Title I Policy

Norcross Elementary School

TITLE I PARENT INVOLVEMENT POLICY

2009-2010

Norcross Elementary School will abide by and support all rules and regulations pertaining to Title I: Improving the Academic Achievement of the Disadvantaged, No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, Public Law 107-110, and the Parent Involvement Policy of Gwinnett County Public Schools (GCPS).

The administration, faculty, and staff of Norcross Elementary School have met and jointly developed with parents this Title I Parent Involvement Policy.
This policy describes the school’s expectations for parent involvement. It will be distributed to parents of all students. The term parent in this policy refers to parents/guardians of students attending Norcross Elementary School.

1. Norcross Elementary School will convene an annual meeting at a convenient time, to which all parents of participating children will be invited and encouraged to attend. At this meeting, parents will be told that their school is a Title I school and that it receives Title I funding. Parents will hear about the requirements of Title I and the right of the parents to be involved. Several Title I Parent Orientation meetings will be held at the beginning of the 2009-2010 school year. *see attached Action Plan for specific dates and times. At these meetings, parents will be told that Norcross Elementary School is a school-wide Title I school (SWP), and that it receives Title I federal funding. Title I documents requiring signatures will be given out to parents in attendance and discussed thoroughly. The Title I SWP Orientation program is presented in large group with the Parent Instructional Support Coordinator (PISC).

· Assure parents know that their school receives Title I funds and that they have the right to be involved in the decision-making about the school-wide plan implemented, including the budget.

· Inform parents of the guidelines, purpose, goals, and their role at Norcross Elementary School Title I SWP Program,

· Discuss the budget, the advantages offered based on federal funding, and the right of parents to be involved in the spending through the Title I Committee,

· Explain other rights as a Title I parent (Complaint Process and the specific information they may request regarding their child’s teacher(s)/paraprofessional: 1) Highly Qualified teacher and paraprofessional status, if paraprofessional services are provided; 2) certification and/or degree held by the teacher; 3) when their child has been taught for 4 or more weeks (20 consecutive days) by a teacher who is not highly qualified),

· Talk about the Local School Plan for Improvement (LSPI) goals, NES Parent Involvement Policy and Action Plan, and the School-Parent Compact,

· Inform parents that the Parent Center has the availability of free resources to take for at-home support,

· Discuss the Parent Instructional Support Coordinator’s (PISC) role as liaison among home, teacher, school, and community, and

· Provide information about the Georgia Parental Information and Resource Center (PIRC).

2. The school will offer a number of additional meetings, such as meetings in the morning or evening, and may provide, with Title I funds, transportation, child care, or home visits, to help parents become involved in our school. For those parents unable to attend the beginning of year Orientation meetings, a power point presentation is available in the Parent Center for parent viewing with explanation by the PISC. Title I documents requiring signatures will be sent home in student Friday folders. Ongoing Friday Orientation sessions are made available to parents of new enrollees and for any other parents who wish additional information about Orientation. Title I documents are explained and given to parents of new enrollees at the time of registration.

3. The school will involve parents, in an organized, ongoing, and timely way, in the planning, review, and improvement of programs, including the planning, review, and improvement of the school parental involvement policy and the joint development of the school-wide program plan under section 1114(b)(2), except that if a school has in place a process for involving parents in the joint planning and design of the school’s programs, the school may use that process, if such process includes an adequate representation of parents of participating children. The Title I Committee at Norcross Elementary School has representation from parents, the Title I Assistant Principal, the PISC, community members, and teachers. This committee is involved in the planning, revising, and adopting of the following Title I documents: 1)Norcross Elementary School’s Title I Parent Involvement Policy and Action Plan, 2) the School-Parent Compact, and 3) The ARRA Parent Involvement Budget and the regular Title I Budget. Throughout the year, our Title I Committee will also be involved in planning the goals for our Local School Plan for Improvement (LSPI). The LSPI goals are reflected in our Title I School-Wide Plan.

