PART I.         GENERAL EXPECTATIONS
Petersburg Elementary School agrees to implement the following statutory requirements:
Consistent with section 1118, the school will ensure that the required school level parental involvement policy meets the requirements of section 1118 of the ESEA, and includes, as a component, a school-parent compact consistent with section 1118(d) of the ESEA.
Schools will notify parents of the policy in an understandable and uniform format and, to the extent practicable, in a language the parents can understand. The policy will be made available to the local community and updated periodically to meet the changing needs of parents and the school.

• In carrying out the Title I, Part A, parental involvement requirements, to the extent practicable, the school will provide full opportunities for the participation of parents with limited English proficiency, parents with disabilities, and parents of migratory children, including providing information and school reports required under section 1111 of the ESEA in an understandable and uniform format and including alternative formats upon request and, to the extent practicable, in language parents understand.

If the school-wide program plan for Title I, Part A, developed under section 1114(b) of the ESEA, is not satisfactory to the parents of participating children, the school will submit any parent comments with the plan when the school submits the plan to the local educational agency (school district).
The school will involve the parents of children served in Title I, Part A schools in decisions about The school will build its own and the parent’s capacity for strong parental involvement, in order to ensure effective involvement of parents and to support a partnership among the school, parents, and the community to improve student academic achievement.
The school will provide parental involvement activities under section 1118 of the ESEA in the areas of improving student achievement, child development, child rearing and additional topics parents may request.
The school will be governed by the following statutory definition of parental involvement, and will carry out programs, activities, and procedures in accordance with this definition:
Parental involvement means the participation of parents in regular, two-way, and meaningful communication involving student academic learning and other school activities, including ensuring—
(A)  that parents play an integral role in assisting their child’s learning;
(B)  that parents are encouraged to be actively involved in their child’s education at school;
(C)  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;
(D)  the carrying out of other activities, such as those described in section 1118 of the ESEA.

• PART II.        DESCRIPTION OF HOW SCHOOLS WILL IMPLEMENT REQUIRED SCHOOL PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT POLICY COMPONENTS

NOTE:  The School Parental Involvement Policy shall include a description of how the school will implement or accomplish each of the following components.  [Section 1118, ESEA.] 

• Petersburg Elementary School shall take the following actions to involve parents in the joint development and review of its school parental involvement policy under section 1118 of the ESEA: 

Parents will be invited to help review the current policy and make improvements for the next year.  They will be selected to serve on the county Federal Program Parent Advisory Council (FPPAC) at the initial meeting in the fall.  During the spring, a countywide Title I meeting will be held where parents are given the opportunity to address changes that need to be made and to give suggestions for the plan.   If the parent involvement policy is not satisfactory to the parents, the school will submit any parent comments to the LEA who can in turn submit the comments to the State Department of Education.
Parents will also be appointed to the Local School Improvement Council (LSIC) to develop and review the school parental involvement policy annually.  

• Petersburg Elementary School shall take the following actions to involve parents in the process of planning, joint development of the program, review and improvement of programs under Title I Part A of the ESEA: 

Twice each school year (spring and fall), a countywide Title I meeting is scheduled to begin working on the next year’s plan.  At this time members of the FPPAC are invited to provide input into the plan.  Parents are given the opportunity to recommend program topics to be addressed the following year.  Parents serving on the FPPAC will be selected from the parents serving on the LSIC.  Volunteers will also be accepted. Regular Title I meetings will be conducted in an order that allows parents to formulate suggestions, share experiences, and participate (when appropriate) in decisions relating to the education of their child.  Responses to suggestions will be incorporated in a timely fashion, usually the next meeting.  Evaluations will be distributed to determine if the meetings meet the needs of the parents.  Opportunities for participation will be provided to parents with disabilities, limited English proficiency, and parents of migratory children.  This includes providing information and school reports written in an understandable format and in a language parents understand.

3.         Petersburg Elementary School shallhold an annual meeting to inform parents of the school’s participation in Title I, Part A programs, and to explain the Title I, Part A requirements and the right of parents to be involved in Title I, Part A programs.  The school will invite all parents of children participating in Title I, Part A programs to this meeting.

