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Parent | Teacher/Faculty |
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1. Communicating effectively Families and school staff engage in regular, two-way, meaningful communication about student learning. |
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| Direct communication about my child’s learning |
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| · Communication tools to provide more frequent updates about student progress | xxxxxxxx | xxxxx |
| · Regularly scheduled time slots to meet with parents to talk about students | xx | xx |
| · Availability to discuss real time or urgent issues as they arise same day | x | xxxx |
| · Opportunity for parents, as experts, to share their knowledge and information about their children | xxxx | xxxxxxxxxx |
| · Increased use of technology to relay information | xxxxxx | xxxxx |
| · Informational venue (physical and virtual)to help parents understand assessments, testing, and report cards | xxxxxxx | xxxxxxxxxxx |
| Communication about curriculum to support student learning at home |
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| · Make curriculum information available, easily accessible and in terminology that is easily understood. | xxxx | xxxxxxxxxxxx |
| · Share and educate parents about “curriculum maps” to help facilitate learning at home | xxxxxx | xxxxx |
| · Provide individual homework plans that match student and family’s ability to support the child from home | xxx | xxxxxx |
| · Clear communication from the beginning of school regarding behavior and homework. | xxxxxx | xxxxxxx |
| · Syllabus for the year | xxxxxxxx | x |
| Communication Tools/ Channels |
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| · Celebratory school newsletter (sharing classroom success stories) | xxxxxx | xx |
| · Class newsletters | xxxx | xxxxxxx |
| · Parent’s council for important issues and updates | xxxxxx | xx |
| · Parent Teacher Forum – Ongoing | xxxxxxxxxx | xxxx |
| · For some families, communication is 3 way (family, liaison, school) |
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xx |
| · All teaches use some form of email for communication | xxxxx | xxxx |
| · Robust school web page | xxxxxxx | xxxx |
| · Voicemail for teachers | xxxx | xxxx |
| · Access and availability for computer education and computer use | x | xx |
| · Parent handbook (e.g. includes “How to get involved”, “How to approach/engage families from different countries”, “How to get up class social”, use of art room etc.) | xxxxxxx | xxxxxxxxx |
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2. Welcoming all families into the school community
Families are active participants in the life of the school, and feel welcomed, |
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| Respectful + Welcoming Environment |
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| · Relationships: Positive, trusting, affirming | xxxxx | xxxxxxxxxxxx |
| · Classroom: Families engage with teachers; Respect teacher’s expertise, priorities, and boundaries | xxxxxxx | xxxxxxxxxxx |
| · School: Open, welcoming feeling (e.g. explore open drop-off/pick-up) | xxxxx | xxxxxx |
| Inclusion (Cultural and Children with Special Needs) | xxx | xxxxx |
| · Embracing diversity – the school community is actively engaged in learning about the cultures of new American children | xxxxxx | xxxxxx |
| · Creating a culture of ‘we all belong’ | xxxxxx | xxxxxxxxxx |
| · Actively reaching out to “New American” families | xxxxx | xxxxxx |
| · Advance preparation for linguistically diverse groups (school events, meetings) | xxxxxx | xxxxx |
| · Children with Special Needs are well integrated into the social life of the school community | xxxxxxx | xxxxxxxxxxx |
| Joint Family/Faculty school and class-wide meetings/events | xxx |
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| · Curriculum based (i.e. – Math & Science Night, Reading Lunch, etc…) | xxxxxxxx | xxxxxxxxxxxx |
| o By classroom, grade level and school wide | xxx | xxxxxxx |
| · Community Building Events (i.e. – Mixers and assemblies) | xxxxxxxx | xxxx |
| o By classroom, grade level and school wide | xxxx | x |
| · Parent Education | xxxxx | xxxxxxxxxx |
| o Workshops, forums | xxx | xxxx |
| · Teacher Appreciation | xxxxxxxxx | xx |
| o Getting to know Teacher Night, Breakfast | xxxxx | x |
| Supporting all parent’s engagement at varying levels |
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| · Create structures for parent involvement | xxxxxxxxxxxx | xxxxxxxxxxxxx |
| · Opportunities to visit classrooms | xxxx | xxx |
| · PTO | xxx | xxx |
| o Effective collaboration and communication with school | xxx | xx |
| o Meeting time flexibility | xx | xx |
| o Increasing efforts to reach out to all families | xxx | xxx |
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3. Supporting student success Families and school staff continuously collaborate to support students’ learning and healthy development both at home and at school, and have regular opportunities to strengthen their knowledge and skills to do so effectively. |
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| Parent Skills and Resources Used to Enhance Classroom Learning |
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| · Culture of parents engaging with teacher | xx | x |
| · Early-stage planning between teachers/ parents to identify opportunities to collaborate with curriculum (e.g. Young Writer’s Project, Technology, Enrichment, Extra Support/Tutoring, Community Service Projects) | xxxxxxxxxx | xxxxxxx |
