Williamsburg Elementary School
2830 NC Highway 87
Reidsville, NC 27320
(336) 349-4632
(336) 342-2699 FAX
The first public school in North Carolina – founded in 1840.
“Home of the Wildcats”
Rockingham County Schools
Title I Parent Handbook
Student Handbook
Student Planner
2008-2009
Erselle Young, Principal
Estellé Gullett, Assistant Principal
Williamsburg School Website
www.rock.k12.nc.us/wbrg/site/default.asp
Rockingham County Schools
Williamsburg Elementary School Erselle Young, Principal
2830 NC Highway 87
Reidsville, NC 27320
(336) 349-4632 / (336) 342-2699 FAX
August 25, 2008
Dear Parents/Guardians:
We are looking forward to an outstanding school year in which all stakeholders work together to provide quality educational opportunities for our students. It is our desire as educators to empower students with the skills needed to become successful, lifelong learners. Again this year, I am pleased to inform you that Williamsburg Elementary School qualified as a Title I school for 2008-2009. As a Title I school, we receive additional federal funds to provide extra instructional support for our students. As a Title I school we are able to dedicate resources to assist our parents and the community as we work together to enrich the educational opportunities for our students. An extensive school wide plan has been written to implement the use of our Title I funds. We encourage you to visit our school and volunteer in one of the many needed capacities. Together this partnership will enable our students to succeed.
As we begin the 2008-2009 school year, we are planning activities and workshops for the upcoming year. We will have our annual Title I Parent Involvement Meeting in conjunction with our school open house and PTSO meeting on Tuesday, September 9 at 6:00 p.m. in our school cafeteria. Please mark this day on your calendar and make plans to attend.
Parental support is crucially important to help students develop instructional and learning skills across all disciplines of study. This balanced approach will ensure that we nurture each student’s motivation to learn and excel. One way we can encourage this motivation is through reading. Reading for enjoyment invokes our imagination, enhances our background knowledge, increases vocabulary, builds fluency, and models good writing skills. Most importantly, students begin to enjoy reading for pleasure. You as parents can encourage your children to read on a regular basis. Help your child to identify and nurture his or her interests through reading. We strongly encourage you to model reading at home. Children do acknowledge and learn from our own actions. Below are some suggestions to help support this goal. We do greatly appreciate the significant role you play in the overall success of our student body.
· Take your child to the public library on a regular basis
· Subscribe to the newspaper and magazines of interest
· Replace TV time with reading
· Reward your child with books or gift certificates to bookstores
We invite your support and encouragement of the total school program. Parents are welcome not only to visit but also to contribute in any way that they and the teacher feel would be helpful. Many volunteer services are needed such as the following:
· Reading to or listening to students read or pronounce vocabulary words
· Helping students in our computer lab
· Working in our school library
· Helping with Field Day Events
· Helping with arts and crafts
· Joining the PTSO and helping with special PTSO projects
We strive to create a family atmosphere at Williamsburg. It is our goal to welcome you as a part of our family. Thanks for your continued support. If you should have questions or concerns, please feel free to contact our Title I teachers (Mrs. Pinnix or Mrs. McKinney), or myself at 349-4632. Working together we can continue the grand tradition of Williamsburg Elementary School.
Sincerely,
Erselle Young, Principal
Guiding Principles
Williamsburg Elementary School’s Mission
Touching tomorrow by inspiring children to succeed today.
Williamsburg Elementary School’s Belief Statements
We believe the following statements optimize learning in the 21st Century.
We believe…
· All children can learn
· Student gender, socioeconomic status, and race are not barriers to learning
· All children should be treated fairly
· Optimal student achievement is the result of cooperative relationships among students, staff, parents, and the community
· The learning environment should be safe and inviting
· Integrating technology enhances quality instruction
· Individuals will rise to meet high expectations
· Quality education addresses the unique needs of the whole child
Title I Program
Title I Parent Involvement
The Rockingham County Board of Education believes that parents are essential partners in building academic success for children; therefore, all Title I parents will be made aware of the importance of their role in their child’s education by the development of a Parent Compact. This compact, signed by the parents, teachers, and students, will identify responsibilities of each person as they help the student meet state student performance standards.
Rockingham County Schools will address the needs of all Title I families by helping make parents feel welcome in schools regardless of their family situation, education, gender, ethnicity or income level. Since communication is a vital link in this partnership, all staff members will strive to improve communication between the schools and parents.
To accomplish these goals, each school shall convene an annual meeting; offer a flexible number of meetings/workshops; involve parents in an organized, on-going, and timely way in planning, reviewing and improving the programs; provide parents timely information about the programs, curriculum and assessment; provide assistance to participating parents related to monitoring a child’s progress and working with educators to improve the performance of their children; have all parties involved sign a Student-Parent-Teacher-Compact; address the importance of communication/conferences; provide frequent reports on each child’s class and to observe classroom activities; assist parents in understanding National Education Goals, state student performance standards and local assessments; coordinate adult/family literacy training opportunities with other agencies; communicate in a language parents can understand; develop appropriate roles for community based organizations and businesses in parent involvement opportunities, support parent training workshops and other activities for parent education; and coordinate and integrate parent involvement progress and activities with Head Start and public pre-school programs.
Williamsburg Elementary School qualified as a Title I school again this year. As a Title I school we receive additional federal funds to provide extra instructional support for our students. An extensive school-wide plan has been written to implement the use of our Title I funds. Our plan of action is to use the money to hire a Title I coordinator to help support community involvement in the schools as well as facilitate our instructional support programs. We have used the funds to hire an additional Title I Resource Teacher and a Computer Teacher that will allow your child to experience additional enrichment and Computer enhancement classes each week. Some of the funds will be used to hire additional teachers to reduce class sizes. Reducing the class size will help create more opportunities for student success, which should help students to have a positive self-image and increase their desire to achieve academically. We believe that parents are essential partners in educational success and encourage you to visit the school.
