Sweetwater Primary School
Parent Involvement Plan
The following Family and Community Engagement Plan is based upon the concept that families have a major influence on their children’s achievement in school and through life. As a result of this influence, positive results with student achievement occur when schools, families, and community groups work together to support learning. The focus of the plan is to build trusting, collaborative relationships among teachers, families, and community members. It also recognizes, respects, and addresses families’ needs, as well as class and cultural differences. Every school in the district has received a copy of the plan and incorporates the standards as part of its own parent involvement plans.
The faculty and staff at Sweetwater Primary School (SPS) are determined to communicate and involve parents and all stakeholders to better serve our students. Education should be the shared responsibility of students, teachers, parents, and the community. Together we can make a difference. SPS will attempt to increase family and community involvement by taking the steps listed below.
Goal Statement: Welcome, encourage, and maintain effective relationships between school and community.
Standard 1: Welcoming all families into the school community---Families are active participants in the life of the school, and feel welcomed, valued, and connected to each other, to school staff, and to what students are learning and doing in class and school.
Action Plan:
Standard 2: Communicating effectively---Families and school staff engage in regular, meaningful communication about student learning.
Action Plan:
Standard 3: Supporting student success---Families and school staff continuously work together to support students’ learning and healthy development both at home and at school, and have regular opportunities to strengthen their knowledge and skills to do so effectively.
Action Plan:
Standard 4: Speaking up for every child---Families are informed and enabled to be advocates for their own and other children, to ensure that students are treated fairly and have access to learning opportunities that will support their success.
Action Plan:
Standard 5: Sharing power – Families and school staff are equal partners with equal representation in decisions that affect students and families and together inform, influence, and create policies, practices, and programs.
Action Plan:
Standard 6: Collaborating with community---Families and school staff work together with community members to connect students, families, and staff to expand learning opportunities, community services, and civic participation.
Action Plan:
Parent Involvement Plan
The following Family and Community Engagement Plan is based upon the concept that families have a major influence on their children’s achievement in school and through life. As a result of this influence, positive results with student achievement occur when schools, families, and community groups work together to support learning. The focus of the plan is to build trusting, collaborative relationships among teachers, families, and community members. It also recognizes, respects, and addresses families’ needs, as well as class and cultural differences. Every school in the district has received a copy of the plan and incorporates the standards as part of its own parent involvement plans.
The faculty and staff at Sweetwater Primary School (SPS) are determined to communicate and involve parents and all stakeholders to better serve our students. Education should be the shared responsibility of students, teachers, parents, and the community. Together we can make a difference. SPS will attempt to increase family and community involvement by taking the steps listed below.
Goal Statement: Welcome, encourage, and maintain effective relationships between school and community.
Standard 1: Welcoming all families into the school community---Families are active participants in the life of the school, and feel welcomed, valued, and connected to each other, to school staff, and to what students are learning and doing in class and school.
Action Plan:
- The school will sponsor a PTO.
- Volunteers will be solicited for school needs.
- Notes, phone calls, and personal invitations to solicit help will be made.
- A plethora of opportunities to participate will be held such as field day, book fair, field trips, assessing students, school pictures, kindergarten lunch training, Christmas Parade, etc.
- Grandparent week will be observed by preschool through 2nd.
- The school will hold a school-wide awards day at the end of the school year.
- Open House
- Parent Training Night
Standard 2: Communicating effectively---Families and school staff engage in regular, meaningful communication about student learning.
Action Plan:
- A monthly calendar will be sent to all parents and employees to provide information about upcoming events and an overview of what is happening at SPS.
- Parents will receive information from their child’s Pre-K and Kindergarten teacher prior to the first day of school, and all other students and parents will be invited to a school-wide open house to meet their teachers.
- Open House will be held to inform parents about school procedures, curriculum, and the proficiency levels students are expected to meet.
- A school website is provided.
- A student handbook will be provided that explains school policies and procedures, along with a school year calendar, and other pertinent information.
- Parent/Teacher conferences will be held two times a year.
- Notes will be sent home, or phone calls made to address specific student needs or school activities.
- Teachers will initiate ongoing communication with parents.
- PTO will sponsor a family event that will be opened up to parents and the community.
- All faculty and staff’s e-mail is available on SPS website.
- Parent Academic Training night will be offered to teach parents strategies and techniques in working with their child.
Standard 3: Supporting student success---Families and school staff continuously work together to support students’ learning and healthy development both at home and at school, and have regular opportunities to strengthen their knowledge and skills to do so effectively.
Action Plan:
- Websites will be provided with educational information.
- Family Reading Nights
- A Parent Resource Center is provided for parents to check out resources and materials.
- Before school tutoring is available to students with academic needs in both reading, math, and ELL
- Our library is open before school for morning Accelerated Reading. Students receive help from the Librarian/Media Specialist.
- Parents are encouraged to schedule time to volunteer to help in classrooms.
- A monthly newsletter is sent with parenting tips and ideas for parents to use at home to foster learning.
- The guidance counselor teaches character lessons and provides material related to character education.
Standard 4: Speaking up for every child---Families are informed and enabled to be advocates for their own and other children, to ensure that students are treated fairly and have access to learning opportunities that will support their success.
Action Plan:
- Parents and community members complete yearly surveys.
- Parents will serve on the School Improvement Team for collaborative decision-making.
- Parents are invited to volunteer or observe their child’s classroom.
- Parents are invited and encouraged to contact the school at any time to schedule a conference with any staff member.
- Parents can request to have their child meet with the school counselor if needed.
- Parents are informed and students monitored closely to make sure appropriate interventions occur as needed.
- Federal Programs and Special Education offer informational meetings for parents.
Standard 5: Sharing power – Families and school staff are equal partners with equal representation in decisions that affect students and families and together inform, influence, and create policies, practices, and programs.
Action Plan:
- The school wide Parent Compact will be reviewed and updated annually with input from parents, staff and administration.
- Parents serve on our Parent Advisory Council
- Parents complete surveys and Sweetwater Primary School addresses areas of need.
- Parents are strongly encouraged to participate in the Parent Teacher Organization.
Standard 6: Collaborating with community---Families and school staff work together with community members to connect students, families, and staff to expand learning opportunities, community services, and civic participation.
Action Plan:
- The guidance counselor works with parents to connect them to outside agencies for family counseling.
- School based therapist meets with students and parents concerning emotional and social well being.
- Lion’s Club screens all preschool and 5 year students, and also assists need families with eyeglasses.
- Civic organizations are permitted to send flyers home with students announcing community events or opportunities.
- Health Department provides dental screening and services.
- Sweetwater Valley Citizens for the Arts sponsor assemblies for students (plays, petting zoo, storytellers, musicians, etc.)
- A trained instructional assistant provides vision and hearing screenings.
- A School Health Coordinator, nurse, and P.E. instructor conduct BMI (Body Mass Index) screenings.
- The ELL teacher is available to translate for Hispanic students and parents as needed.
- Local field trips are permitted to make students aware of agencies in our town (fire department, post office, public library).
- Sweetwater Police Department finger prints each kindergarten student each year for Ident-A-Kid.
- Faculty attends a variety of community events.
