North Side Elementary School

American families have always shown remarkable resiliency, or flexible adjustment to natural, economic, and social challenges. Their strengths resemble the elasticity of a spider web, a gull's skillful flow with the wind, the regenerating power of perennial grasses, the cooperation of an ant colony, and the persistence of a stream carving canyon rocks. These are not the strengths of fixed monuments but living organisms. This resilience is not measured by wealth, muscle or efficiency but by creativity, unity, and hope. Cultivating these family strengths is critical to a thriving human community.

- Ben Silliman, Family Life Specialist with the University of Wyoming's Cooperative Extension Service

NORTH SIDE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL FAMILY ENGAGEMENT PLAN

Recognizing that there is a direct correlation in student success and positive family involvement and in keeping with the vision of Johnson City Schools to establish and maintain effective family engagement throughout its system, the stakeholders of North Side Elementary submit this document as a testament to our commitment to Family Engagement at North Side Elementary School.

• Increase and improve the level of family involvement in our students’ education

Component 1: North Side is committed to involving families in policy development.

• North Side’s Title 1 Federal Programs will be discussed at two after school events each school year.

• Parents are given the opportunity to review the home/school compact before it is distributed school wide to the stakeholders on-line at www.jcschools.org/northside .

• Parents will have an opportunity to discuss and provide input though our monthly PTA meetings

• Parents and stakeholders in the community will have the opportunity to provide input through regularly conducted surveys.

• North Side has adopted the signature school concept of Math, Science, and Technology.

Component 2: North Side Family Engagement plan included technical assistance and planning support for effective family engagement.

• Parents are encouraged to attend a family engagement activity each month at which time families read together, take AR tests, play math games, use instructional technology, perform science experiments, and fellowship with other families and school staff.

• Title I will provide information regarding federal programs throughout the school year.

• The North Side News, a quarterly publication, will be sent home to inform parents of the various activities at each grade level, in special classes, and in the overall school program.

• A copy of our school's Family Engagement Plan is linked to our school's web site and will be updated periodically as needs change.

• Parents will be able to view the school's and the district's report card via a link from the North Side Elementary School web site.

• North Side will provide program information through a monthly calendar, fliers and phone calls. Email and the school website will also be used for communication.

Component 3: North Side's Family Engagement Plan supports clearly articulated goals for extent and type of family engagement.

• North Side has planned a variety of activities to engage all parents in their children's education in one or more of the following categories:

• Parenting – Family Reading Nights, Family Math Nights, Family Movie Night, Valentines Banquet,Breakfast Club, Family Feast, Parent Writing Workshop, Science Fair Workshop, Parent/Teacher Conferences.

• Communicating – Newsletter, Teacher Updates, Open House, Web-site, individual teacher web sites

• Volunteering – After School Clubs, 2nd Edition, PTA, family engagement nights, special events

• Decision making – School Improvement Team Representatives, PTA, Focus Group Meetings, Parent Surveys.

• Collaborating with the Community – Milligan College, ETSU Mentor Program, Coalition for Kids, Boys and Girls Club, Girls Inc., Science Hill High School, Girl Friends, Boys to Men, the Family Resource Center and the ETSU / NSF Grant Partnership.

• Sign-in sheets and other forms of documentation will be kept on file at North Side and reviewed periodically to assess parent participation on the aforementioned areas.

Component 4: The Family Engagement Plan provides for an evaluation process to promote continuous improvement of the engagement of all families.

• Parents will be able to make comments and suggestions about North Side's level of parent involvement. All comments will be made to Johnson City Schools which will submit them to the State Department of Education.

• North Side will conduct a parent survey every two years to gauge parent participation, needs and interest.

• Faculty and staff representatives will examine the results to measure the effectiveness of the plan and to insure input for modifications and adjustments.

• North Side's School Improvement Plan will indicate percentage of anticipated growth each year in family engagement activities.

Component 5: The Family Engagement Plan requires family engagement at all school sites.

• North Side will review its Family Engagement Plan each year and make revisions as deemed necessary by the interest and needs of its families.

• The needs of parent and community stakeholders will be assessed through a bi-annual survey.

Component 6: The Family Engagement Plan includes procedures for parents to access and understand course of study or curricular material as well as Federal, State and Local standards.

• The North Side web site will contain a link to the Tennessee State Department of Education where the state curriculum for each grade level and subject area can be accessed.

• North Side will provide a hard copy of the state curriculum for each grade level and each subject area.

• Parents will have access to system and school-wide information via a literature carousel in the main lobby of our school.

