Fontana Unified School District
Title I School-Level Parent and Family Engagement Policy
Date Elementary School
2020-2021 School Year
With approval from the local governing board, Date Elementary School has developed a written Title I parent and family engagement policy with input from parents and family members of participating children. A meeting was held on August 27, 2020 at 2:45 pm with parents and staff to review the strengths and needs mentioned below in the areas of parental involvement. Agendas for this meeting were posted at various locations on campus and a flier was sent home with each student. The agenda was also posted in English and Spanish on our school website www.fusd.net/date . Additionally, a Blackboard Connect 5 message was sent to all telephone numbers on record for Date Elementary parents informing them in advance of the meeting. The telephone message was delivered in English and Spanish or a voicemail was left in preferred household language. The Parental Involvement Policy was reviewed in its entirety and then divided into sections among groups of parents and staff members to review and discuss. Each parent had the opportunity to provide their input.
The school has distributed the policy to parents and family members of children served under Title I, Part A. A
PowerPoint Presentation was created to highlight Title I program description and Title I policies. The presentation was shared with all parents attending our school’s virtual back to school nights via Microsoft TEAMS. Parents were given the opportunity to ask questions at the end and input was welcomed. In addition, during our next SSC and ELAC meetings parents will review the final version of the Parent Involvement Policy. Once the approval is in place parents will receive a copy of the policy through mass distribution. Also, copies of the Parent Involvement Policy will be located in the front office. When new students arrive at Date, the parent of these students will also receive a copy.
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Date Elementary School’s policy describes the means for carrying out Title I parent and family engagement requirements.
INVOLVEMENT OF PARENTS IN THE TITLE I PROGRAM
To involve parents and family members in the Title I program at Date Elementary, the following practices have been established:
a) Date Elementary convenes an annual meeting, at a convenient time, to which all parents of participating children shall be invited to attend and encouraged, to inform parents and family members of their school’s participation in the Title I, Part A program and to explain the requirements, and the right of the parents to be involved.
- Annual School Site Council (SSC) meeting (afternoon meeting)
- Annual English Language Advisory Council meeting (morning meeting)
- A scheduled Parent Involvement Meeting as part of Date’s Back to school night held in English and Spanish (evening meetings, held over two weeks – one night per grade level)
b) Date Elementary offers a flexible number of meetings, such as meetings in the morning or evening, and the school may provide, with Title I funds, transportation, childcare, or home visits, as such services related to parent
involvement.
- Parents always have the option to call the office and schedule and appointment at our school. - Childcare will be available when and if in-person meetings are permitted.
- Translation Services are always provided whether meeting in person or virtually.
c) Date Elementary involves 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 parent and family engagement policy and the joint development of the schoolwide (SWP) program plan.
- Monthly/bi-monthly SSC and ELAC meetings
o Title 1 Programs are reviewed, presented, and evaluated. Parents review the Single Plan for Student Achievement and approve the final version. Parents approve annual categorical budgets in alignment with the SPSA.
- Monthly Coffee with the Principal - Annual Title 1 Meeting
- Parents informed of meetings through fliers, posted agendas, website announcements, and phone calls - Childcare and translation available at all meetings
d) Date Elementary provides parents of participating children with the following: 1. Timely information about the Title I program.
- Title I programs are explained at the SSC, ELAC and other parent meetings. - Parents are informed through Blackboard Connect 5 messages, postings and fliers
2. A description and explanation of the curriculum in use at the school, the forms of academic assessment used to measure student progress, and the achievement levels of the challenging State academic standards.
- Back to School Night - Teacher Letters
- Parent-Teacher Conferences (Elementary)
- Resources available through the web (District and CDE) - Progress Reports
- Individual Student Achievement Reports (State and Local)
- School Site Council (SSC)/English Language Advisory Committee (ELAC)/District English Language Advisory Committee (DELAC)/Parent Teacher Association (PTA) Meetings
- Superintendent’s Advisory Council Meetings - Textbook Adoption Viewings
- Parent/Student Handbook
- Title I Parent Meetings (sites that receive Title I) - Back to School Night/Open House
- Blackboard Connect 5 messages - Newsletters
- Awards Assemblies - Home Visits
- Coffee with the Principal - Nutrition/ Health Classes - Citizenship Classes - Parenting Classes - Computer Classes
3. 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.
