Family and Community Engagement Policy and Plan
2005-06
At
This school involvement policy has been developed and agreed upon with parents of SES students. It will be reviewed and updated annually as needed to meet the changing needs of parents, students, and our school. Names of individuals involved in the development of this policy are on file in the principal’s office.
A copy of the school-parent compact was given to each parent in
October, 2005, at Parent-Teacher Conference, with copies sent home to those
seventeen-percent of parents who were unable to attend. This compact was signed in agreement by parents, students,
and teachers. The Family and Community Engagement Policy and Plan was revised
January 12, 2006, and provided to parents through a copy sent home January 18,
2006, as well as posting a copy of the parent involvement plan on the Selmer
Elementary website.
POLICY INVOLVEMENT
Two annual meetings to which all parents are invited and encouraged to attend will be held each year. The meetings will be conducted at a time convenient to parents. At these meetings, the parents’ rights will be explained. (Parental rights under NCLB are also explained on page 10 of the parent-student handbook, which is published in each student’s planner). In addition to the annual meetings, a flexible number of meetings (minimum of two) will be offered throughout the year (Meet your Teacher Day, Parent-Teacher Conference, and four Parent-Teacher Organization meetings).
Orientation for PreK5 and Kindergarten students and Parents,
Special Education students who are assigned
to self-contained classrooms and their parents are included in all above
activities.
Parents are involved in an organized, ongoing, and timely way, in the planning, review, and improvement of the school-parent compact, including the parental involvement policy through such means as meetings, conferences, written/oral communication, surveys, needs assessments, and parent meetings described previously.
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Parent
surveys are documented in the
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Title
I Planning Meeting on
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Principal
relays communications from teachers to parents when parents pick up students at
after-school. After-school has afforded school personnel and parents to have
unlimited opportunities to communicate through formal and informal contacts.
Through other means such as monthly activity calendars, newsletters, local newspaper, state reports, school assessment reports, parents of participating children are provided:
(Accelerated Reader and Accelerated Math pre-assessment reports are
provided to parents in September.
ThinkLink Learning diagnostic reports are also provided to parents. Communication of assessment results promptly
to parents promotes an acceptance of our skill-based remediation programs
during the school day, as well as the need to attend after-school tutoring
programs.)
SHARED RESPONSIBLITIES FOR HIGH STUDENT PERFORMANCE
Through meetings and data collected from surveys, Selmer Elementary School has jointly developed with parents of students a School-Parent Compact that outlines how parents, the school staff, and students share the responsibility for improved student performance and the means by which the school and parents will build and develop a partnership to help students achieve the State’s high standards, under the No Child Left Behind law.
The compact describes the school’s responsibility to provide high quality curriculum and instruction in a supportive and effective learning environment that enables students to meet the State’s student performance standards:
As a teacher, I will
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believe that each student can learn.
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This
belief that all children can learn is reflected in the “Beliefs” section of the
School Improvement Plan.
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show respect for each child and his/her family.
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Several
teachers have participated in “Capturing a Child’s Heart” and other professional
development sessions designed to attune teachers’ with students’ emotional and
social needs.
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come to class prepared to teach.
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Teachers
are provided the monthly publication “Better Teaching: Tips and Techniques to
Improve Student Learning” – Examples from one issue are articles dealing with
easing into differentiated instruction, what it takes to be a good teacher,
enrich content with online materials, and helping students tract their own
grades and progress. All teachers
maintain a current weekly plan book.
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provide an environment conducive to learning.
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Professional
development opportunities and the Framework for Teacher Evaluation provide
teachers with strategies to address the classroom learning environment –
student participation, peer tutoring, coaching, think-time, etc.
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help each child grow to his/her fullest
potential.
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Professional
development is ongoing in the areas of differentiated instruction, cooperative
learning strategies, utilizing formative assessment results for effective
planning, and cooperative discipline.
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provide frequent information to parents on their
child’s progress.
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Many
teachers use interim and monthly progress reports.
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All
teachers send home monthly calendars which tell when tests are scheduled.
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Grades
one through four use student planners to keep parents informed of daily
assignments and an easy method of maintaining a line of communication between
parents and teachers.
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Several
teachers send “take-home” folders once each week, with a report of student’s
progress.
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enforce school and classroom rules fairly and
consistently.
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In
September, 2005, each classroom agreed
upon their rules, as well as consequences and rewards. Parents were provided a
copy and signed an agreement to support the cooperative discipline plan.
