A Student Conversation
A comprehensive analysis of student voice, belonging, and school culture at Westover School—powered by conversational research.
In December 2025, Westover School partnered with Education consultants, Suri Seymour and Derek Hall to conduct an in-depth listening tour with students. Using Nesolagus' conversational survey format hosted by Suri and Derek, we gathered rich, consented, qualitative and quantitative data on student experiences with belonging, authenticity, adult relationships, and school culture.
The findings reveal a nuanced picture: students feel strongest belonging with peers, but classroom and adult spaces present consistent challenges. Code-switching is prevalent, rule enforcement feels inconsistent, and students want to be heard—not just listened to. These insights point directly to actionable faculty development priorities.
By The Numbers
Comprehensive student voice data from across grade levels and student experiences
Deep dive into each survey section with theme extraction, sentiment analysis, and actionable insights
"Think of a time when you felt heard, or a time when you didn't. What happened?"
"Think of a time when an adult at Westover really helped you. What did they do or say to make you feel this way?"
"My advisor, [Name redacted], has made a huge impact on my life. One time, I was in a conference with her and we were going over test corrections for Chemistry. She kept asking me questions from the packet and I was getting them wrong. I started crying because I felt stupid, couldn't do anything right, and I was really stressed out and frustrated. She told me to never ever feel that way because nobody's perfect and things like that takes time so you just have to be patient with yourself. It really helped me because to me, she acted like a 'mom' in that situation rather than an advisor and that's what I needed. So, I'm really grateful for [Name redacted] and everything that she has done for me."
"Think of a time when you didn't feel helped by an adult at Westover. What did they do or say to make you feel this way?"
"Can you give an example of a lesson, topic, or activity that connected class content to your real life or current events?"
"How do you describe your race or ethnicity? (ie: I'm Black from the US, or I'm multiracial: Italian and Japanese, or I'm white from England etc..)"
"If there's anything specific you'd like Westover adults to improve or keep doing in the areas we mentioned above share it here!"
"Can you describe a time at Westover when you felt 100% yourself? A time when you didn't feel like you had to change or hide any part of who you are."
"In your classes, how do people who share your identities show up (such as race, ethnicity, gender, class, sexual orientation, ability, or age etc)? Empowering stories, struggle stories, both, or not much at all?"
"When learning feels really good here, what matters most? Rank these in order of importance to you:"
Weighted scores: 1st choice = 5 pts, 2nd = 4 pts, 3rd = 3 pts, 4th = 2 pts, 5th = 1 pt
"Feeling smart and capable" ranks first—students need to feel intellectually capable above all else.
"Asking questions without judgment" is nearly as important—psychological safety enables learning.
Students prioritize how they feel over what they learn—pedagogy matters more than curriculum.
Where n = total options (5), rank = position (1-5), count = number of respondents. First place gets 5 points, second gets 4, etc.
Switch to Edit Mode to upload a screenshot of the rank choice question
Students prioritize feeling competent and psychological safety to ask questions over content relevance or challenge level. This suggests that how teachers make students feel about themselves matters more than curriculum sophistication. Faculty PD should focus on building student confidence and creating judgment-free classroom environments.
71% of students report adjusting themselves depending on context. Faculty should understand this phenomenon and create spaces where authentic expression is welcomed.
Advisors are the #1 cited source of adult support. Invest in advisor training, reduce caseloads where possible, and ensure consistent check-in practices.
Students feel most authentic with peers but struggle in classroom spaces. Focus on classroom community-building and culturally responsive teaching practices.
Students perceive significant variation in how different adults enforce rules. Create aligned protocols and train faculty on consistent, culturally responsive approaches.
Rasin Center is highly effective but representation shouldn't be siloed. Integrate empowering identity narratives across curriculum—not just struggle stories.
Boarding students face unique challenges: facilities, food quality, health center policies. These practical issues impact belonging and should be addressed systematically.
Explore individual survey responses, demographic breakdowns, and student segment analysis in the full dashboard.
Survey Design: Conversational, mixed-methods survey with 8-15 minute completion time.1 Combined quantitative scales with open-ended narrative questions. Utilized chat-style interface with skip options to accommodate varying comfort levels and reduce survey fatigue.2
Distribution: Direct link shared via school communication channels to all enrolled students. December 2025 administration window. Anonymous participation to encourage honest responses.3
Sample: 192 started, 28 completed (14.6% completion rate). Representation across all four grade levels (9-12). Boarding and day student perspectives included.4
Analysis Approach: Mixed-methods analysis combining:5
Question Domains: Survey explored eleven key areas aligned with school climate research best practices:8 (1) Belonging & Identity – authenticity and connection, (2) Safety & Trust – psychological safety to share, (3) Adult Relationships – supportive connections with faculty, (4) Learning Experience – classroom engagement and relevance, (5) School Culture – implicit expectations and norms, (6) Code-Switching – identity adaptation patterns, (7) Rules & Expectations – perceived fairness and consistency, (8) Voice & Agency – feeling heard in community, (9) Residential Life – boarding-specific experiences, (10) Demographics – optional identity information, (11) Open Reflection – unstructured narrative space.
