Stewart Street Elementary School: School Publications

I, Lisa Robinson , do hereby certify that all facts, figures, and representations made in this application are true, correct, and consistent with the statement of assurances for these waivers. Furthermore, all applicable statutes, regulations, and procedures; administrative and programmatic requirements; and procedures for fiscal control and maintenance of records will be implemented to ensure proper accountability for the expenditure of funds on this project. All records necessary to substantiate these requirements will be available for review by appropriate state and federal staff. I further certify that all expenditures will be obligated on or after the effective date and prior to the termination date of the project. Disbursements will be reported only as appropriate to this project, and will not be used for matching funds on this or any special project, where prohibited.

Assurances

The school will be governed by the statutory definition of parental involvement, and will carry out programs, activities, and procedures in accordance with the definition outlined in Section 9101(32), ESEA;
Involve the parents of children served in Title I, Part A in decisions about how Title I, Part A funds reserved for parental involvement are spent [Section 1118(b)(1) and (c)(3)];
Jointly develop/revise with parents the school parental involvement policy and distribute it to parents of participating children and make available the parental involvement plan to the local community [Section 1118 (b)(1)];
Involve parents, in an organized, ongoing, and timely way, in the planning, review, and improvement of programs under this part, including the planning, review, and improvement of the school parental involvement policy and the joint development of the schoolwide program plan under section 1114(b)(2) [Section 1118(c)(3)];
Use the findings of the parental involvement policy review to design strategies for more effective parental involvement, and to revise, if necessary, the school’s parental involvement policy [Section 1118(a)(E)];
If the plan for Title I, Part A, developed under Section 1112, is not satisfactory to the parents of participating children, the school will submit parent comments with the plan when the school submits the plan to the local educational agency [Section 1118(b)(4)];
Provide to each parent an individual student report about the performance of their child on the state assessment in at least mathematics, language arts, and reading [Section 1111(h)(6)(B)(i)];
Provide each parent timely notice when their child has been assigned or has been taught for four (4) or more consecutive weeks by a teacher who is not highly qualified within the meaning of the term in 34 CFR Section 200.56 [Section 1111(h)(6)(B)(ii)]; and
Provide each parent timely notice information regarding their right to request information on the professional qualifications of the student's classroom teachers and paraprofessionals [Section (h)(6)(A)].

Signature of Principal or Designee

Date Signed

Mission Statement

Parental Involvement Mission Statement (Optional)

Response: Stewart Street Elementary believes that positive parental involvement is vital to student achievement and therefore encourages such involvement in school educational planning and operations. The parent involvement plan acts as a blueprint to strengthen the partnership between Stewart Street Elementary School parents, faculty, staff, and neighboring community stakeholders.We believe all students can learn. We will follow the plans in this blueprint to increase parental involvement and develop on-going partnerships in an effort to raise overall attendance rates and student achievement over the course of the 2013-2014 school year.

Involvement of Parents

Describe how the school will involve parents in an organized, ongoing, and timely manner, in the planning, review, and improvement of Title I programs including involvement in the decisions regarding how funds for parental involvement will be used [Sections1118(c)(3), 1114(b)(2), and 1118(a)(2)(B)].

Response: The School Advisory Committee has the responsibility for developing, implementing, and evaluating the School Improvement Plan and Parent Involvement Plan. During the first PTA/SAC meetings, Title I pamphlets are provided along with the Next Generation Sunshine State Standards. Also, the school will involve parents in the discussions regarding how funds will be used by seeking parents' ideas and suggestions for the expending of the funds during the first meeting of the (SAC). Funds are allotted according to the different goals and trainings during the first semester of school.

Coordination and Integration

Describe how the school will coordinate and integrate parental involvement programs and activities that teach parents how to help their children at home, to the extent feasible and appropriate, including but not limited to, other federal programs such as: Head Start, Early Reading First, Even Start, Home Instruction Programs for Preschool Youngsters, the Parents as Teachers Program, public preschool, Title I, Part C, Title II, Title III, Title IV, and Title VI [Section 1118(e)(4)].

count	Program	Coordination
1	Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten (VPK)	The VPK office will coordinate meetings with parents, VPK teachers and kindergarten teachers to discuss the specific learning needs of students, joint parent meetings to discuss transitioning, etc.
2	Pre-K ESE Moving Up	We will provide a transition day for Pre-K students to visit Kindergarten classrooms.
3	IDEA	Provide information to parents about the resources available upon development of the student’s IEP and include parents in IEP meetings.
4	Head Start	Teachers will conduct at least two home-visits and include parents in all meetings.

