• Schwarzkoff Parent and Family Engagement Plan In accordance with the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA), as  amended by the Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015 (ESSA)

    Parents, staff, and the building administrator have developed this Parent and Family  Engagement Plan in accordance with the ESSA Section 1116 activities which are accomplished at  Schwarzkoff in the ways listed in each Section.

     

    ESSA Section

    Ways in Which Schwarzkoff Staff Accomplish These  Activities

    1116(b)(1) This Plan has  been jointly developed and  distributed to parents and  family members in a language  that can be understood. The  Plan is updated periodically to  meet the changing needs of  parents and the school.

    Describe the development of the Plan, including the  stakeholders involved, the steps taken to ensure the Plan is  understood, and the process for updating the Plan.

     

    The Schwarzkoff Elementary Title 1 Schoolwide Parent Involvement Plan has been created through the collaborative efforts of parents and staff.  The role of the stakeholders is to review the plan in the fall during a SVG (parent group) meeting. The stakeholders have the opportunity to learn the details of the plan, ask any questions they may have, and offer feedback. Their feedback is collected through documented discussions with the principal and incorporated into the plan as appropriate. The plan will be posted on school website for families unable to attend the annual meeting to review and contact the school should they have any questions or would like to provide feedback. The Home/School Compact is reviewed with students and then shared with parents at with the beginning of the year paperwork. 

    1116(c)(1) Convene an  Annual Title I Parent Meeting  at a time convenient to 

    parents to inform parents of  the Title I requirements and  their right to be involved.

    An annual meeting is held which includes information for  parents on:

    Schwarzkoff Elementary holds an annual Title 1 Parent meeting in the fall each year.  The meeting was held in evening to try and allow for most parents to be able to attend.  The informations from the meeting was made available to parents.  Information included for parents was on:

    • What it means to be a schoolwide Title I school
    • Services that are available
    • Role of the Title I teachers
    • Schoolwide reading program and incentives
    • How parents can assist their child in being academically and socially successful

     

    How are parents encouraged to attend?

    • Emails were sent to each family
    • Robo calls made by the principal

     

    1116(c)(2) Offer flexible  number of meetings at times  convenient to parents and  provide transportation, 

    childcare, or home visits as it  relates to parental

    involvement.

    Meetings are offered at times convenient for parents and if needed, transportation, childcare, and home visits can be arranged:

    • Parent teacher conferences in the afternoon and evening
    • Virtual conferences and meetings were made available
    • Phone conferences if necessary
    • Curriculum night
    • Kindergarten Open House
    • Parent/Family involvement night
    • Parent math night
    • Annual Title I meeting

     

    We make every effort to accommodate parents’ schedules when we schedule meetings.

    1116(c)(3) Involve parents  in an organized, ongoing and  timely way in the planning,  reviewing, and improvement of  Title I programs, including the  development, review, and  improvement of the Parent  and Family Engagement Plan and the Schoolwide Program Plan.

    Parents are involved in the development of the School  Improvement Plan and Title I Program development in the  following ways:

    • We share our School Improvement Plan with our parent  group and incorporate suggestions from parents
    • Parent surveys are in English and Arabic
    • Information from parent surveys is shared through email
    • The Parent Involvement Plan and School Improvement Plan are posted on the school website
    • We partner with EL staff to offer parent meetings

     

    1116(c)(4)(A) Provide 

    parents of Title I children  timely information about the  Title I Program.

    Parents are provided information regarding the school  Programs in the following ways:

    • Parent/teacher conferences
    • School website
    • School email updates
    • Automated phone calls
    • Report cards quarterly
    • Progress reports at 5 week intervals for grades 3-6
    • Online access to PowerSchool
    • Student handbooks
    • Classroom newsletters
    • Kindergarten Open House
    • Curriculum Night
    • General information for the school is available on Schwarzkoff’s website
    • Notes/emails to parents informing them when their child is participating in services offered by the Title 1 staff

     

    1116(c)(4)(B) Provide 

    parents of Title I children a  description and explanation of  the curriculum used at the school, the forms of academic  assessment used to measure  progress, and the achievement  levels students are expected to  meet.  

    Parents are provided information about the school’s  curriculum, assessments, and proficiency level expectations  in the following ways:

     

    Parents are provided information about the school’s curriculum, assessments, and proficiency level expectations in the following ways:

    • Curriculum is shared on Curriculum Night
    • NWEA family reports
    • WIDA results
    • Conferences
    • Progress reports
    • Report cards
    • PowerSchool
    • MSTEP results shared with parents
    • Classroom newsletters
    • Face-to-face and/or virtual conversations

     

    ESSA Section  

    Ways in Which School Staff Accomplish These Activities  

    1116(c)(4)(C) Provide 

    parents of participating Title I  students opportunities for  regular meetings to formulate  suggestions, to participate in  decision-making as it relates  to their child’s education, and  to respond to any suggestions  as soon as possible.