A membership drive for the Title I Committee is implemented in the spring of 2008 – 2009 school year and again at the beginning of the 2009 – 2010 school year. All parents, faculty and staff of NES are informed of this Title I Committee membership drive by letter. Those parents and community members already on the Committee are sent a special letter requesting they continue to serve as members. It is hoped that there will be equal parent representation across grade levels, cultural backgrounds, socio-economic status, as well as within special area groups, such as parents of special needs students, parents transitioning to NES, homeless parents, parents of English Language Learners, and parents of gifted students. Guidelines limit the faculty and staff to only two members, along with the Title I Assistant Principal, the PISC, and Dr. Hill, Principal of NES, as ex-officio member. In addition to our Title I Committee, parents are involved in other committees which make decisions for our school.

In order to determine the effectiveness of the school’s Title I Program and to guarantee that parent concerns and recommendations are met to the greatest extent possible, the PISC surveys all parents at least once a year. An end-of-year survey/evaluation of the Title I Parent Involvement Plan is sent home, and data collected influences the next year’s Parent Involvement program. Survey results are sent home to all parents, and the survey results are placed on file in the Local Education Agency (LEA), Gwinnett County Public Schools’ Title I Office.

A key component of communication among home, school, and community is the Local School Council. Parents or business partners serve as Chairs of these meetings, with our principal and teacher representatives comprising the selected group. At each of these meetings, reports of student discipline infractions, academic results, program initiatives, and the status of the Local School Plan for Improvement may be discussed. These meetings provide vital information necessary for clear and effective communication between school, home, and community.

Two parents who are presently serving on the Title I Committee are also selected to represent our school on the Parent Advisory Committee (PAC). The PAC meets four times a year to make decisions for the Local Education Agency (LEA). Reports are brought back to the Title I Committee for discussion.

A) Timely information is given to parents about the School-wide Program Parents are informed about the school-wide programs at Norcross Elementary School through a variety of media/methods: Flyers, parent calendar of events sent home with children and posted on school webpage, personal phone calls, the automated phone service, written invitations, and Friday folders. Title I documents are distributed at the time of new enrollee registration throughout the school year. In addition, a copy of the school-wide plan is available upon request by contacting the PISC or any Administrator in our school. The NES Title l Policy Plan with attached Action Plan is also on file in the GCPS Title I Office.

B) A description and explanation of the curriculum in use at Norcross Elementary School, the forms of academic assessment used to measure student progress, and the proficiency levels students are expected to meet. Gwinnett’s curriculum is called the Academic Knowledge & Skills (AKS), the essential skills students are expected to know and be able to do at each grade level. The Skills curriculum is based on the Georgia Performance Standards, Georgia’s adopted state curriculum. To teach the Gwinnett County Public School’s Academic Knowledge and Skills curriculum, the faculty and staff at Norcross Elementary School use the research-based Gwinnett County Public School’s Quality-Plus Teaching Strategies, uses instructional calendars based on the AKS to guide instruction and provides high achievement for every subject area and grade level. The entire school is committed to reaching high standards for student achievement and provides every child with a quality education. A copy of the AKS booklet is provided to parents of every child at Norcross Elementary School. The NES webpage is linked to the GCPS mainweb which also provides online booklets and additional information for parents. Teachers discuss specific curricula at Open House/Curriculum Night held at the beginning of the school year and at teacher-parent conferences held in November and February. The PISC sends out invitations to parents of new students for a special curriculum meeting in the Parent Center. Meetings are posted on the monthly calendar of events, and any parent wishing further curriculum information is welcome to attend.

NES participates in a comprehensive academic assessment program that includes homework, classwork, projects, ITBS, CogAT, and Gwinnett’s Benchmarks, Math Reasoning Test, teacher-developed tests and other local assessments. Academic assessment is outlined for parents in the Student Handbook with additional information available to parents on school webpage with a link connected to GCPS mainweb. A series of parent workshops designed to provide parents with information regarding academic assessments used in the classroom to measure student progress, and the proficiency levels students are expected to meet are described in the Action Plan.

What students should know and be able to do at each grade level is explained by their child’s teacher when they visit the classroom at curriculum meetings and during parent-teacher conferences. Additional promotion criteria is provided in the Student Handbook and posted on the GCPS mainweb. The PISC is also available to answer any questions or concerns parents may have regarding curriculum.

