Parent Involvement

Describe the programs, activities, and procedures established to build the schools’ and parents’ capacity for meaningful parental involvement.

1

Each school served under this part shall 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 in Title I and to explain the requirements of the Title I program, and the right of the parents to be involved.

Describe: Williford ES will host an annual public meeting for all parents and staff members. This meeting is to inform parents about their rights under the law and to provide them with the information that will allow them to be fully active in their child’s education. This meeting will be held in conjunction with a PTSO meeting. Parents will be surveyed at the beginning of the school term to collect data on their willingness to participate in engagement opportunities, communication methods and how can we (as a school) help them and their child academically at

home. Parents will be surveyed at the end of each school term to determine their perception of the school and the progress we are making in meeting the academic, social, and emotional well-being of their child.

2

Each school served shall offer a flexible number of meetings, such as meetings in the morning or evening, and may provide, with Title I funds, transportation, child care, or home visits, as such services relate to parental involvement.

Describe: Future parent meetings will be held face to face and virtual to make it more convenient for parents to attend. The information shared at the Annual Public meeting will also be shared with parents of new students as they enroll.

3

Parents should be involved in an organized, ongoing, and timely way, in planning, review, and improvement of Title I programs, including the planning, review, and improvement of the school parental involvement policy and the joint development of the schoolwide program plan (if applicable).

Describe: Progress reports will be provided to parents three times during each quarter. Parenting education sessions will also be conducted throughout the school year to share ways to assist parents and teachers to work together as partners. Parents will be asked for their suggestions or recommendations at all meetings. Parents and community stakeholders will be actively recruited to participate in

the education process. This will include opportunities to serve on our School Improvement Team, PTSO, volunteering, and attending events at the school and Family Resource Center.

4

Parents must be provided with timely information about programs under this part; and 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.

Describe: Parents will receive information on a regular basis through grade level curriculum nights, the Parent Resource Center, and quarterly report cards. Parents’ questions and concerns will be addressed at each session throughout the year. Each grade level will provide a parent-student activity session each semester staggering the times to meet the needs of the majority of the parents on that

grade level. The activities will give parents the opportunity to actively participate in the curriculum goals and objectives being taught during that semester. Each grade level will be required to conduct one Curriculum Night event each semester.

5

If requested, schools must provide 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.

Describe: Parent meetings will be held throughout the year which gives parents a chance to be actively involved in their child’s education. A parent survey will be developed and distributed, and parent support groups will be formed. Parent conferences are scheduled at a time available to parents. Parents are given a chance to give feedback on a quarterly and annual basis.

6

If the schoolwide program plan( if applicable) is not satisfactory to the parents of participating children, the school is required to submit any parent comments on the plan when the school makes the plan available to the LEA.

Describe: The parent policy is reviewed throughout the year and any concerns will be submitted to the district office. Parents will be asked for their comments and suggestions regarding the compact as well. An annual survey of parent/school issues will be conducted.

7

Each participating school shall jointly develop with parents for all children served a school-parent compact that outlines how parents, the entire school staff, and students will share the responsibility for improved student academic achievement and the means by which the school and parents will build and develop a partnership to help children achieve State standards.

Describe: The School-Parent-Student Compact has already been developed. Parents are asked for comments regarding the compact. A roster of signed compacts is filed in each teacher’s room.

8

LEAs and schools served under this part shall provide assistance to parents of children served by the school or LEA, as appropriate, in understanding such topics as the State’s academic content standards and State student academic standards, State and local academic assessments, the requirements of Title I, and how to monitor a child’s progress and work with educators to improve the achievement of their children.

Describe: The Title I plan was presented at the first PTSO meeting. The school is hosting 2 Curriculum Nights to assist parents with understanding academic standards and to equip parents with the skills to help their students with homework.

9

Parents must be provided materials and training to help them to work with their children to improve their children’s achievement, such as literacy training and using technology, as appropriate, to foster parental involvement.

Describe: The school is hosting 2 Curriculum Nights to assist parents with understanding academic standards and to equip parents with the skills to help their students with homework.

10

LEAs and schools are required to educate teachers, pupil services personnel, principals, and other staff, with the assistance of parents, in the value and utility of contributions of parents, and in how to reach out to, communicate with, and work with parents as equal partners, implement and coordinate parent programs, and build ties between parents and the school.

Describe: Staff will be provided Professional Development during staff meetings on how to communicate with parents and the value of getting parents to become partners in their children’s education.

11

To the extent feasible and appropriate, there should be coordination and integration of parent programs and activities with Head Start, Reading First, Early Reading First, Even Start, the Home Instruction Programs for Preschool Youngsters, the Parents as Teachers Program, and public school preschool and other programs, and conduct other activities, such as parent resource centers, that encourage and support parents in more fully participating in the education of their children.

Describe: Our Parent Community Liaison will work on the coordination of our parent programs with Reading First activities. The School will continue its long standing partnership with DEPC as we focus on building relationships with community partners that will include day care providers, businesses and community colleges.

12

LEAs and schools shall ensure that information related to school and parent programs, meetings and other activities is sent to the parents of participating children in a format and, to the extent practicable, in a language the parents can understand.

Describe:

Written and verbal communication is sent to parents in both English and Spanish. Interpreters are provided and on call as needed. The school will effectively communicate with parents and stakeholders of upcoming activities and events in a timely manner along with regular reminders of activities and events leading up to the date of the activity and/or event.

13

In carrying out the parental involvement requirements, the LEA and school, to the extent practicable, shall  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.

Describe: Written and verbal communication is sent to parents in both English and Spanish. Interpreters are provided and on call as needed.

14

LEAs and schools may adopt and implement model approaches to improving parental involvement.

Describe: We have hired a full time Parent Community Liaison to improve our two-way communication with parents and guardians.

15

LEAs and schools may adopt appropriate roles for community-based organizations and businesses in parent involvement activities.

Describe: The Williford Resource Center facilitates parent training courses and we have a group of Key Communicators that share resources at various PTSO meetings.

16

Parents may be involved in the development of training for teachers, principals, and other educators to improve the effectiveness of such training.

Describe: We will invite parents to participate in the Professional Development offered to staff during staff meetings.

17

If the LEA has exhausted all other reasonably available sources of funding, Title I funds may be used to provide necessary literacy training.

Describe: RTI, our educational vendor for the Innovative Partnership Grant, is providing 5 half days of training on Mandatory work days in addition to what the LEA offers.

18

Title I funds may be used to pay reasonable and necessary expenses associated with local parental involvement activities, including transportation and child care costs, to enable parents to participate in school-related meetings and training sessions.

Describe: We will use Title 1 funds to provide transportation to parents to assist them in participating in school-related meetings and training sessions.

19

LEAs and schools may train parents to enhance the involvement of other parents.

Describe: The Williford Resource Center which facilitates parent training courses, will train parents to enhance the involvement of other parents.

20

LEAs and schools may arrange school meetings at a variety of times, or conduct in-home conferences between teachers or other educators who work directly with participating children, with parents who are unable to attend such conferences at school, in order to maximize parental involvement and participation.

Describe: Future parent meetings will be held face to face and virtual to make it more convenient for parents to attend. Parental monthly meetings will be scheduled during the course of the school year while using the results of parent surveys. This will include all parental activities and events.

21

District parental advisory councils may be established to provide advice on all matters related to parental involvement in Title I programs.

Describe: We have district parental advisory councils at various times during the school year.