Mount Nittany Elementary School

 Parent & Family Engagement Policy 2023-2024

Purpose

Mount Nittany Elementary School recognizes that parental and family engagement contributes to the achievement of academic standards by students participating in Title 1 programs.  Mount Nittany Elementary School views the education of students as a cooperative effort among the school, parents/guardians and community.  

In compliance with federal law, Mount Nittany Elementary School and parents and family members of students participating in Title 1 programs shall jointly develop and agree upon a written Parental Engagement Policy through Title 1 Parent Committee meetings. (1)

Policy

Title 1 teachers inform parents of the Parent Advisory Council (PAC) and encourage parents to participate in PAC at the district and/or building level during an annual meeting.  Parents may access the web link to the state PAC: https://www.spac.k12.pa.us/  Each year the committee will review the policy and make any necessary changes.  The goal of PAC is to plan and implement effective parent and family engagement activities, as well as the Title 1 program, to improve student academic achievement and school performance.   Parents have the right to be involved in the planning of these engagement activities.(2) (4)

Based upon fall survey results, PAC members plan various parent and family engagement activities.  Title 1 teachers will ensure that information related to school and parent programs, meetings, and other activities will be sent to the parents and family members of participating children in a format and to the extent practicable, in a language the parents and family members can understand. Title 1 funds will pay for reasonable and necessary expenses associated with the planned activities to include greater participation by parents and family members who may have a barrier preventing such participation (including parents and family members who have limited English proficiency, with disabilities, and of migratory children).   These activities address parental questions and concerns and teach strategies for helping students become proficient in reading.  Activity examples include a Barnes & Noble Night, Books & Bingo and Reading parent support. These programs and activities may be developed or supported with other Federal, State and local programs including public preschool programs that encourage and support parents in more fully participating in the education of their children by reaching out to informative speakers and existing programs that cover topics of interest.  Through the information compiled from the fall survey, a flexible number of activities and times will be scheduled.  An annual evaluation of the content and the effectiveness of the parent and family engagement policy in improving the academic quality of the school will be conducted. The findings of the annual evaluation will be used to design evidence based strategies for more effective parent and family involvement and revise the Parent and Family Engagement Policy, if necessary.  (3)(12)(16)(15) (14)

Parents will be notified in a timely manner during the spring or early fall if their child is eligible to participate in the Title 1 program.  Parents must sign a permission form in order to receive supplemental services.  Goal-setting conferences are held in October and April (by parent request) for students in grades K-5.  This conference includes student, parent(s) and teachers and is scheduled at various times during the day.  Title 1 progress reports for students in grades K-5 are sent home in February and June.  Informal conferences occur as needed throughout the year.  Team meetings consisting of the principal, psychologist, classroom and Title 1 teachers will be held with parents, if necessary.  Parents may request meetings to formulate suggestions and to participate, as appropriate, in decisions relating to the education of their children.  The school will respond to such suggestions as soon as is practicably possible. Parents and teachers jointly develop a compact that states parent/teacher/student responsibilities.  In the fall and spring, surveys are sent home which invite feedback and workshop suggestions.  (5) (7) (11) (9)

We will provide assistance to parents and family members in understanding the challenging state standards and state and local assessments.  During the Title 1 Back-to-School Night, parents are directed to the SCASD website, www.scasd.org/Domain /35, in order to gain understanding of the state’s academic and student achievement standards, local assessments and curriculum.  An informational brochure about the program is sent home at the beginning of the year. (11) (6)

Mount Nittany Elementary will educate teachers, specialized instructional support personnel, and other staff, with the assistance of parents, in the value and utility of contributions of parents and family members through school district sponsored professional development and parent and family activities recommended by the PAC.  We will communicate with parents and family members through emails, phone conversations, paperwork, and face-to-face meetings to ensure that parents are equal partners.  These various communications will build ties between parents and family members and our school. (13) (9)

Updated by the Mount Nittany Elementary PAC on October 19, 2023.