Otwell Middle School
Parent Involvement Policy and Plan
Teach, Inspire, Motivate
Steve Miller
605 Tribble Gap Rd
Cumming, Ga 30040
770-887-5248 www.forsyth.k12.ga.us/Domain/1723
What is Title I?
Title I is a federally funded program that is intended to supplement the regular classroom curriculum.
Students are provided extra assistance in reading and/or math. The program's goal is to support students, so that every child meets and/or exceeds the state's standards. A variety of teaching methods and materials are used to reinforce curriculum concepts.
Otwell Middle School is identified as schoolwide Title
I as part of the Elementary and Secondary
Education Act of 1965(ESEA). A schoolwide Title I program ensures the success of all students.
Everyone has access to the numerous resources and materials purchased with Title I funds. Including I
Pads, laptops, computer programs, books, manipulatives, and learning games. Because of Title
I you and your child have access to excellent resources and enriching programs.
Description of OMS School Parental Involvement Plan
What is it? The policy is a document that outlines the Schools Parent
Involvement Plan. It describes how the school will create meaningful partnerships to impact student achievement and success. We realize that strong relationships between school and home are vital to student achievement. Otwell Middle School is committed to work with families in creating strong relationships and learning opportunities for parents and students.
How is it developed ?
Otwell’s Parent Involvement Plan is jointly developed.
OMS conducts surveys throughout the school year. All parent feedback is used to revise the plan for the next school year. The plan is posted on our school website and distributed for parental review. Our CLIP meeting in May is another opportunity for stake-holders to revise the plan for the upcoming school year. The plan is finalized and voted on by members of the Title I
Action Team in September and adopted/presented at the Title I Annual
Meeting in October.
Who is it for? All students and their families are encouraged and invited to fully participate in the opportunities described in this plan.OMS provides complete opportunity for the participation of parents with limited English, parents with disabilities, and parents of migratory children.
Where is it available ? Once finalized, the plan will be posted at Otwell, and posted on the school’s website. Those interested can also visit the Parent
Resource Room to receive an additional copy.
Reservation of Funds
A large percentage of Title I funds goes to teacher salaries. We have 4 Title I teachers and a Parent Involvement Coordinator that is funded through Title I funds. Title I also funds Professional learning resources for teachers and parents (books, DVDs , lesson materials). Title I money also provides supplies for students (calculators, software, I Pads). Also, Title I funds childcare, translation services and transportation for parents.
All parents are welcome at OMS.
If you need assistance with transportation, childcare, or interpretation, or have any questions about this document or the Title I Program, please contact:
Ali Cregan – Parent Involvement Coordinator770-475-6670 x 790325 acregan@forsyth.k12.ga.us

FCSS District Title I Goals
 Promote open lines of communication between the school system and the home;
 Strive to meet the changing needs of
 all families in support of their children’s academic success;
Provide opportunities for parents to be involved in decision making regarding their child’s academic success.
Otwell School Goals
The OMS Improvement Plan will be available to access on the school’s webpage by October 1, 2015. Otwell’s three year goal, 2013-2016, is to continue improving the
CCRPI index score, currently 87.4, and to maintain and improve upon the culture and climate of Otwell Middle school.
In order to achieve this, Otwell will:
 Have teachers engage in Data Teams and Professional
Learning Communities to plan for instruction and analyze student data for learning growth in correlation with the sub-group flags on the CCRPI.
 Foster student growth – academically, socially, and behaviorally – with a focus on motivation and student accountability with Dr. Carol Dweck’s Growth
Mindsets.
School – Parent Compacts
As part of this plan, Otwell Middle and our families have developed a school-parent compact, which is an agreement that parents, teachers, and students will develop together that explains how parents and teachers will work together to make sure all our students reach grade-level standards. The compacts are reviewed and updated annually based on feedback from parents, students, and teachers during the May Meeting. The school-parent compacts are given to parents during Pup
Camp and Open House at the beginning of each school year in order to review throughout the year.
