Title 1 Resources
Resources
Family Engagement Policy
Family Engagement Policy and Plan for Shared Student Success School Year 2024-2025
Revision Date: 05/01/2024
The Early Learning Center at Henderson E. Formey Jr. School
400 East Broad Street
Savannah, GA 31401
Phone: (912) 395-5500
Principal: Ms. Erica Swindell-Foster Assistant Principal: Dr. Joyia Hills-Turner
What is a Family Engagement Policy?
A Parent and Family Engagement Policy is a plan that describes how The Early Learning Center at Henderson E. Formey Jr. School will provide opportunities to improve family engagement to support student learning. We value the contributions and involvement of families to establish an equal partnership for the common goal of improving student achievement. This plan describes the different ways that the school will support family engagement and how families can help plan and participate in activities and events to promote student learning at school and at home (Section1116) of the Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015.
Where is the Family Engagement Policy available?
The Family Engagement Policy will be distributed to all families at the beginning of the school year through student communication folders. Additionally, copies are available in the Family Center, where you may also view it and provide feedback. The Policy will also be posted on the school’s website and shared at the Annual Title I meeting.
How is it jointly developed/revised?
The following actions were taken to involve parents/guardians in the joint development of school parent/family compacts that outline how school staff, parents/guardians, and students will 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 standards:
• An invitation to attend the Annual Title I Family Forum was sent to parents in the spring of the previous school year, offering parents/guardians the opportunity to help plan for the upcoming school year. • A final Family Engagement Policy and School-Family Compact(s), with all of the feedback incorporated, will be posted on the school website, presented at the fall Annual Title I meeting, sent home with all students to serve as an agreement between the school, parents, and students of the shared responsibility for improving student achievement.
WHAT IS TITLE I?
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The Early Learning Center at Henderson E. Formey Jr. School is identified as a Title I school as part of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). Title I is designed to support State and local school reform efforts tied to challenging state academic standards and reinforce and enhance efforts to improve teaching and learning for students. Title I programs must be based on effective means of improving student achievement and include strategies to support family involvement. All Title I schools must jointly develop a written family engagement policy with all families.
WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF TITLE I?
All students participating in the Title I, Part A program and their families are encouraged and invited to fully participate in the opportunities described in this policy. The school will provide opportunities for the participation of families with limited English, disabilities, and families of migratory children.
IMPLEMENTATION
The staff at The Early Learning Center at Henderson E. Formey Jr. School recognizes that the education of students is a responsibility shared with administrators, teachers, parents, and the community. Maximum learning occurs when parents are actively involved and supportive of the education of their children. In an effort to enhance and expand parental involvement at the school level, parents will be invited to attend several meetings throughout the year in order to provide input in the planning, review, and improvement of school-wide Title I programs.
In order to provide parents/guardians with continuous communication, opportunities for input, and to increase family engagement, the following mandatory Title I family meetings will be held each academic school year:
• Title I Annual Meeting (Fall) – Introduces the School/Family Compacts, the Family Engagement Policy, the Title I budget, and the School Improvement Plan. Information about the school’s curriculum, assessments, and other important information is also shared at this meeting.
• Family Forum (Spring) – Provides parents/guardians with the opportunity to provide input on School Improvement Planning, the Family Engagement Budget, the Family Engagement Policy, the School Parent/Family Compact, and staff training.
1% SET-ASIDE FOR PARENT AND FAMILY ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES
Each year, Savannah-Chatham County Public School System reserves 1% from the total amount of the Title I, Part A funds it receives to carry out family engagement requirements.
ACCESSIBILITY
In carrying out the parent and family engagement requirements established by Section 1116 of the ESSA, the district family engagement coordinator will communicate and collaborate with the Office for Student Support Services to ensure full opportunities for participation of parents with limited English proficiency, parents with disabilities, and parents of migratory children including providing information and school reports in a language parents can understand.
SCHOOL-FAMILY COMPACTS
As part of our family engagement plan, The Early Learning Center at Henderson E. Formey Jr. School and our families develop a school-parent/family compact, which is an agreement that explains how parents/families and teachers will work together to make sure students reach grade-level standards. The compacts are reviewed and updated annually based on feedback from parents, students, and teachers during the Title I Annual Meeting and from the Annual Family Engagement Survey. The school-parent/family compacts also are reviewed with families during parent-teacher conferences.
