JAMES BUCHANAN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL’2015-2016 PARENT INVOLVEMENT PLAN

ThemissionofJamesBuchananElementarySchool(JBES)is:

TheJamesBuchananElementarySchoollearningcommunityisdedicatedtoofferinghighacademicopportunitiesandpositivefamilycenteredschoolexperiencesinasafe,supportiveenvironmenttohelpstudentsbecomelifelonglearners,respectfulindividuals,andresponsiblecitizens.

JBEShasthereputationofbeingafriendlyneighborhoodschoolwithexcellentteachers,supportiveparents,andwonderfulstudents.Weworkdiligentlytogethertoensurethatourchildrenenjoyasafeandnurturingschoolwhilemeetinghighacademicexpectations.Ourplancentersondevelopingastrongpartnershipwithallofourparentssothatourchildrenwillbeprovidedwiththebestpossibleeducationwecanoffer.WearegratefultobeaTargetedTitleIschool!

Pleasefeelfreetodiscussanyquestions,comments,orsuggestionsyoumayhaveaboutthisplanwithyourchild’steacher,Title1ReadingSpecialist,ortheschoolprincipal.Wewelcomeyourinputandsuggestions!

PARENT INVOLVEMENT

TheBethlehemAreaSchoolDistrict(BASD)PolicyManualstates:TheBoardrecognizesthatparentalinvolvementcontributestotheachievementofacademicstandardsbystudentsparticipatinginTitleIprograms.TheBoardviewstheeducationofstudentsasacooperativeeffortamongtheschool,parents/guardiansandcommunity.

Annually,acommitteeiscomprisedupoffacultyrepresentativesandparentstoreviewandupdatetheJBES’sparentinvolvementplan.Theplanisthenmadeavailabletoparentsthroughourschool’sannualBack2SchoolNightandthemonthlyPTAmeetings.ItisalsoavailableontheJBESwebsitewww-bu.beth.k12.pa.usorbycontactingtheprincipal’soffice.

Weprideourselveswithongoing,openandhonesttwo-waycommunication!Weaccomplishthisthroughamyriadofcommunicationmethodssuchas:

• Meetings,bothformalandinformal

• Phonecallsandconferences• Emails• ParentLinkMessages• MonthlyNewsletters

• MonthlyCalendars• SchoolImprovementSurvey• GoogleDocs• ParentPortal• PearsonOnlineAccess

SomeofourParentInvolvementActivitiesinclude:

• Back2SchoolNight• Parent-TeacherConferences• ClearanceNightforParents• AmericanEducationWeek• Grandpals’Day• Supperwiththe“Super”• ParentVolunteersintheClassroom• ParentsAsPartnersSurvey

• FamilyDance• BulldogWalk-a-thon• PTAMeetingswithEducational

Topics• ChaperonesforEducationalField

Trips• Coffee&DonutswithVYH

• PBISDailyCalendarwithStudentInformation

• VolunteeringatRun4Fun

• MysteryReaders• CookiesWithSanta

PARENT INVOLVEMENT FUNDS

JBESwilluseitsallocationofparentinvolvementfundstoprovideparentswithresourcesinavarietyoftopicsinordertomeettheneedsoftheirchildren.

AspartofJBES’smeetingheldwithparentstoreviewandupdatetheSchool/ParentCompactandParentInvolvementPlan,theallocationofparentinvolvementfundsarediscussed.Fundsarebudgetedandexpendedbaseduponthegoalsandprioritiessetthroughthatmeeting.TitleIfundsareallocatedtoeachschoolbasedupontheconsolidatedapplicationsubmittedtotheBASDonanannualbasis.

ANNUAL MEETING

JBESwillholditsannualmeetingforallparentsofparticipatingchildren.Parentsarenotifiedofthemeetingthrough,noticessenthomebystudents,newslettersfromtheprincipal,throughourschoolwebsite.Toassistinprovidingtheopportunityforallparentstoattend,themeetingisofferedatvaryingtimes.Topicstobediscussedinclude:

• TitleIparticipation,itsservices,andparent’srights• Anexplanationoftheschool’scurriculum• Howassessmentsareusedtomeasurestudents’progress• Ourschool’sparentinvolvementpolicy• Ourschool’sparentcompacts• Resourcesavailableforparents

SCHEDULE OF MEETINGS

ThestaffofJBESbelievesintheimportanceofparentalinvolvementandthereforehasputmeasuresinplacetoofferparentmeetingsonaflexibleschedule.Ourannualmeetingforparentsofparticipatingchildrenwillbeofferedbothintheeveningandthefollowingmorning.Conferenceswithteachersareencouragedandmaybesetupbypriorappointmentduringteacher’splanningtimesandbeforeorafterschool.Parentsmayobtaininformationabouttheirchild’sacademicorsocialprogressthroughphonecalls,notestoteacher,email,schoolwebsite,andparticipationinworkshopsorotherfamilyactivities.

