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10/02/2017 AR POCAHONTAS JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL (POCAHONTAS SCHOOL DISTRICT) 2405 NORTH PARK POCAHONTAS AR 72455 8708924573 School Parent and Family Engagement Plan This form was adapted from, A Toolkit for Title I Parent Involvement. Ferguson, C. (2009). A Toolkit for Title I Parental Involvement. Austin, TX: SEDL.
Hint
District Pocahontas School District
Grade Levels 7,8,9
Building Facilitator and District Coordinator Taftnee Cox
Title I Status Schoolwide Targeted Assistance NonTitle I School
Percent of free and reduced lunch 58.33%
Parent and Family Engagement Committee Members (Select "Repeat" to open more entry fields to add addtional team members)
Enter committee members
First Name Taftnee
Last Name Cox
Position
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PJHS Counselor Parent Involvement Facilitator
Enter committee members
First Name Angela
Last Name Meigs
Position Parent Center Coordinator
Enter committee members
First Name Rhonda
Last Name McCallister
Position ParentMath Night coordinator
Enter committee members
First Name Chandra and Joey
Last Name McDowell
Position parent secretary ACT Aspire Night coordinators
Enter committee members
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First Name Sandra
Last Name Bryant
Position school nurse Wellness Day Coordinator
Enter committee members
First Name Tonya
Last Name Throesch
Position Parent
Enter committee members
First Name Blair
Last Name O'Donnell
Position Parent
Enter committee members
First Name Amanda
Last Name Snyder
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Position Parent
Enter committee members
First Name Angela
Last Name Maynard
Position Parent
Enter committee members
First Name Emily
Last Name Hausman
Position Parent
Enter committee members
First Name Luke
Last Name Lane
Position Parent
Page 4 of 10
Enter committee members
First Name Tara
Last Name Todd
Position Parent
Enter committee members
First Name
Last Name
Position
1. List various communication strategies used in your school to provide additional information to parents and to increase parent and family engagement in supporting classroom instruction. The majority of PJHS teachers use weekly emails, individiual emails, Remind, teacher web pages, and telephone calls to provide information to parents individually and collective assignments. Our band directors actually use twitter and facebook as well as the electronics mentioned above to communicate with parents and students. Our school district uses the HAC Home Access Center for continual parental awareness through our computer system. Parents and students have their personal access codes to monitor their child's grades, attendance, and disciplines throughout the school day/week. Teachers are required to keep grades updated and posted for parents to view student progress. Homework hotline is hosted in the HAC system for quick reference of tests given during the week. Pocahontas School District's teachers are required to send home hard copy progress reports after 4 1/2 weeks and then a quarterly report card with information reflecting their child's academic progress is sent home. Parents may request copies of report cards or grades at any time by contacting the main office staff. Parents can always access HAC to monitor daily/weekly progress. On the first day of school, every student is provided with a school planner. In the planner are special school events, sports activities, hints for student organization skills, and areas to write down daily assignments and due dates for projects. Parent Involvement money pays for the planners. The Parent Involvement fund pays for every student a red folder to collect and carry all important paperwork home to be signed and returned to school for processing. PJHS will send brochures home with students, post notices in school facilities and public buildings, and provide information for local the Star Hearld newspaper and KPOC radio station about parent workshops and meetings. Special pamphlets are given out to help parents and students on how to adjust to life in the Jr. High as well as be successful. Students/Parents/Guardians are provided with PJHS student handbooks and polocies and Pocahontas School District handbooks, school Web site information and HAC logins, maps of the building layout and teacher locations, and at parent orientation and/or meetings about the Schoolwide Title I Plan and how to get a copy upon request. Copies can be found in folders in the counselor's officeand on the Pocahontas School District website.
