Parent and Family Engagement Policy

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    ROOSEVELT MIDDLE SCHOOL

     PARENT and FAMILY ENGAGEMENT POLICY 2021-22

     

     

     

    Mission Statement

    Roosevelt Middle School’s belief is that all parents make a difference in their child’s life.  We believe that our “parents are partners” in supporting their child’s academic success.  They play a continuing and vital role in a child’s education during the middle school years.  An integrated and coordinated parent involvement program is planned, monitored, and evaluated to ensure a thriving family-school-community partnership.

     

    Goals

    1. To maintain an open, friendly, and helpful school climate for parents and community members.
    2. To maintain ongoing, clear, two-way communication with all our parents
    3. To promote Roosevelt’s philosophy of a thriving family-school-community partnership.
    4. To invite parents to be collaborators and problem solvers in the educational process.
    5. To engage parents to be advisors and decision-makers at Parent Teacher Student Association (PTSA), School Site Council (SSC) and English Language Advisory Council (ELAC) meetings.
    6. To provide ongoing support for parents through activities, parent education sessions, visitations, conferences, etc.
    7. To recruit parents actively, then select and assign them appropriately to roles that fit their interests and abilities.
    8. To encourage parents to monitor Parent Connect Portals.
    9. To provide frequent/ongoing opportunities for evaluation and feedback from parents/community members.

     

    Strategies and Plans

    1. Help parents develop parenting skills and foster conditions at home that support children’s efforts in learning.            

    1. Provide access to school counselors and Healthy Start Support Services
    2. Provide information in Roosevelt’s Sunday News that highlights parent activities and provides information on how to support children at home.
    3. Offer workshops, materials, special guest speakers, and articles.
    4. Encourage participation in Back to School and Open House.
    5. Make parents aware of district and school parent training sessions.
    6. Monthly Workshops are provided by the district Parent Academy, geared toward topics to help the whole child and the necessary strategies for successful parenting skills.
    7. Invite Parents to District English Learner Advisory Committee (DELAC) and ELAC at Roosevelt Middle School.
    8. Referral of various clinics for family or individual therapy from school counselors, including Didi Hirsch and Pacific Clinics.
    9. Offer of ACTION Program. This is a support group for parents and teens.
    10. Monthly ‘Coffee with the Principal’ meetings provide on-going communication and support.
    11. Building Stronger Families: Referral of vital interventional program through the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.

     

    2. Provide parents with knowledge of techniques designed to assist children in learning at home.

    1. Provide classes/workshops in the core content areas.
    2. Provide parent-teacher/parent-counselor conferences. Each teacher has a conference period designated for ongoing parent communication.
    3. Send Roosevelt’s Sunday Evening Call and email Roosevelt Weekly News, informing parents of upcoming events for the week.
    4. Monthly ‘Coffee with the Principal’ meetings provide on-going communication and support.
    5. Monthly Workshops are provided by the district Parent Academy, geared toward topics to help the whole child and the necessary strategies for successful parenting skills.
    6. Invite Parents to ELAC/DELAC meetings, held several times a year.
    7. Roosevelt Interns provide strategies and techniques designed for students and parents on how to be successful at home and at school.

     

    3. Provide access to and coordinate community and support services for children and families.

    1. Provide daily translated support services.   
    2. Referrals and conferences                                
    3. Student Success Team meets to identify and support any students who may need extra support and services.       
    4. Academic Counselors to connect families with local support services such as Didi Hirsch and Pacific Clinics.
    5. Roosevelt Interns provide strategies and techniques designed for students and parents on how to be successful at home and at school.

     

    4. Promote two-way, clear communication between the school and family as to the school programs and children’s progress.          

    1. Progress and quarterly report cards are regularly    checked online.
    2. Counselor-Parent conferences are arranged as needed.  
    3. Teacher-Parent conferences are ongoing as needed.       
    4. Weekly phone calls are made to the school community regarding upcoming events and schedules.
    5. Parents are invited to all school programs and given the opportunity to join their child’s Google Classrooms.                            
    6. A Teacher Specialist leads SSC meetings no less than four times each year.
    7. A Student Planner is given to each student on the first day of school to promote ongoing communication between parents and teachers.
    8. A yearly parent/school survey gathers parent satisfaction information.
    9. Weekly translated Sunday night calls/emails weekly provide ongoing communication.
    10. Social Media Accounts such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Peach Jar and regularly posted and updated.
    11. All teachers/administrators/counselors have district email addresses to support ongoing communication.
    12. Parents are invited to DELAC and ELAC meetings several times a year.
    13. Our Parents Teacher Student Association maintains a strong connection between our families and the school community.
    14. The Roosevelt Middle School website updated constantly to notify families of upcoming events, school and district opportunities, and changes to our events.
    15. Parent Portal used to keep parents informed of student’s grades and progress.