PLANNING, REVIEW, AND IMPROVEMENT OF T ITLE I PROGRAM

JBESbelievesininvolvingparentsinallaspectsofitsTitleIprogram.WehavesixparentsonourTitleIcommitteewhoareactiveparticipantsinthedevelopmentoftheplan.AParentSurveywasconductedandtheresultsofparentsurveysarereviewedbytheTitleIcommitteetodeterminepossibleworkshops/seminars.

INFORMATION ABOUT THE T ITLE I PROGRAM, THE CURRICULUM, AND ACADEMIC ASSESSMENTS

Attheannualmeetingofparents,JBESholdsageneralmeetingwhereinformationispresentedaboutitsTitleIprograms,thecurriculum,andformsofacademicassessmentsusedtomeasurestudentprogress.

UponconclusionoftheBack2Schoolmeeting,parentsareinvitedtovisittheirchild’sclassroomsandmeettheirteachers.Atthistime,teachersprovideadditionalinformationonthesubjectstheyteachandhowstudentsareindividuallyassessed.

SUBMISSION OF PARENT CONCERNS ABOUT OUR T ITLE PLAN

InMay,JBESwillholdaTitleICommitteeMeetingtoreview,evaluate,andreviseourParentInvolvementplan.Duringthereviewprocess,parentsarenotifiedthroughnoticessenthome,aParentLinkmessage,PTAmeetings,andtheschoolwebsite.Ifaparentfindstheplantobeunsatisfactory,theyhavetherighttosubmittheirconcernsinwritingtotheschool.Concernsareaddressedinatimelyfashion.

SCHOOL-PARENT COMPACTS

JBESrevisesitsschool-parentcompactinMayofeachyear.Allparentswillbegivenacopyofthenewcompactduringthebeginningoftheschoolyear.Thecompactwillbeexplainedtotheparents,andtheywillbeaskedtosignthecompactsignifyingtheircommitmenttoworkinginpartnershipwiththeschoolandtheirchildinensuringthattheirchildissuccessfulinschool.StudentswillmeetwiththeTitle1teacherandprincipaltodiscussprogrammingneeds.Thecompactswillbediscussedwithteachersatfacultymeetings.

BUILDING CAPACITY

Toensureeffectiveinvolvementofparents,JBES’staffshall:

• Describeanymaterialandresourcesupportofferedtoparentsinhelpingtheirchildrenincreasetheiracademicachievementandoffercounselingservicestosupportparents.

• Describethetraining/workshopstobeofferedtoparentsin:localandstateassessments,helpingtheirchildrenwithhomework,useoftechnology,andvariouscurriculumapproaches.

• Describehowcommunicationbetweenthehomeandschoolmaybestrengthened;teacherinvolvementinPTAandotherfamily-relatedactivities.

• DescribehowconcertedeffortsfromFullDayKindergartentofifthgradestransitiontoNitschmannencouragesandsupportsparentsintomorefullyparticipatingintheeducationoftheirchildren.

• Describehowinformationrelatedtoschoolandparentprograms,meetings,andotheractivitiesissenttoparentsinalanguageandformatthattheycanunderstand.

• Describehowtheschoolprovidesotherreasonablesupportforparentalinvolvementactivitiesasparentsmayrequest.

PARENTS’ R IGHT-TO-KNOW

TheEveryStudentSucceedsAct(formerlyknownas“TheNoChildLeftBehindAct”)requiresallschoolstonotifyparentsthattheyhavetherighttorequestandreceiveinformationabouttheprofessionalqualificationsoftheirchild’sclassroomteacher(s)andparaprofessional(s).Pleaserefertopage16intheBASD2015-2016Calendar.

RespectfullysubmittedbyJillMoran,JBESPrincipal