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2. List the proposed parent meeting, conferences and activities regularly throughout this year and the dates providing flexible meeting times that you have planned to increase parent and family engagement and build staff and parent capacity to engage in these types of efforts. (Must include the 2 state mandated parent/teacher conferences each year.) Activities provided for parents with a standared meeting time of 6:00 p.m. with multiple times of presentations included: Math Evening Workshop (September 2017)."Math Makes You Powerful!"Provides instruction to help parents help their children witht their math work. Handouts and power point notes provided. Parents get a chace to work with Chromebooks. All of this will help the parents to understand the expectations of thier child and will help empower them to better assist in working with their child to improve their education. Parents will be divided into two breakout groups (Jr. High 78 and High School 912). Teachers will share information on tutoring, email addresses, websites ACT, Flashcards, Weekly Objective and Remind). Big Ideas Site: www.bigideasmath.com and Pearson in conjunction with BRTC: http://www.pearsonmylabandmastering.com. A goal is to improve communication between teachers and parents. Parent Teacher Conference (October 2017) Provides parents with oneonone parent/teacher verbal communication concerning the student's grades, work habits, discipline, and report card information. Extended times are made available before, during and after school hours. Technology Evening (October 2017) Provides parents the opportunity to learn more about what is available at PJHS for the students use before, during, and after regular school hours. Instrucrtions are provided over HAC, our parent computer access to their child's grades, attendance, discipline, and assignments. Usually community law inforcement comes to provide internet safety tips for parents and students. This year the Black River Technical College will have a representative here to explain concurrent classes offered for students in grades 912. Title I information will also be provided fort he district. Family Fun Night (November 2017) "Play...Laugh...Smile...Connect with your family" This is an old fashioned play time with physical game activities, board games, walk, contests, lots of food, and more. Community members like "Integredity Bank" comes and makes smores for everyone. ACT Aspire "Test Changes for 2017/18" (November 2017) Parents request this meeting. They want to know the changes concerning the standardized testing. Our focus will be on Literacy/English needs and improvements. Parents need to know how to encourage and help their children with writing/open response. Health and Wellness Day (March 2018) Parents and community members are invited to come and share their knowledge with our students. Student rotate every 50 minutes throughout the day to different classes and physical activities. Some examples are aerobic class, yoga, football drills, dance, STD awareness, balanced diet, stress, and much more. Career Fair (May 2018) Colleges, business owners, military, parents and others come to share thier advice, give information on specific careers and privide opportunities for students to learn more about at least three different careers, resumes, dress codes, interviews and so on. Aspecific focus is our 9th graders, who get to travel to BRTC for "College Student for a Day". SEGP Conferences (Secondary Education Graduation Plan) (April 2018) SEGP is like the CAPS program offered in Arkansas. Advisors are assigned to every student. Forms are sent home for parents to select their best time to meet with the advisors. Advisors go out of their way to meet the parents before school, during school after school on extended hours in the evening. Parents work with students and advisors to create a four year plan to meet graducation goals and post educational goals of work or college. The school will hold an orientation for parents at each grade level to inform them about the school's participation in the Title I program and to encourage parents to be involved with reviewing and revising of the School's Title I Plan. Parents Make a Difference @PJHS forms are sent home during the first day of school along with other important school information data sheets. The forms are returned and data is typed into the spread sheets for use by teachers, parent involvement and school improvement plans. Email address help us to provide information to go home quickly such as school daily announcements. Questions concerning internet access at home are on the form. The school will encourage parents in the following types of roles and activities to increase their involvement and support for student learning: Parent Center Volunteer on the Jr. High Campus Guest speakers at Career Fair Guest presenter at Health and Wellness Day Parent Training Sessions in math and Literacy Food Backpacks Backpacks 2 School offers supplies, medical shots, hearing, vision screenings Red Ribbon Week volunteers Library Book Club Volunteers Various Committees
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Volunteer to help clubs/organizations: LINK, Student Council, ABC (AntiBullying)FFA, FBLA, Band, Beta, Builder's Club, Book Club, Parents for PJHS, Plan and organize parent events.
3. How will your school provide information to parents about volunteer opportunities (must include state mandated parent training)? PJHS is sending two parents to the State Conference in Little Rock on September 2017. The conference is a training for parents and facilitators to learn new strategies that will improve their local Parent Invovlement. Information that was gathered and learned at the conference will be shared at the different meeting that are planned throughout the year. Committee members will meet to update our yearly plans and make sure we meet state requirements. Volunteer opportunities are made public to parents through the first Parents Make A Difference Survey given out on the first day of school and again at Open House. Parents may signup for any volutneer position and make recommendations for other opportuniaties to serve. Pocahontas School District is participating in the "Circle of Friends" program that allows regular classroom students to partner with special needs children. Parents are encouraged to participate in helping train students and provide assistance when needed. The school will provide a list of volunteer opportunities and solicit ideas for other types of volunteer efforts during orientation of parents. Teachers will explain the requirements to parents and encourage them to become involved in the school. Brief training sessions will provide parents and community members with the information they need to participate as school volunteers in order to put them at ease and make the experience pleasant and successful. The school will work with Green Elementary School and Blue Middle School to help provide a smooth transition from one school to the next by raising parent awareness of procedures and related activities. The school will host special orientation programs for parents and students to help with the transition. Parents will have the opportunity to meet the new teachers at the end of the school year. STATE REQUIREMENT – Provide instruction to a parent on how to incorporate developmentally appropriate learning activities in the home environment, including without limitation: role play and demonstration by trained volunteer, the use of and access to the Department of Education website tools for parents, assistance with nutritional meal planning and preparation and other strategies or curricula developed or acquired by the school district for athome parental instruction approved by the Department of Education. STATE REQUIREMENT (Staff Development) The State Board of Education's Standards for Accreditation of Arkansas Public Schools and School Districts shall require no fewer than two (2) hours of professional development for teachers designed to enhance the understand of effective parental involvement strategies. No fewer that three (3) hours of professional development for administrators designed to enhance understanding of effective parent involvement strategies and the importance of administrative leadership in setting expectations and creating a climate conducive to parental participation.
4. How will your school work with parents to create a SchoolParentCompact? School Wide Compacts are sent home on the first day of school in their parent packets. Parent Involvement team provides folders for all the parent information forms that must be signed and returned to school. Our parent committe looks over the compact and makes sure that it agrees with the state requirements asking for the cooperation of the students, the parents, and the school staff to make sure that we all work together for the betterment of each student. School staff, parents, and students will develop a schoolparentstudent compact. This compact will outline how parents, school staff, and students share the responsibility for improving student academic achievement and the means by which the school and parents will build and develop a partnership to help children achieve the state's high academic standards. All stakeholders will sign the compact.
