Petal Primary School
Parental Involvement Policy
2015-2016
The Petal School District and Petal Primary School is dedicated to the success of all students. We believe that parents play a major role in the education of their children. At Petal Primary School, we are committed to communicating with parents on a consistent, regular basis and to involve parents in student instruction, achievement, and school-wide decision making.
Petal Primary School shall:
(1) convene an annual meeting, at a convenient time, to which all parents of participating children shall be invited and encouraged to attend, to inform parents of their school's participation under this part and to explain the requirements of this part, and the right of the parents to be involved;
Parent Information Night: Petal Primary School holds an annual parent information meeting at a convenient time in which all parents are invited and encouraged to attend. Parents are informed of the Title 1 school-wide policy and their right to be involved. The results of the school’s overall performance on state mandated assessments are discussed, as well as ways parents can monitor their children’s progress and work with the school to improve the performance of their children. Information is also provided regarding school-related programs and volunteer opportunities for parents.
(2) offer a flexible number of meetings, such as meetings in the morning or evening, and may provide, with funds provided under this part, transportation, child care, or home visits, as such services relate to parental involvement;
In order to accommodate the needs of parents, Petal Primary School holds meetings at different times of the day and different days of the week. Teachers and administrators do home visits if necessary to ensure parental involvement. Parent involvement opportunities scheduled throughout the school year are listed below.
1. Kindergarten Round-Up: Parents of entering kindergarten students are invited to compete the preregistration process for enrollment. This enrollment opportunity is primarily for students not currently attending a pre-k program.
2. Parent Cafe': Parents of entering kindergarten students are invited for a round-table discussion to address concerns and/or questions related to beginning school at Petal Primary School.
2. Kindergarten Jump-Start: Entering kindergarten students may sign up to attend a morning kindergarten session during July. This session is supervised by certified teachers and administrators and will help to ensure kindergarten students make a smooth transition.
3. Petal School District Health Fair: The Center for Families and Children sponsors the annual Health Fair in July. Parents may bring children to receive various free health related services such as hearing/vision screenings, dental checks, etc. This is a community wide event, but the event takes place on the campus of Petal Primary School. Kindergarten teachers host a booth to provide parents an overview of what to expect for the upcoming kindergarten year.
4. KindergartenRegistration and Meet the Teacher: Each year, Petal Primary School welcomes new parents to the school to register their children. Kindergarten registration is held on a separate day from first & second grade students. This will be done in order to provide intense support to entering kindergarten parents. Parents will have the opportunity to meet the teacher, complete necessary paperwork, and make arrangements for the first days of school.
5. First & Second Grade Registration: This event is held prior to the beginning of the school year and provides an opportunity for parents to complete necessary paperwork, tour the school, meet the teachers, and ask questions about the expectations for the school year.
6. Boo Hoo Breakfast: This event is provided by the Petal Primary School PTO and school administrators to welcome entering kindergarten parents and to provide support after dropping their student off to class on the first day of school.
7. Success Night: Success Night at Petal Primary School focuses on a variety of topics and is held twice a year. Large and small group sessions provide parents with valuable information regarding curriculum, assessments, technology, and ways parents can monitor their children’s progress and support learning at home. These sessions will focus on topics related to academics, school policies, and emotional/social development. Sessions will also include time built in for parents to express concerns, ask questions, etc.
8. Shared Decision Making Council: Petal Primary School’s Shared Decision Making Council consists of members who are representative of the parents, community, and faculty/staff. Monthly meetings are held, and committee members are provided with curriculum and academic information, share ideas for school improvement, and are a part of the decision-making process.
(3) involve parents, in an organized, ongoing, and timely way, in the planning, review, and improvement of programs under this part, including the planning, review, and improvement of the school parental involvement policy and the joint development of the school-wide program plan under section 1114(b)(2), except that if a school has in place a process for involving parents in the joint planning and design of the school's programs, the school may use that process, if such process includes an adequate representation of parents of participating children;
1. Parent Surveys: Parents are given the opportunity to respond to an survey. The survey is posted on the school website.
2. Shared Decision Making Council: Petal Primary School’s Shared Decision Making Council consists of members who are representative of the parents, community, and faculty/staff. Council members review curriculum and academic information, data from surveys and needs assessments, and the parent involvement policy. The council members also share ideas for school improvement, and are a part of the school’s decision-making process. Notices of meetings are posted in the school handbook and the school calendar. Agenda, minutes, and a sign-in sheet are kept on file of these meetings.
(4)provide parents of participating children —
(A) timely information about programs under this part;
(B) a description and explanation of the curriculum in use at the school, the forms of academic assessment used to measure student progress, and the proficiency levels students are expected to meet; and
(C) if requested by parents, opportunities for regular meetings to formulate suggestions and to participate, as appropriate, in decisions relating to the education of their children, and respond to any such suggestions as soon as practicably possible; and
Petal Primary School addresses the importance of parent-school communication through parent conferences, frequent reports on children’s progress, and by providing opportunities for parents to volunteer and participate in school activities. Information concerning federal programs is communicated to parents through parent meetings, flyers, and the school website. Additional opportunities for parent involvement and parent-school communication are listed below.