All families will be notified the first week of school that Petersburg Elementary is a schoolwide Title I school.  Parents will be given the opportunity to ask questions of the Title I staff during the PTO Open House.  All parents will be reminded that the Title I program has an open door policy regarding questions and concerns.

• Petersburg Elementary School shall provide parents of participating children information in a timely manner about Title I, Part A programs that includes a description and explanation of the school’s curriculum, the forms of academic assessment used to measure children’s progress, and the proficiency levels students are expected to meet.

Petersburg Elementary School will follow the West Virginia Content Standards.  These are the State Department guidelines that are mandated for each grade level.  The forms of assessment used are WESTEST II, DIBELS, unit reading tests, criterion-referenced tests, informal assessments, and portfolios.  Students participating in standardized testing will have profiles sent home in a timely fashion.  The proficiency standards for students in grades K through 6 were set by the State Department.

Meetings will be scheduled that address the following:
State Curriculum
Standardized/DIBELS Testing Results
Preparing for the Westest II Online Writing
WESTEST II Preparation Tips for Parents

5.         Petersburg Elementary School shall, at the request of parents, provide opportunities for regular meetings for parents to formulate suggestions and to participate, as appropriate, in decisions about the education of their children.  The school will respond to any such suggestions as soon as practicably possible by:

Parent meetings will be conducted in an order that allows parents to formulate suggestions, share experiences, and participate (when appropriate) in decisions relating to the education of their child.  Responses to suggestions will be incorporated in a timely fashion, usually the next meeting.  Evaluations will be distributed to determine if the meetings meet the needs of the parents.  Opportunities for participation will be provided to parents with disabilities, limited English proficiency, and parents of migratory children.  This includes providing information and school reports written in an understandable format and in a language parents understand.

Parents will be invited to at least six regular meetings/activities that will be held throughout the year.  Meetings will be scheduled flexibly in order to meet parents’ needs.  Afternoon, morning, and evening meeting times are scheduled whenever it is possible to do so. 

The FPPAC meets with Title I teachers during the countywide Title I meetings in the spring and fall.  During this time parents are given the chance to discuss the successfulness of the Title I program.  It is through these discussions that the program for the following year is built. 

6.         Petersburg Elementary School shall provide each parent an individual student report about the performance of their child on the State assessment in at least math, language arts and reading by:

• Parents will be invited to Parent Teacher Conferences where State assessment results may be discussed (WESTEST II and Westest II Online Writing).
• Students will be given a 9 weeks report card to inform parents of each student’s progress.

7.         Petersburg Elementary School shall take the following actions to provide each parent timely notice when their child has been assigned or has been taught for four (4) or more consecutive weeks by a teacher who is not highly qualified within the meaning of the term in section 200.56 of the Title I Final Regulations (67 Fed. Reg. 71710, December 2, 2002):

The principal will notify parents by letter when a teacher who is not highly qualified teaches students for four or more weeks.

8.         Petersburg Elementary School shall provide assistance to parents of children served by the school, as appropriate, in understanding topics by undertaking the actions described below --

the state’s academic content standards,

• the state’s student academic achievement standards,
• the state and local academic assessments including alternate assessments,
• the requirements of Title I Part A,
• how to monitor their child’s progress, and
• how to work with educators:

The following meetings will address the above-mentioned topics:

*Parent Teacher Conferences-held twice a year to help parents with student progress—conferences may be scheduled more often when needed.
*WESTEST II/DIBELS results—held during Parent/Teacher conferences
*Mid-term/ 9-week report cards will be sent home.
*Clarification of State standards—held during Parent/Teacher conferences at parents’ requests
*What is Title I? —Parents will be informed about Title I requirements in a meeting held during the first week of school at PTO Open House.
*Handouts that address topics such as homework and preparing for parent/teacher conferences will be sent home at least every other month.

• 9.         Petersburg Elementary School shall provide materials and training to help parents work with their children in the areas of improving student achievement, (including literacy training and using technology) child development, child rearing and additional topics parents may request.