In addition, other opportunities are available for parents to learn about our academic program of instruction. These include Student Support Team meetings (SST), parent-teacher conferences, academic contracts for at-risk students, student report cards, reading and writing progress reports, weekly student work and parent-teacher communication folders, parent e-mails, school newsletters, and our school’s Annual Report Card. Questions or concerns can be directed to Administrators or the PISC.

C) If requested by parents, opportunities will be provided for regular meetings to formulate suggestions and to participate, as appropriate, in decisions relating to the education of their children, and respond to any such suggestions as soon as practicably possible. Parents are given opportunities to work collaboratively with school staff to address concerns, offer suggestions, and develop plans in making decisions that impact the education of all children. Parents are encouraged to have a deciding voice by participating in such groups as: Local School Council, the Title I Committee, Response to Intervention to Intervention (RTI) meetings where students who are struggling are provided with increasingly intensive instructional interventions, Student Support Team (SST) meetings for parents of at-risk students to develop strategies that address their child’s academic, social, behavioral, and/or emotional needs, parent-teacher conferences, Individualized Educational Program (IEP) meetings, and other parent groups organized by the school or the PISC. Question Cards are given out at meetings and made available in the Parent Center and front office area for parents to ask questions or to voice concerns or suggestions. PISC assures parents will receive answers in a timely manner.

5. If the Title I School-wide Program plan under section 1114(b)(2) is not satisfactory to the Norcross Elementary School’s parents, the school will submit any parent comments on the plan when the school makes the plan available to the local educational agency. All parent data is obtained from surveys that give space for comments and/or suggestions. Parent suggestions and/or comments are compiled and made available to the Title I Committee, the faculty, staff, and parents; results are used to make updates and/or changes to the next year’s Title I SWP program. Survey results and parent suggestions/comments are placed on file in the Parent Center and at the GCPS Title I Office.

6. Each school will jointly develop with parents a School-Parent Compact. The Title I Committee, comprised of parents, community members, teachers, administrators, and staff, develops the School-Parent Compact using survey feedback from meetings and workshops received throughout the year. The School-Parent Compact is a binding agreement between the school, the student, and the parent. The Compact is presented and shared with parents at the beginning of the year’s Open House, and with all parents of new enrollees during the school year. Parent responsibilities include monitoring attendance, limiting the use of their child’s electronic devices, promoting positive behavior, caring for the well-being of their child, developing and implementing a home learning plan, and being involved in all aspects of their child’s education. Parents and students are encouraged to sign the Compact signifying their commitment to working in partnership with the school to help students increase student achievement and to show the progress the school and our district are making toward the goal of having all students reach proficiency by the year 2014. Parents receive a copy of the Compact and a question card asking for comments and/or suggestions related to the Compact. Cards are submitted to the Parent Center. Information gained will be used for updating or making changes to the Compact. School-Parent Compacts are reviewed and initialed at conference time, during SSTs, or at any other time during the school year. Each year, the Title I Committee will review and revise the School-Parent Compact as necessary.

7. The school will provide assistance to parents in understanding the State’s academic content standards and State student achievement standards, State and local academic achievement assessments, and how to monitor a child’s progress and work with educators to improve the achievement of their children.

· assist parents in understanding the Georgia Performance Standards (GPS), the 5^th Grade Writing Assessment, the Criterion Referenced Competency Test (CRCT), and ACCESS;

Parents will receive a copy of their child’s assessment results whenever a national, state, or district level assessment is given. Training will be provided so that parents can understand the meaning of the results. The PISC will also be available in the Parent Center to provide support to parents in understanding this information.

Student progress will be monitored and shared with parents through parent conferences, regular progress reports, phone calls, e-mail, and the new Gwinnett go2 Parent Portal, anticipated to be available in January 2010. The portal is a new resource that gives parents the opportunity to access students’ grades, attendance, and discipline information from their computer.