- Currently, due to the pandemic on-campus schooling is not occurring thus virtual interactions on TEAMS channels, email, phone calls, mailings, and other non-contact reach out efforts are taking place. When permitted, in-person opportunities will resume as outlined below.
- Administration encourages parents to schedule a meeting with secretary to meet with teacher/principal - Administation welcomes parents and students in front of school and blacktop every morning and can
address specific questions or concerns regarding the education of their children
- Administration is available in front of school at the end of the school day to answer specific questions or concerns regarding the education of their children
- Teachers are available to contact or meet with parents prior to 7:45 am. every morning and available after 2:30 p.m. to discuss questions/concerns regarding the education of their children
- Teachers are available to schedule meetings to meet their needs or the needs of the parents to discucuss questions/concerns regarding the education of their children.
e) If the SWP plan 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 LEA.
- If the SWP plan is not satisfactory to the parents of participating children, school administration will meet with parents to gather information regarding the concern. Said parent will be invited to make comment at next SSC meeting, SSC will discuss and determine next steps. Items will be noted on SSC minutes and a decision will be agreed upon and made available to the public and the LEA.
BUILDING CAPACITY FOR INVOLVEMENT
To ensure effective involvement of parents and to support a partnership among the school involved, parents, and the community to improve student academic achievement, each school and local educational agency assisted with Title I, Part A funds shall carry out the following requirements.
a) Date Elementary provides to parents of children served by the school or LEA, as appropriate, in understanding such topics as the challenging state academic standards, state and local assessments, the requirements of Title I, Part A, and how to monitor a child’s progress and work with educators to improve the achievement of their children.
- Back to School Night/Open House - Teacher Letters
- Parent-Teacher Conferences
- Resources available through the web (District and CDE) - Progress Reports
- Individual Student Achievement Reports (State and Local)
- School Site Council (SSC), English Language Advisory Committee (ELAC), District English Language Advisory Committee (DELAC), Parent Teacher Association (PTA), Superintendent’s Advisory Council Meetings
- Blackboard Connect 5 Messages - Newsletters
- Awards Assemblies - Home Visits
- Student Intervention Team (SIT) - Bilingual Community Aide - Re-designation Meetings - Individual Education Plan (IEP)
b) Date Elementary provides materials and training to help parents work with their children to improve their children's achievement as appropriate, to foster parental involvement.
- School will have multiple distribution dates planned to give students and families instructional, intervention, and enrichment resources including reading books, textbooks, notebooks, writing supplies, math and literacy manipulatives.
- District PD offerings for parents will be widely advertised so Date parents can participate in virtually during pandemic restrictions.
- Pamphlets with academic instruction sent home
- Bulletins, newsletters, and agendas are sent home and posted at school - Records of parent volunteers maintained for recognition
c) Date Elementary educates teachers, specialized instructional support personnel, principals, and other school leaders, and other staff, with the assistance of parents, in the value and utility of contributions of parents, and in how to reach out to, communicate with, and work with parents as equal partners, implement and coordinate parent programs, and build ties between parents and the school.
- The principal holds regular staff meetings
- School Psychologist, Resource Teacher, and Speech Teacher train parents and staff
- Community Aide & Counselor train fellow staff and administrators on effectively working with parents and conflict resolution
- Annual SSC/ELAC Training
d) Date Elementary, to the extent feasible and appropriate, coordinate and integrate parent involvement programs and activities with other federal, state, and local programs, including public preschool programs, and conduct other activities, such as parent resource centers, that encourage and support parents in more fully participating in the education of their children.
- Home visits to work with parents when permittable and with all safety measures in place
- Certificates for students and parent achievement posted on TEAMS and mailed home during pandemic. - Establish a parent resource center when permitted.
