Bradford Special School Distrist

Welcome To Bradford Special School District

Bradford Special School District

Family and Community Engagement Plan

Background

In January 2005, Bradford Special School District representatives attended a two day workshop in Nashville pertaining to Family Friendly Schools. Over the next several months, the team attended the regional workshops in Martin to receive guidance in creating a system wide plan for family involvement. The core team was made of staff members who had participated in these workshops with additional people added to the core team to increase representation. After creating an initial framework based upon the No Child Left Behind requirements, the plan was presented to various groups for discussion and feedback. On November 2, 2005, a draft of this family and community engagement plan was evaluated by the core advisory council. The plan was finalized on November 16, 2005. The plan was then disseminated to school principals and was shared with other school system stake-holders as well as posted on the school system’s web site.

The Bradford Special School District Family Engagement Plan is a working document and will be annually reviewed and updated as needed.

Vision Statement

We believe that all students can learn at high levels. We realize that all aspects of the school are positively influenced by parental involvement. We strive to create and maintain a safe learning environment, and set high expectation for our students in attendance and completion of work assignments. We encourage a school climate with positive attitudes and responsible behaviors. We believe in a positive, healthy, and meaningful relationship with family and community, where all stakeholders work together to provide opportunities for students to become productive citizens.

Mission Statement

Bradford Special School District is dedicated to working closely with family and community in educating the whole child in a safe environment, focusing on academics, and striving to create productive and caring members of the community.

Purpose

The Bradford Special School District Family Engagement Plan was developed to:

· Increase and improve the level of family involvement in our students’ education

· Create a common vision of family engagement and the resources needed to sustain that vision

· Support the learning goals found in the Consolidated Federal Projects Plan

District Level Responsibilities

1. Develop a written parental involvement policy with school stakeholders.

2. Place this policy into effect with the school board’s approval.

3. Plan for staff development activities to educate faculty on the policy, plan, and research regarding parental involvement.

4. Form a Parental Advisory Committee to assist with the planning process.

5. Formulate an action plan and evaluate the plan yearly for needed changes.

6. Include relevant parts of the parental involvement plan into the TCSPP and/or School Improvement Plans.

School Level Responsibilities

1. Convene an annual meeting two times yearly, at a convenient time, to which all parents of participating children shall be invited and encouraged to attend, to inform parents of their school programs, to explain the Parent Compact and components of the parental involvement program, and the right of the parents to be involved.

2. Offer a flexible number of meetings, services, and/or activities on school campuses.

3. Involve parents in an organized, ongoing, and timely way, in the planning, review, and improvement of parental involvement programs, including the planning, development review, and improvement of the school parental involvement policy and the joint development of the school wide parental involvement plan.

4. Provide parents timely information about educational and parental involvement programs. The school will also provide a description and explanation of the course of study, curriculum in use at the school, the forms of academic assessment used to measure student progress, and the proficiency level students are expected to meet. If requested by the parents, opportunities for regular meetings to formulate suggestions and to participate, as appropriate, in decisions relating to the education of their children, and respond to any suggestions as soon as practically possible.

5. If the school wide parental involvement program plan is not

satisfactory to the parents, submit any parental comments or suggestions for the plan.

Shared Responsibilities

1. Shall provide assistance to parents of children served by the school, as appropriate, in understanding such topics as the state’s academic content standards, state and local academic assessments, the components of the school’s parental involvement program, and how to monitor a child’s progress and work with educators to improve the achievement of their children.

2. Shall provide materials and training to help parents to work with their children’s achievement, such as literacy training and using technology, as appropriate, to foster parental involvement.

3. Shall educate teachers, personnel, principals, and other staff in the value of contributions of parents, and in how to reach out, communicate with, and work with parents as equal partners.

4. Shall, to the extent feasible and appropriate, coordinate and integrate parental involvement programs and encourage and support parents in more fully participating in the education of their children.

5. Shall ensure that information related to school and parent programs, meetings, and other activities is sent to parents in a format, to the extent practical, in a language the parents can understand.

6. Shall train parents to enhance the involvement of other parents.

7. Shall arrange conferences on two scheduled dates to maximize parental involvement and participation. Parents will also be made aware of planning times and various other times in which conferences could be held if needed.

8. Shall establish a school-wide advisory council to provide advice on all matters related to parental involvement programs.

Parent Responsibilities

1. Visit and discuss their child’s academic progress regularly with teachers.

2. Discuss academic progress and school events regularly with teachers.

3. Volunteer in child’s classroom, school, or related activities to the extent feasible and appropriate.

4. When feasible, attend school-sponsored programs in which their child may participate.

5. When feasible, join and be active in the parent/teacher organization.

Plan

Component 1: Bradford Special School District is committed to involving families in policy development.