Parent meetings/workshops will help guide parents in monitoring and reviewing their child’s progress and work, in order to improve student achievement. Daily planners are sent home to provide parents a means of communicating with their child’s teacher, regarding activities. Opportunities for parents to share questions or concerns will be provided at parent workshops and through question cards distributed to parents on an individual basis through the teacher, administrator or PISC. Parents of students at risk will be involved in the RTI and the SST. At the SST meeting, parents, administrators, and teachers will develop a plan that supports the student’s academic achievement.

8. The school will provide materials and training to help parents to work with their children to improve their children’s achievement, such as literacy training and using technology, as appropriate, to foster parental involvement.

The Parent Center – The Parent Center is open Monday – Friday from 7:45 a.m. – 3:45 p.m. for parents, faculty/staff, and community members. All parents and faculty/staff have the availability of checking out free materials, such as games, workbooks, books on tape, videos, and other resources. The Parent Center is managed by a fulltime, certified Title I Parent Instructional Support Coordinator (PISC) and also has a fulltime Title III Parent Outreach Liaison (POL) staff member to interpret for Spanish-speakers and to translate English to Spanish documents, notices, and notes on a daily basis. The PISC assists parents and serves as liaison among home, teacher, community agencies, and the school. The Parent Coordinator reaches out to parents and helps them become an integral part in their children’s education.

Workshops for Parents - Parent involvement training sessions are also made available through the Parent Center. Types of workshops for parents include but are not limited to:

· Orientation – to inform parents of the school’s participation, requirements, and their rights to be involved in SWP Title I;

· Curriculum – to inform parents about the grade level curriculum and instructional practices, extracurricular activities, school programs, attendance, class rules and regulations;

· Assessment – to discuss various types of student assessments and how to interpret student assessment reports;

· ESOL – to help parents become more knowledgeable with English Language Learners’ program of instruction;

· Language Arts – to provide information, ideas, and parent training to help their child achieve academic success in reading;

· Communication – to enhance parents’ ability to establish and continue two-way communication with the school;

· Math – to provide materials and training to help parents work with their child to improve academic achievement in math;

· Student Achievement and Progression – to discuss the student reporting system (progress reports, report cards, pupil progression process, and transition; and,

· Exceptional Children – to increase awareness of parent rights and understanding of IEP placement program of instruction.

Additional workshops requested by parents may be offered throughout the year, as necessary and reasonable. Consideration of workshop topics, days and times will be determined by parent surveys. If parents are unable to attend a workshop, they may contact the PISC for information about the workshop’s content. To understand the specific focus of the parent workshops, see the attached Action Plan detailing workshops/activities.

9. The school will educate teachers, pupil services, personnel, principals, and other staff with the assistance of parents, in the value and utility of contributions of parents, and in how to reach out to, communicate with, and work with parents as equal partners, implement and coordinate parent programs, and build ties between parents and the school. Ongoing staff development for faculty/staff helps to ensure better communication with parents. The Administrative team, PISC and other trainers, such as GCPS Parent Mentors and partners, offer professional development support during grade level meetings, professional planning days, and/or at faculty meetings to insure the parents are equal partners in the success of their children’s education. School tours that allow observation of quality-plus teaching strategies utilized in classroom settings are offered to parents every Thursday from 9-10:00 a.m. Parent volunteer recruitment and training for supporting in the classroom and throughout our school is ongoing. Specific dates, topics and description of staff development workshops are located in Action Plan. The Title I Committee has input in the selection of various training sessions.

10. The school will, to the extent feasible and appropriate, coordinate and integrate parent involvement programs and activities with Head Start, Reading First, Early Reading First, Even Start, the Home Instruction Programs for Preschool Youngsters, the Parents as Teachers Program, and public preschool and other programs and conduct other activities, such as parent resource centers, that encourage and support parents in more fully participating in the education of their children. Norcross Elementary School has vertical planning to bridge the gap between our school and the Title I pre-K transition program (child development centers and the local resource coordinators -Early Education or Head Start - and between our school and the middle school setting. Workshops/meetings and activities are conducted at Norcross Elementary School in order to support parents/children transitioning from pre-K to kindergarten and from fifth grade to sixth.* See Action Plan for detailed description of events with dates and times. As a convenience to parents, the PISC is available to hold workshops/meetings at the early education centers or Head Start to support transitioning from pre-K to kindergarten. Parents are also invited to attend workshops and cultural enrichment activities as a way to support the transitioning process. If agencies are not directly involved with Norcross Elementary School, every attempt will be made to make parent connection or support.