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Each
parent had the opportunity to describe in writing on their child’s registration
form any special conditions to be considered when administering discipline
measures.
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Some
teachers and students maintain daily conduct charts, with stars, colors, or
some method to identify the degree to which student was in compliance with
school rules.
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maintain open lines of communication with
students and their parents.
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The
parent-student handbook encourages parents to schedule conferences with
teachers and to visit in classrooms.
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Student
planners have a special area for teachers and parents to communicate concerns,
praise, special instructions.
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On
any given day, approximately fifty parents join their children for lunch in the
school cafeteria.
§
seek ways to involve parents in the school
program.
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Parents
volunteer in classrooms to assist students with Accelerated Reader.
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Teachers
encourage parents to participate in field trips, assembly programs, and school
activities such as book fair, the holiday gift shop, spring fling, etc.
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Parents
share areas of expertise in classroom. A
group of Hispanic parents organized instructional activities in the tradition
of celebrating“Feliz Navidad”. Other
examples include Acclerated Reader participation, “100th Day”
celebrations, Dr. Seuss activities, etc.
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Curriculum,
Practice, and Review (CPR) folders are used in classrooms to keep parents
involved in the curriculum and to provide practice and review of skills for
students, especially those skills on which students are tested.
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demonstrate professional behavior and a positive
attitude.
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Teachers
and staff at
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Teachers
are provided frequent literature which addresses conferencing skills.
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Teachers
are offered professional development opportunities dealing with strategies to
deal with conflict between student and teacher or parent and teacher.
§ provide high quality curriculum instruction.
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Teachers
participate in staff development driven by the school improvement plan –
differentiated instruction, cooperative learning, etc.
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Teachers
align curriculum with the Blueprint for Learning standards as well as the
specific performance indicators identified from Terra Nova and Thinklink Learing
reports.
o
Teachers
teach all students, using disaggregated data from state reports and Thinklink
Learning reports.
As a principal, I will
§ provide an environment that allows for positive communication among the teacher, parent, and student.
o An open door policy is maintained in which
parents, students, and teachers can freely communicate with administrative
personnel.
o Students are recognized over the intercom
for birthdays, attendance, and academic achievement.
o Monthly posting of students’ pictures can
be observed in the administrative lobby when students are chosen in their class
for outstanding character counts behavior.
o Accomplishments of teachers are celebrated
in meetings, newsletters, and over the intercom with daily announcements.
§ encourage teachers to provide information about student progress.
o Weekly grade level meetings to plan and
discuss strategies for addressing students’ academic needs, as well as
discussions of strategies for dealing with students’ behaviors.
o Teachers are encouraged to keep the
principal informed regarding students whose performance is outstanding,
students who are having difficulty, and students who are targeted for
after-school programs and/or summer school.
The compact further describes ways in which the parents and students will be responsible for quality learning:
As a student, I will
§ attend school regularly.
§ always try to do my best in my work and in my behavior.
§ work cooperatively with my classmates.
§ show respect for myself, my school, and for other people.
§ obey the school rules.
§ take pride in my school.
As a parent/guardian, I will
§ see that my child attends school regularly and on time.
o Tardies and absences are monitored
closely. Attendance letters are sent
when students have five unexcused absences or an accumulation of tardies. Excessive absences are referred to the
truancy officer who meets with his committee, the parent, the student, and
principal.
o Perfect attendance is recognized monthly, in conjunction with a certificate and reward from a local restaurant.
§ support the school in its efforts to maintain proper discipline.
§ provide a home environment that encourages my child to learn.
§ communicate often with my child’s teacher.
§ talk with my child about his/her school activities every day.
§ encourage my child to read at home and to monitor his/her TV viewing.
§ volunteer time at my child’s school.
§ attend parent-teacher conferences.
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Eighty-three
percent of our parents attended Parent-Teacher Conference on October, 20, 2005.
§ show respect and support for my child, the teachers, and the school.
Hand in hand, we will work together to carry out the agreement of this contract. Involved parties signed off on this compact.
