Druid Hills Academy Parental Involvement Policy Purpose: In support of strengthening student academic achievement, our school receives Title I funds. We believe parents are partners in their child’s development. Druid Hills Academy (DHA) with the help of parents will develop a plan which encourages and promotes active participation in our school. PART 1: GENERAL EXPECTATIONS Druid Hills Academy agrees to implement the following requirements: The school will work to ensure that the required school level parental involvement policies meet the requirements of Title I and a school-parent compact. DHA will notify parents of the policy and in a language the parents can understand. The policy will be made available to the local community and updated periodically to meet the changing needs of parents and the school. In carrying out the Title I parental involvement requirements, the school will provide dual opportunities for the participation of parents with limited English proficiency and other needs. If the school wide program plan for Title I is not satisfactory to the parents of participating children, the school will submit any parent comments with the plan when the school submits the plan to Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools. The school will build parent’s capacity for strong parental involvement to improve student academic achievement. The school will provide other reasonable support for parental involvement activities as the parents may request. The school will be governed by the following definition of parental involvement, and will carry out programs, activities, and procedures in accordance with this definition: Parental involvement means the participation of parents in regular, two-way, and meaningful communication involving student academic learning and other school activities, including: (A) That parents play an integral role in assisting their child’s learning; (B) That parents are encouraged to be actively involved in their child’s education at school; (C) That parents are full partners in their child’s education and are included, as appropriate, in decisionmaking and on advisory committees to assist in the education of their child; and (D) The carrying out of other activities, that promotes parental involvement in our school. PART II. DESCRIPTION OF HOW DHA WILL IMPLEMENT REQUIRED SCHOOL PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT POLICY COMPONENTS 1. DHA will take the following actions to involve parents in the joint development of its school parental involvement plan under Title I: Convene an annual meeting on September 18, 2012 during Title I Parent Information/ PTA/Curriculum Night. Involve parents in review and revision of Title I Written Parent Policy. DHA will actively recruit parents to become members of the School Leadership Team and the PTA Executive Board. This will be accomplished by specifically contacting parents during the school year, by recruiting parents at the beginning of the year parent/student functions, and communication through ConnectEd messages, the Parent Newsletter and flyers. 2. DHA will take the following actions to involve parents in the process of school review and improvement under Title I: Parent Involvement of School Improvement Plan Provide opportunities for regular meetings with flexible times and schedules DHA will actively recruit parents to become members of the School Leadership Team and the PTA Executive Board. This will be accomplished by specifically contacting parents during the school year, by recruiting parents at the beginning of the year parent/student functions, and communication through ConnectEd messages, the Parent Newsletter and flyers. 3. DHA will hold an annual meeting to inform parents of the school’s participation in Title I and the right of parents to be involved. The school will provide written notice to all parents in regards to the identification the DHA is a Title 1 School Improvement school (school improvement letter). The school will invite all parents of children participating in Title I programs to this meeting, and will encourage them to attend, by: Using Connect Ed to invite parents Promoting the Event via Website and the monthly Parent Newsletter and Calendar Flyers sent home with students 4. DHA will provide parents of participating children information in a timely manner about Title I programs that includes a description and explanation of the school’s curriculum, the forms of academic assessment used to measure children’s progress, and the proficiency levels students are expected to meet by: Scheduling parent-teacher conferences (Spanish translators will be provided by CMS) Scheduling parent meetings and trainings (Spanish translators will be provided by CMS) Providing information on school website Providing information in monthly newsletter in English and Spanish Scheduling EOG events Providing Student Agendas Providing easy access to teachers and administration 5. DHA will, at the request of parents, provide opportunities for regular meetings. The school will respond to any such suggestions as soon as practicably possibly by: Responding to phone calls Responding by email, letters or other written communication 6. DHA will provide each parent an individual student report about the performance of their child on the NC State assessment in math and reading by: Distributing reports to parents Utilizing