Decatur Middle School

Parental Involvement Plan 2016-2017

Committee Members:

Kelly Hankins – Facilitator

Janette Raymond - Teacher

John Unger – Dean of Students

Carol Owens – Parent

Jacque Smith - Parent

Mitchell Hankins - Parent

Decatur Middle School will use the various communication strategies mentioned below to provide additional information to parents and to increase parental involvement in supporting classroom instruction.

• The school will distribute a monthly newsletter to parents that is developed with participation of the parent-school organization, principal, staff and parent volunteers.  It includes school news, a calendar of school activities, and parenting tips related to school achievement such as homework tips, organizational skills, and study skills.
• The school will maintain a Web site and a smartphone app.  Homework assignments and pertinent classroom information will be available from each teacher.  Parents can also access their child’s grades through the district website.  Parents may use e-mail to communicate with members of the school staff.
• Teachers will routinely contact parents on an individual basis to communicate about their child’s progress.
• The school will provide to parents reports/report cards every four weeks with information regarding their child’s academic progress and upcoming classroom and school events.
• The school will send parents a parent-friendly letter in the first report card that explains their child’s test results and standardized test scores.
• The school will offer parents a special workshop each year on the school’s approach to school improvement.
• The school will send brochures home with students, post notices in school facilities and public buildings, and provide information for local newspapers and radio stations about parent workshops and meetings.
• The school will use the student handbook, school Web site, signage at the school entrance, and parent orientation meetings about the School wide Title 1 Plan and how to get a copy upon request.

The following are the proposed parent meetings, conferences and activities regularly scheduled throughout this year.  The dates provide flexible meeting times in order to increase parental involvement and build staff and parent capacity to engage in these types of efforts.

• These meetings will include parent training sessions to help parents understand how to enhance their child’s education.
• The meetings will be held at various times during the day or evening to better accommodate parents.
• Outside speakers will provide parents with more information concerning ways to make their child’s academic life more successful.
• The school will hold an orientation for parents to inform them about the school’s participation in the Title 1 program and to encourage parents to be involved with reviewing and revising the School’s Title 1 Plan.
• Teachers will hold conferences individually with parents of children in their classrooms.  Parents will be given a summary of student’s test scores and an explanation of the interventions teachers are using to assist the child in reaching achievement goals.  Parents will be asked to engage in discussion of how they can support these efforts.  Parents will also be given suggestions for coordinating school-parent efforts and explanations of homework and grading procedures.
• The school will offer parents a special workshop each year to provide an explanation of the statewide assessment system, standards, and other accountability measures.
• The school will encourage parents in the following types of roles and activities to increase their involvement and support for student learning:

• Mentor
• Tutor
• Book fair helpers
• Awards day presentation
• Field day volunteers
• Parent education workshops
• Orientation presentations
• Open House
• Parent-school organization
• Band/Choir concerts
• Various committees

The school will provide information to parents about volunteer opportunities in the following ways:

• The school will provide opportunities for parents and community members to support the instructional program through such programs as mentoring and tutoring.
• The school will provide a list of volunteer opportunities and solicit ideas for other types of volunteer efforts during orientation of parents.  Teachers will explain the requirements to parents and encourage them to become involved in the school.  Brief training sessions will provide parents and community members with the information they need to participate as school volunteers in order to put them at ease and make the experience pleasant and successful.
• The school will provide instruction to a parent on how to incorporate developmentally appropriate learning activities in the home environment, including without limitation: role play and demonstration by a trained volunteer, the use of and access to the Department of Education website tools for parents, assistance with nutritional meal planning and preparation and other strategies or curricula developed or acquired by the school district for at-home parental instruction approved by the Department of Education.
• The State Board of Education’s Standards for Accreditation of Arkansas public schools and school districts shall require no fewer than two hours of professional development for teachers designed to enhance the understanding of effective parental involvement strategies.  No fewer than three hours of professional development for administrators designed to enhance the understanding of effective parent involvement strategies and the importance of administrative leadership in setting expectations and creating a climate conducive to parental participation.

