West Chatham Elementary School
Family Engagement Policy and Plan for Shared Student Success
School Year 2024-2025
Revision Date: 05/20/2024
West Chatham Elementary School
820 Pine Barren Rd
Pooler, GA, 31322
Phone: (912) 395-3600
FAX: (912) 912-201-5646
Principal: Bridget Gordon Assistant Principal: Jason Waters
A Parent and Family Engagement Policy is a plan that describes how West Chatham Elementary will provide opportunities to improve family engagement to support student learning. We value the contributions and involvement of families to establish an equal partnership for the common goal of improving student achievement. This plan describes the different ways that the school will support family engagement and how families can help plan and participate in activities and events to promote student learning at school and at home (Section 1116) of the Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015.
Where is the Family Engagement Policy available?
The Family Engagement Policy will be distributed to all families at the beginning of the school year through student communication folders. Additionally, copies are available in the Family Center, where you may also view them and provide feedback. The Policy will also be posted on the school’s website and shared at the Annual Title 1 meeting.
How is it jointly developed/revised?
The following actions were taken to involve parents/guardians in the joint development of school-parent/family compacts that outline how school staff, parents/guardians, and students will share the responsibility for improved student academic achievement and how the school and parents will build and develop a partnership to help children achieve the state’s high standards:
· An invitation to attend the Annual Title I Family Forum was sent to parents in the spring of the previous school year, offering parents/guardians the opportunity to help plan for the upcoming school year.
· A final Family Engagement Policy and School-Family Compact(s), with all of the feedback incorporated, will be posted on the school website, presented at the fall Annual Title I meeting, sent home with all students to serve as an agreement between the school, parents, and students of the shared responsibility for improving student achievement.
What is Title I?
West Chatham Elementary is identified as a Title I school as part of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). Title I is designed to support State and local school reform efforts tied to challenging state academic standards and reinforce and enhance efforts to improve teaching and learning for students. Title I programs must be based on effective means of improving student achievement and include strategies to support family involvement. All Title I schools must jointly develop a written family engagement policy with all families.
What is the purpose of Title I?
All students participating in the Title I, Part A program and their families are encouraged and invited to fully participate in the opportunities described in this policy. The school will provide opportunities for the participation of families with limited English, disabilities, and families of migratory children.
Implementation
The staff at West Chatham Elementary recognizes that the education of students is a responsibility shared with, administrators, teachers, parents, and the community. Maximum learning occurs when parents are actively involved and supportive of the education of their children. In an effort to enhance and expand parental involvement at the school level, parents will be invited to attend several meetings throughout the year in order to provide input in the planning, the review and the improvement of school-wide Title I programs.
To provide parents/guardians with continuous communication, opportunities for input, and to increase family engagement, the following mandatory Title I family meetings will be held each academic school year:
· Title I Annual Meeting (Fall) – Introduces the School/Family Compacts, the Family Engagement Policy, the Title I budget, and the School Improvement Plan. Information about the school’s curriculum, assessments, and other important information is also shared at this meeting.
· Family Forum (Spring) – Provides parents/guardians with the opportunity to provide input on School Improvement Planning, the Family Engagement Budget, the Family Engagement Policy, the School-Parent/Family Compact, and staff training .
School-Family Compacts
As part of our family engagement plan, West Chatham Elementary and our families develop a school-parent/family compact, which is an agreement that explains how parents/families and teachers will work together to make sure students reach grade-level standards. The compacts are reviewed and updated annually based on feedback from parents, students, and teachers during Title I Annual Meeting and from the Annual Family Engagement Survey. The school-parent/family compacts also are reviewed with families during parent-teacher conferences.
GOALS FOR STUDENT SUCCESS
SCCPSS District Goals:
Goal 1: To Ensure all Students are College and Career Ready.
Goal 2: To Provide a Supportive Learning Environment that is Conducive to Teaching and Learning.
Goal 3: To Maximize Family and Community Engagement that Contributes to the Advancement of Student Growth and Success.
Goal 4: To Build Professional Capacity in Order to Achieve a Premier Student- Focused Workforce
West Chatham Elementary School Goals:
Goal 1: By May 2025, 62% of K-5 students will perform on or above grade level on the SY25 EOY iReady Reading diagnostic.
Goal 2: By May 2025, 55% of students in grades K-5 will score on or above grade level on the SY25 EOY iReady Mathematics diagnostic.
Goal 3: By May 2025, the percent of SWD's scoring from 29% to 32% in grades K-5 on the SY25 EOY iReady Reading diagnostic.
Goal 4: By May 2025, the percentage of students scoring at Level 1 in science on the GMAS will decrease from 49% to 40%.
Goal 5: By May 2025, implement targeted literacy interventions and comprehensive progress monitoring strategies to raise the percentage of students scoring on grade level in reading from 44% to 30%, as evaluated by i-Ready.
The principal will submit to the district Title I office via email any comments of parents who feel the school improvement plan is not satisfactory.
Parent and Family Engagement
West Chatham Elementary believes that family engagement means the participation of parents and family members in regular two-way, and meaningful communication involving student academic learning and other school activities, including ensuring:
· That parents/families play an integral role in assisting their child’s learning.
· That parents/families are encouraged to be actively involved in their child’s education at school.
· That parents/families are full partners in their child’s education and are included, as appropriate, in decision-making and on advisory committees to assist in the education of their child.
Family Resource Center
HOURS: Monday – Friday, 9:15 am – 3:30 pm
Come visit the Family Resource Center to check out books, study materials, and activities to use at home with your child. Computers are available for parents to log into PowerSchool/Parent Access and explore educational resources.
