Fondren Middle School
International Baccalaureate Magnet
Monique Lewis, Principal
Campus Parental Involvement Policy for 2014-2015
Fondren World School believes that when parents form a partnership with the teachers and staff
members they help create an optimum learning environment for children. Parental Involvement
is an essential piece to student success. The following outlines how this goal is to be
accomplished.
Parental Involvement means the participation of parents in the regular, two-way and meaningful
communication involving student academic learning and other school activities, including
ensuring:
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That parents play an integral role in assisting their child’s learning.
That parents are encouraged to be actively involved in their child’s education at school.
That parents are full partners in their child’s education and are included, as appropriate,
in decision-making and on advisory committees to assist in the education of their children
The carrying out of the other activities, such as those described in section 1118 of the
ESEA (Elementary and Secondary Education Act’s parental involvement policy).
Policy Involvement: Title 1 regulations require that each school served under Title 1 jointly
develop with and distribute to parents of participating children, a written parent involvement
policy agreed upon by the parents that describes the requirements of this part outlined in Title 1
law.
Annual Meeting: There will be an annual meeting at the beginning of the school year to inform
parents of the school’s participation under Title 1 and to explain the requirements of the program
and the rights of the parents. In order to reach all parents, this meeting will be advertised
through various media, including flyers sent home with students in English and Spanish and
inclusion on a comprehensive school calendar sent home at the beginning of the year,.
Subsequent meetings: All parents are encouraged to attend and participate in the four Parent
Advisory Committee (PAC) meetings, to be held 4 times per school year. The PAC’s
responsibilities include the planning, review and improvement of Title 1 programs and of this
Parental Involvement Policy as well as the School-Parent Compact. Moreover, parents will
receive timely information about Title 1 and other school programs that affect their students,
including a description and explanation of the curriculum used on campus, the forms of
academic assessment used to measure student progress, and the proficiency levels students are
expected to meet. Special committees may be formed in accordance with parent interest about
suggesting and participating in decisions relating the education of their children, and
opportunities for these special committees to meet will be facilitated by the school in a timely
and responsive manner. If the school-wide program plan is not satisfactory to the parents, they
should contact the school and the school will advise the Department of External Funding and
revise as advised.
Student Achievement is our # 1 Priority - No Excuse!
6333 S. Braeswood Blvd. Houston, TX 77096
P: 713-778-3360 ! F: 713-778-3362
Fondren Middle School
International Baccalaureate Magnet
Monique Lewis, Principal
In regards to communicating with the school, parents’ first contact should be with their child’s
teacher. If further conversations are needed they are welcome to connect with Mrs. Melodye
Montgomery or Mrs. Lewis, the school’s principal. Parents will elect their PAC officers;
President, Vice-President and Secretary. Agendas will be distributed prior to the meetings.
Minutes will be kept and posted publicly on the school’s website and in files on Big Tent, the
parent community network.
The School-Parent Compact: Parents through the PAC will participate in the formation of a
School-Parent Compact to outline how parents, the school staff, and students will share in the
responsibility for improvement of student academic achievement and how that will be
accomplished.
This compact shall include the responsibility of the school to provide high-quality curriculum
and instruction in a supportive and effective learning environment that enables children to meet
TEA (Texas Education Agency) standards. Further, it will outline the responsibility of the
parents to support their children’s learning and ways in which parents will participate in
decisions relating to their children’s education and use of extracurricular time. This compact
shall also address the importance of parent-teacher conferences, frequent progress reports and
access to staff, as well as the value of taking advantage of opportunities to volunteer and
participate/observe in their children’s class.
Curriculum and Assessments: Fondren World School goal is to ensure success for all students
by providing a positive, rigorous and creative learning community.
Fondren World School combined with the Leader in Me - 7 Habits Program will ensure our
students have a positive and creative community. This foundation will empower our students to
be responsible leaders and problem solvers prepared for the challenges of the 21st Century. It is
this delicate interweaving of a highly individualized curriculum and data driven instruction with
the state curriculum that helps empower our children with 21st Century tools to communicate
and advocate for our Earth and themselves.
Since the beginning of its implementation, Fondren World School has strived to cohesively
integrate the best teaching practices into the instructional model with the rigorous state standards
students are making gains on standardized test. We believe this multifaceted approach will not
only create well educated learners but prepare our students for careers in the 21st Century.
Learning and innovation skills are what separate students who are prepared for increasingly
complex life and work environments in today’s world and those who are not. Creativity and
Innovation, Critical Thinking and Problem Solving, and Communication and Collaboration are
all emphasized within our integrated curriculum. By bringing in the Leader in Me program we
will also empower our 21st Century learners with life and career skills such as Flexibility and
Adaptability, Initiative and Self-Direction, Social and Cross-Cultural Skills, Productivity and
Accountability culminating with Leadership and Responsibility.
Student Achievement is our # 1 Priority - No Excuse!
6333 S. Braeswood Blvd. Houston, TX 77096
P: 713-778-3360 ! F: 713-778-3362
Fondren Middle School
International Baccalaureate Magnet
Monique Lewis, Principal
School responsibilities: Back to School events are held in August, prior to the beginning of the
school year. These events are designed to provide parents the opportunity to visit their child’s
classroom to speak with teachers and become informed on their grade-level expectations for the
upcoming school-year. At this time, parents are encouraged to complete their Volunteer in Public
Schools (VIPS) registration and to learn about Parent Student -Connect in the media and
technology centers.
The school will assist parents to understand the school assessments, to monitor a child’s
progress, and to work to improve their children’s achievement. The school will provide materials
and training including informative PAC meetings, a parent center located in the library
(computer access and literature are available to parents), and classes as requested for computer
and literacy training in order to foster effective parental involvement.
The school will implement and coordinate parent programs such as PAC (Parent Advisory
Committee) and PTO (Parent Teacher Organization) and build ties through Family Nights (math,
science, reading, curriculum and hands-on nights), seasonal festivals, and encourage teachers and
PTO in the utilization of room parents for each classroom on campus to ensure that all parents
have the opportunity to participate.
The school will make available to parents on-site workshops for the 7 Habits of Highly Effective
People training (Leader in Me) to better encourage implementation in the home. This coupled
with the implementation in the classroom will provide our students with the optimal guidance in
becoming great leaders.
Parents are invited to participate in Parent Teacher Conferences at least twice per year to discuss
their child’s progress throughout the year. Teachers may receive parents at a mutually agreed
upon time.
Staff and teachers will be given continuing education concerning the value and utility of parental
contributions, and skills in reaching out, communicating with, and working with parents as equal
partners through in-services throughout the year.
Parents of all students, regardless of English-proficiency, mobility, or disability are considered to
be an important part of our learning community. All parents are afforded the opportunity to be
involved in their child’s school environment. For this reason, if a special need is identified that
would help a parent to more fully understand the educational process and academic progress of
his/her child assistance will be provided to that parent. This support includes: translated school
documents into the parent’s primary language, having an interpreter on had to translate important
information at school meetings and events, including parent-teacher conferences, Training of
staff and faculty to better understand the culture of the student being served., providing easier
accessibility to parents and/or students with disabilities.
All flyers, notices and call outs will be sent in Spanish and English to ensure that all schoolrelated information is understandable. Other media such as marquees, calendars, call outs, posts
to Big Tent and principal newsletters may also be employed to notify parents, in an
understandable language, of upcoming meetings.
Student Achievement is our # 1 Priority - No Excuse!
6333 S. Braeswood Blvd. Houston, TX 77096
P: 713-778-3360 ! F: 713-778-3362