Internet based Parent Assistant Program to keep parents informed 7. DHA will provide assistance to parents of children served by the school, as appropriate, in understanding topics by undertaking the actions describe below: 09/18/2012– Open House /Title 1 Curriculum Night with family dinner 10/19/2012– Project Lift “Won’t Back Down” 11/09/210 2- Parent Coffee Question and Answer Session 11/14/2012 - Parent Coffee Question and Answer Session 11/16/2012 – Spelling B 11/29/2012 – Literacy Night(Reading Rodeo)/Parent University with Boy Scouts of America 12/5/2102 – One Laptop Per Child Meeting & Parent Assistant Computer Workshop DHA will provide accommodations to parents that have disabilities to increase their involvement in the school. One way this will be accomplished is provided those parents with physical, vision or hearing disabilities preferred seating at all events. 8. DHA will provide materials and training to help parents work with their children to improve their children’s academic achievement, such as literacy training, to foster parental involvement, by scheduling: 09/18/2012– Open House /Title 1 Curriculum Night with family dinner 11/09/210 2- Parent Coffee Question and Answer Session 11/14/2012 - Parent Coffee Question and Answer Session 11/29/2012 – Literacy Night(Reading Rodeo)/Parent University with Boy Scouts of America 12/5/2102 – One Laptop Per Child Meeting & Parent Assistant Computer Workshop 9. DHA will, to the extent feasible and appropriate, coordinate and integrate parental involvement programs and activities with PTA, ASEP, Parent University and other programs. The school will also conduct other activities that encourage and support parents in more fully participating in the education of their children, by scheduling meetings: 09/18/2012– Open House /Title 1 Curriculum Night with family dinner 10/19/2012– Project Lift “Won’t Back Down” 11/09/210 2- Parent Coffee Question and Answer Session 11/14/2012 - Parent Coffee Question and Answer Session 11/16/2012 – Spelling B 11/29/2012 – Literacy Night(Reading Rodeo)/Parent University with Boy Scouts of America 12/5/2102 – One Laptop Per Child Meeting & Parent Assistant Computer Workshop 10. DHA will take the following actions to ensure that information related to the school and parent programs, meeting, and other activities is sent to parents of participating children in an understandable format, including formats upon request, and in a language the parents can understand (in English and Spanish): Connect Ed Parent Newsletters & Calendars Parent Letters Student Agendas School Brochures Flyers Parent Surveys 11. DHA will provide parents reports about the academic performance of their child by: Distributing reports to parents Utilizing Internet based Parent Assistant Program to keep parents informed Mid-quarter progress reports Weekly update reports Thursday Folders Parent conferences 12. DHA will provide parents at the Annual Parent Meeting the following information: Student achievement on the NC ABCs Student achievement and AYP Goals for student achievement for the 2012-2013 school year Analysis of parent involvement at DHA Goals for parent involvement for the 2012-2013 school year 13. DHA will provide parents with a variety of avenues for providing feedback to the school during the school year as well as Annual Evaluation. This will be accomplished by: Providing feedback forms in the Parent Newsletters Maintaining a notebook in the school’s office containing the SIP, SEF, Parent Involvement Policy, Professional Development Plan, and the Family School Partnership Plan and feedback forms for each of these areas Implementing ConnectED surveys Providing surveys at parent meetings/events Providing input/feedback at PTA executive board meeting and School leadership Team meetings Holding parent conferences Implementing parent and student surveys provided by CMS PART IV. ADOPTION This School Parent Involvement Policy has been developed jointly with, and agreed on with, parents of children participating in Title I at Druid Hills Academy This policy was adopted by Druid Hills Elementary Academy on December 13, 2012 and will be in effect for one year. The school will distribute this policy to all parents of children on or before December 20, 2012. The school will distribute this policy to parents in English or Spanish. Please use the attached form to submit any comments or feedback to Alison Hiltz, principal of Druid Hills Academy. In compliance with Federal Law, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools administers all education programs, employment activities and admissions without discrimination against any person on the basis of gender, race, color, religion, national origin, age or disability Title I Druid Hills Academy Parental Involvement Feedback Form Comments: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________ Student Name: _________________________________________________________________ Teacher Name: _________________________________________________________________ Parent Signature: _______________________________________________________________ In compliance with Federal Law, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools administers all education programs, employment activities and admissions without discrimination against any person on the basis of gender, race, color, religion, national origin, age or disability.