5. How will your school provide opportunities for parents to be involved in the development, implementation and evaluation of the school wide school improvement plan, and the Annual Title I Meeting to engage them in the decisionmaking processes regarding the school's Title I, Part A
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Program? PJHS had our Title I meeting on September 19 at 6:00 P.M. in the PJHS library. Principal, Mack Skelton made the presentation to 15 parents. Explainations were given theat the District Title I funding is based on current census data and is used to support regular education programs in the Pocahontas School District. Districts with poverty rates above 40% may use Title I money to operate a "schoolwide program" to upgrade the instructional program for the entire school. Parent Involvement activities, parent facilitators, and college/career coach are examples of programs offered at PJHS. NWEA testing is funded through Title money to identify weaknesses in math and literacy. Parent Involvement is a third area where programs are offered to help include, but not limited to Parent/Child Fund Night, Math Night, Technology Night, Library/Literacy Night, invitations to volunteer, (school day, after school, extracurricular). Title 1 funded through the National Student Lunch Act. Mr. Skelton opened the floor for questions and comments. Mr. Skelton addressed a question about Dyslexia interventions with a concerned parent. Mrs. Lesa Grooms also presented at the meeting. Close PJHS involves parents on school improvement planning committees. Parents may mark on the "Parents Make a Difference" form sent home to every parent at the beginning of school information packets. Students receive a tardy pass as a reward for returninng all the papers by the end of the first week. To support this process, the school offers staff training on how to work with and understand our changing community. Last year and this year the staff had Ruby Payne training to understand poverty and the way it effects students, parents and community. If students do not have access to learning tool, the school needs to step in and provide.. The school will ask parents to serve on curricular and instructional review committees. To support this process, the school will offer both school staff and parents training on how to contribute to this process in a meaningful way. The school will engage parents in decision making about the allocation of its Title I, Part A funds for parental involvement. PJHS has a colaborative committee in place. STATE REQUIEMENT – PJHS relies on our alumni to return during Career Fair and other classroom opportunities to share their advice and experiences. We also rely on the community for resources and guidance for school improvement. STATE REQUIREMENT Our organization is called "Parents for PJHS" of which coordinate and integrate parental involvement strategies under other programs such as our anual "Backpack to School Drive" is held at the beginning of August. Our community ralleys with donations, supplies and participation to provide 500 backpacks and supplies to students in need, Our police department provides finger printing, fire department provides information on home fire safrty, Head Start comes to enroll students, Cooperative Extension provides lessons on programs and cooking, beauticians give free haircuts and clothing is given away, local food banks are present, and much more. Our community had to stepup and provide food for our weeked food backpack programs because Rice Depot could no longer service our district. Churches, banks, and individuals have met that challenge.
6. How will your school provide resources for parents? PJHS has a parent section in our school library where they may check out materials to read concerning our school, our curriculum, and informative materials about today's teen concerns. New books are purchased with Parent Involvement allocations and shelved in the library and in the counselor's office for parental use. We also have a parent center housed in the Jr. High building. Parent volunteers come and help with prepareing teachers materials, makeintake items, and providing information to other parents. housed in the center are reference materials that can be borrowed by parents/guardians to aid in helping their child with homework. Math manipulatives can be made and kept by the parent to aid in math skills. Parent Center volunteers receive free lunches from our cafeteria the days that they work. The PJHS library encourages parents to checkout books, read with students, and join book clubs here at school. Parents may check out materials, use the computer to check grades, and visit educational Web sites. Parents will be encouraged to view the Title I Plan located in the parent resource center or media center. A suggestion sheet will also be available for parental input. The school will open the resource center at hours that are convenient to parents. STATE REQUIREMENT The school will distributed Informational packets each year that includes a copy of the school's parental involvement plan, survey for volunteer interests, recommended roles for parents/ teachers/students and school, suggestions of ways parents can become involved in their child's education,
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parental involvement activities planned for the current school year and information about the system that will be used to allow parents and teachers to communicate (notes, phone calls, email…). STATE REQUIREMENT To promote and support responsible parenting, the school shall, as funds are available: Purchase parenting books, magazines, and other informative materials regarding responsible parenting through the school library, advertise the current selection, and give parents the opportunity to borrow the materials for review. Create a parent center. STATE REQUIREMENT – Include in the school's policy handbook the school's process for resolving parental concerns, including how to define a problem, whom to approach first, and how to develop solutions. STATE REQUIREMENT – The principal of each school in a school district shall designate (1) certified staff member who is willing to serve as a parent facilitator.
