Parent Involvement Policy – School Level
Hamilton County Department of Education
East Ridge Elementary
2013 – 2014
It is the policy of this school to:
1. Ensure that all students achieve high academic standards
2. Welcome parents into the building (Standard 1 – Welcoming All Families)
3. Have an organized and active PTA
4. Encourage parental involvement in the PTA, school functions and student activities
5. Include parents in the decisions that affect their children by (Standard 5 – Sharing Power):
a. conducting a needs assessment survey each spring
b. fostering open communication between teachers and parents (Standard 2 – Communicating)
c. including PTA president on the Leadership Team
6. Report student progress to parents on a regular basis by (Standard 3- Supporting Student Success)
a. mid-term progress reports
b. report cards
c. scheduled parent conferences each semester
d. phone calls
e. informal dialogue
7. Build capacity for parental involvement by
a. convening an annual meeting to inform parents of responsibilities and encouraging participation
b. offering meetings at flexible times
c. involving parents in planning, review and improvement
d. notifying parents of school functions and student activities
e. work with the community to connect students, families, and staff to expanded learning opportunities. (Standard 6 – Collaborating with Community)
8. Provide assistance to children at risk of not meeting high standards by
a. providing individual intervention with certified teachers
b. informing parents of how they can help their child succeed
c. Teaching families how to be advocates for their own children. (Standard 4 – Speaking Up for Every Child)
1. Describe how the school jointly develops, with the input of parents, the written parent involvement plan.
In April, two parent meetings were scheduled. One meeting was held at 3:30 pm the other at 8:30 am. Parents were invited to discuss the School/Parent Compact and the Parent Involvement Policy. These recommendations were then taken to the Leadership Team meeting for further discussion.
· Parent Involvement Expectations
1. East Ridge Elementary will have an active PTA.
2. East Ridge Elementary will provide opportunities for parents to volunteer in the school.
3. Parents will be involved with decision-making for the school when appropriate.
4. East Ridge Elementary will ensure that parents and volunteers feel welcome in the building.
5. East Ridge Elementary will keep parents informed of their child’s academic achievement.
· Describe the annual meeting where parents receive information concerning being a Title I school.
At registration or Open House, parents receive information brochures about Title I and the requirements. These brochures/pamphlets include Parents Rights in Education, School-wide Title I Programs-How and Why They Work, and About School/Parent Compacts. At the Open House/Title I meeting the parents are informed about Title I and what it means to and for the school. This documentation is available in the Title I documentation notebook.
· Describe how parents are informed of the requirements of Title I status, and the rights of parents to be involved in the school.
Parent receive the following Channing Bete literature: Parents Rights in Education, School-wide Title I Programs-How and Why They Work, and About School/Parent Compacts. These pamphlets/brochures are also available in Spanish.
· Describe the schedules of school parent meetings.
There are monthly PTA meetings. Events such as Muffins for Mom and Donuts for Dads are held during the school day. These meetings are announced by newsletters/flyers, announcement on the school sign, ConnectEd, announcements on the TV in the school lobby, and will be on the school website starting in the fall. The documentation of these meetings is available in the Title I documentation notebook.
· Describe how parents are involved in an organized, on-going and timely way.
East Ridge Elementary has an active PTA. Parent provide instructional support by providing funds to purchase needed materials for the classroom. They also provide volunteers to assist with field day activities, chaperones for field trips, and other school events. Homeroom mothers or fathers provide support for each teacher. This helps meet the needs in the classroom. There are parent sign-in sheets in the office and copies of them in the Title I documentation notebook.
Superintendent’s Parent Advisory Council (PAC) - Designated parent(s) will attend the monthly Superintendent’s PAC meeting to give input and to receive information to share with teachers, staff and administration.
· Describe how the school provides parents with timely information about programs under parent involvement.
Administration will use ConnectEd telephone messages at a designated weekly time (i.e. – every Sunday night at 7:00) as a way of communication with parents the weekly events and announcements. The administration will also send newsletters/flyers announcing upcoming events. Announcements are made at school to remind
students to remind their parents. Most teachers send home weekly or monthly newsletters including this information as well. Students have agendas or folders which are used for daily communication. Announcements are also displayed on the TV in the lobby and on the school sign. We plan to start a new ERES website in the fall. All announcements will appear on the website.
· Describe how the school will provide parents a description and explanation of the curriculum used in the school, forms of academic assessments used to measure student progress, and the proficiency levels students are expected to meet.
Parents attend the system scheduled conference. The sign in sheets are available in the Title I documentation notebook. Tennessee State Standards are explained to parents, as is the Benchmark Assessment for reading. Each teacher has a copy of the curriculum standards as they pertain to their grade level.
· Describe how the school provides parents with opportunities for regular meetings.
