Drew Central Elementary School
Parental Involvement Plan
2009 - 2010
Drew Central Elementary School recognizes that a child’s education is a responsibility shared by the school and family all through the child’s school career. We support the goal of the school being responsible for educating all students effectively with the school and parents working as knowledgeable partners. We also know that cultural diversity is important, and that parents with diverse cultures are an integral component of the school’s ability to provide for the educational success of students. Consequently, the engagement of parents is essential to improve student achievement; therefore, Drew Central Elementary School will foster and support parental involvement.
Parents of students of all grade levels will be included in a variety of comprehensive and coordinated activities that encourage active parental involvement. Recognizing that communication between home and school should be regular, two-way, and meaningful, Drew Central Elementary School will:
1. The school’s parental involvement program.
2. The recommended role of the parent, student, teacher, and school.
3. Ways for the parents to become involved in the school and his or her
child’s education.
4. Activities planned throughout the school year to encourage parental
involvement.
5. A system to allow the parents and teachers to communicate in a regular,
two-way, and meaningful manner with the child’s teacher and the
school principal.
6. A calendar of scheduled school events which parents are encouraged to
attend.
B. Schedule at least two parent teacher conferences per year, one each semester of
the school year.
C. Plan and engage in activities which will be beneficial in encouraging
communication with parents while promoting responsible parenting.
1. Purchase parenting books, magazines and other informative material
regarding responsible parenting, advertise the
current selection, and
give parents an opportunity to borrow the materials to review.
2. Give parents parenting books on assisting with homework, working
with pre-school children, and other topics concerning effective
parenting.
3. Create a school newsletter to be distributed to all parents.
4. Send home a monthly calendar of scheduled school and class events.
5. Send home communication through “Tuesday Folders.”
6. Publish a notice in the local newspaper at the end of the school year;
honoring parents who attend the scheduled school events.
7. Maintain a parent center and update as funds become available for
Grades 7-12.
a. A section of the library will be set aside for a parent center.
b. The librarian will be responsible for keeping records of usage.
c. Teachers will refer parents to the parent center if the student has
problems that may be addressed through the parent center.
D. Acknowledge that parents play an integral role in assisting student learning. To
help parents assist students, Drew Central Elementary School will schedule
a “Parent Night” where parents are given a report on the state of the school and
an overview of curriculum, assessment, expectations of both parents and
teachers and how parents can assist and make a difference in his or her child’s
education.
1. Schedule Family Literacy Nights through the Parent Center.
2. Schedule Family Math Night through the Parent Center.
3. Schedule an Open-house meeting for parents before school
begins.
E. Welcome parents into Drew Central Elementary School.
1. Give the parents our policy which encourages parents to:
a. Visit a child’s classroom during regular school hours and
scheduled events.
b. Pick up a child if necessary either outside the school building at
regular pick-up places or through a check-out system in the
office.
c. Visit with the counselor/and or principal regularly or if a need
arises.
2. Publish a volunteer resource book that lists and matches the interests
and availability of volunteers to school staff members. The survey that
shows parental interests, frequency of wish to participate (may be only
once a year), and listing options for those available to work at home will
be included.
a. A volunteer sign-in sheet in the resource book will be located in
the Parent Center office.
b. Parents entering the building will be encouraged to volunteer
their services.
c. The resource list and survey will be included in the resource
book.
3. Make available statements attesting to the school district’s commitment
to parental involvement by including such statements in the Drew
Central Elementary handbook that is given to every child at the time of
the child’s entry in the school each year.
F. Recognize that a parent is a full partner in the decisions that affect his or her
child and family by publishing the school’s process for resolving parental
concerns (defining the problem, the chain of command, and how to develop
solutions) in the Drew Central Elementary School’s handbook.
1. Parental conferences will be scheduled at times agreed upon by the
parents, teachers, and or principal.
2. Include parents on the handbook committee to review and
update handbook annually.
3. Extra copies of the handbook will be distributed upon requests.
G. Recognize that community resources strengthen elementary school programs,
family practices, and student learning and will take advantage of community
resources.
1. A parent advisory commission made up of alumni parents and current
parents will be established to provide advice and guidance for school
improvement.
2. Involve school/community patrons in the ACSIP plan for school
improvement as participants in advisory capacities.
3. Work with community/business members to help with and promote
activities within the school to strengthen school programs, family
practices and student learning.
a. Ask for volunteers to visit classrooms.
b. Ask for monetary or human resource support for
activities/programs.
c. Ask for referral services.
d. Publish partners of Drew Central Elementary School in our
newsletters and in the local newspaper.
H. Support the development, implementation, and regular evaluation of the program to involve parents in the decisions and practices of the school district by including parents in the ACSIP plan, Title I plans, Title VI plans, handbook revisions, and in the PTO. Parent evaluation surveys will be disseminated at the end of each year and will be included as a part of the school/district evaluations of programs.
I. The principal of Drew Central Elementary School will designate one certified
staff member that is willing to serve as parent facilitator to organize
meaningful training for staff and parents promoting and encouraging a
welcoming atmosphere to parental involvement.
1. Designate a certified staff member at the beginning of the school year.
2. Seek supplemental payment for the designated employee.
3. Show parental involvement as an asset to the school.
J. The Drew Central School District will require (2) two hours of staff
development for elementary teachers to enhance the understanding of
effective parenting. These two hours may be included in the teacher’s
required (60) sixty hours of staff development required by the state.
K. The Drew Central School District will require (3) three hours for district
administrators of Parental Involvement staff development designed to enhance
understanding of effective parental involvement strategies and the importance
of administrative leadership in setting expectations and creating a climate
conducive to parental participation.
L. Provide instruction to parents on how to incorporate developmentally appropriate learning activities in the home environment, including:
a. Role play and demonstration by trained volunteers
b. The use of and access to Department of Education Website tools for parents.
c. Assistance with nutritional meal planning and preparation.
d. Other strategies or curricula developed or acquired by the school district for at-home parental instruction approved by the Department of Education.
L. The Drew Central Elementary School will annually review and update the
Parental Involvement plan and give it to the superintendent.
M. The Drew Central Elementary School Parental Involvement Plan will be
reviewed by Department of Education as part of the Drew Central School
District’s Parental Involvement Plan.