7. How will your school engage parents in the evaluation of your parent and family engagement efforts? We do an awarenedss survey at open house each year. We take the results from the survey and plan improvements to our program. "Parents Make a Difference" back to school night is held at the beginning of school each year to introduce parents to the faculuty and familiarize both the students and parents of the school facilities, policies and opportunities. "Participation" surveys are distributed as a formative assessment. The assessments are returned and responses from the surveys will be used to evaluate and make changes to these actions. Each year the participation surveys will be distributed to parents, teaches, and students to obtain feedback about the activities that they deem as most helpful in increasing student motivation and/or parental involvement within the school. Examples of the information collected are as follows: 52% of the paretns who returned the Perception Survey said they used technology to keep up with their child's grades, assignments and school news. 40% said they used traditional methods of communications with the school. Parents who wanted to receive weekly announcements and test hotline emails: (9th grade = 106 parents; 8th grade = 94 parents; 7th grade = 123 parents). Parents who wanted to be members of PJHS: (9th grade = 54 parents; 8th grade = 55parents; 7th grade = 82 parents). Parents who want to plan and organize events: (9th grade = 34 parents; 8th grade = 23 parents; 7th grade = 44 parents). Technologies that PJHS students have access at home: eReaders 55, smart phones 304, computer with internet access & printer 239, computer with internet no printer, notebook computers/laptops 152, computers only 22, tablet/iPad 196, chromebook 18, needs to use school technology 121. Parents interested in the events: Math evening 147 parents; Technology evening 136; Red Ribbon Kickoff 140; Family Fun night 172; Health & Wellness Day 133 parents; Career Fair Day 124; Parent Conferences 293 parents. The school will engage parents in the annual evaluation of the Title I, Part A Program's parental involvement efforts through an annual evaluation using a comprehensive needs assessment filled out by teachers, parents and school staff. The Title I committee, made up of teachers, parents and school staff, will determine the effectiveness of the parental involvement plan and make changes if warranted. While collecting evidence about satisfaction with the program and the school's efforts to increase parental involvement will be a part of the evaluation, the survey will also collect specific information on the (1) growth in number of parents participating in workshops and meetings; (2) specific needs of parents; (3) effectiveness of specific strategies; and (4) engagement of parents in activities to support student academic growth.
8. How will your school use the parent interest surveys to select, plan and implement parent and family engagement activities that will be offered throughout the year? PJHS will ask parents to fill out a parent participation survey at registration or at the beginning of each school year to get information from parents concerning the activities they feel will be most beneficial in the efforts to support their child academically. PJHS will use the results of the Parents for PJHS parent participation survey to plan the parental involvement activities for the year. PJHS Parent Involvement will evaluate the activities that were suggested by the parents at the end of the year as part of the annual parental involvement plan evaluation. The tally of parents indicating that they would participate in our planned activites did not come to pass when the activites/seminars occured. Even though we had good turn outs, we did not have numbers in the hundreds except for Parent/SEGP conferences. Each parent was given the opportunity to select a date and time to meet with the advisors to look at the student's 4 year plan for graduation. It is not until after a student takes Algebra I in 9th grade is the opportunity given for parents to sign thr "opt out" of the CORE graduation requirements. Parents are asked to sign the SEGP plan each year to verify they agree to changes made in their chil's graduation plan. Every effort is given by the staff, principals and counselors to meet the needs of the students and parents throughout the year.
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given by the staff, principals and counselors to meet the needs of the students and parents throughout the year. STATE REQUIREMENT – PJHS sponsors seminars to inform the parents of 9th12th grade school students about how to be involved in the decisions affecting course selection, career planning, and preparation for postsecondary opportunities. On the technology night, Black River Technology College will have representatives here to inform parents of the the process for admission and opportunities offered for students in grade 712 for concurrent credit as well as high school credit. During SEGP meetings parents, advisors and students will meet with BRTC professionals to look at concurrent credits as well as course selections offered during the summer and night classes. Registration, tours, FASA, and payment processed is covered. Career Fair Day involves parents, community business owners, military branches, and college reps to plan 50 minute presentations/activites for PJHS students to select and rotate into sessions.
9. When will your school plan the Annual Title I Meeting that must be conducted separately? (It CANNOT be held in conjunction with any other meetings or activities.) PJHS hosts its Title I meeting at the beginning of each year. Principals will call the meeting to order and give their reports. The floor will be opened for questions and comments to make sure plenty of time to explain school curriculum, information forms of academic assessments to measure student progress, and proficiency expectations. The meeting will be adjurned before any activities because the Title I , Part A meeting has to be separate from any other meeting or activities. A separate signin sheet is kept on file. Our Parent Involvement budget was approved for $3,950.00 which includes the following: *State Parent Involvemnt Conference in Little Rock; reistration, hotel accomedations, meals. *Advisory Committee Meeings in fall, winter, and spring. *Parents Make a Differnce Nights, refreshments, handouts, supplies, advertisements * Information Packets & red folders, supplies, materials *Parent Involvement Wrokshops & Seminar Activities *Emergency fund *Parent books and reference materials kept in the library or counselor's office. PJHS Title I, Part A agenda, the signin sheet and the minutes for the meeting is separate from other activites and kept in school notebooks in the councelor's office. PJHS encourages parents/guardians to share their ideas on how PJHS should spend Title I funding. Most of the time parents want the committee and administration to provide recommendations for them to discuss and vote upon during a meeting. Suggestions are sent to the district office for consideration and approval. Hardcopy handouts of the Title I meeting date and time were sent home twice before the meeting. The meeting was posted in the school announcements which are electronically sent home, ran on school TV, and broadcasted during 2nd period classes when the announcements are read by the teachers to the students and indicated in the newspaper. Attendance to the meeting earns the student a reward of a tardy pass which is like gold among students.
