Parent/Family Engagement Policy

Virginia Department of Education

Walker-Grant Middle School Family Engagement Policy

School Year:  2022-2023 

NOTE:   Each school receiving funds under Title I, Part A, of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) must develop a written school-parent involvement policy jointly with parents for all children participating in Title I, Part A, activities, services, and programs.  That policy must comply with Section 1116(b) of the ESEA and shall describe the means for carrying out the requirements of subsections (c) through (f).   

Walker-Grant Middle School jointly developed and reviewed this family engagement policy in consultation with school personnel, community members, and parents on November 3, 2022.  A list of committee members responsible for the writing of this policy can be found in Appendix A. This policy was distributed to parents of participating children and the extent practicable, provided in a language the parents can understand. This policy shall be made available to the local community through:  Web page, school newsletters, and school buildings.  If the Title I plan (application) is not satisfactory to the parents of participating children, Fredericksburg City Schools (FCPS) will submit any parent comments with the application when the plan is submitted to the state. This parent involvement plan will be updated annually to meet the changing needs of parents and the school.

Part 1.  POLICY INVOLVEMENT

Walker-Grant Middle School will:

(1) Convene an annual meeting in November to which all parents of participating children shall be invited and encouraged to attend, to inform parents of their school's participation in Title I and to explain the requirements of Title I, and the right of the parents to be involved;

(2) Offer a flexible number of meetings.  A schedule of this year’s meetings will be listed in the school newsletter each fall, which will also be posted on the school webpage;

(3) Involve 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 parental involvement policy and the joint development of the school-wide program plan (if applicable);

(4) Provide parents of participating children:

(A) timely information about Title I programs;

(B) a description and explanation of the curriculum in use at the school, the forms of academic assessment used to measure student progress, and the proficiency levels students are expected to meet; and

(C) 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; and

(5) If the school-wide program 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. (if applicable)

Part 2.  SHARED RESPONSIBILITIES FOR HIGH-STUDENT ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT

 Walker-Grant Middle School will:          

  1. Provide high-quality curriculum and instruction in a supportive and effective learning environment that enables the participating children to meet the state’s student academic achievement standards as follows:
  • Hire/employ highly qualified staff
  • Follow and provide state curriculum
  • Provide appropriate materials and equipment for staff and students
  • Provide ongoing professional development/training for staff
  1. Hold parent-teacher conferences (at least once annually) during which this compact will be discussed as it relates to the individual child’s achievement.  Specifically, those conferences will be held as follows:
  • Compacts will be referenced at initial conference meetings, administrative meetings with parents, and truancy meetings as appropriate.
  • Conferences will be provided at regular intervals throughout the year.
  • Conferences will be provided on an as-requested basis.  Requests can be made by teachers, parents, or administrators.
  • Conferences will be offered electronically or via telephone when requests can be accommodated.
  1. Provide parents with frequent reports on their children’s progress.  Specifically, the school will provide reports as follows:
  • Interim reports will go home each quarter
  • Report cards will go home quarterly to parents
  • Measure of Academic Progress assessment results are sent home after the fall, winter, and spring test sessions.
  • Phone calls, emails, and written notifications will be utilized to communicate student progress
  1. Provide parents with reasonable access to staff.  Specifically, staff will be available for consultation with parents as follows:
  • Staff will be available by appointment upon parent request
  • Staff will be available during scheduled conferences
  • Staff will be available via phone and/or email
  • Staff will respond to parent communication by the end of the next business day
  1. Provide parents opportunities to volunteer and participate in their child’s education, including:
  • Classroom observations
  • Field trips
  • Family Conference Nights
  • Monthly Principal Roundtables
  • Classroom projects
  • Evening events/activities
  • Assemblies/ guest speakers
  • Extra-Curricular Activities
  • Athletic Events
  • Online Suggestion Box
  1. Involve parents in the planning, review, and improvement of the school’s parental involvement policy, in an organized, ongoing, and timely way.
  • Review Policy with the community stakeholders bi-annually (Fall and Spring) and accept their suggestions for improvement for change.
  1. Involve parents in the joint development of any school-wide program plan, in an organized, ongoing, and timely way.
  • At year’s end, the school will compile the parent survey data and collaborate with community stakeholders to revise the policy to better accommodate their needs.
  1. Hold an annual meeting to inform parents of the school’s participation in Title I, Part A programs, and to explain the Title I, Part A requirements, and the right of parents to be involved in Title I, Part A programs.  The school will convene the meeting at a convenient time for parents and will offer a flexible number of additional parental involvement meetings, such as in the morning or evening so that as many parents as possible can attend.  The school will invite to this meeting all parents of children participating in Title I, and Part A programs (participating students), and will encourage them to attend.
  • This meeting will be held after the first semester of the current school year.
  • Additional reminders will be provided throughout the year.
  1. Provide information to parents of participating students in an understandable and uniform format, including alternative formats upon the request of parents with disabilities, and, to the extent practicable, in a language that parents can understand.
  • Information will be provided to parents of participating students in their language upon request (report cards, newsletters, flyers, interim reports, all Title I notices)

