Churchville Elementary Parental Policy
PART I. GENERAL EXPECTATIONS
Churchville Elementary agrees to implement the following statutory requirements:
Ø The school district will put into operation programs, activities and procedures for the involvement of parents in all of its schools with Title I, Part A programs, consistent with section 1118 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). Those programs, activities and procedures will be planned and operated with meaningful consultation with parents of participating children.
Ø In carrying out the Title I, Part A parental involvement requirements, to the extent practicable, the school district and its schools will 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 of the ESEA in an understandable and uniform format and, including alternative formats upon request, and, to the extent practicable, in a language parents understand.
PART II. DESCRIPTION OF HOW SCHOOL WILL IMPLEMENT REQUIRED DISTRICT WIDE PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT POLICY COMPONENTS
1. Churchville Elementary will take the following actions to involve parents in the joint development of its district wide parental involvement plan under section 1112 of the ESEA:
Ø Churchville Elementary will establish a Title I Parent Advisory Council and one or more members of that council will serve on the Division Title I Parent Advisory Council. Title I teachers will be involved in encouraging parents to become Advisory Council members.
Ø The division and Churchville Elementary will hold semi-annual Parent Advisory Council meetings to discuss the delivery of our Title I program from the parents’ perspective. Title 1 parents and one teacher from each grade level will serve on this committee.
Ø The Division Parent Advisory Council will develop a draft of the proposed District Wide Parent Involvement Policy.
Ø A copy of the drafted policy will be sent to each parent through a newsletter. This will allow parents another opportunity to offer comments/suggestions for revisions to this policy.
Ø A final copy of the adopted policy will be sent to each parent by December 15th of each year.
Ø Each Fall Churchville Elementary will hold a Back To School Night and parent conferences to discuss the purpose and regulations of Title I. Curriculum and assessment information will be given to all parents at these annual meetings.
Ø Each year parents are invited to attend our Green Valley Book Fair field trip.
Ø Information related to Title I will be disseminated at other school and community functions, including but not limited to kindergarten registration.
Ø Parents will be invited to the reading room to talk to Title I reading specialist twice a year during Parent-Teacher Conferences.
2. Churchville Elementary will coordinate and integrate parental involvement strategies in Part A with parental involvement strategies under the following other programs:
Ø Churchville Elementary will operate a preschool program for at risk four-year old children which includes a variety of opportunities for parents to learn and be involved in their children’s education, including but not limited to home visits and parent participation in preschool events.
Ø Churchville Elementary will work collaboratively with the local Augusta County Preschool Program.
Ø Churchville Elementary will partner with the Churchville public library to encourage summer reading by sending home reading lists and information about the library’s summer reading program.
Ø Churchville Elementary will collaborate with the Title III program to provide forms, memos, newsletters, etc. in a language that parents can understand.
3. Churchville Elementary will provide the following necessary
Coordination ,technical assistance, and other support to assist Title I, Part A schools in planning and implementing effective parental involvement activities to improve student academic achievement and school performance:
Ø Churchville Elementary receives a Title I budget allocation for parent involvement activities.
Ø Churchville Elementary will conduct at least 2 parent activities a year (i.e. guest speaker, literacy events, field trips to book fairs, etc.). Churchville Elementary will also provide parent involvement take home bags.
Ø Churchville Elementary and the division purchase materials/supplies that are used by parents to reinforce classroom activities.
Ø An after school remediation program will be provided three days a week during the months of September through April at Churchville Elementary.
Ø Transportation is provided for field trips so parents can attend.
4. Churchville Elementary will take the following actions to conduct, with the involvement of parents, an annual evaluation of the content and effectiveness of this parental involvement policy in improving the quality of its Title I, Part A schools. The evaluation will include identifying barriers to greater participation by parents in parental involvement activities (with particular attention to parents who are economically disadvantaged, are disabled, have limited English proficiency, have limited literacy, or are of any racial or ethnic minority background). The school district will use the findings of the evaluation about its parental involvement policy and activities to design strategies for more effective parental involvement, and to revise, if necessary (and with the involvement of parents) its parental involvement policies.
Ø Churchville Elementary will distribute Parent surveys in both fall and spring of each year to identify barriers of participation and give parents an opportunity to suggest improvements to the delivery of our Title I program.
