Merriam Cherry Street Elementary

20-21 Parent and Family Engagement Plan

The Parent and Family Engagement Plan (PFEP) must be jointly developed with parents and must be distributed to parents in an understandable and uniform format, and in the language parents can understand. It must be made available for the community and updated periodically to meet the changing needs of the parents and the school. [Section 1116(b)].

 Instructions: Describe the means by which the school will carry out the ESSA requirements below. 

1. POLICY INVOLVEMENT

 A. Title I Annual Meeting (convened at a convenient time, to which all parents are invited and encouraged to attend) to inform parents of their school’s participation in Title I, the requirements of Title I, and the right of parents to be involved [Section 1116(c)(1)]. 

Due to COVID, virtual Title I Annual Meetings will be held on three different days – one in the morning, one in the afternoon, and one in the evening. Notification, in English and Spanish, will be distributed via Peachjar. The PowerPoint will be distributed for parents who were not able to attend the virtual meetings through the district’s social media accounts. All required information will be shared with parents and families to remain in compliance with Title I guidelines.

 B. Involve parents, in an organized, ongoing, and timely way, in the planning, review, and improvement of the PFEP [Section 1116(c)(3)]. 

All parents are given the opportunity to complete a paper or on-line Title I Spring Parent Survey. The results of the survey are tallied and shared with the faculty for their thoughts on ways to improve our PFEP for next year. An evaluation of the current PFEP is conducted during a SAC meeting. Based on the evaluation and survey results, revisions to the plan are made for the next school year. The plan will be reviewed during SAC meetings throughout the year to make revisions according to the changing needs of parents and the school.

 C. Involve parents in the joint development of the Schoolwide Improvement Plan [Section 1116(c)(3)]. 

During a SAC meeting, results from a comprehensive needs assessment are discussed. Strategies from the current year’s SIP are reviewed. Revisions are made based on needs, barriers, and parent input.

 D. Provide parents opportunities, if requested, for regular meetings to formulate suggestions and to participate, as appropriate, in making decisions relating to the education of their children, and respond to any such suggestions as soon as practicably possible [Section 1116(c)(4)(C)]. 

Evaluation forms at parenting events, IEP meetings, parent-teacher conferences, SAC meetings, CST meetings. Suggestions made by parents, if practical and reasonable, will be implemented in a timely manner.

 E. If the Schoolwide Improvement Plan is not satisfactory to the parents, provide parents an opportunity to submit comments with the plan when it is submitted to the district [Section 1116(c)(5)]. 

Parents who are not satisfied with the schoolwide improvement plan will complete a form to be submitted with the plan to the district.

2. BUILDING CAPACITY FOR INVOLVEMENT

 In Table A, list the activities that will address topics F - J.                                                                      F. Assist parents in understanding:

• State academic standards;
• State and local academic assessments;
• requirements of Title I;
•  monitoring a child’s progress; and
•  work with educators to improve the achievement of their children [Section 1116(e)(1)] 

G. Description and explanation of:

• Curriculum in use at the school [Section 1116(4)(B)]

H. Description and explanation of:

•  Academic assessments used to measure student progress [Section 1116(4)(B)]? 

I.  Description and explanation of:

•  Achievement levels of the State academic standards that students are expected to obtain [Section 1116(4)(B)] 

J.  Provide materials and training to:

•  help parents work with their children to improve their children’s achievement, such as literacy training and using technology (including the harms of copyright piracy), to foster parental involvement [Section 1116(e)(2)]  (LEA note: this includes Parent Portal training)

Table A - 

Parent Training Opportunities

 List all activities for requirements F through J and transition activities that involve parents. 

*To be updated throughout the year.                                                                                                                Table B - Other Events/Activities

 Other activities, such as parent resource centers, that encourage and support parents in more fully participating in the education of their children [Section 1116(e)(4)]. 

*To be updated throughout the year

 K. Educate the faculty, staff, and administrators, 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 [Section 1116(e)(3)]. 

Based on parents’ responses on the Spring Survey, 35% suggested that the faculty/staff could benefit from professional development that addresses communicating with parents. During pre-school in-service days, the Title I coordinator will review the results of the Spring Parent Survey with teachers and staff so they are aware of the best days and times for parent conferences and events, the methods of communication parents' prefer, and other input parents offered to improve parent engagement. This will be followed by training to address why communication is important and suggestions for what needs to be communicated to help engage parents in their child’s education. Then teachers will be trained on the use of the technology the school uses to communicate with parents and other means of communication for parents without access to technology.

