For the 2024-2025 school year

PART I-SCHOOL PARENT & FAMILY ENGAGEMENT POLICY/PLAN REQUIRED COMPONENTS

A. Truitt Intermediate will jointly develop/revise with parents the school Parent and Family Engagement policy/procedures and distribute it to parents of participating children and make available the Parent and Family Engagement policy/procedures to the local community.

Our School Actions:

   Truitt Intermediate administration and staff will communicate with families by providing the following:

1. Involve parents in the development, revision, and review of the Parent and Family Engagement Policy/Plan by soliciting volunteers to be a part of the advisory board.

2. Utilize feedback collected from surveys to ensure parental areas of concern are heard and addressed.

3. Make the plan available to the school family and community in a timely manner by-

   1. posting the annually updated information on the school website

   2. using Thrillshare software  (mass texting, website, and social media)

   3. hard copies are also available in the main office and security desk

   4. school compact sent home to all families on the first day of school on the website and a paper flyer

   5. school compact also made available to newly enrolled families on the website and a paper flyer

B. Convene an annual meeting, at a convenient time, to which all parents of participating children shall be invited and encouraged to attend, to inform parents of their school’s participation under this part and to explain the requirements of this part, and the right of the parents to be involved.

Our School Actions:

Truitt Intermediate administration and staff will communicate with families by providing the following:

1. Truitt Intermediate will hold an annual meeting at the beginning of the school year. 

   1. During the meeting parents and students will be shown a detailed slide show presentation that includes the Title I video.  

   2. Title I pamphlets were also distributed to families during the event.  Families will be introduced to the PFE plan and the expectations that will be carried out throughout the school year.  

2. Specific dates and times event was held:

   1. Meeting was held on Thursday, September 12 at 6 p.m. for all grade levels in the school's gymnasium. 

   2. The one session was held so it would not interfere with the other annual meeting for feeder schools.  

C. If unable to attend the scheduled  meetings, Truitt will offer flexible meetings, such as in the morning or evening, and provide, with funds provided under this part, transportation, child care, or home visits, as such services related to Parent and Family Engagement.

Our School Actions:

Truitt Intermediate will offer flexible meeting dates and times in an effort to be more inclusive and increase attendance rates during these meetings.

1. Meetings will be made available to parents and families-before, after, and during school  hours enabling more parents an opportunity to meet/participate in school activities.

2. Parents will have the opportunity to participate in PFE events on teacher workdays during the school day 

3. Saturday during the day may be offered to meet/participate in PFE activities

4. In-person, virtually, and via phone calls to offer parents a wide variety of times/methods to confer/meet

5. Childcare services and transportation can be offered for families who are in need so they can attend PFE events 

D. Involve parents, in an organized, ongoing, and timely way, in the planning, review, and improvement of the school plan under Section 1112, schoolwide under Section 1114, and the process of the school review and improvement under Section 1116.

Our School Actions:

-Truitt Intermediate will involve parents/families by ensuring they are provided organized, ongoing and timely information by doing the following:

1. Providing flyers, emails, text messaging, updated information on school’s website in order to keep parents informed of resources, meetings, and PFE events

2. Inviting families to PTA meetings/events where PFE information can be shared

-Truitt will involve parents/families in planning, review, and improvement of Title I programs by doing the following:

3. Inviting them to the Title I Annual Meeting and providing Title I pamphlets to families

4. Providing opportunities for parents/families to participate in PFE that will be held in the building 

5. Sharing academic data, attendance information, and PFE on the school website

6. Families can access their student’s academic and attendance information at any time via Synergy ParentVue

E. Implement an effective means of outreach to parents of English learners, in a language the parents can understand, to inform them regarding how they can—

1. Be involved in the education of their children

2. Be active participants in assisting their children to—

   1. attain English proficiency;

   2. achieve at high levels within a well-rounded education; and

   3. meet the challenging State academic standards expected of all students

Our School Actions:

Truitt Intermediate administration and staff will communicate with families by providing the following:

1. Attempts to communicate with families using several forms of communication (flyers, texts, phone calls, email, Thrillshare Live Feed)  in their native language are initiated. (Thrillshare software has a built-in translation feature.)