*After completion of this form, the school should print and submit to district for review and approval. Once approved, the school is required to post their School Parent Plan on their website.
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Hint
District Pocahontas School District
Grade Levels 7,8,9
Building Facilitator and District Coordinator Taftnee Cox
Title I Status Schoolwide Targeted Assistance NonTitle I School
Percent of free and reduced lunch 58.33%
Parent and Family Engagement Committee Members (Select "Repeat" to open more entry fields to add addtional team members)
Enter committee members
First Name Taftnee
Last Name Cox
Position
Page 1 of 10
PJHS Counselor Parent Involvement Facilitator
Enter committee members
First Name Angela
Last Name Meigs
Position Parent Center Coordinator
Enter committee members
First Name Rhonda
Last Name McCallister
Position ParentMath Night coordinator
Enter committee members
First Name Chandra and Joey
Last Name McDowell
Position parent secretary ACT Aspire Night coordinators
Enter committee members
Page 2 of 10
First Name Sandra
Last Name Bryant
Position school nurse Wellness Day Coordinator
Enter committee members
First Name Tonya
Last Name Throesch
Position Parent
Enter committee members
First Name Blair
Last Name O'Donnell
Position Parent
Enter committee members
First Name Amanda
Last Name Snyder
Page 3 of 10
Position Parent
Enter committee members
First Name Angela
Last Name Maynard
Position Parent
Enter committee members
First Name Emily
Last Name Hausman
Position Parent
Enter committee members
First Name Luke
Last Name Lane
Position Parent
Page 4 of 10
Enter committee members
First Name Tara
Last Name Todd
Position Parent
Enter committee members
First Name
Last Name
Position
1. List various communication strategies used in your school to provide additional information to parents and to increase parent and family engagement in supporting classroom instruction. The majority of PJHS teachers use weekly emails, individiual emails, Remind, teacher web pages, and telephone calls to provide information to parents individually and collective assignments. Our band directors actually use twitter and facebook as well as the electronics mentioned above to communicate with parents and students. Our school district uses the HAC Home Access Center for continual parental awareness through our computer system. Parents and students have their personal access codes to monitor their child's grades, attendance, and disciplines throughout the school day/week. Teachers are required to keep grades updated and posted for parents to view student progress. Homework hotline is hosted in the HAC system for quick reference of tests given during the week. Pocahontas School District's teachers are required to send home hard copy progress reports after 4 1/2 weeks and then a quarterly report card with information reflecting their child's academic progress is sent home. Parents may request copies of report cards or grades at any time by contacting the main office staff. Parents can always access HAC to monitor daily/weekly progress. On the first day of school, every student is provided with a school planner. In the planner are special school events, sports activities, hints for student organization skills, and areas to write down daily assignments and due dates for projects. Parent Involvement money pays for the planners. The Parent Involvement fund pays for every student a red folder to collect and carry all important paperwork home to be signed and returned to school for processing. PJHS will send brochures home with students, post notices in school facilities and public buildings, and provide information for local the Star Hearld newspaper and KPOC radio station about parent workshops and meetings. Special pamphlets are given out to help parents and students on how to adjust to life in the Jr. High as well as be successful. Students/Parents/Guardians are provided with PJHS student handbooks and polocies and Pocahontas School District handbooks, school Web site information and HAC logins, maps of the building layout and teacher locations, and at parent orientation and/or meetings about the Schoolwide Title I Plan and how to get a copy upon request. Copies can be found in folders in the counselor's officeand on the Pocahontas School District website.
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2. List the proposed parent meeting, conferences and activities regularly throughout this year and the dates providing flexible meeting times that you have planned to increase parent and family engagement and build staff and parent capacity to engage in these types of efforts. (Must include the 2 state mandated parent/teacher conferences each year.) Activities provided for parents with a standared meeting time of 6:00 p.m. with multiple times of presentations included: Math Evening Workshop (September 2017)."Math Makes You Powerful!"Provides instruction to help parents help their children witht their math work. Handouts and power point notes provided. Parents get a chace to work with Chromebooks. All of this will help the parents to understand the expectations of thier child and will help empower them to better assist in working with their child to improve their education. Parents will be divided into two breakout groups (Jr. High 78 and High School 912). Teachers will share information on tutoring, email addresses, websites ACT, Flashcards, Weekly Objective and Remind). Big Ideas Site: www.bigideasmath.com and Pearson in conjunction with BRTC: http://www.pearsonmylabandmastering.com. A goal is to improve communication between teachers and parents. Parent Teacher Conference (October 2017) Provides parents with oneonone parent/teacher verbal communication concerning the student's grades, work habits, discipline, and report card information. Extended times are made available before, during and after school hours. Technology Evening (October 2017) Provides parents the opportunity to learn more about what is available at PJHS for the students use before, during, and after regular school hours. Instrucrtions are provided over HAC, our parent computer access to their child's grades, attendance, discipline, and assignments. Usually community law inforcement comes to provide internet safety tips for parents and students. This year the Black River Technical College will have a representative here to explain concurrent classes offered for students in grades 912. Title I information will also be provided fort he district. Family Fun Night (November 2017) "Play...Laugh...Smile...Connect with your family" This is an old fashioned play time with physical game activities, board games, walk, contests, lots of food, and more. Community members like "Integredity Bank" comes and makes smores for everyone. ACT Aspire "Test Changes for 2017/18" (November 