South Junior High School

PARENT/GUARDIAN INVOLVEMENT POLICY
SOUTH JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL
Revised October 2009

South Junior High has developed this written Parent/Guardian Involvement Policy based on the requirements provided in the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 and its subsequent updates.

GENERAL POLICY REQUIREMENTS

With contributions from parents on the School Site Council, the ELAC Committee, the Parent/Community Involvement Team, and the PTSA, this document was created and will be continually evaluated. Those parents who did not participate on any of the above groups were asked for input at meetings through surveys and/or discussion. It was based on this data that many of the items included in this plan came to fruition.

This policy shall be distributed to parents in the South Junior High “Policy Pages” in the registration packet. It will also be posted on the South Junior High website: http://south.auhsd.k12.ca.us . It will be reviewed and explained in detail at parent meetings at the beginning of the school year so that parents are aware of their rights and given the opportunity to provide input.

South Junior High recognizes the importance of parent involvement in the success of its students. With this in mind, we have strived to provide a wide array of resources and activities to assist parents in developing the skills to help their children achieve. The No Child Left Behind Act mandates that the following numbered items be provided by a school receiving Title I funding. The bulleted lists indicate activities that have and/or will take place on the South Campus yearly in order to comply with these federal guidelines. Parents are strongly encouraged to attend such activities and volunteer to participate in school functions.

PARENT INVOLVEMENT IN DEVELOPING/MONITORING POLICY

1. Convene an annual meeting to inform parents of Title I requirements and their right to be involved in the Title I program.

The annual Title I Informational meeting is held before Back to School Night.
A letter outlining the Schoolwide Title I Program is included in the registration packet.
South Junior High also provides this information during the first week of school at the Parent Orientation.

2. Offer a flexible number of meetings and, if possible, provide transportation and childcare.

Meetings are held at a variety of times and, if possible, in connection with other events occurring at the school.
Site Council Meetings are held immediately after school.
ELAC, Title I and PTSA meetings are held in the evening.
Parent/Community Team meetings are held in the morning.
Meetings held at sites off campus, (parks, etc.)
Various classes and informational meetings are held at a variety of times with transportation and childcare provided.

3. Involve parents in an organized, ongoing, and timely way, in the planning, review, and improvement of its Title I programs and the Parent Involvement Policy.

Parent Involvement Policy review is included in the annual review of the Single Plan for Student Achievement (SPSA).
Input is gathered throughout the year thru surveys and/or discussions with parents at parent activities.
A meeting at the end of each school year shall involve parents in the evaluation and revision of the Parent Involvement Policy and the SPSA. Suggestions will be noted and revisions made based on funding availability and practicality. If the plan is found unsatisfactory, such findings will be noted and included in the SPSA under “Review Findings.”

4. Provide parents with:

A. Timely information about programs.

Title I Information Letter, Calendar of Parent Involvement Activities and Volunteer Opportunities included in registration packet.
Invitations to meetings/events sent home in advance.
Phone call reminders (PACE, Tele-Parent) sent in advance of events.
South Junior High website updated regularly.
Bilingual Parent/Community Liaison communication.
Reminder Binders used for Parent/Student/Teacher communication
Zangle! Parent Portal provides current attendance, grade, etc. information.
Renaissance Learning programs (Accelerated Reader, Accelerated Math, STAR Reading, STAR Math) distribute current information on students participating in Reading and Math support programs as does the Scholastic Read 180 program.

B. A description and explanation of the curriculum in use at the school, the forms of academic assessment used to measure student progress, and the proficiency levels students are expected to meet.

Curriculum Letters distributed in all classes and proof of receipt required from parent.
Curriculum Maps for CORE classes distributed at Back to School Night and available on South Junior High website.
Sample questions from Benchmark Assessments and CSTs available to parents in South’s Parent Resource Center.
Standards for all classes available at South’s Title I Office and online at http://www.cde.ca.gov/ci/.
“What to do About Testing” meeting held prior to CST testing in April provides information regarding state assessments.

