Parent Academy
Topic: Understanding Your Child’s School
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Outcomes
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School Organization
Visitors & Volunteers
Policies & Procedures
Communicating with School
Report Cards
Transitioning to Intermediate / High School
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How the school is organized?
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School Organization
In the office
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Principal
Assistant Principal—some half-time
School Secretary
Clerk
Duty aides
In the classrooms
 Teachers
 Learning Support Teachers
 Paraprofessionals/instructional aides
On the campus
 Custodian
 Duty aides
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School Organization
Certificated Employees:
Someone who must have a specific credential or
authorization from the state to do their job.
Classified Employees:
Employees in permanent positions who do not
require state licensure.
Certificated
Principal
Assistant Principal
Teachers
Psychologists
Speech Pathologists
Classified
Office Staff
Instructional Aides
Paraprofessionals
Custodians
Other Support Staff
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Visitors and Volunteers
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Visitors to Campus
Safe, Secure Campus Policy
•All visitors must sign in
•Visitors must have identification
•Classroom visits should be arranged with the
teacher or administrator in advance
•Visitor badges must be worn
Visitors must also provide
Age, if less than 21
Purpose for entering school grounds
Visitors may be asked for
Address
Occupation
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Volunteers
Volunteers are an important part of all of our schools.
In order to keep campuses safe and orderly, we
have the following volunteer guidelines:
•Have a TB test at least once every 4 years
•All volunteers will be checked for sex offender
violations
•Early Childhood volunteers who have contact
with children other than relatives will be
•fingerprinted
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Parent Volunteering Opportunities &
School Committees
At your school:
•Classroom/School Volunteering
•PTA—Parent, Teacher Association
•SSC—School Site Council
•SAC-SCE —School Advisory for State
Compensatory Education
•ELAC—English Learner Advisory Council
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Policies and Procedures
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School Policies/Procedures
The Student Handbook, given out at the start of
the year, is a parent’s guide to all important
school information.
•Requirements for visitors and volunteers
•Hours
•Illness verification
•School Calendar and much more!
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School Policies/Procedures
•All schools operate under the Palmdale School
District’s Board Policies and Administrative
Regulations (BPs and ARs)
•You can access these online at gamutonline.net
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Communicating with Your
Child’s Teacher
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Communicating with Your
Child’s Teacher
•Don’t wait until you have a parent conference if
you have a concern
•Call school office and leave message—teachers
are busy during the day and will return your call
before or after school, unless there is an
emergency
•Arrange a face-to-face meeting for important
issues, when possible
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Communicating with Your
Child’s Teacher
•Send a note with child or in child’s planner
•E-mail—most teachers use e-mail and will
communicate with you this way if you would like
•Meet with the teacher first before calling the
principal
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Report Cards—
What do They Mean?
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Report Cards—
What do They Mean?
•Report cards are an individual teacher’s assessment
of how well your child is meeting state standards in
each of the content areas. Teachers take into
consideration:
oTests and quizzes
oProjects
oClass work
oHomework
oParticipation
Teachers may count assignments differently from
year to year; make sure you understand what
your child’s teacher’s requirements are for
earning grades
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Report Cards—
What do They Mean?
•Ask to see how your child has done on district
assessments (PASS) and the state assessments
(CSTs).
•The Parent Portal is available to all parents with
students in PSD Intermediate Schools
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Transitioning to the Next School
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Transitioning to
Intermediate School
•Visit your new school at Open House
•Students will have six teachers instead of one
•Grades earned in Intermediate School and scores on
state tests impact placement in high school
•Support classes are offered for students struggling in
language arts and math
•Special classes such as AVID, honors and electives
help prepare students for high school
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Transitioning to High School
•The high school district visits our intermediate
schools at the end of the year to explain registration
and school programs
•High schools look at test scores, grades and teacher
recommendations for student placement in classes
•Options include AVID, honors, AP/CP, support
classes, pathways and electives
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Questions?
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