Annual Parent Meeting

Describe the specific steps the school will take to conduct an annual meeting designed to inform parents of participating children about the school’s Title I program, the nature of the Title I program (schoolwide or targeted assistance), Adequately Yearly Progress, school choice, supplemental educational services, and the rights of parents. Include timeline, persons responsible, and evidence the school will use to demonstrate the effectiveness of the activity [Section 1118(c)(1)].

count	Activity/Tasks	Person Responsible	Timeline	Evidence of Effectiveness
1	Open House- Administration will discuss the school’s report card and the requirements of Title 1	Principal and Assistant Principal	August/September 2013	Parent Comments, sign-in sheets
2	Title I Annual Parent Involvement Meetings will focus on things parents need to know about Title I	Principal, Assistant Principal and Lead Teachers	September 2013	Parents sign-in sheet
3	Monthly PTA/SAC Meetings- Parents will help develop plans and ways to get other parents involved	Principal, Assistant Principal and District Officials	August- December 2013	PTA/SAC Meetings, Parent Comments
4	During Parent- Expo teachers inform parents of student grades and strategies to help students learn	Principal, Assistant Principal and District Officials	Each 9 week grading period	Comments and discussion from parents, sign-in sheets

Flexible Parent Meetings

Describe how the school will offer a flexible number of meetings, such as meetings in the morning or evening, and may provide with Title I funds, transportation, child care, or home visits, as such services related to parental involvement [Section 1118(c)(2)].

Response: The school will offer a flexible number of meetings by providing parents with monthly newsletters that indicate special dates and events. All meetings will be held later in the evening to accommodate working parents. Also, teachers planning times are available to conduct meetings with all interested stakeholders.

Building Capacity

Describe how the school will implement activities that will build the capacity for strong parental involvement, in order to ensure effective involvement of parents and to support a partnership among the school involved, parents, and the community to improve student academic achievement [Section 1118(e)]. Describe the actions the school will take to provide materials and training to help parents work with their child to improve their child’s academic achievement [Section 1118(e)(2)].Include information on how the school will provide other reasonable support for parental involvement activities under Section 1118 as parents may request [Section 1118(e)(14)].

count	Content and Type of Activity	Person Responsible	Anticipated Impact on Student Achievement	Timeline	Evidence of Effectiveness
1	Parents FCAT Nights (Face-to-face meeting and hard copy dissemination of FCAT Item Specification materials)	Grade level teams	Parents were provided with grade specific brochures outlining and identifying the SSS and strategies they can use to help their children at home.	On-going	Parent sign-in sheets, agenda. resource materials
2	Family Building Better Readers Night (Face-to-face meetings)	Reading Cadre	Parents were provided opportunities to read with their children and motivate them to read, in order to increase students reading achievement. Information was also posted on the school’s website and printed in the school’s monthly newsletter.	Quarterly throughout the year	Parent sign-in sheet, documentation on school website, agenda, resource material
3	Title 1 meetings	Parent Services	Parents were provided their parental rights; provided input to the school improvement plan, parent involvement and parent-student-teacher compact; discussed title 1 funds, completed on-line parent surveys and reviewed SPAR.	September	agenda, sign-in sheet, resource materials
4	Parent Expos	Principal	Parents were able to discuss their childrens' specific content area weaknesses and strengths with teachers and receive information and strategies that can be used to help their children at home.	Every Nine Weeks	agendas, sign-in sheets, resource materials
5	Common Core Sunshine State Standards Countdown	Principal	Content specific strategies and materials were provided that will impact student achievement	on-going	Teacher lesson plans

Staff Training

Describe the professional development activities the school will provide to educate the teachers, pupil services personnel, principals, and other staff in how to reach out to, communicate with, and work with parents as equal partners, in the value and utility of contributions of parents, and in how to implement and coordinate parent programs, and build ties between parents and schools [Section 1118(e)(3)].

