Parent Compact and Family Engagement Policy
Back to McDonald ES Title I
2024-2025 SCHOOL LEVEL TITLE I
School-Parent and Family Compact / School-Parent and Family Engagement Policy
School-Parent and Family Compact
The Centennial School District, and the McDonald Elementary School parents and family members of the students participating in activities, services, and programs funded by Title I, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Act (ESEA), agree that this compact, which has been jointly developed with parents and family members, outlines how the parents and family members, the entire school staff, and the students will share the responsibility for improved student academic achievement and the means by which the school and parents will build and develop a partnership that will help children achieve the State’s high standards.
SCHOOL COMMITMENT
McDonald Elementary School is committed to supporting student learning by:
Providing high-quality curriculum and instruction in a supportive and effective learning environment that enables students participating in Title I programs to meet the state academic standards.
Addressing the importance of communication between teachers, parents, and family members on an ongoing basis through, at a minimum:
At least annually, parent-teacher conferences in elementary schools, during which the compact shall be discussed as the compact relates to the individual student’s achievement.
Frequent reports to parents and family members on their child’s progress.
Reasonable access to staff, and
Ensuring regular two-way, meaningful communication between family members and school staff, including providing information and school reports in a format and in a language that the parent and family member can understand.
Providing parents and family members opportunities to volunteer and participate in their child’s class, and to observe classroom activities.
Treating each student with dignity and respect.
Striving to address the individual needs of each student.
Acknowledging that parents and family members are vital to the academic success of their children.
Taking steps to provide a safe, positive, and healthy learning environment.
Assuring that school staff communicate clear expectations for the performance of both students and parents and family members.
Providing professional development for staff.
PARENT AND FAMILY COMMITMENT
As parents and family members, we are committed to supporting our children’s learning by:
Creating an atmosphere that supports learning by conducting activities at home to continue classroom learning.
Volunteering in school activities and events.
Participating, as appropriate, in decisions relating to the education of our children and positive use of extracurricular time.
Attending school meetings, functions, and conferences.
Communicating with teachers at conferences, by phone, by email, and by attending Title I parent and family workshops.
Being aware of Board policies and school rules.
Monitoring school attendance and school arrival times.
Making sure that homework is completed.
Encouraging student involvement in school activities held during and after school.
Reinforcing positive behavior.
STUDENT COMMITMENT
As students, we are committed to being responsible and taking ownership of learning by:
Coming to school each day on time and ready to learn.
Reading at home.
Completing homework assignments.
Taking home and returning necessary school papers and forms.
Maintaining a positive attitude and growth mindset.
Demonstrating mutual respect and empathy towards others.
School-Parent and Family Engagement Policy
The Title I Parent and Family Engagement section of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), Section 1116(b) requires each Title I school to develop a written parent and family engagement policy that describes the means for carrying out the requirements of Section 1116. The school must ensure that information related to school and parent programs, meetings, and other activities are sent to the parents of Title I children in a format and in a language the parents can understand. The policy must be: developed jointly with and agreed upon by parents and family members of Title I children; written in an understandable format and provided in a language parents can understand; distributed to all parents and family members of Title I children; made available to the local community; and updated annually to meet the changing needs of parents, family members, and the school. The policy describes how parents and family members will be involved in the planning, review, and improvement of the school's Parent and Family Engagement Policy (ESSA, Section 1116(b)(1)).
The administration, staff, and parents of McDonald Elementary School believe that the improved academic achievement of each student is a responsibility shared by the entire school community, including the school district, school, community members, school administration, staff, students, and parents (as defined for purposes of this policy to include guardians and all members of a student’s family involved in the student’s education). This policy outlines how the parents, the entire school staff, and the students will share the responsibility for improved student academic achievement and the means by which the school and parents will build and develop a partnership that will help children achieve the State’s high standards.
How will the school involve parents and family members in the development of the parent and family engagement policy?
Meet with parents during a regularly scheduled Home and School meeting to discuss parent and family engagement policy
Will inform parents of the meeting and agenda via the weekly S’more newsletter
At Home and School meetings, will explain the requirements and rights of parent involvement of the parent and family engagement policy
How will the school meet with parents and family members annually?
McDonald Elementary School will meet with parents during a regularly scheduled Home and School meeting.
Back To School Night in the Fall
Open House in the spring
Parent/Teacher Conferences
What meetings will be held at the school?
Meetings will be held at McDonald Elementary School during regularly scheduled Home and School meetings and during additional meetings as needed.
How will the school inform parents and family members about the Title I program?
The Centennial School District Teaching & Learning web page provides information on the curricular resources, assessments, and state standards. This will be shared with parents and family members during Home & School and other meetings as needed.
How will the school explain the curriculum, state standards, and assessments?
Our monthly Home and School meetings provide parents the opportunity to formulate suggestions and to participate, as appropriate, in decisions relating to the education of their children.
How will the school accommodate meeting requests?
Our monthly Home and School meetings provide parents the opportunity to formulate suggestions and to participate, as appropriate, in decisions relating to the education of their children. Any meeting requests that cannot be satisfied by a regularly scheduled Home and School meeting will be handled accordingly.
If applicable, how will the school meet with parents and family members to develop and discuss the Schoolwide Plan?
McDonald Elementary School holds an annual Back to School Night at the beginning of the year to describe the school’s responsibility to provide high-quality curriculum and instruction in a supportive and effective learning environment and the ways in which each parent can support their children’s learning.
Describe the school’s responsibility to provide high-quality curriculum and instruction in a supportive and effective learning environment that enables the children served under this part to meet the challenging state academic standards and the ways in which each parent will be responsible for supporting their children’s learning
To maintain open lines of communication, the school district has scheduled two opportunities for parent-teacher conferences throughout the year. The district will provide results of local assessments (benchmark assessments and other curriculum-based measures). Ensure regular two-way, meaningful communication between family members and the school.
How will the school involve parents and family members in the development of the school-parent compact?
Our monthly Home and School meetings provide parents the opportunity to formulate suggestions and to participate, as appropriate, in decisions relating to the education of their children.
McDonald Elementary School will provide educational resources and workshops for parents so they can support their children to improve their children’s achievement.
How will the school provide training materials to parents and family members?
McDonald Elementary School staff provide materials and training to help parents work with their children to improve their children's achievement (e.g. literacy workshops held at night, or recorded to view later)
How will the school use parents to train staff on how to work with parents as equal partners?
When possible, McDonald Elementary School will coordinate with local public preschool programs (e.g. - Schoolhouse Learning Center) that encourage and support parents and family members to participate in the education of their children.
How will the school coordinate with other federal, state, and local programs to include public preschool programs?
When possible, McDonald Elementary School will coordinate with local public preschool programs (e.g. - Schoolhouse Learning Center) that encourage and support parents and family members to participate in the education of their children.
How will the school ensure information is in a language parents can understand? This should include how documents are translated.
McDonald Elementary School uses the S’more newsletter platform which translates the contents of the newsletter into 99 different languages. Also, the School Messenger platform translates all communications into 17 different languages. We also have a Community Parent Liaison who helps support the translation of documents and meetings for our largest EL subgroup.
How will the school include parents and family members of English Learners?
McDonald Elementary School holds monthly Bilingual family meetings where parents have the opportunity to meet with their child’s ESL teachers to discuss upcoming school events and review other important information being sent from the school (e.g. - DIBELS or MAP scores, report cards, etc.)
Revised June 2023