Parent Involvement Policy

Parents Are Partners at Shwab Elementary

Parental involvement is critical to the educational success of children. Parents are important influences in helping their children achieve high academic standards. When schools, families, and community groups work together to support learning, children are more successful, and schools improve. You, as parents, are partners in your child’s education and are encouraged to be actively involved.

How parental involvement is employed at Shwab Elementary.

• All parents are invited and encouraged to attend the Annual Meeting, Title I information sessions, PTO meetings, Parent-Teacher conferences and parent training workshops throughout the year. Gatherings will be scheduled at various times and at various sites. Written communication and verbal communication will be provided in an understandable format and language. Translators will be provided as needed. The school will build capacity by coordinating with Title 3 EL services when needed.
• All parents will have the opportunity to volunteer within the school and school community. Parents and community stakeholders will identify and provide resources and services to strengthen the Shwab Elementary School program.
• All parents will be invited to jointly develop and edit this parent involvement policy, the school compact, school handbook, and other written documents along with school staff and community stakeholders through the input of parent surveys, discussion groups, electronic communication and suggestion box comments. All parents also be invited to assist in the planning, revising, implementing and funding of the School Improvement Plan (SIP) as it is developed, implemented, revised and evaluated.
• All parents will be provided numerous opportunities to engage in meaningful two-way communication and influence decision-making policy with school and district staff regarding all phases of school and or district improvement through a three-tier communication network (Parent Teacher Organization, Maplewood Cluster Parent Advisory Meetings, and the District Parent Advisory Council.)
• All parents will be provided numerous opportunities to improve parenting skills and skills in supporting student learning through workshops, community programs and advisory groups. Suggested topics addressed will include, applying reading and math skills, homework, common core training, state performance standards, rezoning and school choice opportunities. Parents will also be given the opportunity to participate in community-based adult education programs. Title I funds may be used to fund these programs as well as provide transportation, childcare and materials for these events.
• All parents will have the opportunity to be involved in their child’s transition from one grade level to the next by participating in parent orientation meetings, grade level trainings, and school related visits.
• All parents will receive report card and mid nine-week progress reports as well as state and benchmark assessments when applicable. Other methods of monitoring student progress will include, but not be limited to: home visits, telephone logs, daily agendas, informal and formal parent-teacher-counselor conferences, monthly newsletters, call outs and frequent school wide parent trainings.