C. 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, and respond to any such suggestions as soon as practicably possible.

Parents are given the opportunity to request additional regular meetings for above listed items, if desired, beyond the regularly scheduled School Site Council, ELAC, PTSA, and Parent/Community Involvement Team meetings. Requests for such meetings can be made through the Title I Office at 714-999-3621 ext. 1201. Such meetings will be scheduled as soon as possible.

5. If the schoolwide program plan is not satisfactory to the parents, the school will submit any parent comments on the plan when the school makes the plan available to the Local Education Agency.
When the Single Plan for Student Achievement is evaluated by parents, any dissenting views not able to be resolved will become available to the Local Education Agency, (District Office).

SHARED RESPONSIBILITIES FOR HIGH STUDENT ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT

South Junior High School has worked with parents, teachers, and students to devise a “Parent/Student/Teacher Compact*” that is distributed to all students in their registration packet and all teachers upon check-in for the year. Signed copies of each are kept on file in the Title I Office for reference throughout the year.

According to No Child Left Behind guidelines, the compact will outline how parents, the entire school staff, and students will share the responsibility for improved 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 standards.

South Junior High’s Compact shall:
describe the school’s responsibility to provide high-quality curriculum and instruction in a supportive and effective learning environment that enables students to meet high academic standards.
describe ways in which parents will be responsible for supporting their children’s learning.
describe ways that students are to be responsible for their own success and achievement.
address the importance of communication between teachers and parents on an ongoing basis through at a minimum: parent/teacher conferences wherein the compact is referred, frequent reports to parents on their students’ progress, and reasonable access to staff, volunteer opportunities, and observation of classroom activities.

*A copy of the Parent/Student/Teacher Compact is included at the end of this document.

BUILDING CAPACITY FOR PARENT INVOLVEMENT

According to No Child Left Behind guidelines to ensure effective involvement of parents and support a partnership between the school, parents, and community, South Junior High shall offer the following:

1. PROGRAM INFORMATION FOR PARENTS: South Junior High school shall provide assistance in understanding such topics as the state’s academic content and achievement standards, the assessments being used, the requirements of Title I, Part A, and how to monitor their children’s progress and work with educators to improve their achievement.

Parent Welcome Week
Back to School Night Meetings
Back to School Night Classroom Visitations
Curriculum Letters
Parent-Student-Teacher Compact
Quarterly Progress Reports and Optional Weekly Reports
Reminder Binder Provided for Student Use and Parent Contact
Zangle! Computer System Posts Grades, etc.
South Junior High Website with Parent and Teacher Links
Pyramid of Interventions Information
PIQE: Parent Institute for Quality Education Classes
Coffee with the Principal (quarterly)
SES: Supplementary Education Services Meeting
Counselor At Risk Student and Parent Meetings
Parent or Teacher Requested Conferences
SST: Student Support Team Meetings
ELAC Committee Meetings
School Site Council Meetings
Open House Meetings
CST/STAR Test Preparation Meeting
On Site Family Resource Center

2. MATERIALS AND TRAINING: South Junior High shall provide materials and training, such as literacy training and training on how to use technology, to help parents work with their children to improve achievement.

PIQE: Training Institute
Parent Website Training
Parent Institute Link on Website
Parent Computer Classes
Alcohol, Tobacco, Drug, Awareness Training
Gang Awareness Training
“How to Control Your Out of Control Teen” Training
Bullying Prevention Training
Understanding State Testing Training
Parent Informational Brochures, Videos, CDs available in Parent Center
Information on District Adult Education classes
Information on Public Library Literacy Programs

3. EDUCATE EDUCATORS: South Junior High shall educate teachers, pupil services personnel, principals and other staff, with the assistance of parents in the value and utility of contributions of parents, and in how to reach out to, communicate with and work with parents as equal partners, implement and coordinate parent programs and build ties between parents and the school.