count	Content and Type of Activity	Person Responsible	Anticipated Impact on Student Achievement	Timeline	Evidence of Effectiveness
1	Student Cumulative Folder Meeting	Guidance Counselor	Provided information on student academic needs and IEP Individual Education Plan	Ongoing	Cumulative Folder Checklist for maintenance
2	Community Tour	Principal, Assistant Principal and SAC/PTA President	Teachers were briefed on the socioeconomic status and demographics of the Stewart Street Elementary School zone to ensure that they become more familiar with the home environment of the students.	August 2013	Discussion meeting with teachers
3	Title I Information Training for School Staff	Principal, Assistant Principal and SAC President	Provided information to staff on communicating with parents and providing resources to support learning at home	September 2013	Sign-in sheets

Other Activities

Describe the other activities, such as parent resource centers, the school will conduct to encourage and support parents in more fully participating in the education of their children [Section 1118 (e)(4)].

Response: The Title I Parent Resource Center will have an area setup for books and materials to be checked out to use at home. The Resource Center for parents will be maintained by the parent liaison and she will be available for questions and answers.

Communication

Describe how the school will provide parents of participating children the following [Section 1118(c)(4)]:

Timely information about the Title I programs [Section 1118(c)(4)(A)];
Description and explanation of the curriculum at the school, the forms of academic assessment used to measure student progress, and the proficiency levels students are expected to meet [Section 1118(c)(4)(B)];
If requested by parents, opportunities for regular meetings to formulate suggestions and to participate, as appropriate, in decisions relating to the education of their children[Section 1118(c)(4)(C)]; and
If the schoolwide program plan under Section 1114 (b)(2) is not satisfactory to the parents of participating children, the school will include submit the parents’ comments with the plan that will be made available to the local education agency [Section 1118(c)(5)].

Response: The school with the assistance of the district, provides communication to parents via the Parent Link communication system, newsletters, fliers, the school marquee, phone calls, news materials and trainings to help parents work with their children to improve their children's academics achievement.Forums including but not limited to Open House, the School Advisory Council, PTA meetings and Parent Expos will be utilized to foster parental involvement at the school level. Also, the Parental Involvement Plan will be provided to all parents the first month of school. Parents' comments on the plan will be addressed during SAC, PTA meetings and school level meetings. If any amendments are requested such issues will be voted on by the SACS committee. Once addressed such issues will be written or rewritten in the PIP. If any changes are made then all updates will be sent to all parents immediately for their approval.

Accessibility

Describe how the school will provide full opportunities for participation in parental involvement activities for all parents (including parents with limited English proficiency, disabilities, and migratory children). Include how the school plans to share information related to school and parent programs, meetings, school reports, and other activities in an understandable and uniform format and to the extent practical, in a language parents can understand [Section 1118(e)(5) and 1118(f)].

Response: The school with the assistance of the district communicates to parents via the Parent Link communication system, newsletters, fliers, the school marquee, phone calls, news materials and trainings to help parents work with their children to improve their children academics achievement. Forums including Open House, School Advisory Council, PTA meetings and Parent Expos are utilized to facilitate parental involvement at the school level. Also, the Parental Involvement Plan will be provided to all parents the first month of school in a language parents can understand. Any informational prints sent to parents of English Language Learners and/or migratory children will be transcribed and delivered in Spanish or any other language students reportedly speak at home. Any information sent to parents of Exceptional Education Students will be watermarked with contact information for parents to use whenever they have questions about anything they read.If and whenever necessary we will employ translators to relay messages to parents via telephone. Last but not least, and if necessary, we will issue certified letters or hand deliver letters to parents' homes to keep them fully aware of Stewart Street Elementary School happenings, especially issues regarding their children.