The Open House/Annual Title I meeting is the first meeting of the year with parents. PTA meetings are held monthly at night. Muffins for Moms and Donuts for Dads are held during school hours.
· Describe how the school develops, with the input of parents, its School/Parent Compact.
There were two parent meetings scheduled this year for input. One was at 8:30 am. The other was at 3:30 pm. Parents met and had input concerning the compact. Then the Leadership Team met to discuss the recommendations/suggestions from the parents. Documentation from these meetings is in the Title I documentation notebook.
2. Describe how parents, teachers and administrators share the responsibility of improving student achievement and meeting the state’s high standards.
· Describe the school’s responsibility to provide high-quality curriculum in a supportive and effective learning environment.
The teachers use the Tennessee Core Curriculum as the basis for all instruction. Teachers attend professional development that is provided by the Hamilton County School System, or they attend outside professional development on their own. Teachers often attend conferences paid for by the school or by Title I. Agenda mates are provided for students in grades 3-5 and folders for grades K-2. Parents are requested to monitor and sign daily. Information is shared with parents in this way.
· Describe the ways in which each parent is responsible for supporting their child’s learning.
The parents are requested to sign the agenda mates or folders daily. Homework is stored in the agenda mates or folders. Parents are expected to see that homework is completed and returned to school. Conferences are scheduled as required by the system; however, teachers often schedule conferences more frequently. Phone calls, notes, e-mail, and texts are used as communication as needed as well. Projects are often assigned and must be completed at home with parent assistance.
· Address the following: parent teacher conferences, student progress reports, opportunities for parents to volunteer and observe classrooms
Documentation for the two required conferences is in the Title I documentation notebook. However, conferences are scheduled as needed; so many times there are more than two conferences per year.
Student progress reports are mandated by the system, and we follow that schedule. Report cards are issued quarterly. Teachers contact parents if there is a problem before progress reports are due.
Parents are welcome to volunteer or observe in any classroom. Sign in sheets are kept in the office and the Title I documentation notebook.
3. Describe when and how the school distributes the written school involvement plan.
Parents will be told about the Parent Involvement Policy at the Open House/Annual Title I meeting. A copy will be available in the main office, the Title I office and each teacher will have a copy. If parents request a copy it will be made available to them. We will also post of copy on our new website that will be up in the fall.
4. Describe how the school notifies parents of the written school-level plan in a way that is easy to understand.
Parents will be have the Parent Involvement Policy explained at the Open House/Annual Title I meeting.
5. Describe how the school makes the school level plan available to the local community.
The plan/policy will be available on the school website. Any interested person may request a copy.
6. Describe how the school periodically update the Parent Involvement Plan to meets the needs of the parents and the school.
The Leadership Team and parents will meet to update the plan annually – in April.
7. Describe how the school gets feedback from parents on needed changes of the plan throughout the school year.
We survey the parents, students and faculty annually. The results supply the leadership team with the information to make changes.
8. Describe how the school provides assistance to parents in understanding achievement standards, assessments, and how to monitor progress and provide assistance to their children.
Brochures are sent home that explain, in detail, the importance of assessments and what parents/guardians can do at home to help their children achieve success in school. At conference times, the teachers may explain the state standards and share strategies that are used daily. Prior to TCAP testing, parents will be supplied with tips to use at home with their child.
9. Describe the materials and training that the school will provide to parents.
Each year the school provides a Literacy Night. Also, Title I funds have been used to the Creative Discovery Museum provide a Healthy Body Night and an Energy Night with hands-on activities for both students and parents. We also have a Family Fit Night.
10. Describe the type of training the school receives to reach out to, communicate, and work with parents as equal partners.
Guidance counselors are trained to reach out, communicate and work with parents.
11. Describe the way the school will integrate and coordinate services for parental involvement. Include the grants that provide parental support.
The PTA president will meet with administration and/or teachers to integrate and coordinate volunteer services that will assist individual classroom teachers and the entire school.
12. Describe the types of information that is provided to parents in a language they can understand.
Information can be sent home to parents in Spanish as needed. We have a Spanish interpreter available for translation for parents.
13. Describe the types of support that is provided at the request of parents.
Parent meetings have focused information for parents or activities for families. Conferences are held at parent requests. We have an active PTA that provides meeting that involves parents and students in activities. Muffins for Moms and Donuts for Dad are sponsored by the PTA. The PTA schedules speakers at these events that provide parents with information as to how to help their child at home.
14. If applicable, describe the opportunities provided for parents with limited English proficiency, disabilities and migrant students.
We provide an interpreter at IEP meetings and conferences as needed. Some parents bring an advocate with them. We provide a person who signs for our deaf parents. Our building is handicap accessible. We provide information to parents in Spanish if necessary.
Revised April, 2013