Ø Survey results are tabulated at each school and shared with the district Parent Advisory Council.
Ø Division results are tabulated by the Title I supervisor and shared with the District Parent Advisory Council.
Ø The surveys are available in languages as needed by our parents.
Ø Churchville Elementary will adopt a parent involvement policy and instructional plan annually.
Ø The survey results are instrumental in the annual revision and adoption of the parent involvement policy and instructional plan, in an effort to increase parental involvement.
5. Churchville Elementary will build the schools’ and parents’ capacity for strong parental involvement, in order to ensure effective involvement of parents and to support a partnership among the school involved, parents, and the community to improve student academic achievement, through the following activities specifically described below:
A. Churchville Elementary will provide assistance to parents of children served by the school district or school, as appropriate, in understanding topics such as the following, by undertaking the actions described in this paragraph --
· the State’s academic content standards,
· the State’s student academic achievement standards,
· the State and local academic assessments including alternate assessments,
· the requirements of Part A,
· how to monitor their child’s progress, and
· how to work with educators
Ø Parent/teacher conferences are scheduled on the division and school calendar
Ø Division, school and teacher websites keep parent informed of schedules, events, homework and contact information.
Ø Copies of the school and division parent involvement policies are sent to each family and posted on the division website.
Ø A Title I progress report is sent home four times a year with the classroom teacher report card.
Ø Local newspapers and media inform the community of the school academic success and areas in need of improvement.
Ø Rules, regulations and explanation of the purpose of Title I are shared at the Back to School Night and fall parent conferences.
Ø SOLS, AYP, and NCLB in general are explained at the school level each year.
Ø The district level contact information is distributed to parents for their use at anytime.
Ø At Churchville Elementary each parent, student, teacher will sign the Augusta County Title I compact to ensure shared responsibilities (attendance, homework, attend activities, etc.)
B. Churchville Elementary will provide materials and training such as literacy and technology training to help parents work with their children to improve their children’s academic achievement and to foster parental involvement:
Ø Churchville Elementary will hold at least two parent activities a year that are focused on various literacy topics.
Ø An ELL liaison has been hired by the district to assist with translations, training, registrations, etc.
Ø Support and assistance are provided through after school programs provided by the Title I grant.
Ø Parent information is distributed throughout the year that includes tips on effective parenting and school events. This information is translated to meet the needs of our parents.
Ø Staff will continue to take advantage of DOE sponsored activities.
C. Churchville Elementary will educate its teachers, pupil services personnel, principals and other staff, in how to communicate with, and work with parents as equal partners. Churchville Elementary will implement and coordinate parent programs and build ties between parents and schools, by promoting the following:
Ø Churchville Elementary and the division will provide opportunities for effective community outreach.
Ø Parent Advisory Councils at each school continually focus on education and open communication between schools and parents.
Ø The division Parent Advisory Council focuses on education and open communication between schools and parents.
Ø Division-level meetings with Title I teachers will be held multiple times throughout the year. They will focus on how schools can better communicate with parents.
D. Churchville Elementary will, to the extent feasible and appropriate, coordinate and integrate parental involvement programs and activities with Augusta County Preschool by providing the following:
Ø Title I teachers provide resources for check-out by parents and children throughout the school year.
Ø The division works collaboratively with the Augusta County Preschool program.
Ø Churchville Elementary offers a summer school program based on data regarding the performance and needs of each child.
Ø Orientation/Back to School meeting is held for parents at the beginning of each school year.
Ø Annually, information is distributed to parents at local preschools concerning kindergarten expectations and requirements
E. Churchville Elementary will take the following actions to ensure that information related to the school and parent programs, meetings, and other activities, is sent to the parents of participating children in an understandable and uniform format, including alternative formats upon request, and, to the extent practicable, in a language the parents can understand.
Ø A copy of the division calendar is distributed to all families via hard copy and the division website.
Ø Parents’ communication is translated as needed. (written and oral communication)
Ø School and teacher websites keep parents abreast of calendar events (parent conferences, summer school dates, etc.) and homework.
Ø Teacher websites keep parents abreast of homework and event schedules.
Ø The division and school parent involvement policies are distributed each year.
Ø Pupil progress reports are distributed four times a year, with parent conference information included.
Ø Updated students handbooks can be found online.
Ø Annually approved parent compacts are distributed in Spanish and English as needed.
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