      

    5. Involve parents in appropriate instructional and support roles at the school.

    1. Guest speakers/business partners are invited into classrooms.
    2. Recognition of parent volunteers at 8th Grade Promotion.
    3. Parents receive invitations in the 3 major languages of our school (English, Spanish, and Armenian) to all school extra- curricular activities.
    4. Monthly Workshops by the district Parent Academy, geared towards topics to help the whole child and the necessary strategies for successful parenting skills.
    5. Parents are encouraged to check the GUSD Parent Portal regularly.
    6. SSC meetings take place up to four times a year. These include instructional support strategies for all students.
    7. Parents are encouraged to attend Open House and Back to School Night.

     

    6. Support parents as decision makers and develop their leadership, governance, advisory and advocacy roles.

    1. Parents are members of the PTSA and SSC, the latter of which includes parent representatives from ELAC.
    2. SSC plans, monitors, and evaluates school improvement efforts.                                                         
    3. Parent representatives serve on District’s LCAP and DELAC councils
    4. Parents are leaders and members of the PTSA, SSC and ELAC.
    5. Parents are annually surveyed as to needs and effectiveness of current programs serving English Language Learners.
    6. Parents are recruited to speak during Roosevelt “Roadshow’ presentations to elementary schools.

     

    7. Parents of Specialized Populations

    A. EL Students

    Parents are invited to ELAC meetings. Bilingual staff is available for parents on a daily basis as well as the Bilingual Parent-Community resource aide/liaison.  All notices, letters, articles are sent home in Spanish and Armenian and all parent meetings have bilingual translators.

    B. Special Education

    Parents are part of their child’s Individualized Educational Program process and triennials.  Bilingual translators are always available.  Special Education advisors meet with parents to monitor and adjust a student’s program.  Parents are invited to workshops as well as participation on any of the school councils/committees.  There are monthly District SELPA meetings.

    C. Title One

    There is an annual Title One meeting held during the first quarter to give information about the Title One program, requirements, services and budget.  Promotion of parent involvement is one way of increasing student achievement.  The Roosevelt’s Sunday News specifically addresses Title One student needs and parent participation. A Parent Handbook and Instructional Calendar is posted on the Roosevelt website.

     

    School – Parent – Student Compacts

    In order to carry out Roosevelt’s mission statement and be in compliance with Title One regulations, we have created a School-Parent-Student compact.  It was developed by a committee of teachers and parents and reviewed and updated by the School Site Council each year.  It is a three-way contract that outlines the 1) school’s responsibility in providing a high-quality curriculum and instruction, 2) the parent’s role, responsibilities and requirements and 3) the student’s responsibility for achievement.  The compact lists specific requirements.  All three parties sign the compact yearly, and one copy is kept on file in the school office.

    Student Planners

    Every school year, the School Site Council has approved the purchase of a Student Planner whereby students can write down homework assignments, long/short term projects, tests and quizzes.  There is a place for parent-teacher communication.  It has consistently proved to be an effective tool for ongoing communication between school and parents about daily student work.  This year, the school created a digital version for student use.

     

    Parent Involvement Record

    Sign-in sheets and agendas are kept for parent involvement meetings and workshops and Back-to-School and Open House events, as well as SSC, ELAC and Coffee with the Principal meetings. 

     

    Coordination

    The school staff coordinates and supports Parent Involvement by providing workshops, Back-to-School and Open House nights, etc.

     

    Evaluation

    Yearly surveys provide us with parental input.  Results are shared with the School Site Council and with either subcommittees or departments for determining school improvement needs. Parents are encouraged to share ideas or concerns at monthly Coffee with the Principal meetings.

     

    Formal Complaint Procedure

    All parents receive notification of the District’s Uniform Complaint Procedures. These are posted in every room across the school and are translated into the major languages of the school.