SCHOOL LEVEL

Standard S1:  Family and Community Engagement is incorporated into the School Improvement Plan.

Indicators:

            10.  Action items in the School Improvement Plan relate to family involvement and its contribution to students' academic achievement.

            11.  The School Improvement Plan is developed by all stakeholders - administrators, teachers, parents, students, and community members.

Standard S2:  The faculty and staff use a variety of ways to involve parents and community members in the education process.

Indicators:

            12.  Family and community programs are offered at various times throughout the school year and the school day.

            13.  A minimum of two Open Houses/Parent Teacher Conferences are held each year.

            14.  Funds are designated for family and community involvement events.

CLASSROOM LEVEL

 Standard C1:  Classroom teachers are expected to be friendly and respectful and to treat families as partners in their children's education.

 Indicators:

            18.  Teachers provide families with information concerning their child's curriculum and outline expectations for successful academic achievement. 

            19.  Teachers and parents are in frequent, two-way communication concerning a child's progress in school.

            20.  Families are kept up to date on their child's progress by a variety of methods:  newsletters, notes, phone calls, etc.

Standard C2:  Teachers value the uniqueness of each child and respect the family's experiences, knowledge, and culture.

Indicators:

            21.  Families are invited to share their experiences, knowledge, and culture with other students in the school.

            22.  Teachers are trained in multi-cultural, gender-fair, and disability-aware practices and use them in working with families.

            23. All families are welcome by the teacher and receive quality customer service, regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, or age.

HOME LEVEL

Standard H1:  The family has high but reasonable expectations for their child's academic achievement.

Indicators:

            24.  Children's achievement is encouraged through positive reinforcement and modeling appropriate behavior such as love of learning and discipline.

            25.  There is a genuine interest by parents and community members in a child's growth, development, and achievement.

            26. The family has clear rules and consequences.

            27.  Parents make sure their children go to school on time and attend  school regularly.

Standard H2:  Family and community members actively support the school and district's efforts to provide a quality education to all students.

Indicators:

            28.  Parents and community members are actively involved at the school by volunteering in the classroom, serving on committees (including professional development), attending conferences, and organizing events.

            29.  Parents and community members are involved in district initiatives by  serving on committees and attending meetings/activities.

            30.  Parents and community members communicate to the school staff what they expect of the school in an appropriate and respectful manner.

 

The goal of Jefferson Elementary School is to provide a high-quality education to meet the challenging standards of serving all children.  The purpose of the Jefferson Elementary School is to ensure that all children have a fair, equal, and significant opportunity to obtain a high-quality education and reach, at a minimum, proficiency in Tennessee academic achievement standards and academic assessments.  We value the role of parents play as their children’s first teacher and the influences of their continued support to promote higher student academic achievement and school performance. 

Jefferson Elementary School envisions quality education for all by maintaining a positive, nurturing, and self-motivating environment.  Jefferson Elementary School promotes life-long learning to prepare its students to become contributing members of our ever-changing society.   

The following outline is in compliance with the legal requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001.  The document represents joint development with parents, teachers, and principal.  The policy will be available to all parents. 

 Parents will have an opportunity to assist in developing the building plan, review the program and make suggestions.  To accomplish this: 

A.    All parents will be invited to an annual open house prior to the end of September to maximize the opportunity for parents to participate and discuss the following: 

1. Title 1 objectives 

2. Instructional methods 

3. School objectives and instructional methods 

4. Discuss teacher and paraprofessional qualifications.  Parent right to know who is qualified under No Child Left Behind Act 

5. Test scores and how schools are identified for school improvement 

6. School District requirements concerning Title 1.

 B.  Support will be provided to parents and teachers as they plan and implement effective parent involvement.  We will:

 1. Provide parent workshops and activities based on the assessed needs and  interests.   

 2.  Develop a Parent/Teacher/Student Compact in cooperation with both parents and teachers promoting its use for the betterment of the students. 

3.  Provide a facility that will be a working site for parents to hold meetings/workshops, work on projects, and obtain materials to encourage parents to support their child’s learning. 

4.  Provide current, reputable parent literature/materials in a format that is understandable to parents. 

 C.  In order to promote the school’s and parent’s capacity to form a strong partnership and work toward higher student academic achievement we will: 

1.  Assist parents in such areas as the state standards, assessment, and how to monitor their child’s progress. 

2. Encourage parents to visit their child’s classroom during the school day. 

3. Inform parents of school activities through newsletters, phone calls, web sites, email and other media. 

4. Encourage staff to have regular two-way communication with parents through parents conferences, progress reports, home visits, classroom newsletters, school web site and provide opportunities for observation of classroom activities. 

5. Cooperate with agencies and other resources to promote training for parents. 

6. Encourage the education of teachers, pupil services personnel, principals and other staff members with the value of parent involvement in the school. 

7. Make information available in language parents can understand. 

8. Provide training to parents to work with their children to improve their academic achievement.  Such training will include literacy and technology.

9. Jefferson Elementary School will encourage coordination of parent involvement activities with Jefferson County Family Resource Center. 

10. Parents will participate in the annual evaluation of the content and effect of the parent involvement policy and practice.  

D.  Increasing parent involvement

1.  Ways to overcome barriers which may limit participation for those who are economically disadvantaged, disabled, have limited literacy, have limited English proficiency or are any racial/ethnic minority background. 

2. Parents will have the opportunity to serve on a committee to develop a school-parent compact.  Parents will also be involved in revising the plan each spring.  If you feel the plan is nor satisfactory, please direct any comments to Karen Blomdahl, family resource specialist, at 865-397-4466 or at kblomdal@jcboe.net.