- Train parents in ways to help their students with distance learning. - PTA sponsored events when permitted by county regulations. - Safety Meetings
e) Date Elementary ensures that information related to school and parent programs, meetings, and other activities is sent to parents of participating children in a format and, to the extent practicable, in a language the parents can understand.
- Pamphlets - Fliers
- Blackboard Connect 5 Messages - Posters in various places on campus.
- Information is reported in English and Spanish - Monthly calendars
- Newsletters - Twitter
f) Date Elementary provides such other reasonable support for parental involvement activities under this section as parents may request.
The school provides various opportunities for parents to be involved in parent workshops and school meetings. The school addresses parent relations at staff meetings and during PBIS meetings. There is open and ongoing
communication between parents and staff. Fast response to parent requests for meetings. Parents will help develop behavioral charts and PBIS matrix.
Accessibility
Date Elementary, to the extent practicable, shall provide opportunities for the informed participation of parents and family members (including parents and family members who have limited English proficiency, parents and family members with disabilities, and parents and family members of migratory children) including providing information and school reports required under Section 111 of the ESEA, as amended by the ESSA, in a format and, to the extent practicable, in a language such parents understand.
Date Elementary provides opportunities for all parents to participate, including parents with limited English proficiency, parents with disabilities, and parents of migratory students. These opportunities include:
- Calendars and meeting notices are sent home and posted on our various social media platforms to inform parents of all upcoming events and meetings in dual languages English and Spanish and website has ability to translate in other parents.
- Translation available on phone of in person.
- Wheel Chair ramps and doors wide enough for wheel chairs to enter - Elevator lift
- Disabled parking
- Date ES will ensure, to the extent practicable, to provide full opportunities for the participation of parents with limited English proficiency, parents with disabilities, and parents of migratory students including providing information and school reports in a format and, to the extent practicable, in a language parents of the Title I students understand.
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School-Parent Compact
As a component of the school-level parent and family engagement policy, each school served under Title I, Part A shall jointly develop with parentsfor all children served under this part a school-parent compact that outlines how parents, the entire school staff, and students will share the responsibility for improved student academic achievement and the means by which the school and parents will build and develop a partnership to help children achieve the state’s high standards. The school-parent compact shall carry out the following requirements.
a) Describe the school’s responsibility to provide high-quality curriculum and instruction in a supportive and effective learning environment that enables the children served under this part to meet the challenging state academic standards, and the ways in which each parent will be responsible for supporting their children’s learning;
volunteering in their child’s classroom; and participating, as appropriate, in decisions relating to the education of their children and positive use of extracurricular time.
- Parent conferences to update parents of students’ progress and mastery toward grade level standards. - Frequent communication with parents regarding students’ behavior and academic progress.
-Ensuring that student and parent support times from distance learning schedule are followed by staff and that they are available to answer questions and provide support.
- Host parent workshops (when permitted) that inform and educate parents about curricular topics (Literacy, Math, English Language Development).
-Provide opportunities for parent involvement and parent volunteer opportunities when permitted. -Demonstrate a positive attitude toward all members of the learning community.
-Hold the highest standards and expectations for teaching, learning, and behavior.
b) Address the importance of communication between teachers and parents on an ongoing basis through, at a minimum, the following.
1. Parent-teacher conferences in elementary schools, at least annually, during which the compact shall be discussed as the compact relates to the individual child’s achievement;
2. Frequent reports to parents on their children’s progress;
3. Reasonable access to staff, opportunities to volunteer and participate in their child’s class, and observation of classroom activities; and
4. Ensuring regular two-way, meaningful communication between family members and school staff, and, to the extent practicable, in a language that family members can understand;
• Parent-Teacher conferences virtual and in-person when allowed.
• Monthly, ELAC, and SSC meetings held to inform parents of their rights and to keep them involved
in the decision-making process to improve student achievement.
• Morning, afternoon and evening Parent Workshops will be held to accommodate parents’ schedules
when it is safe to do so in person.
• Virtual parent workshop information will be distributed to parents.
• Maintaining open lines of communication with students, parents and staff.
