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Dear Parent/Guardian:
The Elementary and Secondary Education Act is our country’s most important federal education law. In 2001 this law was reauthorized and is now called the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). NCLB was designed to make changes in teaching and learning that will help increase academic achievement in our schools.
The law requires that all schools receiving Title I funds must inform parents of their right to ask schools about the qualifications of their child’s teachers. Our school receives Title I funding, and we are happy to share this information with you at your request.
We believe that nothing is more important to your child’s education at school than having a well-prepared and highly qualified teacher. The law requires that all teachers must meet a specific legal definition of “highly qualified’ in order to teach in schools that receive Title I funding. The legal definition of “highly qualified teacher” has three parts. It states that the teacher must have the following:
1. A four-year college degree 2. A regular teaching certificate 3. Proof of their knowledge in the subject they teach
We are extremely proud of the quality of the teaching staff in the Abingdon School District. At Hedding Grade School, all of our teachers are highly qualified. In addition, every teacher continues learning though professional development activities and are evaluated to make sure that their teaching skills remain at the highest possible level.
I encourage you to support your child’s education and communicate with your child’s teacher(s) on a regular basis. Since we have now become a school-wide Title 1 program, please take the time to visit the United State Department of Education website for more information on NCLB and the role of Title I parents at www.ed.gov/nclb. By partnering, families and educators can provide your child with the best education possible.
Sincerely,
Michelle Andrews, Principal Hedding Grade School
SCHOOL-PARENT COMPACT
Hedding Grade School and the parents of the students participating in activities, services, and programs funded by Title I agree that this compact outlines how they will share the 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 the State’s high standards.
This school-parent compact is in effect during the 2007-2008 school year.
REQUIRED SCHOOL-PARENT COMPACT PROVISIONS School Responsibilities Hedding Grade 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:
All Hedding teachers and paraprofessional staff have met the highly-qualified requirements to provide quality education to participating students. Academic instruction for participating students is aligned with Illinois State Standards.
2. Hold parent-teacher conferences during which this compact will be discussed as it relates to the individual child’s achievement. Specifically, these conferences will be held:
Parent-teacher conferences will be held twice annually, during the 1st and 3rd quarters respectively. Specific dates and times will be made available in the school newsletters and through school- to-home communication.
3. Provide parents with frequent reports on their children’s progress. Specifically, the school will provide reports as follows:
Parents can access their child’s academic progress through the Abingdon District #217 web site; midterms, report cards, and parent-teacher conferences. Parents are also invited to call or stop by to discuss their child’s academic progress.
4. Provide parents reasonable access to staff. Specifically, staff will be available for consultation with parents as follows:
Parents have the opportunity to consult with staff involved with their child during parent-teacher conferences and are also en- couraged to schedule appointments with participating staff as needed.
5. Provide parent opportunities to volunteer and participate in their child’s class, and to observe classroom activities, as follows:
Parents are encouraged to serve as volunteers in the school. There are many tasks that could be handled by a parent volunteer that would be rewarding to both volunteer and students. Lists of volunteer areas will be available during registration when parents will be asked to sign up for the “3 for Me” parent volunteer program.
Parent Responsibilities We, as parents, will support our children’s learning in the following ways:
Hedding Staff Member Signature ____________________________________
Parental Signature ____________________________________________
Date
___________________________
Title I School Parental Involvement Policy Title I regulations require that each school served under Title I jointly develop with and distribute to parents of participating children, a written parental involvement policy agreed on by the parents that describes the requirements of (c) through (f) as listed below and outlined in Title 1 law:
A. POLICY INVOLVEMENT Each school served under this part shall – 1. Convene an annual meeting, at a convenient time, to which all parents of partici- pating children shall be invited and encouraged to attend, to inform parents of their school’s participation under this part and to explain the requirements of this part, and the right of the parents to be involved;
A copy of HEDDING GRADE SCHOOL’S PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT POLICY will be made available to all parents of Hedding students at Open House, which is held in the fall. These copies will be distributed by classroom teachers, and staff will be available to answer any questions regarding the policy. Information regarding Hedding’s participation in the Title I Schoolwide Program will also be available for parents at this time.
2. Offer a flexible number of meetings, such as meetings in the morning or evening, and may provide, with funds provided under this part, transportation, child care, or home visits as such services relate to parental involvement.
The Hedding School Improvement Committee is a group open to all parents and community members, who meet on a regular basis. Meetings are generally held once a quarter on scheduled school improvement days. Meeting dates will be made available in the monthly school newsletter, and on the school website. Hedding Grade School upholds an ‘open door’ policy for parents and families.
3. Involve parents, in an organized, ongoing, and timely way, in the planning, review, and improvement of programs under this part, including planning, review, and improvement of the school parental involvement policy.
Parents will be involved through participation in the Schoolwide Planning Committee, School Improvement Committee; end-of-the-year surveys, and the Title I Annual Review of the Hedding Schoolwide Program. Summaries of these meetings will be made available in the school newsletters.