Parent Involvement Plan Program and Activities
Title I “Get in the Game” Events
Open House – 6 th -8 th Grade in August. Help parents complete and sign
Compacts and complete Free and Reduced Lunch applications.
Annual Meeting – In September. Tell parents of their school’s participation to explain the requirements of the OMS Title I program, and the right of the parents to be involved.
Technology Night/Parent Conferences Tips–August and October in the evening and afternoon pm. Parents will be able to see what their students are using at school and work on I pads, nooks, and computers. Also offered at
Lunch & Learn Workshops. Itslearning, Parent Portal and Internet Safety training will be available at these meetings.
Parent-Teacher Conferences – October & March(schedule with teacher)
Stem Night – November, 6-7pm. Parents and children will learn essential math concepts. Give parents a chance to serve as models of motivation, persistence and competence. As well as promote math and science success in a supportive setting. Also offered at Lunch & Learn Workshops.
Help Session on test scores for Georgia Milestones – November, 6-7pm.
Fine Arts/Literacy Night – December, 6-7pm.
Parents will learn ways that will help their child study at home and provide engaging activities to do at home.
Also offered at Lunch & Learn Workshops.
Georgia Milestones Testing Tips – March, 6-7pm. Provide parents information and strategies to help their child succeed on the standardized test. Also offered at Lunch & Learn Workshops.
Common Core Standards for Reading and Math – Parents will learn the standards their children are learning in class.
Get Ready for Summer/Parent Feedback – May 6-7pm. Provide parents with summer programs and activities. Also offered at Lunch & Learn Workshops.
Lunch & Learn – A Parent Workshop – Ongoing beginning in October. Each meeting will involve ways to encourage your child to succeed in school.
Meetings will be held in the afternoons.
Spanish Circle Meetings – These monthly, evening meetings, starting in
October, are offered to the Spanish community. Parents will learn skills to help support their child in school and learn of community resources available for their family with school access.
The Title I Parental Involvement Program will offer a flexible number of meetings.
The meetings will be in the evening and during the afternoon at Lunch and Learn
Workshops, and may provide, with funds provided under this part, transportation, child care, or home visits, as such services relate to parental involvement.

Supportive Programs
OMS offers training for the Parent Portal system and ItsLearning. This will help parents be more connected with their child’s progress in school, such as, grades, attendance, homework assignments, and test schedules.
OMS provides a Parent Resource Room for parents to check out materials to use to assist their child at home with academic games, DVDs and books. Parents can use this room to volunteer and help students/teachers in the school.
OMS offers parent workshops in the afternoon as well as in the evening for parents to attend.
Parents can contact the Parent Involvement
Coordinator by email or phone. Emails, invites, newsletter are emailed and mailed to parents.
Remind, Facebook and Twitter is used to keep parents in involved and notified of school events.
Assistance for Parents
OMS Title I Parental Involvement Program will provide transportation, childcare and translation/interpretation services as well as flexible meeting times in an effort to remove the barriers to parental involvement on campus.
Children will be welcome at all times in the
Parent Resource Room.
School Measures to Provide Required Assistance
Otwell Middle School will take the following measures to promote and support parents as an important foundation of the school in order to strengthen the school and reach our school goals. We will --
 Ensure that all information related to school and parent programs, meetings, and other activities is published in both English and
Spanish, posted to the school website, and included in school newsletters for all parents.
 Conduct staff development on parent involvement practices and effective strategies for staff to communicate and build partnerships with parents.
 Share information in both English and Spanish on the school website and newsletters for parents to understand the school’s academic standards and assessments as well as the ways parents can monitor their child’s progress and work with educators.
 Communicate with all families and the community on a regular basis regarding schoolwide events and activities such as phone messages, social media, and flyers.
 Provide necessary materials to parents at conferences, meetings, and activities to help parents work with their child to improve their child’s academic achievement.
 Collaborate with community leaders and partners in education to increase participation and awareness of the school parental involvement plan and activities.
 Offer parent classes to help further enhance the various education backgrounds.
 Listen and respond to parents’ requests for additional support for parental involvement activities.