11. The school will ensure that information related to school and parent programs, meetings, and other activities is sent to all parents in a format and, to the extent necessary and reasonable, in a language the parents can understand. Information related to school and parent meetings/workshops and other events is sent home to encourage the participation of all Title I parents, including parents with limited English proficiency, parents with disabilities, families that are homeless, and parents of migrant children. Written and/or verbal communications will be presented in clear/concise language that is clearly understood. To the extent necessary and reasonable, Title I documents will be translated and an interpreter will be provided for non-English speaking parents. Other means of communication include the use of an automated phone tree, monthly parent calendar of events, Friday folders, flyers, newsletters, the school marquee, and school website. Parents who were unable to attend and wish information may contact the PISC.

12. The school may involve parents in the development of training for teachers, principals, and other educators to improve the effectiveness of such training. Title I parent planning committees may offer suggestions related to staff development. Survey data is used to make improvements to all Title I documents and programs and staff development. Question cards are provided to teachers to give out to parents during busy events or to place around the school so parents will have opportunity to make suggestions or ask questions regarding their child’s education.

13. The school may provide necessary literacy training from funds received if the local educational agency has exhausted all other reasonably available sources of funding for such training. GCPS TV regularly broadcasts the "English...Yes, I Can!" series on a continual, rotational basis. Up-to-date programming information can be located on the GCPS TV website and on the GCPS TV bulletin board. English classes are also taught by the Parent Outreach Liaison at the local school on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The PISC also refers parents to other community agencies for literacy training: The Community School at 5300 Spalding Drive, Norcross, GA 30092; the Outreach Center of the Latin American Association, 128 Lawrenceville St., Norcross, GA 30071: and, Gwinnett Technical College, 5150 Sugarloaf Pkwy, Lawrenceville, GA 30043-570.

14. The school may pay reasonable and necessary expenses associated with local parental involvement activities, including transportation and child care costs, to enable parents to participate in school-related meetings and training sessions. Childcare is provided at informational evening workshops and during daytime Level I English classes. The budget allocates some funds for light snacks. Emergency transportation decisions are made on an individual basis by the PISC. Interpreters are provided to the greatest extent possible. Translations are made available through the Language Bank and by the POL at the local school. Title I technical assistance is available through the Talk-Back System, the three-way phone line, and the automated phone system.

15. The school may train parents to enhance the involvement of other parents. Three sessions of “In the KNOW” will be held at the local school to keep parents up-to-date with education issues. Parents involved with Title I Committee are also recommended to attend the GCPS Title I Parent Leadership Academy/Institute (PLA) at Radloff Middle School. Ongoing volunteer training sessions are held with PISC as parents and/or community members are enlisted at Norcross Elementary.

16. The school may arrange school meetings at a variety of times, or conduct in-home conferences between teachers or other educators, who work directly with participating children, with parents who are unable to attend such conferences at school, in order to maximize parental involvement and participation. Every attempt possible is made to have meetings on different days and at various times to accommodate flexible parent schedules. Norcross Elementary School faculty/staff will make home and community visits, if necessary. Three-way phone conferences can be conducted with the assistance of an interpreter.

17. The school may adopt and implement model approaches to improving parental involvement. The Be There Campaign is a county-wide initiative in which Norcross Elementary School has adopted to promote and encourage continuous parent involvement from pre-K through 12^th grade. The faculty/staff also strives to demonstrate the “Six Standards of Effective Family Involvement” adopted by the National Parent Teacher Association. These six standards are:

Standard 1: Welcoming all families into the school community—Families are active participants in the life of the school, and feel welcomed, valued, and connected to each other, to school staff, and to what students are learning and doing in class,

Standard 2: Communicating effectively—Families and school staff engage in regular, two-way, meaningful communication about student learning,

Standard 3: Supporting student success—Families and school staff continuously collaborate to support students’ learning and healthy development both at home and at school, and have regular opportunities to strengthen their knowledge and skills to do so effectively,

Standard 4: Speaking up for every child—Families are empowered to be advocates for their own and other children, to ensure that students are treated fairly and have access to learning opportunities that will support their success,

Standard 5: Sharing power—Families and school staff are equal partners in decisions that affect children and families and together inform, influence, and create policies, practices, and programs, and

Standard 6: Collaborating with community—Families and school staff collaborate with community members to connect students, families, and staff to expanded learning opportunities, community services, and civic participation. (Retrieved from www.pta.org/national_standards.asp).

