Title I School Parent & Family Engagement Policy 2017-2018

Pottstown Middle School

The Pottstown Middle School welcomes the participation of parents in support of student learning and recognizes that parental involvement increases the opportunities for student success. It is the policy of the Pottstown Middle School to foster and maintain ongoing communications with parents concerning their opportunities for involvement, their children’s eligibility for special programs and their children’s educational progress. The Pottstown Middle School strives to provide such information in an understandable and uniform format, including alternative formats upon request, and, to the extent practicable, in a language that parents can understand. To the extent practicable, Pottstown Public Schools shall also provide full opportunities for the participation of parents with limited English proficiency, parents with disabilities, and parents of migratory children. 

In order to build an effective home-school partnership, the Pottstown Middle School has adopted the following parent involvement policy.

Communication

In order to build consistent and effective communication between the home and school, ongoing communication will be provided to parents that provides information about the school’s curriculum, state and local assessments, how progress is measured, Title I program and how students are selected for Title I services.

Information will be provided during the following:

§ Back to School Night / Open House

§ Parent Conferences -  including phone calls, notes, and personal contact before or after school (with 24 hour notice)

§ Middle School web page

§ Title 1 Eligibility Notification

§ Progress Reports

§ Report Cards

§ School Handbook

§ Homework Notebooks

§ School-Parent Compact

§ Individual Teacher Web Pages

§ Global Connect

§ Middle School Facebook / Twitter / Email / text message notifications

§ Individual classroom systems such as: Class DoJo and Text Remind

Two scheduled parent-teacher conferences will be held to discuss with parents the progress of their child, individual student assessments, and proficiency levels as well as the expectations for the grade level and any other concerns of the teacher or parent. The School-Parent Compact designed by parents and school staff outlines how parents, school staff and students share the responsibility for improving learning. The Compact will be reviewed annually and updated as needed. This document is available to parents at Back to School Night or online on Mrs. Kolb’s teacher webpage under “Parent Resources.”

Opportunities for Engagement/Volunteering

Parents will be encouraged to participate in school events and volunteer in activities such as:

§ Friends of Pottstown Middle School committee

§ Back to School Night / Open House

§ District-Wide Title I Meetings 

§ School assemblies or programs – clearances are needed

§ Field Trips – clearances are needed

§ Watch Dogs – clearances are needed

§ Santa’s Workshop – clearances are needed

§ District Reading Olympics

During the above activities, surveys of parent activities may be conducted to collect opinions and concerns. Suggestions will be used to improve activities and develop topics for meetings that address the needs of parents. The results will also be used when planning the Title I Program for the next year.

Community Outreach/Collaboration

The school will seek ideas and suggestions and with community-based organizations and will coordinate parent involvement opportunities with such programs. 

• The School will partner with the United Way and YWCA to provide the “Girls Today Leaders Tomorrow” program
• The School will partner with Video Ray in the “Big Brothers/Big Sisters” program for 6^th graders
• The School will partner with Green Valleys Association in an environmental science program and a Nature Program for 5^th & 6^th grade
• The school will partner with Discovery Learning to provide STEAM Coaching
• Family Literacy Night (FLN)
• 21^st Century After School Program

School Decision Making/Advocacy

Parents will be involved in the planning, review and improvement of school programs by participating in the following committees:

• Comprehensive Planning Committee – this is an advisory group that offers the opportunity for parent representatives from each building