Limitations: Self-selected sample skews toward students with time and motivation to participate.9 Not statistically representative of full student body. Completion rate (14.6%) reflects survey depth and timing constraints (pre-holiday deployment). Sample size (n=28 complete, 185 narratives) appropriate for qualitative exploratory research but quantitative findings should be interpreted with caution.10 Future research with broader recruitment would strengthen external validity.
How we ensured credibility and reduced bias in our findings
The Nesolagus framework uses natural conversation flow rather than traditional survey formats, reducing social desirability bias and increasing response authenticity.
We explicitly acknowledge sample bias toward engaged students. Findings represent student perspectives, not statistically generalizable conclusions—appropriate for exploratory research.
Participants could skip any question, respecting student agency and reducing forced responses that might compromise data quality.
Psychographic segments were derived through pattern analysis across multiple variables, not assumed categories. Each archetype shows distinct, measurable behavioral differences.
Findings were validated across multiple data types: quantitative scales, qualitative narratives, and behavioral patterns—ensuring insights aren't dependent on a single measure.
Methodology and findings reviewed by education consultants (Derek Hall, Suri Seymour) familiar with school climate research and Westover's specific context.
The complete methodology framework, including validation protocols, bias prevention measures, and implementation standards, is available for download above.
1 Dillman, D. A., Smyth, J. D., & Christian, L. M. (2014). Internet, Phone, Mail, and Mixed-Mode Surveys: The Tailored Design Method (4th ed.). Wiley. — Foundational text on conversational survey design and optimal completion times.
2 Tourangeau, R., & Yan, T. (2007). Sensitive Questions in Surveys. Psychological Bulletin, 133(5), 859–883. — Research on reducing social desirability bias through conversational framing.
3 Joinson, A. N. (1999). Social desirability, anonymity, and Internet-based questionnaires. Behavior Research Methods, 31(3), 433-438. — Evidence for anonymity increasing response honesty.
4 Fowler, F. J. (2014). Survey Research Methods (5th ed.). SAGE Publications. — Standard reference for sampling and completion rate interpretation in exploratory research.
5 Creswell, J. W., & Plano Clark, V. L. (2017). Designing and Conducting Mixed Methods Research (3rd ed.). SAGE Publications. — Standard reference for mixed-methods analysis combining quantitative and qualitative data.
6 Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(2), 77–101. — Foundational methodology for thematic coding of qualitative narratives.
7 Yankelovich, D., & Meer, D. (2006). Rediscovering Market Segmentation. Harvard Business Review, 84(2), 122–131. — Framework for psychographic segmentation and archetype development.
8 Cohen, J., McCabe, E. M., Michelli, N. M., & Pickeral, T. (2009). School Climate: Research, Policy, Practice, and Teacher Education. Teachers College Record, 111(1), 180-213. — Comprehensive framework for school climate domains.
9 Bethlehem, J. (2010). Selection Bias in Web Surveys. International Statistical Review, 78(2), 161–188. — Understanding and disclosing self-selection bias in online surveys.
10 Guest, G., Bunce, A., & Johnson, L. (2006). How Many Interviews Are Enough? An Experiment with Data Saturation and Variability. Field Methods, 18(1), 59–82. — Sample size guidelines for qualitative research contexts.
11 Conrad, F. G., & Schober, M. F. (2008). New frontiers in standardized survey interviewing. In S. N. Hesse-Biber & P. Leavy (Eds.), Handbook of emergent methods. Guilford Press. — Research on conversational interviewing advantages.
12 Maxwell, J. A. (2012). Qualitative Research Design: An Interactive Approach (3rd ed.). SAGE Publications. — Triangulation methods for validating qualitative findings.
13 Krosnick, J. A. (1991). Response strategies for coping with the cognitive demands of attitude measures in surveys. Applied Cognitive Psychology, 5(3), 213-236. — Research on skip options reducing satisficing behavior.
14 Smith, W. R. (1956). Product differentiation and market segmentation as alternative marketing strategies. Journal of Marketing, 21(1), 3-8. — Classic framework for psychographic segmentation validation.
15 Patton, M. Q. (2014). Qualitative Research & Evaluation Methods (4th ed.). SAGE Publications. — Triangulation methods for validating qualitative findings.
16 American Association for Public Opinion Research. (2023). Best Practices for Survey Research. AAPOR. — Industry standards for survey methodology and peer review processes.
17 New York State Education Department. (2018). Culturally Responsive-Sustaining Education Framework. NYSED. — Framework for creating welcoming environments, high expectations with rigorous instruction, inclusive curriculum, and ongoing professional learning.
18 Muhammad, G. (2020). Cultivating Genius: An Equity Framework for Culturally and Historically Responsive Literacy. Scholastic. — Five Pursuits framework (Identity, Skills, Intellect, Criticality, Joy) for student-centered educational design.
Nesolagus Report generated January 2026 • Westover School Student Experience Survey