Other opportunities for parents to be involved include volunteering in the school and/or classroom; serving as part of governing teams, such as Title I Committee, and the Local School Council; attending programs/meetings regarding their child’s progress; joining school staff in developing and assessing school improvement strategies; participating in joint decision making; and working collaboratively with school staff to address issues, develop plans, and implement such plans. The PISC has ongoing training sessions for volunteers.

18. The school district may establish a district-wide parent advisory council to provide advice on all matters related to parental involvement in programs supported with Title I funds. The Gwinnett County Public Schools Title I Parent Advisory Committee (PAC) is comprised of two parents from each school, ten Parent Instructional Support Coordinators (PISCs), Title I staff, and community members. The primary purpose of this committee is to provide input and share decision-making about issues regarding the District’s Local Education Agency (LEA) Title I Program. Meeting dates are listed in the attached Title I Action Plan.

Parent members of the PAC must be a member of their local school’s Title I Committee and are selected by the Local School Title I Committee to represent their school’s parent population on the GCPS Title I Parent Advisory Committee. Parent members of the PAC are also encouraged to complete the Parent Leadership Academy. Classes for this training are held at Radloff Middle School.

19. The school may develop appropriate roles for community-based organizations and businesses in parent involvement activities. NES invites local businesses to partner with the school in order to enhance student learning and to enrich the experience of faculty/staff. The Norcross Branch Public Library, Renovacion Conyugal, Inc., and the Latin American Association offer parent programs that focus on supporting family issues and their children’s academic success. Many other outside agencies were enlisted as presenters at the Norcross Cluster “Super Saturday” event.

20. The school will provide such other reasonable support for Title I parental involvement activities as parents may request. Parent comments and suggestions are requested at all meetings/workshops for review by Title I Committee. By providing their name and their child’s name, the PISC will be able to contact them with further information as it relates to their request. The Parent Center has a meeting room accessible for parent meetings/workshops, and the PISC is available daily from 7:45 – 3:45 p.m.

21. In carrying out the parental involvement requirements of this part, local educational agencies and schools, to the extent practicable, shall provide full opportunities for the participation of parents with limited English proficiency, parents with disabilities, and parents of migratory children, including providing information and school reports required under section IIII in a format and, to the extent practicable, in a language such parents understand. In partnership with the Title I Office, Special Education, Health and Social Services, and ESOL, GCPS provides parents with full opportunities for participation in the Title I schools; the school has access to the online Language Bank for GCPS documents in various languages and to the extent possible; parents of homeless students will be served by Social Workers, the Title III Office provides translation services to non-English speaking parents as well as migratory families to ensure academic success, and Norcross Elementary School has Ms. Milena Fuentes as a fulltime Parent Outreach Liaison, funded by Title III. Parents may contact the school for information at 770.448.3168. Furthermore, to accommodate our disabled parents, all of our school buildings are handicap accessible.

22. In a State where a parental information and resource center is established to provide training, information, and support to parents and individuals who work with local parents, local educational agencies, and schools receiving assistance under this part, each local educational agency or school that receives assistance shall assist parents and parental organizations by informing such parent and organizations of the existence and purpose of such centers. During Title I Parent Orientation meetings, parents are made aware of Georgia’s official Parent Information and Resource Center (PIRC). Parents may call (800) 838.5784 weekdays between the hours 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. and may visit the website at http://georgiapirc.net/. Parents may also refer to the Action Plan for additional contact information.

Family members may also reference, for further information, the entire law in Section 1118 of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, Title I, Part, Improving the Academic Achievement of the Disadvantaged at www.ed.gov/programs/titleiparta/parentinvguid.doc.