    Parents have opportunities to share suggestions, participate  in decision making, and respond to any suggestions in the  following ways:

    • Parent surveys
    • At parent group meetings
    • Presentation of the School Improvement Plan at a parent group meeting
    • Request meetings with teachers and/or principal
    • Access to staff via email
    • Soliciting of parent input at parent involvement events
    • Conferences (fall and winter)

     

    1116(c)(5) Ensure that if the  Schoolwide Program Plan is  not satisfactory to parents of  participating students, submit  any parent comments on the  Plan when the school makes  the Plan available to the Local  Educational Agency (LEA).

    If parents are not satisfied with the School Improvement Plan  or Programs, they have opportunities to make comments by:

     

    Parents can contact the building administrator to arrange a meeting to voice their concerns.  The rationale behind the plan will be shared in addition to any research supporting the work being done.  Every attempt will be made to come to a mutual agreement in the best interest of the student.  The concerns will be shared with the Title I team so that adjustments can be made.

     

    The School-Parent Compact Must:

    1116(d) Jointly, with parents, develop a School-Parent Compact that outlines how  the entire school staff, parents, and students will share the responsibility for  improved student academic achievement.

    YES

    1116(d) Clearly explain district and school goals for students to meet the  challenging State academic standards.

    YES

    1116(d) & 1116(d)(1) Describe ways that teachers are responsible for supporting  students’ learning and providing high quality curriculum and instruction.

    YES

    1116(d) & 1116(d)(1) Describe specific ways parents will be responsible for  supporting their children’s learning.

    YES

    1116(d) Describe specific ways students will be responsible for their learning.

    YES

    1116(d) & 1116(d)(2)(C) Describe school activities to build partnerships with  parents, including chances for parents to volunteer, take part in, and observe  classroom activities, and communicate with teachers.

    YES

    1116(d) & 1116(f) Describe how parents and family members are involved in  developing and revising the compact.

    YES

    1116(d)(1) & 1116(d)(2)(A-C) Ensure regular two-way meaningful  communication between family members and school staff throughout the school  year, so that parents are kept up to date on their students’ progress and get regular  tips on home learning.

    YES

    1116(f) Communicate information using family friendly language and format.

    YES
         

     

    ESSA Section

    Ways in Which School Staff Accomplish These Activities

    1116(e)(1) Shall provide  assistance to parents of 

    students served by the school  in understanding the State’s  academic content standards,  the State and Local 

    assessments, and how to  monitor their child’s progress  and work with educators to  improve the achievement of  their children.

    How does the staff provide assistance to parents to help  them understand the content standards, assessments, how to  monitor their child’s progress, and how to work with  educators to improve the achievement of their children?  What training is provided to families?

    • Conferences (fall and winter)
    • Parent math night (to explain the strategies taught)
    • Progress reports at 5 week intervals between report cards
    • Quarterly report cards
    • NWEA family reports
    • PowerSchool
    • MSTEP assessment results are sent home
    • Agendas
    • Weekly folders
    • Informal communication (phone calls, email, face-to-face, virtual meetings)
    • Conference based on parent request
    • Inform students how to read their assessment results and encourage them to share this information with their parents
    • Curriculum night allows parents to understand the expectations at each grade level
    • Information regarding WIDA testing is sent home in the student’s native language (when available)
    • Local assessment results are discussed at conferences

     

    1116(e)(2) Shall provide  materials and training to help  parents work with their 

    children to improve their  children’s achievement, such  as literacy training and using  technology, as appropriate, to  foster parental involvement.

    Staff will provide parents with appropriate materials and offer training in our school to enable them to support their child’s academic progress. These include:

    • Online resources used at school are made available to use at home
    • Take home literacy book bags with reading strategies for parents to use with their children
    • Summer learning opportunities are provided through the district
    • Parent math night was held to share the strategies taught so that they can help their student at home
    • Literacy and Math training and materials are provided to incoming Kindergarten families

     

    1116(e)(3) Shall educate  staff in the value and utility of  parents’ contributions, in how  to reach out to, and 

    communicate with, and work  with parents as equal partners,  to coordinate and implement  parental involvement 

    programs, and to build 

    relationships between the  parents and the school.

