Fondren Middle School
International Baccalaureate Magnet
M onique Lewis, Principal
Campus Parental Involvement Policy for 2015-2016
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.
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 SchoolParent 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 parentteacher 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.
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 school-related
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.