 L. To the extent feasible, coordinate and integrate parent involvement programs and activities with other Federal, State, and local programs, including public preschool programs that encourage and support parents in participating in the education of their children [Section 1116(e)(4)]. 

MCS trained staff on the Anchorage Children’s Home Society programs and CAC services, we partnered with Florida Therapy to offer counseling services to students and families in need. MCS invites and encourages Pre-K families to participate in school-wide events. During Attendance CSTs, we train families on the resources available through Anchorage, Florida Therapy, and other agencies as needed.

 M. Provide other reasonable support for parental involvement activities as parents may request [Section 1116(e)(13)]. (Based on the Title I Spring Parent Survey results, what activities did the parents request that are included in this plan?) 

Based on the results of our Spring Parent Surveys, parents requested math and reading as parent workshop topics equally. Both of those requests are honored in this plan.

 N. Elementary Only - Conduct a parent-teacher conference for individual students at least annually, during which the compact is discussed [Section 1116 (d)(2)(A)]. 

Parents will be encouraged at Open House to sign-up for a parent-teacher conference to complete a compact. For parents who don’t sign-up, teachers will make contact requesting a conference. Teachers will request support from the parent liaison and/or administration when they have trouble reaching parents for a conference. Home visits may be conducted by the guidance counselor, parent liaison, and/or administration as needed.

 O. Optional – Develop appropriate roles for community-based organizations and businesses in parent involvement activities [Section 1116(e)(13)]. 

MCS partners with two local churches that provide meals on parent nights. These churches also provide backpack blessings (weekend food bags) for students who need them. We partner with the Junior Service League and another local church to provide shoes and clothing as needed.

 P. Optional – Involve parents in the development of training for teachers, principals, and other educators to improve the effectiveness of the trainings [Section 1116(e)(6)]. 

 Q. Optional – Provide literacy training if the LEA has exhausted all other sources of funding [Section 1116(e)(7)]. 

 R. Optional – Pay reasonable and necessary expenses, including transportation and child care costs, to enable parents to participate in school-related meetings and training sessions [Section 1116(e)(8)]. 

 S. Optional – Train parents to enhance the involvement of other parents [Section 1116(e)(9)]. 

 T. Optional – Conduct in-home conferences for parents who are unable to attend at school [Section 1116(e)(10)]. 

There is a collaboration between our social worker, guidance counselor, parent liaison, and administration to assist families with attendance issues, well-checks, and signatures for necessary documentation.

 U. Optional – Adopt and implement model approaches to improve parent involvement [Section 1116(e)(11)]. 

3. ACCESSIBILITY

 V. Provide opportunities for informed participation of parents and family members (including parents and family members with limited English proficiency, with disabilities, and parents of migratory children). [Section 1116(f)]. (List the barriers identified by parents in the Title I Spring Survey and the methods by which the school will assist to overcome the barriers.) 

Based on the Spring Parent Survey results, work schedule was listed as the top barrier to participation. We plan to offer morning and evening events to give every parent an opportunity to participate.

 W. Ensure that information related to school and parent programs, school reports, meetings, and other activities is sent to the parents in a format and in a language the parents can understand [Section 1116(e)(5) and (f)] 

All school communications are translated for our ELL families when needed/requested. Google Translate and staff members assist with this. Our new ADA approved website will translate all uploaded documents. Bilingual staff members assist with conferences and phone calls.

 X. Offer a flexible number of meetings, such as meetings in the morning or evening to accommodate parents’ schedules [Section 1116(c)(2)].   

Based on the Spring Parent Surveys responses, the majority of parents indicated that after school and evenings are the best times for meetings. This will be taken into consideration when scheduling events.

 Y. Provide parents with timely information about meetings, activities, and events [Section 1116(c)(4)(A)]. 

At least one week’s notice will be our school policy. This will give parents an opportunity to save the date. Various methods of communication, school website, flyers, ClassDojo, Facebook, Twitter, LINK Alerts, etc. will be used to notify and remind parents about events to ensure the greatest participation.

 Title I Expenditures Parent and Family Engagement (Adjust to reflect the planned expenditures)