Parent meetings that address the above-mentioned topics include:
*Child Development and Rearing
*Parent Internet Training
*Help with Homework
*How to Improve Students’ Writing Skills   
*The Importance of Reading to Your Child
*Family Math Night
*Literacy/Read to Me Nights

       Parents will also be given the opportunity to evaluate and provide input into planning future meetings.

10.       Petersburg Elementary School shall, with the assistance of its parents, educate its teachers, pupil services personnel, principals and other staff in how to reach out to, communicate with, and work with parents as equal partners in the value and utility of contributions of parents, and in how to implement and coordinate parent programs and build ties between parents and schools, by: 

Parents will be given the opportunity to provide suggestions that would be helpful in educating staff on ways to facilitate working with parents.  This will be done during the spring countywide Title I meeting or as the need arises throughout the year.  Close attention will be given to meeting evaluations and these suggestions will be generated into future staff development topics.

11.       Petersburg Elementary School shall, to the extent feasible and appropriate, coordinate and integrate parental involvement programs and activities with Head Start, Reading First, Early Reading First, Even Start, Home Instruction Programs for Preschool Youngsters, the Parents as Teachers Program, public preschool, and other programs.  The school will also conduct other activities, such as parent resource centers, that encourage and support parents in more fully participating in the education of their children, by:

The Petersburg Elementary School staff strives to make preschool students' transition into kindergarten easier in several ways.  Petersburg Elementary School houses a universal preschool classroom of eighteen students.  In addition, students from other preschool programs throughout the county, both public and private, are taken on a tour of the school during an Open House.  Open House is held on a regular school day so that students can view how the school actually runs. The Title I, Kindergarten, and pre-school teachers' involvement in the PreK committee, an interagency group of early childhood educators, connects Head Start and RESA VIII preschool programs with the public schools. Collaborative planning occurs at the beginning of each school year with Head Start, Preschool, Speech and Language, and Kindergarten teachers to share information that will help transition the students into kindergarten. PES also provides transition to Petersburg High School by providing sixth grade students with “Step Up Day.”  This allows students to tour the school and meet their future teachers.   
PES also has a parent resource center located in the library.  There is a wealth of materials that may be signed out by parents at any time. 

• Petersburg Elementary School shall take the following actions to ensure that information related to the school and parent-programs, meetings, and other activities is sent to parents of participating children in an understandable and uniform format, including alternative formats upon request, and, to the extent practicable, in a language the parents can understand: 

Notification of parent meetings will be sent home in the form of a letter at least one week in advance.  Meetings will also be posted on the school web page, the Title I web page, as well as the monthly activity calendar/lunch menu provided by the school. Parent meetings will be scheduled flexibly in order to meet parents’ needs.  When requested, information will be provided for those who cannot attend.  Opportunities for participation will be provided to parents with disabilities, limited English proficiency, and parents of migratory children.  This includes providing information and school reports written in an understandable format and in a language parents understand.

PART III.      DISCRETIONARY SCHOOL PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT POLICY COMPONENTS

• involving parents in the development of training for teachers, principals, and other educators to improve the effectiveness of that training;
• training parents to enhance the involvement of other parents;
• arranging school meetings at a variety of times, arrange meetings with parents who are unable to attend conferences at school in order to maximize parental involvement and participation in their children’s education;
• adopting and implementing model approaches to improving parental involvement;
• establishing a school parent advisory council to provide advice on all matters related to parental involvement in Title I, Part A programs;

PART IV.      ADOPTION 

Petersburg Elementary School’s Parental Involvement Policy has been developed jointly with, and agreed on with, parents of children participating in Title I, Part A programs, as evidenced by the minutes from the Fall 2008 LSIC meeting.

This policy was adopted by the Petersburg Elementary School in September and will be in effect for the period of two years.  The school will distribute this policy to all parents of participating Title I, Part A children on or before September 30 of each year.

_______________________________
   (Signature of Authorized Official)

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                        (Date)

Revisited:  April 24, 2008