1. Parent Phone Calling System: Important information for parents is communicated on a regular basis using a mass calling system. The system allows the school administration to contact parents by telephone or text messaging regarding upcoming events and important announcements.
2. School Website/Facebook/Twitter: The Petal School District provides pertinent information for parents through the district and school website and Facebook pages. Teachers communicate regularly using either the school webpage, a class Facebook page, Twitter, or via blog. The parent link on the school website provides parents information regarding student achievement, school improvement, the school lunch menu, and upcoming events.
3. School Leadership Teams: Our school leadership teams consist of representatives from all grade levels, support staff and administration. A portion of our leadership teams are parents. The committees serve as decision-making teams for the school and works to plan for curriculum implementation and evaluation, to evaluate student achievement and performance and to plan for school improvement. Our school leadership teams include the following:
○Principal Advisory Committee (Grade Chairs)
○Building Leadership Team (APs)
○ELL Task Force (TBD)
○Math Focus Group (PLC Facilitators)
○Vocabulary Study Team (PLC Facilitators)
○Attendance Action Committee
5. Principal Meetings: Principal meetings are held at the request of parents and provide parents the opportunity to discuss questions, concerns and suggestions with the principal. The principal provides timely responses to parent questions, concerns, and suggestions discussed at these meetings.
6. Parent Conferences: Parent conferences are scheduled on a regular basis before, during, and after school hours. Teachers keep a record of parent conferences held throughout the year and encourage all parents to attend. Individual student assessment results and interpretation of these results as well as a description and explanation of the school’s curriculum are provided at these parent-teacher conferences.
7. Teacher Support Team: The Teacher Support Team assists teachers in creating appropriate interventions for students in need. The team also sets up meetings with parents, providing an opportunity for parents and teachers to work together in developing a plan for student success.
8. Volunteer Program: Parents volunteer at Petal Primary School in a variety of ways.
(5) if the school-wide program plan under section 1114(b)(2) is not satisfactory to the parents of participating children, submit any parent comments on the plan when the school makes the plan available to the local educational agency.
1. School Website: Parents are notified through the school websites, annual meetings, and in written school communications that they can make comments if they disagree with any aspect of Petal Primary School’s Title 1 School-wide Policy or the school’s parent involvement policy.
2. Parent Survey: The yearly parent survey also provides an opportunity for parents to make comments or suggestions for program improvement.
3. Shared Decision Making Council: Parents are also encouraged to voice school concerns to the school’s Shared Decision Making Council for discussion. A link on the school web page is provided for submitting concerns and/or questions.
(6) share the responsibilities for high student academic achievement with parents, the entire school staff and students through the use of a School-Parent Compact.
Petal Primary School has jointly developed with and distributed to parents, a parent-school compact that outlines how parents, students, and school personnel will share the responsibility for improved student academic achievement. The parent-school compact describes the responsibility of the school principal and teacher to provide high-quality curriculum and instruction, the student’s responsibility to participate in the learning, and the parent’s responsibility to support the child. In addition, the importance of on-going communication between parents and teachers is stressed. The school principal, teacher, parent, and student sign the compact. These are kept on file at the school. The compact is reviewed each year and revised if necessary.
(7) provide assistance in understanding the State’s curriculum content standards, State’s student academic standards for assessment, how to improve student achievement to include technology training, educate teachers, school staff, principals to the value of parental involvement, work with outside agencies to encourage parental involvement and publicize information regarding meetings that allow parental involvement.
Petal Primary School uses several means to build partnerships with parents to improve student achievement.
1. Parent Meetings: Parents are informed of school and individual student academic expectations during group and individual parent meetings.
2. Counselor: The counselor is available to assist parents with contacting outside agencies.
3. School Website and Handbook: The school website provides access to resources for supplemental practice and to computer based instructional programs. The school handbook and website provide the grading policy, and information on how to reach school personnel if questions arise.
4. Newsletters: Teachers communicate regularly with parents through newsletters, class notes, Hope cards, and emails.
5. Shared Decision Making Council: Parents are given monthly opportunities to give their input through the school Shared Decision Making Council.
(8) provide full opportunities for the participation of parents with limited English proficiency, parents with disabilities, and parents of migratory children, including providing information and school reports required under section 1111 in a format and, to the extent practicable, in a language such parents understand.
1. Migrant Teacher and Assistants: The Petal School District employs staff members who assist our migrant families in transitioning to our community. The staff help teachers to set up meetings with migrant parents, translates information for our Spanish speaking parents, and helps translate during parent teacher conferences.
2. School Social Worker: A school social worker meets the social needs of students and parents. The social worker works in conjunction with the school nurse and guidance counselor to assist families in need.
(9) build teachers’ and parents’ capacity for strong parental involvement.
The commitment of the Petal School District to building strong relationships with families is evident in the core beliefs of the district.
We believe that:
●A person's potential to learn is limitless.
●All people have intrinsic worth.
●Strength comes from engaging the full diversity of the community.
●Teamwork is essential to the continuous success of an organization.
●Family is the most important influence in the development of the individual.
●People can direct their own future.
●People are influenced more by what others do than by what they say.
By engaging the diversity of the parents in our school community, we hope to lead each child to success. Every employee of the district centers his or her job around the mission of the district – to empower students to thrive. School personnel depend on the input and support of parents in all aspects of the child’s education.