| · School/Teacher provide families with list of ways they can be involved throughout the year beyond PTO | xxxxxx | xxxxxxxxxx |
| · School-wide solicitation of parental skills early on (eg: use parents as student mentors). | xxxxxxx | xxxxx |
| · PTO energy/ activities support direct parent involvement by aligning with curriculum | xxxxx | x |
| · Using parents in classroom to ensure the ratios necessary to address curriculum “time-on-task” requirements | x | x |
| · Standardized mechanism for parent volunteers in school | xxxxxx | xxxxxxxxxx |
| · Parents contribute information about children’s goals, student learning styles and interest (e.g.: intake forms or personal learning plans) to aid in differentiation | xxxxxx | xxxxxxxxx |
| · Classroom parent meetings with teacher on a regular basis , | xxx | x |
| Information for Parents to Support Student Learning | x |
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| · Timely and accessible information (consistent across grades and classrooms) about individual children’s progress, including goals, achievements, challenges, assessments (increased frequency of progress reports/conferences/parent-teacher meetings, teacher office hours, communication via face-to face, written, email, translators) | xxxxxx | xxx |
| · Consistent and parent-friendly classroom updates connected to student learning (what is being covered in class) | xxxxx | xxxxxxxx |
| · Forums for enhancing parent understanding and support of student learning (homework nights for parents, parent workshops, curriculum nights, study halls, school-wide assemblies, reading breakfast, science lunch, math night) | xxxxxxxxxx | xxxxxxxx |
| · Language support for families, as needed, to support their child with homework and be more directly involved | xx | xxxxxx |
| · Access to curricular items from home (Bridges, Learn to Type) so parent can support homework with consistent approach | x | xxx |
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4. Speaking up for every child Families are empowered to be advocates for their own and other children, to ensure that students are treated fairly and have access to learning opportunities that will support their success. |
xxx |
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| Empowering parents to be advocates |
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| · Partnerships and participation match the needs of the individual child | xx | xx |
| · Guidelines for parents on how to advocate for kids | xxx | xxxxx |
| · Language support for families, as needed | x | xxx |
| · Respecting everybody’s culture and religion | xxx | xxxx |
| Advocating for all children | x | xx |
| · Parent community understands more about all of the kids in our school, needs, and how our school operates as a community (opening assembly, orientation, annual grade-level | xxxxxx | xx |
| · PTO planning, activities, resources and organized volunteer efforts are aligned with priorities to support all children | xxxxxx | xxxxx |
| · Open discussion about disabilities | xxxx | xxxx |
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5. Sharing Responsibility & Decision-Making Families and school staff are partners in decisions that affect children and families and together inform, influence, and create policies, practices, and programs. |
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| Teachers, parents and administration gain a clearer understanding of what a collaborative process looks like to create parent/teacher partnerships |
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| Policy Support |
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| · Establish a mechanism for community-centered decision-making about daily school life | xxxxxxxx | x |
| · Provide a forum for parents to share their insights to help eliminate some pitfalls | xxxx | x |
| · Involving students in some policy and practices (school council/students as mentors) | xxx | xxx |
| · Educate parents about ways to be informed/involved in advocacy around federal, state and district educational mandates and policy | x | xxxx |
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Tools/ Channels
· School Council/Policy Forum with clear follow-up structure to resolve issues |
xxxxx |
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| Parent Support |
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| · Clear expectations of parents | xxx | xxxx |
| · PTO role in encouraging parents to become more involved (peer mentoring and education of parents with goal of building broader culture of participation) | xxxx | xxx |
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6. Collaborating with community Families and school staff collaborate with community members to connect students, families, and staff to expanded learning opportunities, community services, and civic participation. |
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xx |
| · School building and gym open and accessible for community building groups and events | xxxxxx | xxx |
| · Organized way to seek community expertise and draw on wider community resources | xxxxx | xxxxxxx |
| o Provide a directory of community skills and resources similar to the phone directory | xxxx | x |
| o Community homework help | xxx | xx |
| o 4 Winds environmental program taught by parents | x | x |
| · Community/neighborhood partnerships - businesses and non-profits/service providers (Community services/resources available at school) | xx | xxx |
| · Use Parent Information and Resource Center (PIRC) to support communication and collaboration efforts | xxxx | xxx |