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GOALS FOR STUDENT SUCCESS
SCCPSS District Goals:
Goal 1: To Ensure all Students are College and Career Ready.
Goal 2: To Provide a Supportive Learning Environment that is Conducive to Teaching and Learning.
Goal 3: To Maximize Family and Community Engagement that Contributes to the Advancement of Student Growth and Success.
Goal 4: To Build Professional Capacity in Order to Achieve a Premier Student- Focused Workforce
The Early Learning Center at Henderson E. Formey Jr. School Goals:
Insert Goals from School Improvement Plan – will need to be reviewed after summer break to ensure that none of the goals have changed. “Translate” the goals into family-friendly language.
Goal 1: Improve academic achievement for all students.
Goal 2: Reading: Kindergarten students will meet reading expectations (Proficient) on iReady & G-Kids Assessment.
Goal 3: Math: Kindergarten students will meet math expectations (Proficient) on iReady & G-Kids Assessment.
PARENT AND FAMILY ENGAGEMENT
The Early Learning Center at Henderson E. Formey Jr. School believes that family engagement means the participation of parents and family members in regular two-way, and meaningful communication involving student academic learning and other school activities, including ensuring:
• That parents/families play an integral role in assisting their child’s learning.
• That parents/families are encouraged to be actively involved in their child’s education at school. • That parents/families 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.
FAMILY RESOURCE CENTER
HOURS: Monday – Friday, 815-415 pm
Come visit the Family Resource Center to check out books, study materials, and activities to use at home with your child. Computers are available for parents to log into PowerSchool/Parent Access and explore educational resources.
If you need support, please reach out to our Family Engagement Contact: Kaycee Johnson, 912-395-5500, kaycee.johnson@sccpss.com
2024-2025 FAMILY ENGAGEMENT EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES
(This whole section is up for editing…It should reflect what your school does.)
At Henderson, we will do the following to help engage and support our families: • Ensure that all information related to school and parent programs, meetings, and other activities is published in both English and Spanish and posted on the school website and
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included in the monthly school newsletter for all parents.
• Provide quarterly training to the entire staff on topics such as the value and utility of family contributions, effective communication with families as equal partners, and coordinating/ implementing family programs that form connections between home/school.
• Work with Head Start, Bright from the Start, the English Language Learning Program, our Homeless Liaison, and Migrant, Neglected, and Delinquent federal programs. • Provide information on college and career resources and Kindergarten Orientation through our Family Resource Center
• Provide families with resources and opportunities to learn about the Georgia Standards of Excellence
• Ensure that families learn about their child’s test results and how to interpret scores by providing workshops and handouts to families and posting information on the school website
• Advertise offerings at least 2 weeks prior to events, via monthly calendars, flyers, Peachjar E-Flyer via e-mail and Website, school marquee, callouts, etc.
• Staff will provide strategies for families in our district’s balanced resources to support learning at home
• Will offer training opportunities in technology
• Provide necessary materials and handouts for families at events to help them work with their children to improve their achievement
• Information will be shared with families on-line, in person group meetings, home visits, newsletters and/or telephone calls
The Early Learning Center at Henderson E. Formey Jr. School will host the following events to build the capacity for strong family engagement to support a partnership between the school, parents, and the community to improve student academic achievement.
Title I Annual Meeting – September 2024
We invite you to a time of learning and sharing about our Title I program, including our parent and family engagement policy, the schoolwide plan, the school-parent compacts, and parents’ requirements. Invitations will be emailed and posted in the monthly school newsletter, class dojo, or sent home in the student folders.
Curriculum Night/Open House – August 2024
Learn about the curriculum used in your child’s classroom - the academic standards, assessments, materials, and more!
Holiday Math Fun – December 2024
Learn how to make math fun at home.
Parent-Teacher and Student Conferences – January/February 2025
Scheduled updates on your child’s progress.
Seasonal Events –TBA
Thanksgiving Feast, Holidays Around the World, Black History Month, Trunk or Treat, etc. Parent Cafe – Monthly
Gain knowledge about topics relevant to your child’s education and academic success (Held In-Person/Virtually) Parent Appreciation – Month Day, Year
A celebration of family engagement and the recognition of its impact on school and student success.
