Normal Heights Elementary
Title I Parent Involvement Policy and Home School Compact
In the fall, an annual meeting will be held to share with parents a description of the Title I program and its requirements.
Normal Heights Elementary has developed a written Title I parental involvement policy with input from Title I parents. The school developed the policy through various discussions/input with staff and parents during Coffee with the Principal, which is very well attended, School Site Council meetings, and whole-staff meetings.
The school has distributed the policy to parents of Title I students by sharing it at various parent meetings such as Coffee with the Principal, School Site Council, Title I Program presentation meeting, and by posting it on the school web site.
The policy describes the means for carrying out the following Title I parental involvement requirements [20 USC 6318 Section 1118(a)-(f) inclusive].
Involvement of Parents in the Title I Program
To involve parents in the Title I program at Normal Heights Elementary, the following practices have been established:
- The school convenes an annual meeting to inform parents of Title I students about Title I requirements and about the right of parents to be involved in the Title I program. Community stake-holders are informed of the date and time of the meeting and a discussion around our Title I program is held.
- The school offers a flexible number of meetings for Title I parents, such as meetings in the morning or evening. There are monthly Coffee with the Principal/Family Friday events, scheduled School Site Council meetings, Back to School Night, Open House, ELAC meetings, and various workshops on many topics from nutrition and health, to kindergarten success strategies, all presented by experts from partner organizations.
- The school involves parents of Title I students in an organized, ongoing, and timely way, in the planning, review, and improvement of the school's Title I programs and the Title I parental involvement policy. The Single Plan for Student Achievement is annually reviewed by SSC, along with the Title I Parent Involvement Policy and Home-School Compact. Title I programs are reviewed through ELAC, SSC, and SGT.
- The school provides parents of Title I students with timely information about Title I programs.
The school uses School Messenger to send out pertinent information to parents in real-time, along with updates presented during Coffee with the Principal, Back to School Night, and other parent events.
- The school provides parents of Title I students with an explanation of the curriculum used at the school, the assessments used to measure student progress, and the proficiency levels students are expected to meet. School data is presented, such as district benchmark results, proficiency levels in reading, math, and CELDT during various meetings and Parent-Teacher Conferences.
- If requested by parents of Title I students, the school provides opportunities for regular meetings that allow the parents to participate in decisions relating to the education of their children. Parents would contact school office to request a meeting with the principal.
School-Parent Compact
Normal Heights Elementarydistributes to parents of Title I students this school-parent compact. This compact, which has been jointly developed with parents, outlines how parents, the entire school staff, and students will share the responsibility for improved student academic achievement. The school and families will partner to help children achieve the State's high academic standards. The descriptions below address the following legally required items, as well as other items suggested by parents of Title I students.
- The school's responsibility to provide high-quality curriculum and instruction
- The ways parents will be responsible for supporting their children's learning
- The importance of ongoing communication between parents and teachers through, at a minimum, annual parent-teacher conferences; frequent reports on student progress; access to staff; opportunities for parents to volunteer and participate in their child's class; and opportunities to observe classroom activities
The school's Title I school-parent compact is developed with the input of Title I parents through our SSC, ELAC, and SGT. Copies are distributed by sending them home with students and at various school wide meetings throughout they year.
Building Capacity for Involvement
Normal Heights Elementary engages Title I parents in meaningful interactions with the school. It supports a partnership among staff, parents, and the community to improve student academic achievement. To help reach these goals, the school has established the following practices.
- The school provides Title I parents with assistance in understanding the State's academic content standards, assessments, and how to monitor and improve the achievement of their children at our annual Title I Parent meeting and at various Coffee with The Principal events throughout the year.
- The school provides Title I parents with materials and training to help them work with their children to improve their children's achievement. Multiple parent workshops in Literacy and Math are made available to help parents throughout the year.
- With the assistance of Title I parents, the school educates staff members about the value of parent contributions, and in how to work with parents as equal partners. Input from parents is disseminated at staff Professional Development throughout the year.
