opinions on Oxford Schools to help work towards a better tomorrow for the district.

Oxford’s school board discussed the upcoming surveys at a recent board meeting.

The surveys are expected to be provided by K-12 Insight and are budgeted to cost the district approximately $5,000 annually for three years.

In the past, the annual surveys have been issued to all students in grades 6-12, parents of K-12 students, community-members and all employees.

According to Superintendent Tim Throne, officials may extend the surveys to elementary-level students for the 2017-18 school year.

School officials will factor in the survey’s results as they formulate the district’s school improvement plan, which defines the schools’ targeted work to raise achievement for all students, according to Throne.

“One of the best ways to evaluate how we’re doing in certain areas is to ask our customers how we’re doing. Whether it’s about customer service or quality of programming, the surveys help our students, staff and parents feel their voice is being heard. They are one of those things that we like to get from our parents and community and they’re another way of getting feedback,” said Throne.

Generally ranging between 30-40 questions, these “all-inclusive” surveys will assess virtually every aspect of the school district from curriculum and facilities to staff and communication with the public.

The K-12 Insight surveys will also offer national benchmarks to school officials for comparison.

The online surveys will also be compatible with smartphones and tablets to make accessing them easier for staff, students, and parents.

Throne said he expects the surveys will be distributed through the district’s website and SchoolMessenger system in the early springtime.