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Scholastic Book Fairs – Fall 2024 and Spring 2025
Promote reading and support our school by building your home library on Parent Day. District Events – TBA
Student Success Expo, Teddy Bear Clinic, Books, Blankets, and Family Fun (Daffin Park)
Title I Annual Family Forum – Late February/Early March
Provides an opportunity for parents/family members to participate in discussions with the principal and staff regarding the school improvement plan, family engagement policy, school-parent/family compacts, and the family engagement budget.
Building the Foundation
The Early Learning Center at Henderson E. Formey Jr. School will take the following measures to promote and support parents/families as an important foundation of the school in order to strengthen the school and reach our school goals. We will:
• Communicate effectively by ensuring that information related to academic standards/assessments, events, etc. is published in a language and format accessible to parents and is communicated in multiple ways.
• Offer training for parents and family members to help further enhance their various educational levels. • Partner with early childhood programs, feeder schools, college and career-ready resources, or other programs to help prepare parents and their children for successful school transitions.
• Provide necessary materials and handouts for parents/guardians at conferences, meetings, and activities to help parents work with their child to improve their child’s achievement.
• Collaborate with Community Partners to provide information and introduce resources to benefit families.
• Based on parent/guardian feedback, provide staff training to improve communication with parents and ideas to increase family engagement with reading and math activities for our students outside of the classroom.
• Collect feedback from parents and family members at all events, place input cards around the building, and post a suggestion form on the school website to respond to parents’ requests for additional support for parent and family engagement activities.
PARENT AND FAMILY ENGAGEMENT STANDARDS
The Early Learning Center at Henderson E. Formey Jr. School and our parents have adopted the National PTA Standards for Family-School Partnerships as the school’s model in engaging parents, students, and the community. These standards are:
1. Welcoming All Families
2. Communicating Effectively
3. Supporting Student Success
4. Speaking Up for Every Child
5. Sharing Power
6. Collaborating with Community
SCHOOL COUNCIL
The school council is an advisory body created to offer advice to the principal on matters about student achievement and school improvement. The school council initiative was created by the Georgia State Legislature as a method of involving parents, teachers, and community stakeholders in the educational
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process. It is governed by state law; O.C.G.A § 20-2-85 and O.C.G.A § 20-2-86. The school council is made up of elected parents, appointed community/business members, elected teacher representatives, and the school principal, with the parent group constituting the largest segment. If you would like to learn more about the school council, please contact our principal.
The Early Learning Center at Henderson E. Formey Jr. School’s school council members are: Ms. Erica Swindell-Foster, Principal
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Detach here xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxDetach here SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS
We want to hear from you! If you have any suggestions or if there is any part of this policy that you feel is not satisfactory with the goals for academic achievement, please provide us with your comments in the space provided and leave this form in the Main Office:
Name: (optional) ______________________________________ Telephone Number: (optional): ________________ Comments: ______________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________
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School-Parent Family Compact
School-Parent/Family Compact Kindergarten
The Early Learning Center at Henderson E. Formey Jr. School Year 2024-2025
Revision Date: 04/29/2024
The Early Learning Center at Henderson E. Formey Jr. students participating in the Title I, Part A program, and their families, agree that this compact outlines how the parents, the entire school staff, and the students will share the responsibility for improved student academic achievement as well as describes how the school and parents/families will build and develop a partnership that will help children achieve the State’s high standards.
JOINTLY DEVELOPED
The families, students, and staff of the Early Learning Center at Henderson E. Formey Jr. School developed this School-Family-Student Compact for Achievement. Teachers provided home learning strategies, families suggested ideas to fit their needs to assist learning, and students told us what they needed to help them learn better at home. A Family Forum is held each year with families to review the Compact and offer feedback. Families are also surveyed several times during the school year for input. Families are strongly encouraged to provide comments at any time.
To understand how working together can benefit your child, it is first important to understand
the district's and school’s goals for student academic achievement.
SAVANNAH-CHATHAM COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM’S GOALS:
Information to insert here will be provided at the beginning of the school year.