- The school coordinates and integrates the Title I parental involvement program with other programs, and conducts other activities, such as parent resource centers, to encourage and support parents in more fully participating in the education of their children. Information about school and community resources available to families are disseminated frequently through various parent attended meetings.
- The school distributes Information related to school and parent programs, meetings, and other activities to Title I parents in a format and language that the parents understand. Information is available and distributed in the parent home language with the help of district translation services.
- The school provides support for parental involvement activities requested by Title I parents. The schools staff is open to any requests (within the law) made by Title I parents and plan accordinglyto carry out the respective request.
Accessibility
Normal Heights Elementaryprovides opportunities for the participation of all Title I parents, including parents with limited English proficiency, parents with disabilities, and parents of migratory students. Information and school reports are provided in a format and language parents understand. We are an inclusive school and information and reports distributed by the school to students' homes are in parents' home language.
Home/School Compact
Normal Heights Elementary and the parents of the students participating in activities, services, and programs funded by Title I, part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) (participating children), agree that this compact outlines how the parents, the entire school staff, and the students will share responsibility for improved student academic achievement and the means by which the school and parents will build and develop a partnership that will help children achieve California's high standards.
This Home/School Compact is in effect during the 2016-2017 school year.
School Responsibilities
Normal Heights Elementary will:
- Provide high-quality curriculum and instruction in a supportive and effective learning environment that enables participating children to meet California's student academic achievement standards as follows:
- We will ensure that a high quality curriculum that addresses student needs and enables students to meet or exceed district standards is in place.
- We will set high expectations for student learning and use a variety of teaching strategies to motivate and encourage all students, while providing an enriching academic program based on standards.
- We will help to create a welcoming environment for students, families and community members.
- Hold parent-teacher conferences twice annually, during which this compact will be discussed as it relates to the individual child's achievement.
- We will hold parent-teacher conferences twice a year during the Fall and Spring Semesters.
- Provide parents with frequent reports on their child's progress.
- We will give parents and students timely feedback on student work and current academic progress.
- Parents are encouraged to communicate with the classroom teacher often.
- Provide parents reasonable access to staff.
- We will provide regular and direct communication regarding school and learning issues to students, families, and the community via School Messenger, Website, School Newsletter, and flyer reminders. Parents can call our office to make an appointment with the classroom teacher.
- Provide parents opportunities to volunteer and participate in their child's class, and to observe classroom activities, as follows:
- Ensuring my child attends school daily, on time, prepared, ready to work and learn.
- Making sure that homework is completed.
- Monitoring amount and quality of television my child watches.
- Volunteering in my child's classroom.
- Planning family vacations for times when school is not in session.
- Participating, as appropriate, in decisions relating to my child's education.
- Promoting positive use of my child's extracurricular time.
- Knowing and supporting school/classroom rules, and the site discipline and attendance plan.
- Staying informed about my child's education and communicating with the school by promptly reading all notices from the school or the school district either received by my child or by mail and responding, as appropriate.
- Serving, to the extent possible, on advisory groups, such as the School Site Council, the District Advisory Council for Compensatory Education, the English Learner Advisory Committee, or other school advisory groups.
Student Responsibilities (revise as appropriate to grade level)
We, as students, will share the responsibility to improve our academic achievement and achieve California's high standards.
- Do my homework every day and ask for help when I need it.
Read at least 30 minutes every day outside of school time.
Give to my parents or the adult who is responsible for my welfare all notices and information received by me from my school every day.
I will attend school daily, on time, prepared, and ready to work and learn.
I will understand what I am expected to learn, complete all assignments to the best of my ability and get help when I need it.
- I will follow school rules (including the site discipline code) and cooperate with adults and other students.
- I will respect the rights of others to learn and help to create a positive learning environment for everyone.
- I will respect the property of the school, the community, and others.