10. Provide parents of participating children information promptly about Title I, Part A programs that include a description and explanation of the school’s curriculum, the forms of academic assessment used to measure children’s progress, and the proficiency levels students are expected to meet.

  • Links to state curriculum will be provided on Walker-Grant Middle School’s Website
  • SOL- aligned and formatted unit assessments
  • Interim reports will go home each quarter
  • Report cards will go home quarterly to parents
  • Measure for Academic Progress results will go home to parents after the fall, winter, and spring testing sessions
  • The School Report Card, when it is released by the Department of Education will be sent home will all students
  • Provide information on how to interoperate SOL scores from the state
  • All Standards of Learning, curriculum information, Year At-A Glances, and other pertinent details will be shared and available to students, parents, and the community using multiple modes of communication.

11. On the request of parents, provide opportunities for regular meetings for parents to formulate suggestions, and to participate, as appropriate, in decisions about the education of their children.  The school will respond to any such suggestions as soon as practicably possible.

12. Provide to each parent an individual student report about the performance of their child on the State assessment in at least math, language arts, and reading.

  • At the end of the school year and/or during the early summer, the SOL reports will be sent to the parents of a child who participated in an SOL test.
  • Provide information on how to interpret SOL scores from the state
  • Administrators will communicate with parents of students who are at risk of retention based on academic performance and/or attendance.

13. Provide each parent timely notice when their child has been assigned or has been taught for four (4) or more consecutive weeks by a teacher who is not highly qualified within the meaning of the term in section 200.56 of the Title I Final Regulations (67 Fed. Reg. 71710, December 2, 2002).

14. Assist parents of children served, as appropriate, in understanding such topics as the state's academic content standards and State student academic achievement standards, state and local academic assessments; also monitor a child's progress and work with educators to improve the achievement of their children;

  • shall provide materials and training to help parents work with their children to improve individual achievement, such as literacy training and using technology, as appropriate, to foster parental involvement;
  • shall educate teachers, pupil services personnel, principals, and other staff, with the assistance of parents, in the value and utility of contributions of parents; and how to communicate and work with parents as equal partners, implement and coordinate parent programs, and build ties between parents and the school;
  • shall, to the extent feasible and appropriate, coordinate and integrate parent involvement programs and activities with Tiger Pride, PTA, Community Site Visits, Principal’s Roundtables, Civilian Education Core (CEC), WGMS Athletic Events, Parent Information; conduct other activities such as parent resource centers that encourage and support parents in more fully participating in the education of their children;
  • shall ensure that information related to school and parent programs, meetings, and other activities is sent upon request to the parents of participating children in a format that is practicable and in a language that parents can understand;

15. Shall provide, to the extent practicable, full opportunities for the participation of parents with limited English proficiency, parents with disabilities, and parents of migratory children, in a format that is practicable and in a language that parents can understand.

  • Information will be provided to parents of participating students in the appropriate format and language when requested (report cards, newsletters, flyers, interim reports, all Title I notices

 

Appendix A: A list of committee members responsible for the writing of this policy

 

School Representatives:

Dr. Rickie G. Hopkins

Mrs. Emma Brown

Mrs. Kisha Frye

Mr. Tony Lewis

Mrs. Delia Clayton-Fulcher

Mr. Marco Padilla

 

Parent Representatives:
Erinn Theado
Kristy Bretzinger
Kathleen Pomeroy
Josephine Akato
Anna Dickinson
Charnetta Hudson

 

Parent Engagement Policy Review

Date: 11/3/22

Location: WGMS Conference Room