At the building level, it is the policy of Morning Sun Elementary School that parents of all participating children have the opportunity to be involved in the joint development of the school plan and in the school's review process for the purpose of school improvement. The school provides coordination, technical assistance and other necessary support in the planning and implementation of parent involvement activities. The school encourages parent involvement and supports the partnership between home/school/community by providing understandable information about standards and assessments; providing training and materials for parents to help their children and to involve other parents; educating school personnel about involving parents and the value of parent contributions; and developing meaningful roles for community organizations and businesses to work with parents and schools.
It is the policy of Morning Sun Elementary School that:
1.) This jointly developed, written policy is distributed to parents of participating Title I children. The Title I Parent Involvement Policy will be discussed at the annual meeting, parent/teacher conferences, informal meetings, and will be mailed to parents who did not attend any of the above. New families to the district will receive the policy in the mail along with notification of Title I services if the student meets the eligibility criteria to be served.
2.) An annual meeting is held for all parents of participating children. Additional parent meetings with flexible meeting times shall be held throughout the year as determined by parent interest and suggestions. An annual fall meeting is held for all parents of participating children. Parent/teacher conferences are held as parents' interest and involvement levels indicate. Parents are notified of such events via mailings, calendars, newsletters and/or phone calls.
3.) Parents are given assistance in understanding the requirements of the Title I law, National Educational Goals, content standards, performance standards, and assessments. Parents are given assistance in understanding the requirements of the Title I law as well as information on goals, standards, and assessments at the annual parent meeting, parent/teacher conferences, informational meetings, publications, and Title I narratives.
4.) Parents receive an explanation of the school's performance profile, expected proficiency levels for students, and their student’s assessment results. Parents receive information of the school's performance profile, proficiency levels, and assessment results through annually published 280.12/280.18 reports, an open school board meeting where results are presented and discussed, individual reports to parent, parent meetings, and parent/teacher conferences.
5.) Parents are informed of the reasons for their children's participation, the curriculum, and the instructional objectives and methods of the program. Parents are informed of the reasons for their children's participation, the curriculum, and the instructional objectives and methods through letters sent home, explanation of eligibility criteria at parent meetings, parent/teacher conferences and classroom visits.
6.) Parents receive timely responses to all parent recommendations. Full opportunities are provided for all parents to participate in Title I activities. Parents receive timely verbal or written response to all parent recommendations. Opportunities are provided for parents to participate in Title I activities such as Parent Open House, Parent Teacher Conferences, and the annual Parent Meeting.
7.) A jointly developed school/parent compact outlines how parents, the staff, and students share responsibility for improved student achievement and the means by which the school and parents continue to build and develop partnerships to help children achieve the local high standards. Coming together as parents, students, and teachers we affirm the importance of working together to help students succeed. Through the development of the school/parent compact we have agreed to;
- share responsibility at school and at home to give students a better education and a good start in life
- promote effective two-way communication between families and schools
- provide opportunities for families to learn how to help their children succeed in school and for school staff to work with families, support family-school efforts to improve student learning by reviewing progress regularly and strengthening cooperative actions.
The school/parent compact was established and agreed upon by parents and staff. It is distributed, discussed, and signed at the annual parent meeting, informational meeting, and/or parent/teacher conferences.
8.) The Title I program provides opportunities for parents to become partners with the school in promoting the education of their children at home and at school. Parents are given help monitoring their student's progress. The school provides assistance to parents on how they can participate in decisions related to their student's education. The school provides reasonable support for parental involvement activities as requested by parents.
Parent opportunities for becoming partners with the school in promoting the education of their children include:
- Communication between home and school is regular, two-way, and meaningful.
- Opportunities for parents to become involved in decision-making about how the program will be designed, implemented, assessed, and strengthened.
- Regular information for parents about the objectives of educational programs and their child's participation and progress in those programs.
- Provide parents with strategies and techniques for assisting their children with learning activities at home that support and extend the school's instructional program.
- Involve parents, with appropriate training, in instructional support roles at the school.
- Parenting skills are promoted and supported
- Link parents to programs and resources within the community that provide support services to families.
9.) The school coordinates and integrates parent involvement programs and activities with other programs as appropriate.
Community resources are used to strengthen schools, families, and student learning. When schools and communities work together, both are strengthened in what they are able to accomplish
- Information is distributed regarding cultural, recreational, academic, health, social, and other resources that serve families within the community.
- Partnerships with local business and service groups to advance student learning and assist schools and families.
- Foster participation in community service.
- Involve community members in school volunteer programs.
- Disseminate information to the school community regarding school programs and performance.
- Collaborate with community agencies to provide family support services.
10.) An annual evaluation of this parental involvement policy shall be conducted to determine the effectiveness of this policy and the barriers of this policy for increasing parent involvement. Policy evaluation findings shall be used in designing strategies for school improvement and revising parent policies.
An annual evaluation is conducted through the use of a written parent survey to assess the effectiveness of the Title I program. The information gained from this review will be shared and discussed at future parent meetings and the program will be revised or modified as suggestions warrant and are feasible. Reading assessment profiles are also analyzed to determine individual growth.
The superintendent is responsible for notifying parents of this policy annually or within a reasonable time after it has been amended during the school year. It is the responsibility of the superintendent to develop administrative regulations regarding this policy.
Legal References: No Child Left Behind. Title I, Sec. 1118. P.L. 107-110 (2002)
Cross References: 903.2 Community Resource Persons and Volunteers.
Approved:
Reviewed: 05/08/06; 5/11/11; 5/10/16; 2/8/21; 2/13/24; 8/13/24
Revised: 01/13/03