2. Utilize social media as a platform to communicate

3. Involve ELL teacher, school social worker, and school counselor when communicating with ELL families

4. Use the language line when appropriate

5. Utilize the FACE family welcome center at feeder middle school with spanish speaking staff member when appropriate 

F. Provide parents of participating children with multiple methods of communication in regards to student progress— 

Our School Actions:

Truitt will ensure the responsibility of improved  student  academic  achievement  is shared by  parents, the entire school staff, and students when addressing  the importance of school-parent  communication. 

Some two-way communication  strategies could be any of the following-

1. timely information about  programs under this part;

2. a description  and explanation  of the curriculum  in use at the school, the forms of academic  assessment used to measure  student progress,  and the proficiency  levels students are expected  to meet;

3. if requested by parents, opportunities  for regular  meetings to formulate  suggestions  and to participate, as appropriate, in decisions relating to the education of their children, and respond to any such suggestions as soon as practically possible. 

4. Parent-teacher  conferences

5. Weekly Thursday communication  folders sent home to all families, including  calendars, event invitations, assessment information, field trip information, etc. )

6. Progress reports/report cards 

7. Phone calls/text messages

8. Email/school’s website 

G. If a schoolwide program plan is not satisfactory to the parents of participating children, submit any parent comments on the plan when the school makes the plan available to the district.  Parents will have the opportunity to submit concerns about the plan once made available.  Those comments will then be reviewed by the advisory committee. 

PART II - REQUIRED SHARED RESPONSIBILITIES FOR HIGH STUDENT ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT

As a component of the school-level  Parent and Family Engagement policy, each school shall jointly develop  with parents for all children served under this part, a school-parent compact that outlines how parents, the entire school staff, and students will share the responsibility for improved student academic achievement.

• Conduct  a parent/teacher  conference  in elementary schools, annually (at a minimum), during which the compact shall be discussed  as the compact relates to the individual  child’s achievement.

• Provide frequent  reports to parents on their child’s progress.

• Provide parents with reasonable  access to staff, opportunities  to volunteer  and participate in their child’s education  such as chaperoning  field trips, assisting with award events, etc.

• Ensuring  regular  two-way, meaningful  communication  between family members  and school staff, and, to the extent  practicable, in a language  that family members can understand.

Our School Actions:

Truitt will ensure the responsibility of improved student academic achievement is shared by parents,  the entire  school staff, and students when addressing the importance of school-parent  communication by-

1. Scheduling Parent/Teacher conferences on days identified by Chesapeake Public Schools and as needed

2. Distributing  progress reports at least four times a year by the classroom teachers (these are available electronically on ParentVue)

3. Distributing report cards four times a year by the classroom teacher (these are available electronically on ParentVue). 

4. Sharing reports regarding student progress will be done  through  phone calls and/or  written communication.

PART III - BUILDING CAPACITY FOR PARENTS AND STAFF – REQUIREMENTS FOR ENGAGEMENT

To ensure effective involvement of parents and to support a partnership among the school involved, parents, and the community to improve student academic achievement, each school and district must:

A. Assist parents in understanding the challenging  State academic standards,  how to monitor a child's progress, and work with educators.

Our School Actions:

1. Provide state assessment  results and the impact  these results have on the school during the annual Title I meeting.  

2. Teachers will communicate directly with families regarding their child’s progress.

B.  Provide materials and training to help parents to work with their children, such as literacy training and using technology  (including education  about  the harms of copyright  piracy).

Our School Actions:

1. During the Title I annual meeting, families were provided resources  in regards to district sponsored webinars by the Office of Family and Community Engagement, pamphlets regarding attendance, and the Chesapeake  Resource  Guide (English and Spanish)

2. During literacy night, parents are provided information and resources  about  improving  their student’s literacy, SOL assessment  preparation,  hands-on  science activities, and an opportunity to participate in the book fair

3. Literacy Night is scheduled  for March 2025

C. Provide professional  development  to teachers, specialized  instructional  personnel, and other staff on the value of parent  and their communities  to increase academic  achievement.

