Family Engagement Policy

Lockeland Design Center Family Engagement Policy

Lockeland School recognizes the value and importance of meaningful parental involvement at the school and district level. Parents are key stakeholders and are invited as partners in helping all students acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to succeed in school and life. This policy was developed jointly with, and distributed to, stakeholders in Lockeland School.

The Lockeland parental involvement policy includes input from parents, community members, and school and district personnel in compliance with all pertinent mandates of state and federal regulatory standards as the following:

The School will:

  • Conduct, with the involvement of parents, an annual evaluation of the content and effectiveness of the policy in increasing participation of parents and to identify barriers, giving particular attention to parents who are economically disadvantaged, disabled, have limited English proficiency, have limited literacy, or are of any racial or ethnic minority background.
  • All parents have access to a variety of parent involvement opportunities in which no person is excluded based on race, religion, creed, gender, socio-economic status, physical impairment, or age.
  • Offer flexible meeting times in order to include as many parents as possible.
  • Provide multiple opportunities for parents to voice concerns and make suggestions related to the school and district improvement plan strategies. That input will be considered by the school and district for needed improvements. Opportunities that can be provided include monthly parent advisory council meetings, daily Customer Service Center hotline access, PTA/PTO meetings, school improvement committee meetings, school suggestion boxes, and school newsletters.

Shared Responsibilities for High Student Academic Achievement

Lockeland School will:

  • Provide parents 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.
  • Invite all parents to provide suggestions for removing barriers to student learning or voice concerns. Strategies to achieve this will include parent participation on each School Improvement Plan committee, teacher-parent conferences, school newsletters, parent surveys, parent meetings, parent advisory groups, school websites, phone call-out messages, anonymous suggestion boxes, and the Customer Service Parent Hotline.

Building Capacity for Involvement

Lockeland will build capacity for increased parental involvement using the following guidelines:

  • Provide reasonable support for parent involvement activities such as the provision of speakers, translators, transportation, childcare, phone call-outs, parent resource centers, and Tennessee Parent Information Resource Center.
  • Notify parent representatives regarding cluster and district parent advisory council meetings in a timely manner.
  • Provide access to curriculum materials and training sessions to help parents work with their students to improve their academic achievement in reading and math literacy, training technology use, parenting sessions which focus on middle and adolescent development, communicating effectively with educators, volunteering, accessing community resources, and serving as leaders.
  • Communicate and share resources annually to address state performance benchmarks and district initiatives.
  • Provide collaborative training sessions for staff and parents to develop mutual appreciation and a better understanding of the role all of us play in the development of our students. Communicate with and work effectively with parents as partners and discuss “best practices” among school staff, administrators, and community leaders.
  • Coordinate and integrate parent involvement programs and activities with community organizations through partnerships with local agencies and non-profit organizations.
  • Encourage and support the development and expansion of active PTA/PTO/PTSO organizations. Encourage parent representatives to attend cluster meetings to share their school’s accomplishments and concerns/needs each month.
  • Provide daily assistance to parents through the Customer Service Center ensuring that parents are given an opportunity to call an information hotline to request information, assistance, or voice a concern or complaint. Customer Service Staff will function as the parent’s advocate in resolving the matter or securing the requested information in a timely manner.

All parents will be offered the same opportunities to participate in training sessions including but not limited to: state academic and content standards, state/local assessments, monitoring students’ progress, literacy program opportunities, home learning activities to strengthen their child’s reading and math skills, use of the internet to access information about their child’s progress, parental rights under ESEA (Elementary and Secondary Education Act), understanding child development, effective volunteer participation, parent leadership, parent organization involvement, High School Redesign, school choice options, community services, pre-school/Head Start programs, adult education programs, and community education programs.

Accessibility

  • Provide opportunities for the participation of parents with limited English proficiency, parents with disabilities, and parents of migratory children. Information and school reports will be provided in a language that parents can understand.
  • Hold parent meetings and/or workshops at varied times and dates throughout the school year. Invitations for such opportunities will be provided in an understandable language and will be sent in a timely manner.
  • Provide transportation, childcare, and translators for parent involvement activities when applicable.

References/Authority

  • Tennessee House Bill No. 2635 Chapter No. 706
  • Elementary and Secondary Act(ESEA) §1118(a) (s) SP 6.101 Student Records
  • ESEA Title I Law Section §1116 MNPS Parent Survey Summary 2008
  • IM 4.105 Volunteers and Visitors in Schools Policy
  • IM 4.102 Parent Involvement