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Westwood Elementary School
Parent and Family Engagement Policy and Plan for Shared Student Success
2019–2020 School Year
Westwood Elementary School
Scott Ehlers, Principal
708 Trammell Street
(706) 876-4425
http://westwood.daltonpublicschools.com/
Revised September 2019
What is Title I?
Westwood 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 the challenging State academic standards 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 engagement. All Title I schools must jointly develop, with parents and family members, a written parent and family engagement policy. All Title documents are shared at the October Title I Meeting.
School Plan for Shared Student Achievement
What is it?
This is a plan that describes how Westwood Elementary will provide opportunities to improve family engagement to support student learning. Westwood Elementary values the contributions and involvement of parents and family members to establish an equal partnership for the common goal of improving student achievement. This plan describes the different ways that Westwood Elementary will support family engagement and how parents can help plan and participate in activities and events to promote student learning at school and at home.
How is it revised?
Westwood Elementary invites all parents to attend our annual Title I Meeting in September to review and revise this parent and family engagement policy, as well as the school wide plan, our school-parent compact, and the family engagement budget. Additionally, parent input and comments regarding this plan are welcome during the school year through written form turned in to the main office. The plan is posted on our school website for parents to view and submit feedback throughout the year. All parent feedback received during the year will be used to revise the plan for the next school year. Parents and family members can also give feedback during PTO meetings, Family Nights, and School Council meetings during the school year including our annual PTO Open House.
Who is it for?
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 plan. Westwood Elementary will provide opportunities for the participation of parents and family members with limited English, with disabilities, and of migratory children.
Where is it available?
Parents are given opportunities during PTO meetings, Family Nights, and School Council meetings to view the policy. The plan is also posted on the school website and social media. Parents can also receive a copy of the plan from the main office.
2019–20 District Goals
-Increase all District EOC and EOG scores by 6%.
2019–20 School Goals
- 56% of students in third grade, 62% of students in fourth grade, and 73% of students in fifth grade will be reading at or above the Lexile mid-point.
-54% of students in third grade, 53% of students in fourth grade, and 54% of students in fifth grade will score at proficient or above on the ELA section of the Georgia Milestone EOG.
-58% of students in third grade, 54% of students in fourth grade, and 50% of students in fifth grade will score at proficient or above on the Math section of the Georgia Milestone EOG.
-54% of students in fifth grade will score at proficient or above on the Science section of the Georgia Milestone EOG.
-28% of students in fifth grade will score at proficient or above on the Social Studies section of the Georgia Milestone EOG.
School-Parent Compacts
As part of this plan, Westwood Elementary and our families will develop a school-parent compact, which is an agreement that parents, teachers, and students will develop that explains how parents and teachers will work together to make sure all our students reach grade-level standards. The compacts will be reviewed and updated annually based on feedback from parents, students, and teachers during the September Title I Meeting and online feedback. The school-parent compacts also are shared with parents during parent-teacher conferences and kept with each child’s teacher if parents need another copy.
Let’s Get Together!
Westwood Elementary will host the following events to build the capacity for strong family engagement to support a partnership among the school, parents, and the community to improve student academic achievement. Times for all meetings for parents and family members are listed below.
School Council – Aug. 27/Nov. 19, 2019, Feb. 25/May 5, 2020 at 2:15 p.m. A forum for parents and family members to participate in roundtable discussions with the principal and staff regarding the school wide plan, parent and family engagement policy, school-parent compacts, and the family engagement budget.
PTO/Open House – August 29, 2019 and April 23, 2020 at 5:45 p.m Learn about the Westwood PTO; meet your child’s teacher and our friendly and helpful school staff in August. Review the work from the past year and look ahead at the proposed budget and officers for next year in April.
Annual Title I Meetings – September 18, 2019 at 8:30 a.m. and October 1, 2019 at 4:15 p.m. We invite you to meetings of getting feedback, learning, and sharing about our Title I program, including our parent and family engagement policy, the school wide plan, the school-parent compacts, and parents’ requirements. Invitations will be posted on the school website, front door, and social media.
Parent-Teacher and Student Conferences – October 2019/March-April 2020 A scheduled meeting between parents and teachers to discuss your child’s progress.
Career Day – October 31, 2019 A connection with the school, parents, and community to share careers and future job opportunities for students.
Family Literacy Night – November 7, 2019 at 5:30 p.m. Each student will select a book to take home and read with his or her parents and family members. Students and parents will move around to different literacy based stations throughout the school.
Friends Around the World – November 21, 2019 from 12:00-3:00 p.m. Come and experience the many different cultures represented at Westwood with food, music, and art.
Family Math Night – January 23, 2020 at 5:30 p.m. Come participate in math activities with your child. Each family will receive math resources to use at home to reinforce your child’s learning.
Family Science Night – April 23, 2020 at 6:15 p.m. Come participate in science activities with your child. Each child will bring home items from stations and experiments.
Parent Appreciation – May 8, 2020 at 2:00 A celebration of family engagement and the recognition of its impact on school and student success.
Parent and Family Engagement
Westwood 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 play an integral role in assisting their child’s learning
- That parents are encouraged to be actively involved in their child’s education at school
- That parents 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
Westwood Elementary is Branching Out!
Westwood Elementary will take the following measures to promote and support parents and family members as an important foundation of the school in order to strengthen the school and reach our school goals. We will:
- Ensure that all information related to school and parent programs, meetings, and other activities is published in both English and Spanish, posted on the school website, and included in the monthly school newsletter for all families
- Provide trainings for staff on strategies to improve communication with parents and ideas to increase family engagement with reading and math activities for our students outside of the classroom. Staff will also share best practices during meetings
- Partner with early childhood programs, middle and high schools, college and career ready resources or organizations, parent resource centers, or other programs (as applicable) to help prepare parents and their children for successful school transitioning
- Share information in English and Spanish in the school newsletter for parents to understand the school’s academic standards and assessments as well as the ways parents can monitor their child’s progress and work with educators
- Communicate with all families and the community on a regular basis regarding school-wide events and activities, through phone messages, social media, and flyers
- Work with our parents to develop relevant trainings and helpful presentations to educate our staff on the importance of parent and family engagement and how to support student learning
- Provide necessary materials and handouts for parents at conferences, meetings, and activities to help parents work with their child to improve their child’s achievement
- Use our Partners in Education and School Council to improve awareness of the activities and events listed in the school parent and family engagement policy
- Work with the district to offer literacy and computer classes for parents and family members to help further enhance their various educational levels
- Collect feedback from parents and family members at all events and post a suggestion form on the school website in order to respond to parents’ requests for additional support for parent and family engagement activities
Westwood School Council
Westwood Elementary invites all parents to join the School Council to share ideas and ways to involve other parents and family members to build partnerships with school, families, and the community. The team will meet four times during the school year, but parents and family members can also submit their ideas or suggestions at school activities and meetings, as well as through our parent surveys and website. If you would like to learn more about the School Council, please contact the principal at (706) 876-4425 or complete the interest form and leave it in the Main Office.
Adoption of Policy
This parent and family engagement policy has been developed jointly and agreed on with parents and family members of children participating in Title I, Part A programs. This policy was adopted by Westwood School on 10/01/2019 and will be in effect for the period of the 2019-2020 school year. The school will distribute this policy to all parents of participating Title I, Part A children on or before October 30, 2019.
Westwood Elementary is committed to helping our parents and families attend the family activities listed in this policy. Please call or email us if you need assistance with child care or transportation in order to participate in our programs.
Scott Ehlers
(706) 876-4425 or
scott.ehlers@dalton.k12.ga.us
