This document summarizes a community needs assessment of the Village of Kingsley. The assessment found that the community has experienced significant growth, putting strain on local schools and transportation systems. Specifically, the elementary school is overcrowded with 389 students in the main building and 123 in portable classrooms. A survey also found that 36% of residents would use public transportation if it was more efficient. The assessment proposes educating the community on these needs, conducting additional surveys, and meeting with local groups like the school board and public transit agency to pursue solutions like funding for a new elementary school and improved public transportation.
This document summarizes a community needs assessment of the Village of Kingsley. The assessment found that the community has experienced significant growth, putting strain on local schools and transportation systems. Specifically, the elementary school is overcrowded with 389 students in the main building and 123 in portable classrooms. A survey also found that 36% of residents would use public transportation if it was more efficient. The assessment proposes educating the community on these needs, conducting additional surveys, and meeting with local groups like the school board and public transit agency to pursue solutions like funding for a new elementary school and improved public transportation.
This document summarizes a community needs assessment of the Village of Kingsley. The assessment found that the community has experienced significant growth, putting strain on local schools and transportation systems. Specifically, the elementary school is overcrowded with 389 students in the main building and 123 in portable classrooms. A survey also found that 36% of residents would use public transportation if it was more efficient. The assessment proposes educating the community on these needs, conducting additional surveys, and meeting with local groups like the school board and public transit agency to pursue solutions like funding for a new elementary school and improved public transportation.
This document summarizes a community needs assessment of the Village of Kingsley. The assessment found that the community has experienced significant growth, putting strain on local schools and transportation systems. Specifically, the elementary school is overcrowded with 389 students in the main building and 123 in portable classrooms. A survey also found that 36% of residents would use public transportation if it was more efficient. The assessment proposes educating the community on these needs, conducting additional surveys, and meeting with local groups like the school board and public transit agency to pursue solutions like funding for a new elementary school and improved public transportation.
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Running Header: COMMUNITY ANAYLISIS: PART 3
COMMUNITY ANAYLISIS: PART 3
Jodie E. Annis
Wayne State University
COMMUNITY ANAYLISIS: PART 3
2 Introduction
This assessment of the Village of Kingsley was performed to identify needs within the small community. After gathering data it was found that this community has experienced a tremendous amount of growth in recent years. This growth has encourage many positive changes, yet there is still need for continued change. This worker identified the need for expanding the overcrowded Kingsley Elementary School as well as a need for more efficient public transportation. After surveying 57 community members it became clear that public transportation is a need. 36% of the respondents stated that if public transportation was more efficient they would utilize it, but only 2 respondents had ever used the current system. For this reason, this worker plans to pursue change in this area within this community. In addition to public Transportation the overcrowded elementary school became apparent after interviewing different individuals within the community. One parent reported that her childs teacher was concerned for the childrens safety because of the overcrowding. The pupil accountant for Kingsley Area Schools reported that in addition to the 389 children housed in the elementary school there are 123 elementary students housed in the middle school and in portables in the school yard (personal interview, December 1, 2014). Benefit and Risk Factors This community has many positive attributes including a healthy growing population, high ranking school system, country living, and community events. Some of these positive qualities are creating risk factors within this community. Kingsley is a highly desired suburb of the larger Traverse City area. This encourages the community to continue to grow, causing overcrowded schools. The income level of this village further magnifies the risk due to it being
COMMUNITY ANAYLISIS: PART 3
lowed than the states average income. Individuals with lower incomes may be less likely to support the needed higher taxes that would be needed to begin building projects to solve overcrowding issues. Lower income individuals also increase the need for more effective public transportation. The Village of Kingsley has put much efforts in keeping up with its growing community. In 1998, the village completed a building project for a new high school building this was funded through a millage to increase taxes. The community has also grown the public transportation from strictly serving adult foster care homes in the area to recently installing a bus stop in the village with hourly pick-ups. This history gives this worker much hope of a bright future for the Village of Kingsley. Measuring Success This worker proposes that before beginning a campaign to pursue funding for a new elementary school and increased public transportation a survey be given to determine the current feelings within the community. Once results are in, a campaign to educate the public on the needs of the community will begin. The campaign will need to reach the entire township. This could be done through township meetings, mailings and phone calls. At different points throughout the campaign further surveys should be given to determine the effectiveness of the campaigns. If adjustments are needed these can be made throughout the campaign. The biggest obstacle with pursuing further funding for the elementary school is persuading individuals on low, fixed incomes to be willing to pay higher taxes. The elderly community with no children in school may be the hardest demographic to persuade. Increasing public transportation faces the obstacle of changing the way the public views this type of transportation. Currently many people do not feel that this transportation is safe, due
COMMUNITY ANAYLISIS: PART 3
to a large population of mentally handicapped individuals who ride it. In order to increase the number of users, which would increase the efficiency, the public is going to need to be educated on mental health problems and their safety. Conclusions This worker hopes to connect with BATA to discuss the needs of the Village of Kingsley. The goal in meeting with this group would be to share this workers desires and learn what BATA could do to partner with the community in meeting their growing needs. In addition to this, this worker desires to meeting with leaders within the local school system as well as parents involved in the Parent Teacher Organization. These group meetings would allow this worker to share the needs this assessment has found as well as allow them the opportunity to share their concerns. These relationships will help this worker to pursue change for the Village of Kingsley.