Indicators:

1. Parents will be notified and encouraged to attend and provide input through monthly PTO meetings.

2. Parents will be represented on each school advisory committee.

3. Cultural, economic, language, and demographic issues will be given attention through the selection of advisory councils and committees.

4. Parents and educators will have the opportunity to provide meaningful input through surveys and parental involvement opportunities.

5. If needed, the system will provide parents of English Language Learners the opportunity to receive correspondence in their native language and provide the opportunity for input.

Component 2: The Family Engagement Plan includes technical assistance and planning support for effective family engagement.

Indicators:

1. In-service was scheduled for all faculty members during August to provide support and an understanding of the process.

2. School newsletters are sent home on a regular basis and contain meaningful school and parental information.

3. Bradford Elementary will host “Back To School Night” to provide information regarding federal programs and expenditures and to collect feedback from parents.

4. The district report card is linked to the district website.

5. Course of study information may be obtained from the office of the counselor at both schools.

6. Preschool information is provided at the time of student registration and educational materials are distributed for parents to use at home.

Component 3: The Family Engagement Plan supports clearly articulated goals for extent and type of family engagement.

Indicators:

1. A variety of planned, goal oriented programs will be organized and implemented to engage all parents in their children’s education in one or more of the following categories:

a. parenting (strategies to promote effective parenting practices at home)

b. volunteering (opportunities for parents to volunteer or be in attendance at school events)

c. communicating (strategies to promote positive two way communication)

d. learning (learning activities to involve parents with students at home)

e. decision making (opportunities to engage in decision making at both the school and system level)

f. collaborating with the community (activities/events that foster school-community partnerships)

2. Sign-in sheets and other forms of documentation will be kept on file and reviewed annually to assess parent participation in system and school activities in each area.

Component 4: The Family Engagement Plan provides for an evaluation process to promote continuous improvement of the engagement of all families.

Indicators:

1. Annual surveys will be conducted at the system level as well as at each school site.

2. Survey results will be analyzed to measure the effectiveness of the plan and to secure input regarding modifications in future practices.

3. Measurable goals for increasing the level and quality of family involvement are required as part of each school improvement plan.

4. The Family Engagement Advisory Council will use the Family Friendly School District Family Engagement Policy Assessment and Development Rubric to evaluate the system wide Family Engagement Plan.

Component 5: The Family Engagement Plan requires family engagement at all school sites.

Indicators:

1. All schools will conduct an annual parent survey regarding the family practices provided at each school.

2. Each school will include a component on family engagement activities in their School Improvement Plans.

3. Each school will set goals and activities to enhance family engagement.

Component 6: The Family Engagement Plan includes procedures for parents to access and understand course of study or curricular materials as well as Federal, State, and local standards.

Indicators:

1. The district web site will contain a link to the Tennessee State Department of Education where the state curriculum for each grade level and subject area can be assessed.

2. Individual schools will have available a hard copy of all state curriculum available for parent and community review.

3. Individual schools will have copies of textbooks available for parent and community review during the textbook adoption process.

4. The Bradford Special School District Consolidated Plan is posted on the district website.

Component 7: The Family Engagement Plan encourages the support of district involvement in positive parenting skills.

Indicators:

1. Parenting workshops will be offered through Curriculum Night and PTO.

2. Bradford Elementary will house parenting videos and resources through the guidance office.

3. After school tutoring and homework programs will be provided to improve student homework and achievement.

4. Parents will be notified by handbooks at the beginning of each school year as to attendance, homework, and discipline policies.

Component 8: The Family Engagement Plan incorporates family involvement in decision making and governance.

Indicators:

1. School district staff members are friendly towards, respectful of, and helpful to all families.

2. All schools will have family representation on the site-based team.

3. The district has several ways of listening to parents and engaging them in two-way communication.

4. Parent representatives will serve on the system wide Family and Community Engagement Community, School Improvement Committee, and Special Education Advisory Committee.

Component 9: The Family Engagement Plan supports professional development to build the capacity for family engagement.

Indicators:

1. Professional development in the area of family engagement will be provided to all faculty members.

2. Families will have opportunities to be included in family engagement training.

Component 10: The Family Engagement Plan specifies budget and funding for family engagement.

Indicator:

1. The district has adequate staff and resources to implement the family involvement standards.

2. District and site-based budgets will reflect a commitment to the effective development, implementation, and evaluation of family engagement programs including but not including but not limited to the following:

*Staff development

*Refreshments

*Training materials

*System and school level newsletters and other publications

AUGUST

Back-To-School Night

Family Involvement Training for Teachers

PTO Meeting

Booster Club Meeting

SEPTEMBER

Doodle Soup Festival

PTO Meeting