Your role as a parent is vital to the success of our school. We want you to feel welcome at Williamsburg. Communication is a vital link in the partnership we hope to form with you. All staff members will strive to communicate with you regarding your child. Please do not hesitate to contact us when you have questions or concerns.
Title I
Parent Involvement Policy for Williamsburg Elementary School
2008 – 2009
At Williamsburg Elementary School our desire is for all students to become successful, lifelong learners. In order for student achievement to rise, we must involve the school staff as well as the parents and families in the education of each student.
This policy has been devised as a part of the No Child Left Behind Legislation of 2001. We hope this policy will clearly explain the plans Williamsburg School has for informing parents of individual student progress along with school and Title I happenings. In addition, we want to offer training opportunities for parents to learn how to mirror school activities with their child at home, maximizing student learning.
Since many of our parents work different schedules, we will try to accommodate their needs by announcing events well in advance and by scheduling school events at various times of the day. We will make every effort possible to assist parents needing special services using the ESL teacher, school counselor and social worker.
Finally, to accommodate the needs of our diverse students, we will make every effort to translate documents, memos, and letters for our non-English speaking parents. Communication to all parents is a goal of the Williamsburg School staff.
Parent Involvement Goals for the 2008-2009 school year
1. Williamsburg Elementary School will keep parents informed about the North Carolina Standard Course of Study in relationship to their child’s individual progress. These specific curricular issues will be shared with parents by:
· Student/Parent handbook distributed to each student in the student planners
· Inviting parents to parent/teacher conferences throughout the year
· Sending student work home in Friday folders
· Providing parent trainings on the following curriculum issues:
Literacy and leveled books
Math strategies
End of year assessments
2. Williamsburg Elementary School will keep parents informed of activities and events by:
· Title I Annual Meeting
· Monthly newsletters
· Sending memos as needed
· Posting signs and fliers on the school campus
· Weekly homework sheets
· Student Planners
· Telephone messages on the Connect Ed telephone system
· Posting messages and calendars on the Teacherweb.com teacher pages
3. Williamsburg Elementary School will invite families to a variety of events where children will be recognized for academic achievement, behavioral improvements, as well as student performances such as:
· Award assemblies for honor roll and most improved
· Black History month assembly
· Character Education and other educational assemblies
· Holiday and Show Choir performances
· DARE graduation for 5th graders
· End of year recognitions
4. Williamsburg Elementary School will provide opportunities for our students’ families to become active participants in school activities such as:
· Open House
· Title I Annual Meeting
· Parent training sessions
· Classroom observations
· Breakfast/Lunch with your child
· Book fair
· Various opportunities to volunteer
Harvest and Spring Festival
Jump Rope for Heart
Helping in the classroom
Library helpers
Field Day
Career Day
Field trips
PTSO
Community service and outreach projects
5. Williamsburg Elementary School will provide opportunities for parental input via surveys, questionnaires, and review of material in the following:
· School Improvement Plan review
· Title I parent survey
· Parent policy recommendations
Williamsburg School would like to make parents, families, and community members feel that they play an important role in the education of their children. By working as a team, it is our hope that the children of Williamsburg School will become successful learners for a lifetime.
PROMOTING STUDENT SUCCESS
Character Education
Good character begins at home. It should be taught and modeled. The statement, “Its takes a whole village to raise a child,” refers to the community of support necessary for bringing up students. Much of a school’s success is a result of parental involvement. The framework around which our character education is designed emphasizes a specific character goal each month. Good character consists of knowing the good, loving the good, and doing the good.
Character education in any school is three fold:
· Character traits as taught through class lessons
· Character as it is revealed in choices students make
· Character as it is role modeled by the adults in the life of a child
Character education is a way of behaving and relating to others, and it is reflected in the daily lives of students and staff. For the 2008-2009 school year students will continue character development by learning more about: Good Judgment, Responsibility, Respect, Good Citizenship, Service to Others, Kindness, Courage, Self-Discipline, Perseverance, Integrity, and Celebrating School Safety.
Good Character can be best summarized by remaining mindful of the 3 R’s:
· Respect for Self
· Respect for Others
· Responsibility for all your Actions
Home Habits
There are many experiences that parents can provide at home that will help promote school success. Please review the checklist. Look for opportunities to provide additional positive home habits and remember to praise children for a job well done.
1. Responsibility, Independence, and Caring for Self
The parent/guardian guides the child to:
-put away toys and games -learn to put on clothing, shoes, and socks
-keep room neat -learn to select and hang up clothing
-complete specific jobs/tasks -tend to bathroom and personal grooming needs
-learn from mistakes made -learn to button, zip and tie shoelaces
-take responsibility for his/her actions
2. Getting Along with Others
The parent/guardian:
-makes arrangements for children to play with others
-teaches children to share and respect other children’s property
-teaches children to accept other adults as friends
-helps children learn to listen to others and follow directions
3. Routines
The parent/guardian:
-designates appropriate times to go to bed, get up, eat, complete homework, rest, and play that are consistent with children’s needs and school schedules. The parent helps the child set priorities.
4. Making Decisions
Whenever opportunities arise, parents can allow children to plan activities or solve problems by encouraging decision-making. The choices should be kept simple: “Which book do you want me to read?” “Which game shall we play?” “Would you like an apple or banana for a snack?” The way is left open for more than one suggestion so that the parent and child can discuss which might be best. Weighing the consequences and rewards to make the best decision is the ultimate outcome.