Americas High School
Parental Involvement Policy
2013-2014
Statement of Purpose
Americas High School exists to help students develop within themselves the individual potential needed for success in a continuously changing world, so that these students may contribute productively to their community.
Parental Involvement in Policy Development
The Americas High School Parental Involvement Policy Development (PIPD) Committee is comprised of parents, members of the community, business partners, faculty, staff, and administrators. This committee will discuss the design and implementation of the Americas High School Parental Involvement Policy.
The PIPD Committee will actively recruit volunteers for the advisory committee. Committee selections will produce a diverse parent population that will include all student groups serviced by the school. The committee will arrange for translators to help with communications. Meetings will be planned at convenient times and locations for all members of the committee.
Annual Meeting
Americas High School uses Title I funds to provide school-wide services for all students. AHS will hold at least one meeting annually to review Title I guidelines and services offered through the school. Copies of the school’s current Parental Involvement Policy and the AHS Parent-Student-School Compact will be distributed at the meeting. Families will be encouraged to become involved in the revising and updating the policy as necessary and parent volunteers will be recruited for the various committee appointments.
The meeting will be held at a convenient time and location; notice of the meeting will be provided through written invitations to families and through public notices. Translators will be available to help with Non-English speaking parents/families.
Student – Parent – School Compact
In accordance with Title I regulations, the Americas High School PIPD Committee has developed and will annually update a Student-Parent-School Compact. This compact will provide an outline to enable the parent and school to share responsibility for student performance and success and explains how students, parents/families, and staff will share responsibility for promoting student achievement.
The compact is designed so that both the student and his/her parent or guardian can sign this compact. Students and parents are encouraged to discuss the contents of the compact. They are also encouraged to sign it to demonstrate they are in agreement with the compact. Signed compacts should then be returned to school.
Parental Involvement Opportunities
Americas High School will support many varied ways of parental involvement as it strives to develop and maintain an optimum-learning environment for all students:
- Translators will be provided for families when needed.
- Information will be provided in the language parents understand when needed.
- Parents/families may contribute through volunteer programs.
- Parents/families may contribute by creating a supportive home environment.
- Parents/families are invited to participate in parent-teacher conferences.
- Parents/families may participate by attending school meetings (Title I, planning sessions, parenting workshops and presentation, student programs).
- Parents/families are invited to serve on committees.
- Parents/families serve on the Student Handbook Review Committee (School Improvement Team (SIT).
- Parents/families serve on the Employee Handbook Review Committee.
- Parents/families are surveyed to get their input about school.
- Parents/families are encouraged to keep up with student performance (i.e., grades) via electronic means (sign up for e-HAC).
Parent and Staff Communication
Parents/families will be informed of school activities through various avenues of communication throughout the school year; they will be consulted in the design, development, and implementation of the Title I program. Parents/families will be invited to participate in workshops and staff development programs will be tailored to meet the unique student and parent needs of the Americas High School community. To facilitate such, parents/guardians will ensure that the school’s attendance office is always provided with current/updated contact information.
AHS staff members will be trained in positive communication activities as well as effective ways to work with parents/families, students, and members of the community. AHS staff will maintain a record of parent/guardian contacts throughout the school year.
The school will provide access information to parents/families on the learning goals and objectives (Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills or TEKS) (TEA web site, Textbooks, etc.). All students will be expected to work toward mastering these goals and objectives. AHS recognizes the fact that some students will need modifications, accommodations, and/or extra assistance to achieve their full potential; these will be provided to students through the Title I Program and/or other educational services offered through the school.
Evaluation
The Americas High School PIPD Committee as well as every parent who wishes to participate will review and evaluate all aspects of the parent involvement program. Parent surveys including questions about the effectiveness of the program will be distributed and the results tabulated. Teacher surveys and teacher contact records may be used to determine the number and kind of interaction between parents/families and school. The PIPD Committee will revise the campus Parental Involvement Policy based on the results of this annual review.
Approved by SIT April 2013