TITLE 1- PARENT INVOLEMENT

TITLE I SCHOOL-LEVEL PARENT AND FAMILY ENGAGEMENT POLICY

PAULDING MIDDLE SCHOOL

Paulding Middle School has developed a written Title I parent and family engagement policy with input from Title I parents and family members. This is done during School Site Council meetings each year. It has distributed the policy to parents and family members of Title I students. The policy describes the means for carrying out the following Title I parent and family engagement requirements [20 USC 6318 Section 1118(c),-(g) inclusive].

Paulding Middle School agrees to:

• Be governed by the following statutory definition of parental involvement, and will carry out programs, activities, and procedures in accordance with this definition:

Parental involvement means the participation of parents in a regular, two-way, and meaningful communication involving student academic learning and other school activities, including ensuring 

(A)  that parents play an integral role in assisting their child’s learning

(B)   that parents are encouraged to be actively involved in their children’s education at school

(C)   that parents are full partners in their children’s education and are included, as appropriate, in decision-making and on advisory committees to assist in the education of their children

(D)  the carrying out of other activities, such as those described in section 1118 of the ESEA

INVOLVEMENT OF PARENTS IN THE TITLE I PROGRAM

To involve parents and family members in the Title I program at Paulding Middle School, the following practices have been established: 

• The school convenes an annual meeting, at a convenient time, to which all parents of participating children shall be invited to attend and encouraged to attend, to inform parents and family members of their school’s participation in the Title I program and to explain the requirements, and the right of the parents to be involved.  (20 USC 6318 (c)(1))

  1. Back-to-School night in the fall will allow administrators, counselors and teachers to meet with parents to explain the school’s programs including Title 1, course offerings, and extra help available for their students. Incoming 6th grade parents will be made aware of the same information at the 6th grade orientation meeting in the spring.

• The school offers 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 parent involvement. (20 USC 6318 (c)(2))

  1. Counselors will send home annual notices to let parents know how their students are progressing toward graduation and the classes and programs that are available to their children. 

  2. Counselors will also be available to meet with parents individually throughout the school year per parent request. 

  3. A parent-teacher night will be held at the end of the first quarter for parents to meet individually with teachers to discuss their child’s progress as well as one night for parents to be introduced to teachers and their student’s schedule.

  4. Parents can set up individual parent/teacher conferences at any time throughout the year.  Email and phone conferences may also be utilized for parents that may have difficulties coming to the school.

  5. Student study team meetings are held weekly to discuss student needs and develop plans to help students be successful.  Parents may request these meetings and are asked to attend.

• The school involves parents in an organized, ongoing, and timely way, in the planning, review, and improvement of the school’s Title I program, including the planning, review, and improvement of the school parent and family engagement policy and the joint development of the schoolwide program plan. (20 USC 6318 (c)(3))

  1. During Back-to-School night parents will be asked to share their opinions and views on the school’s parent involvement policy and Title I programs.  SSC and ELAC meetings are also held five times per year for English Learner parents to give their input and learn about the programs and courses offered for their students.

• The school provides parents of participating students with 

1. timely information about the Title I program. (20 USC 6318 (c)(4)(A))

   1. Provided during Back-to-School night, mailings, phone call, emails and posted messages on school’s website calendar 

2. a description and explanation of the curriculum in use at the school, the forms of academic assessments used to measure student progress, and the achievement levels of the challenging State academic standards. (20 USC 6318 (c)(4)(B))

   1. Provided during Back-to-School night and Parent-Teacher conference night

3. 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. (20 USC 6318 (c)(4)(C))

   1. Incoming 6tgh grade parents are orientated each spring about the programs and offerings at Arroyo Grande High School.  Parents are informed about the courses and offerings that are available to their students and are asked to sign their student’s scheduling sheet.  

   2. Parents are able to meet directly with a counselor if they wish to at the end of the school year or in the fall.  Counselors meet with parents throughout the year to develop plans and determine ways to help students be successful.  

   3. Report cards and progress reports are available four times a year (eight progress reporting periods).   

   4. All teachers are utilizing the ABI grading program as well, which gives parents daily access to student’s progress through Homelink.

• if the schoolwide program plan 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. (20 USC 6318 (c)(5))

  1. Input can be provided during School Site Council and English Language Advisory Committee meetings 

  2. Parents can contact the Principal via email, phone or appointment to share input. 

BUILDING CAPACITY FOR INVOLVEMENT (Parental Involvement Policy continued)

To ensure effective involvement of parents and to support a partnership among the school involved, parents, and the community to improve student academic achievement, each school and local educational agency assisted with Title I, Part A funds, the school has established the following practices: 

1. The school provides parents with assistance in understanding such topics as the challenging State academic standards, State and local assessments, the requirements of Title I, Part A, and how to monitor a child’s progress and work with educators to improve the achievement of their children. (20 USC 6318 (e)(1))

   1. Yearly meetings in the spring for freshman parents to orientate them to the high school program and requirements.  Parents are also invited to attend a Back to School night each fall to meet their student’s teachers and learn about the curriculum and guidelines for each of their classes.  Parent attendance and surveys will measure their success.

   2. Parent-Teacher conference night in the Fall is also available for parents to meet with students and discuss their progress. 