Our School Actions:

1. Teachers  have been tasked to make contact with families on a weekly basis

2. Teachers  reached  out to families the first week of school to introduce  themselves

3. Monthly Comprehensive School Improvement Plan(CSIP) review meeting touch on attendance,  academics,  and behavior 

4. Content  supervisors  provide regular professional  development  during professional  learning communities  (PLCs) and faculty meetings

5. This assists with building  rapport  with families to ensure better academic  outcomes 

D. Coordinate and integrate parent engagement  programs and activities with other Federal, State, and local programs, including  public preschool  programs, and conduct  other activities, such as parent  resource  centers (OSMS), that encourage  and support  parent  engagement.

Our School Actions:

Truitt Intermediate School will coordinate  and integrate parent engagement  programs/activities  using-

1. Social media that connects  to parents

2. Parent-teacher  conferences

3. Family Nights (Open House, Title 1 annual meeting, music programs,  Literacy Night, basketball  games, Feeder school activities)

4. Literacy Night March 2025

5. Volunteer  opportunities

6. Moving up to 3rd Grade event for families from our feeder school

7. Military-connected family activities

8. Academic  Awards  program at the end of the school year  

E. Ensure that information related to school and parent programs, meetings, and other activities is sent to the parents. of participating children in a format and, to the extent practicable, in a language the parents can understand.

Our School Actions:

1. Truitt Intermediate will ensure that school-related information is formatted in a practicable manner in an understandable language when communicating with parents. This can be done by utilizing Thrillshare to communicate in a variety of formats including:

   • Emails

   • Weekly Phone Calls

   • Social Media

   • Website updates

   • Text messaging

   • Live Feed

2. Truitt will utilize Language Line services when needed.

The following are allowable activities:

1. May involve parents in the development  of training for teachers, principals, and other educators to improve the effectiveness of such training.

2. May provide necessary literacy training from funds received under this part if the district has exhausted all other reasonably available sources of funding for such training. Conference opportunities are provided to teachers, reading specialist and administration. (ie. Literacy Nights-provided make and takes implementations)

3. May pay reasonable  and necessary  expenses  associated with local Parent and Family Engagement activities, including  transportation and childcare  costs, to enable parents to participate in school-related  meetings and training sessions.  (i.e. Provide child-care for PFE Events-if needed) 

4. May train parents to enhance the involvement of other parents.  Inviting Adult Ed to Literacy event specifically to assist parents with their own educational needs. Inform parents of opportunities for family literacy experiences including basic adult education, GED, and ESL classes that are offered in the community.  

5. 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 Parent and Family Engagement and participation.  Make home visits when appropriate–administrators,   social worker, and school counselor reach out to families when needed 

6. May adopt and implement model approaches to improving Parent and Family Engagement. (List actions)

7. May establish a district parent advisory council to provide advice on all matters related to Parent and Family Engagement in programs supported under this section. CPS does provide Title 1 families with the opportunity to participate and apply to be a part of the district’s parent advisory council. (DPAC)

8. May develop appropriate roles for community-based organizations and businesses in Parent and Family Engagement activities. Local churches, community organizations, businesses and other community partners make donations to provide supplies, snacks, toy drives, bikes, backpacks, monetary donations, and volunteer times to assist with Parent Family Events.   Southeast Foodbank provides weekly meals to over 50 families. 

PART IV - ACCESSIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

In carrying out the parent and family engagement requirements of this part, local educational agencies and schools, to the extent practicable, shall provide opportunities for the informed participation of parents and family members (including parents and family members who have limited English proficiency, parents and family members with disabilities, and parents and family members of migratory children), including providing information and school reports required under section 1111 in a format and, to the extent practicable, in a language such parents understand. 

1. Truitt Intermediate will utilize Thrillshare to communicate in a variety of formats including:

• Emails

• Weekly Phone Calls

• Social Media 

• Website updates

• Text messaging

• Live Feed

2. Communications will be made available to parents in their preferred language

3. Hold events that best fit families schedules (virtually, nightly, during the school day and Saturday during the day)

PART V - ADOPTION 

– This Truitt Intermediate Parent and Family Engagement Policy/Procedures have been developed/revised jointly with, and agreed upon with, parents of children participating in Title I program, as evidenced by meeting minutes.

The Parent and Family Engagement Policy/Procedures were developed/revised by Truitt Intermediate on 11/01/2024 and will be in effect for the period of 2024-2025 school year.. The school will distribute these Parent and Family Engagement Policy/Procedures to all parents of participating Title I children and make it available to the community on or before 11/01/2024.