    On-going professional development for staff on effective ways to increase parental involvement occurs annually. They include:

     

    Schwarzkoff Elementary values parental involvement and is open to finding ways to increase parent involvement.  Some teachers use Class Dojo or the Remind App to inform parents and communicate with parents throughout the year.  Language Line (an interpreter communication phone line) directions were given to staff as a resource at the beginning of the year.  Staff was able to coordinate with the district parent-school liaison to build relationships between the parents and the school.  Continued conversations will be part of a staff meeting or district professional development day. 

     

    1116(e)(4) Shall coordinate and integrate parental

    involvement Programs and  activities with other Federal,  State, and local Programs,  including public preschool  Programs, and conduct other  activities, such as parent

    resource centers, that 

    encourage and support parents  in more fully participating in  the education of their children.

    Coordination with other Programs for parental involvement  includes:

    • We coordinate GSRP and tuition based preschool programs with Kindergarten programing
    • C.A.R.E. is a resource for parents and students in need of social/emotional support
    • Coordination with Arab American and Chaldean Council for interpreters and assimilation into American culture
    • Macomb Christian Church donates backpacks and school supplies
    • Volunteer mentor readers
    • Assisting parents with local and state resources
    • Adult education at the district level is available
    • Classroom volunteers
    • Field trips
    • PTO events volunteer
    • Guest readers
    • Science Olympiad supported by parent coaches
    • ATG student showcase night attended by parents

     

    1116(e)(5) Shall ensure  information is shared with  parents in a language and  format they can understand.

    Information is shared with parents in a language and format  they can understand. Examples include:

    • Interpreters available for parent/teacher conferences
    • Handouts are made available in multiple languages
    • Acronyms are spelled out and explained
    • Academic language and information is explained at conferences
    • Language line translation service is available
    • Teachers use apps to provide translation service

     

    Gray Area - Recommended Best Practice, but Not Required

    1116(e)(6) May involve  parents in the development of  training for teachers,  

    principals, and other educators

     

     

     

    ESSA Section

    Ways in Which School Staff Accomplish These Activities

    to improve the effectiveness of  such training.

     

    1116(e)(7) May provide  necessary literacy training  from funds received under this  part if the LEA has exhausted all other reasonably-available  sources of funding for such  training.

     

    1116(e)(8) May pay  

    reasonable and necessary  expenses associated with local  parental involvement  

    activities, including  

    transportation and childcare  costs, to enable parents to  participate in school-related  meetings and training  

    sessions.

     

    1116(e)(9) May train parents  to enhance the involvement of  other parents.

     

    1116(e)(10) May arrange  school meetings at a variety of  times, or conduct in-home  conferences between teachers  or other educators, who work  directly with participating  children, with parents who are  unable to attend such  

    conferences at school, in order  to maximize parental  

    involvement and participation.

     

    1116(e)(11) May adopt and  implement model approaches  to improving parental  

    involvement.

     

    1116(e)(12) May establish a  districtwide parent advisory  council to provide advice on all  matters related to parental  involvement in Programs  supported under this Section.

     

    1116(e)(13) May develop  appropriate roles for  

    community-based  

    organizations and businesses  in parental involvement  

    activities.

     

     

    ESSA Section

    Ways in Which School Staff Accomplish These Activities

    1116(e)(14) Shall provide  other reasonable support for  parental involvement activities  as parents may request.

    Parents are provided with other reasonable support such as:

    How does the school collect this information?

    Schwarzkoff Elementary makes every effort to accommodate parent requests to ensure that students and parents’ individual needs are met to foster parent involvement.  Requests can be made directly to the building administrator for consideration.  The Schwarzkoff volunteer group meets with the principal once per month.  Parents are able to make requests about various activities to building administration.  This group meets to collaborate on ways to involve parents in the school.  Parents are regularly invited to participate for activities through virtual sign-ups. 

    1116(f) Shall provide full  opportunities for participation  of parents with limited English  proficiency, parents with  disabilities, and parents of  migratory children.

    Staff provide opportunities for full parent participation:

     

    Parents with limited English proficiency:  Communication is provided through the use of translators or the language line as needed.  Handouts are available in multiple languages.   

     

    Parents with disabilities:  Our building is ADA compliant for those with physical disabilities.  We utilize the services of the Macomb ISD to assist parents who may have hearing or visual impairments.  This includes hiring a deaf interpreter to attend Schwarzkoff volunteer group meetings to assist a deaf parent.  Every effort will be made to provide large print or braille when needed.

     

    Parents with migratory children:  We will meet with the family to discuss the transition and offer ways to support their child during the absence.  Academic resources will be made available for parents to take with them to help their children.  When the children return, a meeting will be held to help make the transition back to the school easier.  We will bring the family up to date on school activities, reassess the child if necessary, and provide necessary services.