Family Engagement Policy
SELMER MIDDLE SCHOOL FAMILY ENGAGEMENT POLICY
GENERAL
This school parent involvement policy has been developed and agreed upon with parents of SMS students. It will be reviewed and updated annually as needed to meet the changing needs of parents and our school. Names of individuals involved in the development of this policy are on file in the principal’s office. A copy of this policy will be given to parents each year.
POLICY INVOLVEMENT
An annual meeting to which all parents shall be invited and encouraged to attend will be held each year. The meetings will be held at a time convenient to parents. At these meetings this policy, the availability of information concerning teachers’ credentials, legal requirements, and the parents’ rights to involved will be explained. In addition to the annual meetings, a flexible number (minimum of two) of meetings for parents will be offered throughout the year (Parent Visitation and Open House).
Parents are involved in an organized, ongoing, and timely way, in the planning, review, and improvement of the Title I School-wide Program, including the school parental involvement policy through such means as meetings, conferences, written/oral communications, needs assessments, and parent meetings.
Through such means as the Open House, Parent Teacher Conferences, monthly newsletter, parent meetings, formal and informal contacts, publications in local newspaper, local report cards, social media, and State reports, parents of participating children are provided:
…timely information about the Title I Schoolwide Program;
…information about and interpretation of the school’s and child’s performance;
…a description and explanation of the curriculum, assessment measures, and proficiency expectations for students;
…opportunities to share experiences, offer suggestions, and participate in decisions relating to the education of their children; and
…timely responses to their suggestions.
SHARED RESPONSIBILITIES FOR HIGH STUDENT PERFORMANCE
Selmer Middle School has jointly developed with parents of students a School-parent Compact that outlines how parents, the school staff, and students share the responsibility for improved student achievement and how the school and parents will build and develop a partnership to help children achieve the State’s high standards.
The compact describes the school’s responsibility to provide high quality curriculum and instruction in a supportive and effective learning environment that enables students to meet the State’s student performance standards, and the ways in which each parent will be responsible for supporting his/her children’s learning.
The importance of communication between teachers and parents on an ongoing basis is stressed in the compact through such means as urging parents to attend parent-teacher conferences during which the compact will be discussed as it relates to each child’s achievement and urging teachers to send parents frequent reports on their children’s progress. At Selmer Middle School, parents are given reasonable access to staff, provided opportunities to volunteer and participate in their child’s class and observe classroom activities.
BUILDING CAPACITY FOR INVOLVEMENT
To ensure effective involvement of parents and to support a partnership among the school, parents, and the community to improve student achievement, Selmer Middle School through such means as meetings, conferences, workshops, and written and oral communications:
…provides assistance to parents in such areas as understanding the State’s content standards and State student performance standards, State and local assessments, parent involvement requirements, and how to monitor a child’s progress and work with educators to improve the performance of their children, as well as information on how to participate in decisions relating to the education of their children;
…provides materials coordinating necessary literacy training from other sources and provides training to help parents work with their children to improve their children’s achievement;
…educates teachers, pupil services personnel, the principal and other staff, with the assistance of parents, in the value and utility of contributions of parents, and in how to reach out, communicate with, and work with parents as equal partners, implement and coordinate parent programs, and build ties between home and school;
…coordinates and integrates parent involvement programs and activities with Selmer Elementary School and other programs to the extent feasible and appropriate;
…develops appropriate roles for community-based organizations and businesses in parent involvement activities including providing information about opportunities for organizations and businesses to work with parent and schools, and encouraging the formation of partnerships between schools, and local businesses that include a role for parents;
…ensures, to the extent possible, that information related to school and parent programs, meetings, and other activities is sent to the homes of students in the language used in such homes (translations;) and
…provides such other reasonable support (timely response) for parental involvement activities as parents may request.
ACCESSIBILITY
In carrying out parental involvement requirements, Selmer Middle School, to the extent practicable, provides full opportunities for the participation of parents with limited English proficiency or with disabilities, including providing information and school profiles in a language and form such parents understand (translations).