Component 7: The Family Engagement Plan encourages the support of district involvement in positive parenting skills.

• North Side parents will be encouraged to attend parenting workshops through the Johnson City Schools Resource Center.

• An after school tutorial program will be offered at North Side. Parents are welcome to attend the program with their child.

• Parents will receive phone calls to confirm student absences and to encourage better student attendance. A letter will be sent home once a student has accrued five unexcused absences.

· Positive attendance incentives will be developed including: Friday giveaways for Perfect Attendance, class rewards, field trips, individual awards and school wide attendance incentives.

• Students will receive perfect attendance recognitions at the end of each nine weeks during our Awards Day Celebrations. Classes with the highest percentage of students present each nine weeks will receive additional incentives.

• Families will receive an invitation to attend an Award Day Celebration at the end of each nine weeks to recognize the accomplishments of their children in the areas of Attendance, Academic Achievement, and Lifelong Guidelines.

Component 8: The Family Engagement Plan incorporates family involvement in decision making and governance.

• North Side will have a minimum of one parent and one community member serving as members of the School Improvement Team.

· North Side faculty and staff will be represented at all district-wide family engagement and staff development activities.

Component 9: The Family Engagement Plan supports professional development to build the capacity for Family Engagement.

• Professional development directed clearly at understanding, communicating, and assisting our families to be successful include: Ruby Payne Poverty Workshops, Lifelong Guidelines, and QUIA interactive teacher websites, professional library resources, and appropriate discipline procedures.

Component 10: The Family Engagement Plan specifies budget and funding for family engagement.

• North Side will allocate Title I Funds to implement family engagement activities.

• Our school's budget will reflect a commitment to the effective development, implementation and evaluation of Family Engagement Programs including, but not limited to the following:

• Parent/Student orientation meetings for Pre-K, K and an Open House meeting for all other grade levels.

· A minimum of one meaningful before / after school Family Engagement Activity per month.


