Summer 2026 Parent Survey · Results
What 82 families told us
The Board asked every OTA family how the school is doing and what should change. 82 families answered 24 questions. The survey closed on October 1, 2026.
Most families would recommend OTA.
Families like it here. 67 of 82 rate recommending OTA a 4 or a 5. The strengths parents name most are academics and the community feel.
One square for each family
What OTA does really well
75 written answers, grouped by theme.
The top request was music, arts and electives.
Music was picked by 66 of 81 families and led in every grade group. Music, arts, electives and activities were also the most named area where the school falls short.
Programs families want offered or expanded
Communication and steady leadership are the most requested changes.
Asked for the single most important change next year, 21 of 66 families named communication and transparency. 15 named a strong, stable director and leadership.
Communication from the administration rates 3.65 out of 5. Communication from teachers and staff rates 3.91.
All eight ratings, highest average first
Middle school is the open question.
55 of 81 families are staying for middle school or already there. 23 are undecided.
Fifth grade is the decision point. Of the 16 families with a 5th grader this year, 9 are undecided about middle school, 3 plan to leave and 4 plan to stay.
The 23 undecided families still rate OTA well overall. They score support for older students and confidence in leadership well below families who plan to stay.
Their written answers give the reason for the leadership score. Most point to last year: the change of director and communication from the previous Board. Several said the new Board gives them hope. All but one answered in July, before the new director started.
Plans for grades 6 to 8, 81 families
What families say about middle school
Understanding IB takes years.
Familiarity with IB climbs with time at OTA. Families also value IB highly: extending it into grades 6 to 8 rates 4.29 out of 5.
An opening for a short IB primer for new families.
Familiarity with IB, by years at OTA
What has changed
80 of the 82 families answered in July. Their most common request was music, arts and electives. Since then:
- A new school director started in August.
- A music program now runs for grades K to 5.
- Middle school students now have three music electives.
- Every middle school student now has three elective periods a day, up from one in grade 6 and two in grades 7 and 8, with new electives added.
- A middle school secretary (0.81 FTE) is on the way.
This survey doesn't show how families feel about these changes. The next one can.
Every answer
All 24 questions in the order they were asked. Choose a grade group to see only those families.
About these results
Written answers were grouped by theme. A family with children in more than one grade group counts in each. Charts with fewer than 10 answers in a grade group are not shown.
80 of the 82 families answered in July. That was after the change of school director and before the new director started in August. Ratings and comments about leadership and administration describe that period.