If you need support, please reach out to our Family Engagement Facilitator Lashonda Campbell (912) 395-3600 extension 719097 or Mr. Waters Assistant Principal Phone (912)395-3600, jason.waters@sccpss.com
2024-2025 FAMILY ENGAGEMENT Events and Activities
West Chatham Elementary School will host the following events to build the capacity for strong family engagement to support a partnership between the school, parents, and the community to improve student academic achievement. All meetings for parents and family members will be held at various times throughout the school year.
WEST CHATHAM ELEMENTARY
Family Communication
- Provide information to families/parents at least two weeks in advance.
- Advertise events and meetings in various forms (website, flyers, callouts, newsletters, etc.) in the student’s home language.
- Provide ways for families/parents to give feedback to improve events and training for parents and staff.
- Explain the curriculum and academic assessments used to measure student progress and proficiency.
- Help teachers, families/parents, and students work effectively together.
- Open door policy with Administration: Parents may come or call to ask for a meeting, and if they are not available, then our administration will call you back within 24 hours during the week and on Mondays for communication made over the weekend.
- Hold a flexible number of meetings to allow the maximum number of families to attend.
Title I Annual Meeting – September
We invite you to an evening of learning and sharing about our Title I program, including our parent
and family engagement policy, the schoolwide plan, the school-parent compacts, and parents’ requirements. Invitations will be emailed and posted in the school newsletter, social media, and local media.
Building Capacity of Parents
Curriculum Night - Check the school Monthly Calendar for the date and time.
Learn about the curriculum used in your child’s classroom - the academic standards, assessments, materials, and more!
Math Night – Check the school Monthly Calendar for the date and time.
Learn how to make math fun at home.
Literacy Night- Check the school Monthly Calendar for the date and time.
Join us to learn about how you can support literacy at home.
Parent-Teacher and Student Conferences – Check the school Monthly Calendar for the date and time. -Scheduled updates on your child’s progress.
GMAS/IReady Informational – Check the school's Monthly Calendar for the date and time.
Learn about the student's state and benchmark test assessment results and interpretation of those results. Also, learn about the state and local levels of how assessments are measured.
Lunch ‘n Learn – Check the school Monthly Calendar for the date and time.
Gain knowledge about topics relevant to your child’s education.
Parent Appreciation – Check the school Monthly Calendar for the date and time.
A celebration of family engagement and the recognition of its impact on school and student success.
Transition/Collaboration -Check the school’s Monthly Calendar for the date and time.
· Moving on up: Middle School Transition Activities with WCMS
· Kindergarten Orientation -1 meeting in the spring for incoming kindergarten parents
· Family Engagement Center Open House -Check out helpful materials to take home
Back to school night – Check the school’s Monthly Calendar for the date and time.
Meet the teacher, Q&A, and receive materials and training on how to improve student achievement, such as literacy training and using technology (including information on education about the harms of copyright piracy)
**This list is subject to change** Meeting may be added due to parent/family request**
Title I Annual Family Forum – Check the school's Monthly Calendar for the date and time.
Provides an opportunity for parents/family members to participate in discussions with the principal and staff regarding the school improvement plan, family engagement policy, school-parent/family compacts, and the family engagement budget.
Building the Foundation
West Chatham Elementary will take the following measures to promote and support parents/families as an important foundation of the school to strengthen the school and reach our school goals. We will:
· Communicate effectively by ensuring that information related to academic standards/assessments, events, etc. is published in a language and format accessible to parents and is communicated in multiple ways such as online resources, in-person group meetings, and many more.
· Offer training for parents and family members to help further enhance their various educational levels.
· Partner with early childhood programs, feeder schools, college and career-ready resources, or other programs to help prepare parents and their children for successful school transitions.
· Provide necessary materials and handouts for parents/guardians at conferences, meetings, and activities to help parents work with their child to improve their child’s achievement.
· Collaborate with Community Partners to provide information and introduce resources to benefit families.
· Based on parent/guardian feedback, provide staff training to improve communication with parents and ideas to increase family engagement with reading and math activities for our students outside of the classroom.
· Collect feedback from parents and family members at all events, place input cards around the building, and post a suggestion form on the school website to respond to parents’ requests for additional support for parent and family engagement activities.
Parent and Family Engagement Standards
West Chatham Elementary and our parents have adopted the National PTA Standards for Family-School Partnerships as the school’s model in engaging parents, students, and the community. These standards are:
1. Welcoming All Families
2. Communicating Effectively
3. Supporting Student Success
4. Speaking Up for Every Child
5. Sharing Power
6. Collaborating with Community
SCHOOL COUNCIL
The school council is an advisory body created to offer advice to the principal on matters pertaining to student achievement and school improvement. The school council initiative was created by the Georgia State Legislature as a method of involving parents, teachers, and community stakeholders in the educational process. It is governed by state law; O.C.G.A § 20-2-85 and O.C.G.A § 20-2-86. The school council is made up of elected parents, appointed community/business members, elected teacher representatives, and the school principal, with the parent group constituting the largest segment. If you would like to learn more about the school council, please contact our principal.
1% SET-ASIDE FOR PARENT AND FAMILY ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES
Each year, Savannah-Chatham County Public School System reserves 1% from the total amount of the Title I, Part A funds it receives to carry out family engagement requirements.
ACCESSIBILITY
In carrying out the parent and family engagement requirements established by Section 1116 of the ESSA, the district family engagement coordinator will communicate and collaborate with the Office for Student Support Services to ensure full opportunities for participation of parents with limited English proficiency, parents with disabilities, and parents of migratory children including providing information and school reports in a language parents can understand