2025-2026�Annual Title I & Family Engagement Meeting

Southside Elementary School

September 9, 2025 at 6 pm

Carmen Hayes

Revised August 2025

Why are we here?

• The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) requires that each Title I school hold an annual meeting of Title I families in order to:
• inform you of your school’s participation in Title I,
• explain the requirements of Title I, and
• explain your rights as parents and family members to be involved.

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What will I learn?

• What is a Title I school?
• What are my rights?
• What can Title I funds be used for?
• How does our school use Title I funds?
• What is the SIP?
• What are our schoolwide program goals?
• How is parent and family engagement funded?
• What is the Parent and Family Engagement Policy?
• What is the School-Parent Compact?
• What curriculum does our school use?

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• What tests will my child be taking?
• How can I be involved?
• Who can I contact for help?

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What is a Title I school?

• Title I was passed in 1965 under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). It is the largest federal assistance program for our nation’s schools.
• Title I schools receive extra funding (Title I dollars) from the federal government. These dollars are used to:
• identify students experiencing academic difficulties and provide assistance to help these students;
• purchase additional staff, programs, materials, and/or supplies; and
• conduct parent and family engagement meetings, trainings, events, and/or activities.

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What are my rights?

• The families and parents of Title I students have a right, by law, to:
• be involved in decisions made at both the school and district level;

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• be provided with information on your child’s level of achievement on tests in reading/language arts, writing, mathematics, and science;

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• request and receive information on the qualifications of your child’s teacher and paraprofessionals who are working with your child. This can be done by contacting your child’s principal at 931-424-7005, and

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• request opportunities for regular meetings to formulate suggestions and to participate, as appropriate, in decisions about the education of your child. The school is required to respond to any such suggestions as soon as practicably possible.

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What can Title I funds be used for?

• In general, Title I funds may be used for:
• smaller class sizes,
• additional teachers and paraprofessionals,
• additional training for school staff,
• extra time for instruction (before and/or after school programs),
• parent and family engagement activities, and/or
• a variety of supplemental teaching materials, equipment, and technology.

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How does our school use Title I funds?

• In 2024-2025 our school was allotted approximately $269,614.08 n Title I funding.
• We developed a Schoolwide Program, which means we plan to spend our funds on the following:
• Supplemental staff:
• Reading Interventionist
• Math Interventionist
• Educational Assistant

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• Programs/Materials/Supplies:
• Flocabulary, Reflex Math, IXL, Supplemental Resources
• Book Sets
• Planners

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• Teacher Professional Development:
• East TN Title I Conference

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What is the SIP?

• The SIP is the School Improvement Plan. It includes:
• the identification of the school planning team and how they will be engaged in the planning process;
• a needs assessment and summary of academic and non-academic data;
• prioritized goals, strategies, and action steps to help address the academic and non-academic needs of students;
• teacher and staff professional development needs; and
• budgets and the coordination of resources.
• The school must include family representatives on our school planning team.

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What are our schoolwide program goals?

• Increase reading achievement for all students
• Increase math achievement for all students
• Address social emotional competencies for all students, particularly subgroups

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How is parent and family engagement funded?

• Any district with a Title I allocation exceeding $500,000 is required by law to set aside 1% of its Title I allocation for parent and family engagement.
• Of that 1%, 10% may be reserved at the district for system-wide initiatives related to parent and family engagement. The remaining 90% must be allocated to all Title I schools in the district.
• You, as Title I parents and family members, have the right to be involved in how this money is spent.

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How is parent and family engagement funded?

• In 2024-25, we received approximately $6,109.21 in parent and family engagement funding. We used these funds for:
• Parent and Family Engagement Meeting and Events
• September 29, 2024 at 6 pm
• March 10, 2025 at 5 pm

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• Materials/Supplies
• Food for meetings, copies of materials for meetings
• Summer bridgework packets and workbooks
• Planners

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What is a Parent and Family Engagement Policy?