2. The school provides parents with materials and training to help parents work with their children to improve their children's achievement. (20 USC 6318 (e)(2))

   1. Parent education nights will be held by the counseling department for parents to learn more about the high school programs and resources available to them.

3. The school educate teachers, specialized instructional support personnel, principals, and other school leaders, 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; (20 USC 6318 (e)(3))

   1. Teachers contact parents of all students that are failing classes.  Information about extended learning opportunities and strategies to help their students succeed need to be discussed with the parents.

4. The school, to the extent feasible and appropriate, coordinate and integrate the parent involvement programs and activities with other Federal, State, and local programs, including public preschool programs, and conduct other activities, such as parent resource centers, to encourage and support parents in more fully participating in the education of their children. (20 USC 6318 (e)(4))

   1. Parent orientation nights are held for incoming 6th grade parents each spring.  The meetings discuss the graduation requirements as well as the programs and offerings that are available to students at Arroyo Grande High School.  Parents are informed of the ways they can help their students be successful as well as what the school has to offer their students.

5. The school ensures that information related to school and parent programs, meetings, and other activities to parents is sent in a format and, to the extent practicable, in a language the parents can understand. (20 USC 6318 (e)(5))

   1. The phone message system, emails, beginning of the year parent information packets, newsletters, website and mailings are all used to inform parents.  Information will be sent home in Spanish to Spanish speaking parents

6. The school provides such other reasonable support for parental involvement activities as parents may request. (20 USC 6318 (e)(14))

   1. Through parent input, parent involvement activities will be developed and revised as necessary.

ACCESSIBILITY

Paulding Middle School, to the extent practicable, provides opportunities for the informed participation of all parents and family members (including parents and family members with limited English proficiency, parents and family members with disabilities, and parents and family members of migratory students) including providing information and school reports are provided in a format and language that parents understand. (20 USC 6318 (f))

• Information is provided to parents using the phone system, emails, and mailings sent home prior to the start of the school year.  

Compact: Shared Responsibilities For Middle School Student Academic Achievement 1118(d)

As a component of the school-level parental involvement policy/plan, each school shall jointly develop, with all parents for all children served under this part, a voluntary school-parent compact that outlines how parents, the entire school staff, and students will share the responsibility for improved student academic achievement. 

Paulding Middle School Parent/Teacher Compact:

As a parent/guardian or family member I will:

• Talk to my child regularly about the value of education

• Communicate with the school when I have a concern

• Make sure that my child attends school every day, on time, and with homework completed

• Support the school’s discipline policy

• Monitor my child’s progress at school

• Make every effort to attend school events, such as parent-teacher conferences, Open Houses, and Back to School Nights

• Ensure that my child gets adequate sleep, regular medical attention, and proper nutrition

• Participate in school, home, and community-sponsored activities

• Participate in shared decision making with school staff and other families for the benefit of students

• Respect the school, staff, students, and families

• Plan family vacations around school holidays

The School (Administration and Faculty) will:

• Provide high-quality curriculum and instruction

• Communicate high expectations for every student

• Endeavor to motivate my students to learn

• Teach and involve students in classes that are interesting and challenging

• Participate in professional development opportunities that improve teaching and learning and support the formation of partnerships with families and the community

• Enforce rules equitably and involve students in creating a warm and caring learning environment

• Communicate regularly with families about their child’s progress in school

• Provide assistance to families on what they can do to support their child’s learning

• Participate in shared decision making with other school staff and families for the benefit of students

• Respect the school, staff, students, and families

NOTICE OF NON-DISCRIMINATION

The Lucia Mar Unified School District  prohibits discrimination, intimidation, harassment (including sexual harassment) or bullying based on a person’s actual or perceived ancestry, color, disability, race or ethnicity, religion, gender, gender expression, gender identity, immigration status, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, or association with a person or group with one or more of these actual or perceived characteristics. For questions or complaints, contact Equity Compliance Officer and Title IX Coordinator: Jennifer Handy, Assistant Superintendent of HR, 602 Orchard Ave. Arroyo Grande, 805-474-3000 ext. 1190, jennifer.handy@lmusd.org or the 504 Coordinator: Linda Pierce, Director of Student Services, 227 Bridge St., Arroyo Grande, 805-474-3000 ext. 1189, linda.pierce@lmusd.org 

PARENT INVOLVEMENT

School Site Council (SSC)

Parents/Guardians are encouraged to run for school site council.  This information is sent to all parents through Parent Square at the beginning of the year.  Elections are held through a digital format sent via Parent Square to all parents/guardians. 

English Learners Advisory Committee (ELAC)

As with the SSC, agendas and meeting notices are sent out to parents through parent square informing them of the upcoming meetings.  The committee meets at least three times a year and a translator is available at all meetings.

District Advisory Committee (DAC)

Parents are encouraged to attend the DAC meetings sponsored by the District.

District English Learners Advisory Committee (DELAC) 

Parents are encouraged to attend the DELAC meetings sponsored by the District.

Paulding Parent-Teacher-Student-Organization (PTSO)

Paulding has an active PTSO that encourages membership through letters, flyers and e-mails.  The PTSO typically meets the first Tuesday of the month and parents are always invited to attend.  This group also sponsors the Parent Representative that attends the meetings with the superintendent.