2017) Parents request this meeting. They want to know the changes concerning the standardized testing. Our focus will be on Literacy/English needs and improvements. Parents need to know how to encourage and help their children with writing/open response. Health and Wellness Day (March 2018) Parents and community members are invited to come and share their knowledge with our students. Student rotate every 50 minutes throughout the day to different classes and physical activities. Some examples are aerobic class, yoga, football drills, dance, STD awareness, balanced diet, stress, and much more. Career Fair (May 2018) Colleges, business owners, military, parents and others come to share thier advice, give information on specific careers and privide opportunities for students to learn more about at least three different careers, resumes, dress codes, interviews and so on. Aspecific focus is our 9th graders, who get to travel to BRTC for "College Student for a Day". SEGP Conferences (Secondary Education Graduation Plan) (April 2018) SEGP is like the CAPS program offered in Arkansas. Advisors are assigned to every student. Forms are sent home for parents to select their best time to meet with the advisors. Advisors go out of their way to meet the parents before school, during school after school on extended hours in the evening. Parents work with students and advisors to create a four year plan to meet graducation goals and post educational goals of work or college. The school will hold an orientation for parents at each grade level to inform them about the school's participation in the Title I program and to encourage parents to be involved with reviewing and revising of the School's Title I Plan. Parents Make a Difference @PJHS forms are sent home during the first day of school along with other important school information data sheets. The forms are returned and data is typed into the spread sheets for use by teachers, parent involvement and school improvement plans. Email address help us to provide information to go home quickly such as school daily announcements. Questions concerning internet access at home are on the form. The school will encourage parents in the following types of roles and activities to increase their involvement and support for student learning: Parent Center Volunteer on the Jr. High Campus Guest speakers at Career Fair Guest presenter at Health and Wellness Day Parent Training Sessions in math and Literacy Food Backpacks Backpacks 2 School offers supplies, medical shots, hearing, vision screenings Red Ribbon Week volunteers Library Book Club Volunteers Various Committees
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Volunteer to help clubs/organizations: LINK, Student Council, ABC (AntiBullying)FFA, FBLA, Band, Beta, Builder's Club, Book Club, Parents for PJHS, Plan and organize parent events.
3. How will your school provide information to parents about volunteer opportunities (must include state mandated parent training)? PJHS is sending two parents to the State Conference in Little Rock on September 2017. The conference is a training for parents and facilitators to learn new strategies that will improve their local Parent Invovlement. Information that was gathered and learned at the conference will be shared at the different meeting that are planned throughout the year. Committee members will meet to update our yearly plans and make sure we meet state requirements. Volunteer opportunities are made public to parents through the first Parents Make A Difference Survey given out on the first day of school and again at Open House. Parents may signup for any volutneer position and make recommendations for other opportuniaties to serve. Pocahontas School District is participating in the "Circle of Friends" program that allows regular classroom students to partner with special needs children. Parents are encouraged to participate in helping train students and provide assistance when needed. The school will provide a list of volunteer opportunities and solicit ideas for other types of volunteer efforts during orientation of parents. Teachers will explain the requirements to parents and encourage them to become involved in the school. Brief training sessions will provide parents and community members with the information they need to participate as school volunteers in order to put them at ease and make the experience pleasant and successful. The school will work with Green Elementary School and Blue Middle School to help provide a smooth transition from one school to the next by raising parent awareness of procedures and related activities. The school will host special orientation programs for parents and students to help with the transition. Parents will have the opportunity to meet the new teachers at the end of the school year. STATE REQUIREMENT – Provide instruction to a parent on how to incorporate developmentally appropriate learning activities in the home environment, including without limitation: role play and demonstration by trained volunteer, the use of and access to the Department of Education website tools for parents, assistance with nutritional meal planning and preparation and other strategies or curricula developed or acquired by the school district for athome parental instruction approved by the Department of Education. STATE REQUIREMENT (Staff Development) The State Board of Education's Standards for Accreditation of Arkansas Public Schools and School Districts shall require no fewer than two (2) hours of professional development for teachers designed to enhance the understand of effective parental involvement strategies. No fewer that three (3) hours of professional development for administrators designed to enhance understanding of effective parent involvement strategies and the importance of administrative leadership in setting expectations and creating a climate conducive to parental participation.
4. How will your school work with parents to create a SchoolParentCompact? School Wide Compacts are sent home on the first day of school in their parent packets. Parent Involvement team provides folders for all the parent information forms that must be signed and returned to school. Our parent committe looks over the compact and makes sure that it agrees with the state requirements asking for the cooperation of the students, the parents, and the school staff to make sure that we all work together for the betterment of each student. School staff, parents, and students will develop a schoolparentstudent compact. This compact will outline how parents, school staff, and students share the responsibility for improving student academic achievement and the means by which the school and parents will build and develop a partnership to help children achieve the state's high academic standards. All stakeholders will sign the compact.