4. Provide parents of participating children –
i. timely information about programs under this part;
A copy of Hedding’s SCHOOLWIDE PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT POLICY will be available to all parents of Hedding students at Open House. These copies will be distributed by classroom teachers, and staff will be available to answer any questions regarding the policy. Information regarding Hedding’s participation in the Title I Schoolwide Program will also be available for parents at this time.
ii. 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
Information concerning each classroom’s curriculum and assessments is available from any grade level teacher. iii. 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 practically possible.
Hedding upholds an ‘open door’ policy. Parents are invited to call or visit the school at any time, or arrange meetings to discuss issues involving the education of their child(ren). Parent-Teacher conferences are held twice yearly. Parents are invited to become involved in many committees, including the Schoolwide Planning Committee.
5. If the schoolwide program 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 local educational agency.
Any comments regarding the above-mentioned would be submitted to the Hedding Grade School Schoolwide Planning Committee, Abingdon CUSD #217, and/or Ms. Rose Boaz, Title 1 teacher.
B. SHARED RESPONSIBILITIES FOR HIGH STUDENT ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT As a component of the school-level parental involvement policy, each school shall jointly develop with parents for 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.
A school-parent compact will be developed and reviewed annually by the Hedding Schoolwide Planning Committee, with parents serving on the committee also involved in this process. These compacts will be available for review annually at registration in fall.
C. 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 achieve- ment, each school and local educational agency assisted under this part-
a. Shall provide assistance to the parents of children served by the school or local educational agency, as appropriate, in understanding such topic as the state’s academic content standards and state student academic achievement standards, state and local academic assessments, the requirements of this part, and how to monitor a child’s progress and work with educators to improve the achievement of their children.
The Annual Progress reports will be disseminated in the school newsletter when that information is made available. Parents will also have the opportunity to address their child’s academic progress at Parent-Teacher conferences, held during the 1st and 3rd quarters of the school year. Student academic performance can be monitored by accessing the school’s website. Information on the Hedding’s performance will be reviewed and amended each spring at the Annual Schoolwide Review meeting.
Teacher and paraprofessional qualifications can be reviewed by parents upon request.
b. Shall provide materials and training to help parents to work with their children to improve their child’s achievement, such as literacy training and using technology, as appropriate, to foster parental involvement;
The Hedding Student/Parent Handbook is made available at fall registration, and includes information regarding academic policies and procedures. Pertinent information is dispersed monthly in the school newsletters.. Student progress is available for parents through the school website. Literacy tips and activities are provided at Hedding family nights held two to three to three times annually.
c. Shall educate teacher, pupil services personnel, principals, 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, imple- ment and coordinate parent programs, and build ties between parents and the school.
Education will come from building level communication, distribution of Hedding Grade School Parent and Family newsletters, district and building level training and in-service opportunities, and participation in the Schoolwide Planning Committee.
d. Shall, to the extent feasible and appropriate, coordinate and integrate parent involve- ment programs and activities with Head Start, Reading First, Even Start, the Home Instruction Programs for Preschool Youngsters, the Parents as Teachers Program, and public preschool and other 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; Parental Involvement programs and activities will be coordinated with applicable school district programs including Bright Futures Resource Center, Head Start, and the Regional Office of Education
e. Shall ensure that information related to school and parent programs, meetings, and other activities is sent to the parents of the participating children in a format and, to the extent practicable in a language parents can understand;
Hedding Grade School, along with Abingdon CUSD #217, will provide full opportunities for the participation of parents with limited English proficiency, parents with children with disabilities, and parents of migratory children, including information and school reports in an understandable and uniform format and, including alternative formats upon request, and, to the extent practicable, in a language parents understand. Parent feedback regarding this point will be generated through annual surveys, and will be monitored by the Schoolwide Planning Committee to ensure the information provided to parents meets the stated criteria.
f. Literacy training for parents?
g. Pay reasonable and necessary expenses associated with parental involvement activities, including child care costs, to enable parents to participate in school- related meetings and training sessions.
h. Train parents to enhance the involvement of other parents;
i. Arrange school meetings at a variety of times in order to maximize parental involve- ment and participation in their children’s education.
j. Utilize the School Improvement and Schoolwide Planning Team to provide advice on all matters related to parental involvement in Title I, Part A programs.
k. Develop appropriate roles for community-based organizations and businesses, including faith-based organizations, in parental involvement activities.
l. Provide other reasonable support for parental involvement activities under section 1118 as parents may request.
D. ACCESSIBILTY In carrying out the parental involvement requirements of this part, districts and schools, to the extent practicable, shall provide full opportunities for the participation of parents with children with limited English proficiency, parents with children with disabilities, and parents of migratory children, including providing information and school reports in a format and, to the extent practicable, in a such language parents can understand.
Parent feedback regarding this point will be generated through annual surveys, and will be monitored by School Improvement and the Schoolwide Planning Committee to ensure the information provided to parents meets the stated criteria. |