• These plans address how the district and school will implement the parent and family engagement requirements of ESSA. Components should include:
• how parents and families can be involved in decision-making and activities;
• how parent and family engagement funds are being used;
• how information and training will be provided to families; and
• how the school will build capacity in families and staff for strong parent and family engagement.
• You, as a Title I parent or family member, have the right to be involved in the development of these plans.

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What is a Parent and Family Engagement Policy?

• The district Parent and Family Engagement Policy can be found on the district’s Title I webpage.

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• The school Parent and Family Engagement Policy will be shared September 26, 2025 via a school pamphlet/handout.

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What is a School-Parent Compact?

• A school-parent compact is a written commitment that outlines how the entire school community – teachers, families, and students will share the responsibility for improved academic achievement.
• The compact must describe how the school will:
• provide high-quality curriculum and instruction;
• hold parent-teacher conferences, annually in elementary schools;
• provide parents with reports on their child’s progress;
• provide parents reasonable access to staff;
• provide parents opportunities to volunteer; and
• ensure regular two-way meaningful communication between family members and staff, to the extent practicable, in a language family members can understand.
• You, as a Title I parent or family member, have the right to be involved in the development of the compact.

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What is a School-Parent Compact?

• The school-parent compact will be shared September 26, 2025 via school pamphlet or handout distributed to students.

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What curriculum does our school use?

• The Tennessee Academic Standards provide a common set of expectations for what students will know and be able to do at the end of a grade for each subject area.
• Tennessee's academic standards form the framework for everything taught at Southside Elementary School.
• For more information about Tennessee’s academic standards, see:

https://www.tn.gov/education/districts/academic-standards.html

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What curriculum does our school use?

• The adopted ELA curriculum is CKLA.
• The adopted math curriculum is Envision.
• The adopted science curriculum is SAVVAS.
• The adopted social studies curriculum is Gallopade.

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• Teachers make use of these instructional programs:
• IXL, Flocabulary, Google Classroom, Mastery Connect, Clever

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What tests will my child be taking?

• All students take the Aim’s Web benchmark 3 times per year to assess reading, math, and writing levels. Students performing below the 10th percentile for each subject will receive intensive intervention in Tier III. Students performing between the 11th and 25th percentiles will receive Tier II intervention.
• Students will take a Mastery Connect/MVP benchmark assessment 2 times per year that will mimic the TN Ready state test. The proficiency levels are available for TCAP, and those scores are found here.
• Students will take TCAP in the spring in ELA, math, and science.

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How can I be involved?

• We need you! Research has proven that family engagement in education has more impact on student achievement than any other factor.
• To get involved with the SIP, contact Carmen Hayes at 931-424-7005 to serve as a parent representative.
• To get involved with the Parent and Family Engagement Policy, contact Carmen Hayes at 931-424-7005 to serve on this committee. Also, all parents can participate in the parent input survey which is sent home each spring.
• To get involved with the School Parent Compact, submit feedback through the School Parent Compact survey which is shared digitally each fall. If you need access to the survey, contact Carmen Hayes at 931-424-7005.

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How can I be involved?

• Other Ways To Become Involved at Southside:
• Encourage your child’s attendance;
• Monitor grades and schoolwork using Parent Vue;
• Attend Parent Teacher Conferences (October 23, 2025 and March 12, 2026)
• Be an active member of our PTO
• Check your child’s planner daily for homework and assist with the completion of this homework.
• Attend Open House and Parent Nights

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Who can I contact for help?

• For general questions, call the front office at: 931-424-7005.
• To reach the principal, Carmen Hayes, call: 931-424-7005.
• To reach our family liaison and assistant principal, Hannah Tomerlin call: 931-424-7005.
• To reach your child’s teacher, call the front office or view our staff directory at: www.gcboe.us/ses

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WE JUST WANT TO SAY…

THANK YOU!