HOUSTON INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT TITLE I, PART A PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT PROGRAM December 16, 2011 To: Parents of Students attending Petersen Elementary School SUBJECT: Parental Involvement Policy Petersen elementary school is an educational institution which provides a quality education to the students as well as affords their parents the opportunity to acquire knowledge. As such it will provide all the means necessary to the students and parents to accomplish this goal. One of the proven tools our students and the school has is the connection between parents and the students. At Petersen, we are aware of the importance to promote student excellence. The teachers and the administration will do their very best to achieve this goal, and it is the expectation that the parents will do the same. The faculty and staff have and will continue to strengthen this bond between parents and teachers to assist our students to reach their highest expectations. Petersen Elementary School has programs in place to keep parents informed of the needs, resources, and expectations for the students. • Resource Parents/ Volunteers • Title I Compact • Parental Advisory Council • Parent/Teacher Association • School Open House • School Field Trips and Special Programs • Math/Science Night • Literacy Night • Parent Teacher Conferences • Winter Program • Website A. POLICY INVOLVEMENT 1. At the beginning of the school year, Petersen Elementary School holds an annual Open House Meeting . At the meeting, the Parental Involvement Policy and the requirements under Title I are discussed, and if needed changes are made. In addition, Mr. Ferguson, campus principal, addressed the parents and informed them of the campus state accountability rating as well as the progress made by the students the previous school year. 2. Petersen Elementary School has available dates and times for parents to come to the school and participate. During the school year, Petersen will hold open house meetings. At the meetings, parents are given the opportunity to formally visit their child’s classroom, become acquainted with the teacher, ask necessary questions of their child’s teacher(s), as well as participate in any school activities. Information about HISD, the campus and teacher expectations can be discussed as well as any other information that might benefit in educating the students at Petersen. Several afternoons during the week the school also offers parents utilization of the computer lab to monitor their child’s progress. In order to promote the tools and knowledge parents have Petersen Elementary School will offer several informative meetings during the year between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. These informative meetings are implemented using parent and teacher input. We, at Petersen Elementary School, understand all parents aren’t able to attend meetings during the school hours. However, to remedy this concern, the school website is available twenty four hours a day and has links to the resources distributed at these informative sessions as well as provides links to e‐mail of the teachers and administrators. Parents will be invited to attend conferences with their child’s teacher during the teachers planning time. If needed, meetings before or after school can be scheduled and must be mutually agreed upon by the parent and teacher. Annually, Petersen Elementary School solicits parent suggestions and opinions in the review and revision of the School Improvement Plan and Parental Involvement Policy. The school’s parent council reviews the school policy in an ongoing, timely, and organized manner. The Parent Teacher Organization, PTA, has been organized to provide resources at the state and national level as well as seek parental involvement. In addition to these dates Mr. Ferguson will hold Coffee and Donuts with the principal days in which the parents may come up to the school, speak their concerns or praise directly to the principal and obtain adequate feedback on the progress of the school. 4. Petersen Elementary School communicates the state expectations by implementing the HISD curriculum and assesses student knowledge utilizing district assessments and state mandated tests. The following are means by which information will be communicated to the parents School Handbook, campus Website, Wednesday folders, Parent link (phone call system), parent/teacher conferences, PTA Meetings, individual notes/calls home, surveys, Parent Nights (math/science/ literacy), Open House, Mid‐term progress reports, and campus marquee. The objective of these communications is to create a bridge between the parents and teachers to better assist the students. B. BUILDING CAPACITY FOR INVOLVEMENT 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 under this part — (1) shall provide assistance to parents of children served by the school or local educational agency, as appropriate, in understanding such topics 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; (2) shall provide materials and training to help parents to work with their children to improve their children's achievement, such as literacy training and using technology, as appropriate, to foster parental involvement; (3) 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 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; (4) shall, to the extent feasible and appropriate, coordinate and integrate parent involvement programs and activities with Head Start, Reading First, Early 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; (5) shall ensure that information related to school and parent programs, meetings, and other activities is sent to the parents of participating children in a format and, to the extent practicable, in a language the parents can understand. Last Revised December 2011