GOAL 1: To Ensure all Students are College and Career Ready.
GOAL 2: To Provide a Supportive Learning Environment that is Conducive to Teaching and Learning.
GOAL 3: To Maximize Family and Community Engagement that Contributes to the Advancement of Student Success.
GOAL 4: To Build Professional Capacity to Achieve a Premier Student-Focused Workforce
THE EARLY LEARNING CENTER AT HENDERSON E. FORMEY JR. SCHOOL GOALS:
Improve academic achievement for all students.
READING
- Kindergarten students will meet reading expectations (Proficient) on iReady & GKids Assessment.
MATH
- Kindergarten students will meet math expectations (Proficient) on iReady & GKids Assessment.
COMMUNICATION ABOUT STUDENT LEARNING:
is committed to frequent two-way communication with families about children’s learning. Some of the ways you can expect us to reach you are:
School Communication Tools
- Phone Calls/ Text Messaging
- Progress Folders
- Bright Arrow Communication Tool
- Class Dojo
- E-Newsletters
- Event Flyers
- Monthly Calendars
- Parent-Teacher Conferences
- Peach Jar
- Progress Reports
- SCCPSS District Website
- Social Media Avenues
- Updated School Website
** If you ever have questions or concerns regarding your child’s education, please reach out to your teacher.
You can also contact your school counselor, or administration at 912-395-5500.
ACTIVITIES TO BUILD PARTNERSHIPS:
The Early Learning Center at Henderson E. Formey Jr. School offers ongoing events and programs to build partnerships with families.
Get Involved
Families are encouraged to volunteer during school-wide events (Read Across America, book fairs, PTA events, Holidays Around the World, etc.) and can begin the process of volunteering by creating an account in VISTA. If you would like to volunteer, participate, and/ or observe in the classroom, please contact the Family Engagement Coordinator at 912-395-5511.
Parent-Teacher Conferences – *parents must attend at least one parent teacher conference per year •
Parent Workshops
- Curriculum Nights
- Parent Resource Center
- Volunteering / Observing
- Open House
- Title One Meetings
- Online/virtual formats (webinars)
- Multi-media activities (podcasts, teacher-created videos)
- Literacy and Math Activities
- Scholastic Book Fair
- Family Engagement Events
To ensure the safety of students and staff, all visitors must report to the office upon arrival.
Parents may not enter any area of the building at any time, other than the office, without a scheduled appointment especially during arrival and dismissal.
New volunteers (not previously cleared) must sign up/register in advance and must sign in based on requirements for all visitors.
Interested volunteers must register through our secure online portal called the Volunteer Tracker. Once your registration is complete, an application link will be emailed to you.
SCHOOL VOLUNTEER REGISTRATION/APPLICATION
New to VISTA? If this is the first time that you have used this application, you must register your email address first. Please visit this website to register:
VISTA VOLUNTEERS : https://appgarden2.app-garden.com/VolTrackGA625.nsf
To help your child meet the district and school goals, the school, you, and your child will work together to:
SCHOOL/TEACHER RESPONSIBILITIES:
The Early Learning Center at Henderson E. Formey Jr. School will:
- Provide a list of Fry Words to help students with fluency.
- Provide parents and students with weekly reading skills practice.
- Provide Math Resources / Information to Promote Student Growth
- Treat each child with dignity and respect.
- Be aware of each child’s needs.
- Communication with the parent about his/her progress
PARENT/FAMILY RESPONSIBILITIES:
We, as parents, will:
- Practice Frye words with their child to help reinforce fluency.
- Monitor that their child is reading 10 minutes daily using material provided by the teacher.
- Ensure your child is using math resources/information provided by the teacher.
- Encourage good attendance.
- Encourage positive attitudes toward school.
- Encourage reading at home and completing homework.
STUDENT RESPONSIBILITIES:
I, the student, will:
- Practice Frye Word List
- Read 10 minutes daily using materials provided by the teacher and write each day.
- Work on knowing my numbers when I see them and count to 100.
- Come to school on time every day.
- Be Polite.
- Complete My Schoolwork
As a sign of your commitment to working together to help your child succeed, please sign the SIGNATURES PAGE provided with this compact and return it to your child’s teacher. Thank you!