School –Parent Compact

• School staff, parents and students will develop a school-parent-student compact.  This compact will outline how parents, school staff, and students share the responsibility for improving student academic achievement and the means by which the school and parents will build and develop a partnership to help children achieve the state’s high academic standards.  All stakeholders will sign the compact.

Decatur Middle School will provide opportunities for parents to be involved in the development, implementation and evaluation of the school wide school improvement plan, and the Annual Title 1 Meeting to engage them in the decision-making processes regarding the school’s Title 1 Program in the following ways.

• The school will involve parents on school improvement plan committees.  To support this process, the school will offer both school staff and parents training on how to contribute to this process in a meaningful way.  
• The school will ask parents to serve on curricular and instructional review committees.  To support this process, the school will offer both school staff and parents training on how to contribute to this process in a meaningful way.
• The school will engage parents in decision making about the allocation of its Title 1, Part A funds for parental involvement.
• To take advantage of community resources, the school shall consider recruiting alumni from the school to create an alumni advisory commission to provide advice and guidance for school improvement.
• The school shall enable the formation of a Parent Teacher Association or organization that will foster parental and community involvement within the school.

Decatur Middle School will provide resources for parents in the following ways.

• Create a parent center.

• Parents may check out materials, use the computer to check grades and visit educational web sites.  Parents will be encouraged to view the Title 1 Plan located in the parent resource center or media center.  A suggestion sheet will also be available for parental input.  The school will open the resource center at hours that are convenient to the parents.
• The school will distribute informational packets each year that includes a copy of the school’s parental involvement plan, survey for volunteer interests, recommended roles for parents/teachers/students and school, suggestions of ways parents can become involved in their child’s education, parental involvement activities planned for the current school year and information about the system that will be used to allow parents and teachers to communicate (notes, phone calls, e-mail, etc.)
• To promote and support responsible parenting, the school shall, as funds are available: Purchase parenting books, magazines, and other informative materials regarding responsible parenting through the school library, advertise the current selection, and give parents the opportunity to borrow the materials for review.
• Include in the school’s policy handbook the school’s process for resolving parental concerns, including how to define a problem, whom to approach first, and how to develop solutions.
• Kelly Hankins has been designated the parent facilitator and can be reached at 479-752-3983.

Decatur Middle School will engage parents in the evaluation of the parental involvement efforts in the following ways.

• The school will engage parents in the annual evaluation of Title 1, Part A Program’s parental involvement efforts through an annual evaluation using a comprehensive needs assessment filled out by teachers, parents and school staff.  The Title 1 committee, made up of teachers, parents and school staff, will determine the effectiveness of the parental involvement plan and make changes if warranted.  While collecting evidence about satisfaction with the program and the school’s efforts to increase parental involvement will be a part of the evaluation, the survey will also collect specific information on the 1) growth in number of parents participating in workshops and meetings; 2) specific needs of parents; 3) effectiveness of specific strategies; and 4) engagement of parents in activities to support student academic growth.

Decatur Middle School will use the parent interest surveys to select, plan and implement parental involvement activities that will be offered throughout the year in the following ways.

• The school will ask parents to fill out a parent interest survey at registration or at the beginning of each school year to get information from parents concerning the activities they feel will be the most beneficial in the efforts to support their child academically.
• The school will use the results of the parent interest survey to plan the parental involvement activities for the year.
• The school will evaluate the activities that were suggested by the parents at the end of the year as part of the annual parental involvement plan evaluation.

Decatur Middle School will hold the Annual Title 1 Meeting separately.

• The annual Title 1 meeting for parents of students participating in the Title 1, Part A Program will be held on October 18th at 4 pm in the Library.
• This meeting will be held separately from any other meetings or activities to ensure that there will be ample time to provide a description/explanation of school curriculum, information on forms of academic assessments used to measure student progress and information on proficiency level students are expected to meet.
• The agenda, sign-in sheet and minutes for this meeting will be kept on file in the school’s office and with the parent facilitator.