BUILDING CAPACITY FOR INVOLVEMENT
To ensure effective involvement of parents and to support a partnership among the school, parents, and community to improve student achievement, Selmer Elementary through meetings, conferences, Partners in Education, workshops, and written and oral communications will cooperatively with its parents and community stakeholders:
§ provide assistance to parents in such areas as understanding the National Education Goals, the state’s content standards, state and local assessments, parent involvement requirements, and how to monitor a child’s progress and work with educators to improve the performance of their children, as well as to provide information on how to participate in decisions relating to the education of their children;
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All
family members who attended Family Fun Night were given a presentation of the
state’s content standards which have been summarized and rewritten in
parent-friendly language.
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Parents
are provided a Thinklink Learning test report after each testing session in the
fall, winter, and spring.
§ provide materials coordinating necessary literacy training from other sources and provide training to help parents work with their children to improve children’s achievement;
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Parent
training is provided through a sequence of computer lessons – BASIC PARENTING.
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The
SES website has daily postings of “Ideas for Parents”.
§ educate teachers, pupil services personnel, the principal, and other staff, with the assistance of parents, in the value and utility of contributions of parents, and in how to reach out, communicate with, and work with parents as equal partners, and to implement and coordinate parent programs, and build ties between the home and school;
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All
school staff has received training to assist them in communication with
parents.
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The
school-home coordinator has surveyed support staff regarding coordination of
their programs with parents.
§ coordinate and integrate parent involvement programs and activities with Head Start, Even Start, and other programs to the extent feasible and appropriate;
o Prior to the implementation of the PreK4 program, an advisory committee made up of parents, community members, and educators met in August, 2005, to establish guidelines for enrollment and to assure that the school system’s PreK4 programs did not overlap Head Start, Even Start, and community childcare programs.
o A county-wide family resource director works closely with school to communicate with homes, i.e., provide clothes and school supplies for needy families, to provide education to family members in their homes relative to communicable diseases, head lice, etc.
§ develop appropriate roles for community-based organizations and businesses in parent involvement activities including providing information about opportunities for organizations and businesses to work with parents and schools, and to encourage the formation of partnerships between schools and local businesses that include a role for parents;
o Community support is given to the school
system’s Character Counts program, i.e. a local bank and Chamber of Commerce.
o Through a grant, a local mental health
agency provides a social worker who provides counseling for students and
parents, and makes referrals for more intensive counseling and parenting skills
when the need occurs.
o Through a grant, a student assistance
program (SAP) is actively involved in providing support to students, teachers,
and parents, with the availability of a
social worker to provide professional counseling and referrals to an outside
mental health facility.
§ conduct other activities, as appropriate and feasible, that are designed to help parents become full partners in education of their children, such as a parent resource center where parents are provided opportunities to learn about child development and child-rearing issues;
o Parents received training in the “I-Safe”
program at Family Fun Night in November.
I-Safe is a program designed to assist parents in protecting their
children from unsafe websites. The SES
home-school coordinator and school counselor received training prior to the
presentations.
o After-school sessions are planned for
parents to work with the technology coach who assists parents in reviewing
educational websites and programs they can use in the home.
o PreK4 parents are required to complete a
computer-based program in basic parenting.
The program is located in the PreK4 classroom and teachers’ workroom.
o Parents are encouraged to use the system
and school website to access sites that will assist them in helping their
children improve academically (i.e., Internet4Classrooms), as well as the daily
tips provided to parents in the “School Success for Parents.”
o Our school-home coordinators works
one-on-one with parents and teachers to enroll students in after-school
programs, to follow-up on students’ performance in after-school, and to
recommend additional after-school sessions that address students’ needs. Our after-school coordinator works closely
with parents and staff to plan and conduct activities in the fall and spring
Family Fun Nights.
§ ensure, to the extent possible, that information related to school and parent programs, meetings, and other activities, is sent to the homes of students in the language used in such homes (translations by the ESL teacher);
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Translations
are provided, as needed, to parents by ESL teacher, as well a bilingual parents and students.
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Computer
programs, such as Babblefish.com and Free Translations.com are used to
translate notes from English to Spanish.
§ provide such other reasonable support (timely response) for parental involvement activities as parents may request.
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Timely
response to phone calls and notes are expected from all staff members.
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Parents
and teachers are encouraged to schedule conferences, as needed, with
consideration given to appropriate and convenient times for parents and
teachers.
ACCESSIBILITY
In carrying out parental involvement requirements, Selmer Elementary School, to the extent practical, provides full opportunities for the participation of parents with limited English proficiency or with disabilities, including information and school profiles in a language and form such parents can understand.
Documentation of parental
support and participation in the education of students at