Discretionary Activities

Discretionary School Level Parental Involvement Policy Components Check if the school does not plan to implement discretionary parental involvement activities. Check all activities the school plans to implement:

count	Activity	Description of Implementation Strategy	Person Responsible	Anticipated Impact on Student Achievement	Timeline
1	Providing necessary literacy training for parents from Title I, Part A funds, if the LEA has exhausted all other reasonably available sources of funding for that training [Section 1118(e)(7)]; and	Provide educational books, FCAT practice booklets and students accelerated reader books	Principal, Media Specialist and District Title I Coordinator	Increase parents’ knowledge of state assessments and sunshine state standards	On-going
2	Maximizing parental involvement and participation in their children’s education by arranging school meetings at a variety of times, or conducting in-home conferences between teachers or other educators, who work directly with participating children, with parents who are unable to attend those conferences at school [Section 1118(e)(10)];	Meet with parents to discuss student progress and needs for improvements	Principal, Teacher, Parent Liaison, Guidance Counselor	Foster a better understanding of skills being taught in the classroom to assist students.	Ongoing

Upload Evidence of Input from Parents

Upload evidence of parent input in the development of the plan.

Uploaded Document

Upload Parent-School Compact

Note: As a component of the school-level parental involvement policy/plan, each school shall jointly develop, with parents for all children served under this part, a parent-school compact that outlines how parents, the entire school staff, and students will share the responsibility for improved student academic achievement Section 1118(d)].

Upload an electronic version of the Parent-School Compact.

Uploaded Document

Upload Evidence of Parent Involvement in Development of Parent-School Compact

Note: As a component of the school-level parental involvement policy/plan, each school shall jointly develop, with parents for all children served under this part, a parent-school compact that outlines how parents, the entire school staff, and students will share the responsibility for improved student academic achievement Section 1118(d)].

Upload evidence of parent input in the development of the compact.

Uploaded Document

Evaluation of the 2012-2013 Parental Involvement Plan

Building Capacity Summary

Provide a summary of activities provided during the 2012-2013 school year that were designed to build the capacity of parents to help their children [Section 1118 (e)(1-2)]. Include participation data on the Title I annual meeting.

count	Content and Type of Activity	Number of Activities	Number of Participants	Anticipated Impact on Student Achievement
1	Family Building Better Readers Night (Face-to-face meetings)	3	60	Parents will be provided opportunities to read with their children and motivate them to read, thus increasing students reading achievement. Information will also be posted on the school’s website and printed in the school’s monthly newsletter.
2	Parents FCAT Nights (Face-to-face meeting and hard copy dissemination of FCAT Item Specification materials)	4	78	Parents will be provided with grade specific brochures outlining and identifying the SSS and strategies they can use to help their children at home.

Staff Training Summary

Provide a summary of the professional development activities provided by the school during the 2012-2013 school year to educate staff on the value and utility of contributions of parents; how to reach out to, communicate with, and work with parents as equal partners; the implementation and coordination of parent programs; and how to build ties between parents and the school [Section 1118 (e)(3)].

count	Content and Type of Activity	Number of Activities	Number of Participants	Anticipated Impact on Student Achievement
1	Title I Information Training for School Staff	2	47	Provide information to staff on communicating with parents and providing resources t support learning at home.
2	Community Tour	1	30	Teachers are familiar with the home environment of the students.
3	Student Cumulative Folder Meeting	1	47	Provide information on student academic needs and IEP Individual Education Plan

Barriers

Describe the barriers that hindered participation by parents during the 2012-2013 school year in parental involvement activities. Include the steps the school will take during the 2012-2013 school year to overcome the barriers (with particular attention to parents who are economically disadvantaged, are disabled, have limited English proficiency, have limited literacy, or are of any racial or ethnic minority background) [Section 1118(a)(E)].

count	Barrier (Including the Specific Subgroup)	Steps the School will Take to Overcome
1	Many of our students’ parents do not attend regular scheduled PTA/SAC meetings because they work jobs that extend the normal working hours.	The school collaborated with the TCC 21st Century Program to share parent meetings to address issues that occurred during the regular school days. Meetings were planned on Saturdays and evenings to accommodate our working parents, thereby increasing parent participation. Information from the meetings was printed both in English and Spanish.

Best Practices (Optional)

Describe the parental involvement activity/strategy the school implemented during the 2011-2012 schoool year that the school considers the most effective. This information may be shared with other LEAs and schools as a best practice. (Optional)

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Content/Purpose

Description of the Activity