1000 North Roan Street Johnson City, TN 37601 (423)434-5249 Fax(423)434-5295
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Family Engagement
	American families have always shown remarkable resiliency, or flexible adjustment to natural, economic, and social challenges. Their strengths resemble the elasticity of a spider web, a gull's skillful flow with the wind, the regenerating power of perennial grasses, the cooperation of an ant colony, and the persistence of a stream carving canyon rocks. These are not the strengths of fixed monuments but living organisms. This resilience is not measured by wealth, muscle or efficiency but by creativity, unity, and hope. Cultivating these family strengths is critical to a thriving human community. - Ben Silliman, Family Life Specialist with the University of Wyoming's Cooperative Extension Service NORTH SIDE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL FAMILY ENGAGEMENT PLAN Recognizing that there is a direct correlation in student success and positive family involvement and in keeping with the vision of Johnson City Schools to establish and maintain effective family engagement throughout its system, the stakeholders of North Side Elementary submit this document as a testament to our commitment to Family Engagement at North Side Elementary School. Purpose: The North Side Family Engagement Plan was developed to: • Identify activities to promote family engagement • Provide a menu of opportunities to meet a variety of needs and interests • Promote positive home/school/community relations • Increase and improve the level of family involvement in our students’ education Plan: Component 1: North Side is committed to involving families in policy development. • North Side’s Title 1 Federal Programs will be discussed at two after school events each school year. • Parents are given the opportunity to review the home/school compact before it is distributed school wide to the stakeholders on-line at www.jcschools.org/northside . • Parents will have an opportunity to discuss and provide input though our monthly PTA meetings • Parents will be represented on North Side's School Improvement Team • Parents and stakeholders in the community will have the opportunity to provide input through regularly conducted surveys. • North Side has adopted the signature school concept of Math, Science, and Technology. Component 2: North Side Family Engagement plan included technical assistance and planning support for effective family engagement. • Parents are encouraged to attend a family engagement activity each month at which time families read together, take AR tests, play math games, use instructional technology, perform science experiments, and fellowship with other families and school staff. • Title I will provide information regarding federal programs throughout the school year. • The North Side News, a quarterly publication, will be sent home to inform parents of the various activities at each grade level, in special classes, and in the overall school program. • A copy of our school's Family Engagement Plan is linked to our school's web site and will be updated periodically as needs change. • Parents will be able to view the school's and the district's report card via a link from the North Side Elementary School web site. • North Side will provide program information through a monthly calendar, fliers and phone calls. Email and the school website will also be used for communication. Component 3: North Side's Family Engagement Plan supports clearly articulated goals for extent and type of family engagement. • North Side has planned a variety of activities to engage all parents in their children's education in one or more of the following categories: • Parenting – Family Reading Nights, Family Math Nights, Family Movie Night, Valentines Banquet,Breakfast Club, Family Feast, Parent Writing Workshop, Science Fair Workshop, Parent/Teacher Conferences. • Communicating – Newsletter, Teacher Updates, Open House, Web-site, individual teacher web sites • Volunteering – After School Clubs, 2nd Edition, PTA, family engagement nights, special events • Learning at home – Family Projects, RIF, Trade Books. • Decision making – School Improvement Team Representatives, PTA, Focus Group Meetings, Parent Surveys. • Collaborating with the Community – Milligan College, ETSU Mentor Program, Coalition for Kids, Boys and Girls Club, Girls Inc., Science Hill High School, Girl Friends, Boys to Men, the Family Resource Center and the ETSU / NSF Grant Partnership. • Sign-in sheets and other forms of documentation will be kept on file at North Side and reviewed periodically to assess parent participation on the aforementioned areas. Component 4: The Family Engagement Plan provides for an evaluation process to promote continuous improvement of the engagement of all families. • Parents will be able to make comments and suggestions about North Side's level of parent involvement. All comments will be made to Johnson City Schools which will submit them to the State Department of Education. • North Side will conduct a parent survey every two years to gauge parent participation, needs and interest. • Faculty and staff representatives will examine the results to measure the effectiveness of the plan and to insure input for modifications and adjustments. • North Side's School Improvement Plan will indicate percentage of anticipated growth each year in family engagement activities. Component 5: The Family Engagement Plan requires family engagement at all school sites. • North Side will review its Family Engagement Plan each year and make revisions as deemed necessary by the interest and needs of its families. • The needs of parent and community stakeholders will be assessed through a bi-annual survey. • Goals for improvement will be based on the results of the survey. Component 6: The Family Engagement Plan includes procedures for parents to access and understand course of study or curricular material as well as Federal, State and Local standards. • The North Side web site will contain a link to the Tennessee State Department of Education where the state curriculum for each grade level and subject area can be accessed. • North Side will provide a hard copy of the state curriculum for each grade level and each subject area. • Parents will have access to system and school-wide information via a literature carousel in the main lobby of our school. Component 7: The Family Engagement Plan encourages the support of district involvement in positive parenting skills. • North Side parents will be encouraged to attend parenting workshops through the Johnson City Schools Resource Center. • An after school tutorial program will be offered at North Side. Parents are welcome to attend the program with their child. • Parents will receive phone calls to confirm student absences and to encourage better student attendance. A letter will be sent home once a student has accrued five unexcused absences. · Positive attendance incentives will be developed including: Friday giveaways for Perfect Attendance, class rewards, field trips, individual awards and school wide attendance incentives. • Students will receive perfect attendance recognitions at the end of each nine weeks during our Awards Day Celebrations. Classes with the highest percentage of students present each nine weeks will receive additional incentives. • Families will receive an invitation to attend an Award Day Celebration at the end of each nine weeks to recognize the accomplishments of their children in the areas of Attendance, Academic Achievement, and Lifelong Guidelines. Component 8: The Family Engagement Plan incorporates family involvement in decision making and governance. • North Side will have a minimum of one parent and one community member serving as members of the School Improvement Team. • North Side PTA will plan events to enhance the overall school climate. · North Side faculty and staff will be represented at all district-wide family engagement and staff development activities. Component 9: The Family Engagement Plan supports professional development to build the capacity for Family Engagement. • Professional development directed clearly at understanding, communicating, and assisting our families to be successful include: Ruby Payne Poverty Workshops, Lifelong Guidelines, and QUIA interactive teacher websites, professional library resources, and appropriate discipline procedures. Component 10: The Family Engagement Plan specifies budget and funding for family engagement. • North Side will allocate Title I Funds to implement family engagement activities. ***$2,600 for the 2009-2010 School Year • Our school's budget will reflect a commitment to the effective development, implementation and evaluation of Family Engagement Programs including, but not limited to the following: • North Side News – a quarterly publication. • Staff Development • Parent/Student orientation meetings for Pre-K, K and an Open House meeting for all other grade levels. · A minimum of one meaningful before / after school Family Engagement Activity per month. · A minimum of one meaningful parent / teacher conference per year.

1000 North Roan Street Johnson City, TN 37601 (423)434-5249 Fax(423)434-5295

Family Engagement

NORTH SIDE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL FAMILY ENGAGEMENT PLAN