5. How will your school provide opportunities for parents to be involved in the development, implementation and evaluation of the school wide school improvement plan, and the Annual Title I Meeting to engage them in the decisionmaking processes regarding the school's Title I, Part A
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Program? PJHS had our Title I meeting on September 19 at 6:00 P.M. in the PJHS library. Principal, Mack Skelton made the presentation to 15 parents. Explainations were given theat the District Title I funding is based on current census data and is used to support regular education programs in the Pocahontas School District. Districts with poverty rates above 40% may use Title I money to operate a "schoolwide program" to upgrade the instructional program for the entire school. Parent Involvement activities, parent facilitators, and college/career coach are examples of programs offered at PJHS. NWEA testing is funded through Title money to identify weaknesses in math and literacy. Parent Involvement is a third area where programs are offered to help include, but not limited to Parent/Child Fund Night, Math Night, Technology Night, Library/Literacy Night, invitations to volunteer, (school day, after school, extracurricular). Title 1 funded through the National Student Lunch Act. Mr. Skelton opened the floor for questions and comments. Mr. Skelton addressed a question about Dyslexia interventions with a concerned parent. Mrs. Lesa Grooms also presented at the meeting. Close PJHS involves parents on school improvement planning committees. Parents may mark on the "Parents Make a Difference" form sent home to every parent at the beginning of school information packets. Students receive a tardy pass as a reward for returninng all the papers by the end of the first week. To support this process, the school offers staff training on how to work with and understand our changing community. Last year and this year the staff had Ruby Payne training to understand poverty and the way it effects students, parents and community. If students do not have access to learning tool, the school needs to step in and provide.. The school will ask parents to serve on curricular and instructional review committees. To support this process, the school will offer both school staff and parents training on how to contribute to this process in a meaningful way. The school will engage parents in decision making about the allocation of its Title I, Part A funds for parental involvement. PJHS has a colaborative committee in place. STATE REQUIEMENT – PJHS relies on our alumni to return during Career Fair and other classroom opportunities to share their advice and experiences. We also rely on the community for resources and guidance for school improvement. STATE REQUIREMENT Our organization is called "Parents for PJHS" of which coordinate and integrate parental involvement strategies under other programs such as our anual "Backpack to School Drive" is held at the beginning of August. Our community ralleys with donations, supplies and participation to provide 500 backpacks and supplies to students in need, Our police department provides finger printing, fire department provides information on home fire safrty, Head Start comes to enroll students, Cooperative Extension provides lessons on programs and cooking, beauticians give free haircuts and clothing is given away, local food banks are present, and much more. Our community had to stepup and provide food for our weeked food backpack programs because Rice Depot could no longer service our district. Churches, banks, and individuals have met that challenge.
6. How will your school provide resources for parents? PJHS has a parent section in our school library where they may check out materials to read concerning our school, our curriculum, and informative materials about today's teen concerns. New books are purchased with Parent Involvement allocations and shelved in the library and in the counselor's office for parental use. We also have a parent center housed in the Jr. High building. Parent volunteers come and help with prepareing teachers materials, makeintake items, and providing information to other parents. housed in the center are reference materials that can be borrowed by parents/guardians to aid in helping their child with homework. Math manipulatives can be made and kept by the parent to aid in math skills. Parent Center volunteers receive free lunches from our cafeteria the days that they work. The PJHS library encourages parents to checkout books, read with students, and join book clubs here at school. Parents may check out materials, use the computer to check grades, and visit educational Web sites. Parents will be encouraged to view the Title I Plan located in the parent resource center or media center. A suggestion sheet will also be available for parental input. The school will open the resource center at hours that are convenient to parents. STATE REQUIREMENT The school will distributed Informational packets each year that includes a copy of the school's parental involvement plan, survey for volunteer interests, recommended roles for parents/ teachers/students and school, suggestions of ways parents can become involved in their child's education,
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parental involvement activities planned for the current school year and information about the system that will be used to allow parents and teachers to communicate (notes, phone calls, email…). STATE REQUIREMENT To promote and support responsible parenting, the school shall, as funds are available: Purchase parenting books, magazines, and other informative materials regarding responsible parenting through the school library, advertise the current selection, and give parents the opportunity to borrow the materials for review. Create a parent center. STATE REQUIREMENT – Include in the school's policy handbook the school's process for resolving parental concerns, including how to define a problem, whom to approach first, and how to develop solutions. STATE REQUIREMENT – The principal of each school in a school district shall designate (1) certified staff member who is willing to serve as a parent facilitator.
