Family and Community Engagement Plan
2005
Our Goal is to improve parent and community involvement within our school
Members of the Huntsville Elementary Family Engagement Advisory Board:
Kevin Byrd, Principal
Lisa Sexton, Kindergarten teacher
Amy Sexton, First Grade Teacher
Fayetta Litton, Pre-K Teacher
Debbie Byrge, Parent
Donna Buttram, Parent
Goals:
A. To use a variety of strategies to provide a warm and comfortable environment for our families.
1. Parent/Teacher Conferences will be held twice a year. They will be held at the end of the first and fourth six weeks. We will also allow for frequent contact between parents and teachers via email, phone calls and notes.
2. The Family Engagement Advisory Board will hold a “Back to School” Celebration on Friday, August 5th. We will give information on the purpose of the Family Engagement Policy, our school policies, parent rights as well as teacher information and details of activities like Family Reading Night that we have been planned for the coming year.
3. We will hold our annual Title 1 Meeting in the spring to inform parents about the requirements of Title 1 and the rights of the parents involved. We will also review current student scores, curriculum information and our goals from the Family Engagement Plan.
4. Each parent will be given a “Welcome Packet” containing contact information, lunch forms, bus routes and curriculum/testing information.
5. A student handbook will be provided to each parent
6. A School/Parent Compact will be given to each student. It will list the responsibilities of the student, parent, and school staff in the child’s education.
7. Each teacher will be required to send home written classroom information. This will include rules, teacher’s phone number, and email address as well as classroom procedures and grading policies.
8. Other teacher communication will include: reports cards (due at the end of each six weeks), weekly reports with the student’s work (signed by the parent) and any awards or special concerns about a particular student. All communication will be documented by the classroom teacher (including dates/times)
9. School news letters and notes will be sent home on a regular basis to keep parents informed about classroom and school activities.
10.Parent/family checklists and surveys will be sent periodically to see how we may better improve communication with our parents.
11.Parents/families will be informed of their rights to access the School Board’s policy and curriculum information on the district website.
B. We will give parents many opportunities to be involved in their child’s education and classroom activities.
1. We will provide a Family Reading Night every six weeks.
Refreshments and door prizes will be provided.
2. HES will organize a Parent Volunteer Program to help involve parents in the instruction program. A log of volunteers will be maintained. We will strive to make our parent feel welcome and allow many opportunities for them to volunteer.
3. We will implement a Parent Recognition Program. Teachers will submit names and activities of volunteers in their classrooms and the Advisory Board will select a parent to be recognized at the board meeting as Parent of the Month.
4. We have in place: Transition Activities for each grade so that teachers from that child’s next grade will be given an opportunity to meet their next class. Special Programs will be scheduled throughout the year, PTO meetings will be scheduled each month, Awards Day for various activities (AR, Science Fair, Attendance, Spelling Bees), and Parent Appreciate Day will be scheduled sometime during the spring.
C. Parents will be encouraged and given every opportunity to stay informed about parenting issues.
1. HES will support this goal in the following ways: The “Parents
Make the Difference” newsletter will be sent out each month. A monthly calendar titled “Parents Make the Difference” will be sent to parents. Parents will also receive notes concerning school activities and curriculum information from the “Blueprint for Learning”. Parents will be encouraged to monitor homework and daily reading assignments.
2. HES Provides weekly parenting classes and bi-monthly evening
parenting classes through the Even Start Program. These classes are designed to improve parenting skills and provide a support group for parents. Additional parent training will be provided through the Tennessee Extension Office (nutrition and health issues).
D. Parents will be given opportunities to share in the decision making process.
1. We have parents serving on our Advisory Board
E. We will strive to increase our community involvement
1. We work with: McDonalds, Flonnie’s, Sonic, Subway and
Burger King to provide incentives for good attendance etc.
2. A handbook listing all community agencies will be available in our office.
We collaborate with the Head-Start Program, Upper Cumberland Children’s Center, Mission of Hope, Second Harvest Food Bank, Scott County Dental Clinic, Lion’s Club and Tennessee Extension Agency to provide for the basic needs of our students.