This school parent involvement policy has been developed and agreed upon with parents of SMS students. It will be reviewed and updated annually as needed to meet the changing needs of parents and our school. Names of individuals involved in the development of this policy are on file in the principal’s office. A copy of this policy will be given to parents each year.
POLICY INVOLVEMENT
An annual meeting to which all parents shall be invited and encouraged to attend will be held each year. The meetings will be held at a time convenient to parents. At these meetings this policy, the availability of information concerning teachers’ credentials, legal requirements, and the parents’ rights to involved will be explained. In addition to the annual meetings, a flexible number (minimum of two) of meetings for parents will be offered throughout the year (Parent Visitation and Open House).
Parents are involved in an organized, ongoing, and timely way, in the planning, review, and improvement of the Title I School-wide Program, including the school parental involvement policy through such means as meetings, conferences, written/oral communications, needs assessments, and parent meetings.
Through such means as the Open House, Parent Teacher Conferences, monthly newsletter, parent meetings, formal and informal contacts, publications in local newspaper, local report cards, social media, and State reports, parents of participating children are provided:
…timely information about the Title I Schoolwide Program;
…information about and interpretation of the school’s and child’s performance;
…a description and explanation of the curriculum, assessment measures, and proficiency expectations for students;
…opportunities to share experiences, offer suggestions, and participate in decisions relating to the education of their children; and
…timely responses to their suggestions.
SHARED RESPONSIBILITIES FOR HIGH STUDENT PERFORMANCE
Selmer Middle School has jointly developed with parents of students a School-parent Compact that outlines how parents, the school staff, and students share the responsibility for improved student achievement and how the school and parents will build and develop a partnership to help children achieve the State’s high standards.
The compact describes the school’s responsibility to provide high quality curriculum and instruction in a supportive and effective learning environment that enables students to meet the State’s student performance standards, and the ways in which each parent will be responsible for supporting his/her children’s learning.
The importance of communication between teachers and parents on an ongoing basis is stressed in the compact through such means as urging parents to attend parent-teacher conferences during which the compact will be discussed as it relates to each child’s achievement and urging teachers to send parents frequent reports on their children’s progress. At Selmer Middle School, parents are given reasonable access to staff, provided opportunities to volunteer and participate in their child’s class and observe classroom activities.
BUILDING CAPACITY FOR INVOLVEMENT
To ensure effective involvement of parents and to support a partnership among the school, parents, and the community to improve student achievement, Selmer Middle School through such means as meetings, conferences, workshops, and written and oral communications:
…provides assistance to parents in such areas as understanding the State’s content standards and State student performance standards, State and local assessments, parent involvement requirements, and how to monitor a child’s progress and work with educators to improve the performance of their children, as well as information on how to participate in decisions relating to the education of their children;
…provides materials coordinating necessary literacy training from other sources and provides training to help parents work with their children to improve their children’s achievement;
…educates teachers, pupil services personnel, the principal and other staff, with the assistance of parents, in the value and utility of contributions of parents, and in how to reach out, communicate with, and work with parents as equal partners, implement and coordinate parent programs, and build ties between home and school;
…coordinates and integrates parent involvement programs and activities with Selmer Elementary School and other programs to the extent feasible and appropriate;
…develops appropriate roles for community-based organizations and businesses in parent involvement activities including providing information about opportunities for organizations and businesses to work with parent and schools, and encouraging the formation of partnerships between schools, and local businesses that include a role for parents;
…ensures, to the extent possible, that information related to school and parent programs, meetings, and other activities is sent to the homes of students in the language used in such homes (translations;) and
…provides such other reasonable support (timely response) for parental involvement activities as parents may request.
ACCESSIBILITY
In carrying out parental involvement requirements, Selmer Middle School, to the extent practicable, provides full opportunities for the participation of parents with limited English proficiency or with disabilities, including providing information and school profiles in a language and form such parents understand (translations).