7. How will your school engage parents in the evaluation of your parent and family engagement efforts? We do an awarenedss survey at open house each year. We take the results from the survey and plan improvements to our program. "Parents Make a Difference" back to school night is held at the beginning of school each year to introduce parents to the faculuty and familiarize both the students and parents of the school facilities, policies and opportunities. "Participation" surveys are distributed as a formative assessment. The assessments are returned and responses from the surveys will be used to evaluate and make changes to these actions. Each year the participation surveys will be distributed to parents, teaches, and students to obtain feedback about the activities that they deem as most helpful in increasing student motivation and/or parental involvement within the school. Examples of the information collected are as follows: 52% of the paretns who returned the Perception Survey said they used technology to keep up with their child's grades, assignments and school news. 40% said they used traditional methods of communications with the school. Parents who wanted to receive weekly announcements and test hotline emails: (9th grade = 106 parents; 8th grade = 94 parents; 7th grade = 123 parents). Parents who wanted to be members of PJHS: (9th grade = 54 parents; 8th grade = 55parents; 7th grade = 82 parents). Parents who want to plan and organize events: (9th grade = 34 parents; 8th grade = 23 parents; 7th grade = 44 parents). Technologies that PJHS students have access at home: eReaders 55, smart phones 304, computer with internet access & printer 239, computer with internet no printer, notebook computers/laptops 152, computers only 22, tablet/iPad 196, chromebook 18, needs to use school technology 121. Parents interested in the events: Math evening 147 parents; Technology evening 136; Red Ribbon Kickoff 140; Family Fun night 172; Health & Wellness Day 133 parents; Career Fair Day 124; Parent Conferences 293 parents. The school will engage parents in the annual evaluation of the Title I, Part A Program's parental involvement efforts through an annual evaluation using a comprehensive needs assessment filled out by teachers, parents and school staff. The Title I committee, made up of teachers, parents and school staff, will determine the effectiveness of the parental involvement plan and make changes if warranted. While collecting evidence about satisfaction with the program and the school's efforts to increase parental involvement will be a part of the evaluation, the survey will also collect specific information on the (1) growth in number of parents participating in workshops and meetings; (2) specific needs of parents; (3) effectiveness of specific strategies; and (4) engagement of parents in activities to support student academic growth.
8. How will your school use the parent interest surveys to select, plan and implement parent and family engagement activities that will be offered throughout the year? PJHS will ask parents to fill out a parent participation survey at registration or at the beginning of each school year to get information from parents concerning the activities they feel will be most beneficial in the efforts to support their child academically. PJHS will use the results of the Parents for PJHS parent participation survey to plan the parental involvement activities for the year. PJHS Parent Involvement will evaluate the activities that were suggested by the parents at the end of the year as part of the annual parental involvement plan evaluation. The tally of parents indicating that they would participate in our planned activites did not come to pass when the activites/seminars occured. Even though we had good turn outs, we did not have numbers in the hundreds except for Parent/SEGP conferences. Each parent was given the opportunity to select a date and time to meet with the advisors to look at the student's 4 year plan for graduation. It is not until after a student takes Algebra I in 9th grade is the opportunity given for parents to sign thr "opt out" of the CORE graduation requirements. Parents are asked to sign the SEGP plan each year to verify they agree to changes made in their chil's graduation plan. Every effort is given by the staff, principals and counselors to meet the needs of the students and parents throughout the year.
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given by the staff, principals and counselors to meet the needs of the students and parents throughout the year. STATE REQUIREMENT – PJHS sponsors seminars to inform the parents of 9th12th grade school students about how to be involved in the decisions affecting course selection, career planning, and preparation for postsecondary opportunities. On the technology night, Black River Technology College will have representatives here to inform parents of the the process for admission and opportunities offered for students in grade 712 for concurrent credit as well as high school credit. During SEGP meetings parents, advisors and students will meet with BRTC professionals to look at concurrent credits as well as course selections offered during the summer and night classes. Registration, tours, FASA, and payment processed is covered. Career Fair Day involves parents, community business owners, military branches, and college reps to plan 50 minute presentations/activites for PJHS students to select and rotate into sessions.
9. When will your school plan the Annual Title I Meeting that must be conducted separately? (It CANNOT be held in conjunction with any other meetings or activities.) PJHS hosts its Title I meeting at the beginning of each year. Principals will call the meeting to order and give their reports. The floor will be opened for questions and comments to make sure plenty of time to explain school curriculum, information forms of academic assessments to measure student progress, and proficiency expectations. The meeting will be adjurned before any activities because the Title I , Part A meeting has to be separate from any other meeting or activities. A separate signin sheet is kept on file. Our Parent Involvement budget was approved for $3,950.00 which includes the following: *State Parent Involvemnt Conference in Little Rock; reistration, hotel accomedations, meals. *Advisory Committee Meeings in fall, winter, and spring. *Parents Make a Differnce Nights, refreshments, handouts, supplies, advertisements * Information Packets & red folders, supplies, materials *Parent Involvement Wrokshops & Seminar Activities *Emergency fund *Parent books and reference materials kept in the library or counselor's office. PJHS Title I, Part A agenda, the signin sheet and the minutes for the meeting is separate from other activites and kept in school notebooks in the councelor's office. PJHS encourages parents/guardians to share their ideas on how PJHS should spend Title I funding. Most of the time parents want the committee and administration to provide recommendations for them to discuss and vote upon during a meeting. Suggestions are sent to the district office for consideration and approval. Hardcopy handouts of the Title I meeting date and time were sent home twice before the meeting. The meeting was posted in the school announcements which are electronically sent home, ran on school TV, and broadcasted during 2nd period classes when the announcements are read by the teachers to the students and indicated in the newspaper. Attendance to the meeting earns the student a reward of a tardy pass which is like gold among students.
*After completion of this form, the school should print and submit to district for review and approval. Once approved, the school is required to post their School Parent Plan on their website.
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