Title I

Bohn Elementary School’s 
Title I Parent Involvement Plan 2019-2020

 
Mission Statement
“The mission of Louis Bohn Elementary School is to motivate and prepare our students to always work toward their highest potential; be positive and productive citizens; and take pride in being Bohn Sharks.”

Vision Statement
The Louis Bohn Elementary School includes children, teachers, staff, families, and the community of Tracy who shall take part and support the education of our youth. The goal of Louis Bohn School is to prepare each student as an independent, motivated learner who possesses the skills and values necessary to become a productive, successful, and caring citizen of the 21st century.

Students at Louis Bohn School take an active part in making educational choices to develop their individual strengths and interests. By assuming responsibility for their own learning and actions, students will become self-reliant and committed to personal excellence. By recognizing the talents and contributions of others, students will develop cooperation and service to others.

Teachers and support staff will provide these essential elements for learning:
-High academic expectations
-A safe learning environment
-A strong literacy program
-Opportunities for participatory projects and discussion
-Timely, on-going interventions for at-risk learners
-Instruction in the use of current technological tools
-A strong partnership between home and school
-Role models for good citizenship and guidance
In such a nurturing and dynamic setting, each student will be prepared for the future.
    
Purpose - Title I was enacted to ensure that all children have a fair, equal, and significant opportunity to obtain a high-quality education and reach, at minimum, proficiency on challenging state academic achievement standards and assessments. This can be accomplished by meeting the educational needs of low-achieving children, closing the achievement gap between high- and low-performing children, high standards for all students, enriched and accelerated instruction, decentralized decision making, improved accountability, high quality professional development, coordination and integration of services, expanded family involvement, extended learning time, and early intervention. This policy describes the means for carrying out the following Title I involvement requirements [20 USC 6318 Section 1118 (a) O (f) inclusive].

Challenging and Preparing Our Students – We believe that a partnership must exist between our parents and our school. We promote positive communication between the school and our students’ homes. The school provides a variety of opportunities for parents to be involved in activities supporting our school. We believe teachers have a responsibility to provide the needed framework for parents to nurture their child’s formal instruction at home. We will provide materials that can successfully be used at home to reinforce the academic success for children. 
It is our goal to provide an atmosphere where parents are able to express their views and to assist in problem solving. We want parents to understand that we view them as joint policy and decision makers and plan to emphasize their roles as advocates. The following is a list of services and activities to promote parental involvement and provide additional support for student learning:

1.    School staff will use a variety of communication strategies to provide additional information to parents and to increase parental involvement in supporting classroom instructions.
•    The school will distribute communication in English and Spanish to parents that is developed with participation of the parent-school organization, principal, and staff.   Information will include school news, a calendar of school activities, and parenting tips relating to school achievement such as homework tips, organizational skills, and study skills. 
•    The school will update a website that will keep parents up to date on all school events and activities.  In addition, parents can access their child’s grades using AERIES Portal.   Parents may use e-mail to communicate with members of the school staff.  Bohn School also has a Facebook page which provides information for parents and Bohn community members.
•    Each K-3 teacher will send home a Shark Folder containing student papers, homework, and work samples.  Each 4th and 5th grade teacher will use a daily agenda to have students communicate homework, notices, and other pertinent information.
•    Teachers will routinely contact parents on an individual basis to communicate about their child’s progress (daily or weekly – teacher’s choice). 
•    The school will provide parents with report cards every trimester. 
•    Teachers will routinely send classroom communication with pertinent information and upcoming classroom and school events.
•    The school will use the student handbook, school website, marquee at the school entrance, and parent meetings to share information about school activities and policies.  

2.    The school will hold parent meetings, conferences, and activities regularly throughout the year to increase parental involvement and build staff capacity to engage in these types of efforts.
•    These meetings will include parent-training sessions to help parents understand how to enhance their child’s education (math nights, science nights, literacy nights, parenting workshops, etc.).  Our meetings will provide an opportunity for parents and their child to experience the school situation in a positive and helpful manner while school staff may provide any needed assistance or encouragement. 
•    Outside speakers will provide parents with more information concerning ways to make their child’s academic and social life more successful.
•    The school will invite and inform all parents to participate in the Title I programs and to encourage parents to be involved with reviewing and revising of the School’s Title I Plan (i.e. Back to School Night, SSC/ELAC, PTO Meetings, Classroom Conferences, etc.).
•    Teachers will hold conferences individually with parents of children in their classrooms. Parents will be given a summary of the student’s test scores and an explanation of the interventions teachers are using to assist the child in reaching achievement goals (parent conferences).  Parents will be asked to engage in discussion of how they can support these efforts. Parents will also be given suggestions for coordinating school-parent efforts and explanations of homework and grading procedures.  In return, parents will be asked to engage in discussion of how they can support these efforts in the home.
•    The school will engage parents in the following types of roles and activities to increase their involvement and support for student learning.

 

3.    The school will provide information to parents about volunteer opportunities.
•    The school will provide opportunities for parents and community members to support the instructional program through such programs as daily interventions and enrichments, Coding Club, Coding Buddies, Reading Buddies, tutoring, classroom helpers, etc.
•    The school will provide a list of volunteer opportunities and solicit ideas for other types of volunteer effort during orientation of parents (Back to School Night). Teachers will explain the requirements to parents and encourage them to become involved in the school. Brief training sessions will provide parents and community members with the information they need to participate as school volunteers in order to put them at ease and make the experience pleasant and successful.

4.    The school will work with parents to create a School-Parent-Student Compact.
•    School staff, parents, and students have a school-parent-student compact. This compact will outline how parents, school staff, and students share the responsibility for improved student academic achievement and the means by which the school and parents will build and develop a partnership to help children achieve the state’s high academic standards. All stakeholders will sign the compact.

5.    The school will provide an opportunity for parents to engage in decision-making processes in regarding the school’s Title I, Part A program.
•    The school will involve parents on school improvement planning committees. To support this process, the school will offer both school staff and parents training on how to contribute to this process in a meaningful way.
•    The school will ask parents to serve on curricular and instructional review committees. To support this process, the school will offer both school staff and parents training on how to contribute to this process in a meaningful way.
•    The school will engage parents in decisions about the allocation of its Title I, Part A funds for parental involvement.

6.    The school will provide a parent resource center for parents.
•    Parents may check out materials, use the computer to check grades, and visit educational websites (computer lab available to parents before and after school). Parents will be encouraged to view the Title I Plan located in the Parent Resource Area in our conference room.  A suggestion sheet will also be available for parental input. The school will open the resource center at hours that are convenient to parents.

7.    The school will engage parents in an evaluation of parental involvement efforts.
•    The school will engage parents in the annual evaluation of the Title I, Part A program’s parental involvement efforts through an annual evaluation using a survey filled out by teachers, parents, and school staff. The Title I Committee, made up of teachers, parents, and school staff, will determine the effectiveness of the parental involvement plan and make changes if warranted. While collecting evidence about satisfaction with the program and the school’s efforts to increase parental involvement will be a part of the evaluation, the survey will also collect specific information on the (1) growth in numbers of parents participating in workshops and meetings; (2) specific needs of parents; (3) effectiveness of specific strategies; and (4) engagement of parents in activities to support student academic growth. 

8.    When is the policies reviewed?
•    The parent Involvement policies are reviewed annually (in September) at the beginning of the school year and end of the school year (April) with School Site Council and ELAC committee.