OCDE Parent/Educator Trainings
Family Involvement Network (FIN) Training
Tele-Parent Trainings
Zangle! Trainings
Renaissance Learning Trainings
Professional Learning Communities Training
District Parent Involvement Coordinator Trainings
School Site Council/CTA Trainings
Parent Community Team Trainings for Staff
Parent Information and Resource Center (PIRC) Trainings

4. COORDINATE SUPPORT PROGRAMS: South Junior High shall to the extent feasible coordinate and integrate special programs on campus that encourage and support all parents in more fully participating in their students’ education.

Use at least allotted percentage of all categorical funds in building parent involvement.
PIQE: Parent Institute for Quality Education courses offered to all parents.
Provide an on campus Parent Resource Center to provide assistance to all parents.

5. UNDERSTANDABLE COMMUNICATION: South Junior High shall ensure that information related to school and parent programs, meetings and other activities is sent to the parents of participation children in a format and, to the extent practicable, in a language the parents can understand.

All printed information sent home in English and Spanish; other languages upon request.
Full time Spanish translator on site
Tele-Parent/PACE calls sent in home language.
Bilingual Instructional Assistant provides translations at meetings and activities.

6. OTHER REQUESTED ACTIVITIES: South Junior High shall provide such other reasonable support for parental involvement activities as parents may request.

Community Service Day
Family Sports Day
Family Science Night
Family Reading Night
Family Art Night
Family Fun Nights

DISCRETIONARY ITEMS

*Though not required by No Child Left Behind, the following items are listed in the guidelines as discretionary and may be implemented upon consultation with parents, staff, and students.

1. The school may involve parents in the development of training for teachers, principals, and other educators to improve the effectiveness of such training.
2. The school may provide needed literacy training if the district has exhausted all other available resources of funding for such training.
3. The school may pay reasonable and necessary expenses, such as transportation and childcare to enable parents to participate in school-related meetings and trainings.
4. The school may train parents to enhance the involvement of other parents.
5. The school may arrange school meetings at a variety of times, or conduct in-home conferences, if parents are unable to attend at school.
6. The school may adopt and implement model approaches to improving parental involvement.
7. The school may develop appropriate roles for community-based organizations and businesses in parent involvement activities.

ACCESSIBILITY

As required by law, South Junior High, to the extent practicable, shall provide full opportunities for the participation of parents with limited English proficiency, parents with disabilities, and parents of migratory children, including providing information and school reports in a language such parents understand.

INFORMATION FROM PARENTAL INFORMATION AND RESOURCE CENTERS

Parent Information and Resource Centers (PIRCs) are funded by the US Department of Education. They provide local and statewide services. California has two PIRCs listed below:

PIRC1: CABE, California Association for Bilingual Education, partners with Project Inspire to provide parent training workshops that will be funded through 2011. A list of available topics in multiple languages can be found at http://www.bilingualeducation .org/programs parent.php.

PIRC2: Cal-PIRC provides support throughout the state through conferences, workshops and a web site, http://www.calpirc.org/. It will be funded through 2011. Resources are posted in multiple languages.

Other Parent and Family resources available are listed below:

Orange County 211: By dialing 211, callers can access a host of community services and assistance groups. 211 or 1-888-600-4357, www.211oc.org.

FaCT, Family and Communities Together: Several resource locations throughout Orange County providing access to a variety of services for families. 714-704-8777, www.factoc.org.

REVIEW
The California Department of Education shall review this parent involvement policy periodically to determine if the policies and practices meet the No Child Left Behind requirements.

ADOPTION
This policy shall be included in the Single Plan for Student Achievement (SPSA) and adopted as part of that document. Proof of this will be found on the Recommendations and Assurances page in the SPSA. If there are any unsatisfactory findings, they will be included in the “Review Findings” section of the SPSA.