Rice Creek School

Grades 3-8

Family Engagement Policy and

Plan for Shared Student Success

2019-2020 School Year

School Mission:

To Foster CLASS

Community

Learning

Achievement and

Success for all

Stakeholders

Rice Creek School

100 Mulberry Avenue

Port Wentworth, Ga 31407

912-395-4100

Revised 4/10/19

What is Title I?

Rice Creek School is identified as a Title I school as part of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA).

Title I is designed to support State and local school reform efforts tied to challenging state academic

standards in reinforce and enhance efforts to improve teaching and learning for students. Title I

programs must be based on effective means of improving student achievement and include

strategies to support family engagement. All Title I schools must jointly develop with all families a

written family engagement policy.

School Policy for Shared Student Achievement What is it?

This is a policy that describes how Rice Creek School will provide opportunities to improve family

engagement to support student learning. Rice Creek School values the contributions and

engagement of families to establish an equal partnership for the common goal of improving student

achievement. This policy describes the different ways that Rice Creek School will support family

engagement and how families can help plan and participate in activities and events to promote

student learning at school and at home.

How is it revised?

Rice Creek School invites all families to attend our annual Family Forums held in March (last Family

Forum held 3/12-19) to review and revise this family engagement policy, as well as the schoolwide

plan, our family parent—school compacts, training staff, and make decisions regarding the 1% funds

allocated for family engagement activities. Additionally, family input and comments regarding this

plan are welcome during the school year through surveys and feedback forms offered during

meetings and activities throughout the school year. The plan is posted on our school Web site for

families to view and submit feedback throughout the year. All family feedback received during the

year will be used to revise the Schoolwide Plan for the next school year. We also distribute an

annual Family Engagement survey online and sent home with students to ask families for their

suggestions on the plan and the use of the 1% funds allocated for family engagement. The Rice

Creek School principal will submit to the district Title I office via email any comments of parents who

feel the school improvement plan is not satisfactory.

Who is it for?

All students at Rice Creek School participate in the Title I, Part A program, and all Rice Creek School

families, are encouraged and invited to fully participate in the opportunities described in this policy.

Rice Creek School will provide full opportunity for the participation of families with limited English,

families with disabilities and the families of migratory children.

Where is it available?

At the beginning of the year, the policy is sent home with all students. The policy will also be posted

on the school Web site and distributed at the Annual Title I Meeting in the fall. Families can also

retrieve a copy of the policy in the Family Resource Center.

SCCPSS District Goals

STRATEGIC GOAL 3: To maximize family and community engagement that contributes to the advancement of student success

School Goals

Increase the combined number of students in grades 3-8 scoring at the Proficient Level (3) in ELA by an overall 5%

Increase the combined number of students in grades 3-8 scoring at the Proficient Level (3) in the Math section of the GMAS by an overall 5%

Increase the number of SPED students scoring at the Developing (2) level on the Reading and Math sections of the GMAS by 3% and increase the number of SPED students scoring at the Proficient Level (3) on the Reading and Math sections of the GMAS by 3%

Rice Creek School’s Commitment

Rice Creek is committed to improving student achievement through the utilization of our district’s Balanced Literacy and Eureka Math curriculum. Our staff will provide strategies for families along with grade level resources to support learning at home. Additionally, Rice Creek will provide training opportunities in technology including educating our families on copyright piracy laws.

Rice Creek families will be provided resources and opportu-nities to learn about the Georgia Standards of Excellence, supporting academic success, how to partner with the teacher for academic success, and our GMAS and MAP assessments. We will ensure that families learn about their child’s assessment results and how to interpret the scores. These resources will be provided through brochures, meetings, and on our website.

Curriculum & Assessment

Terms and Descriptions

Eureka Math - Eureka Math was created by a team of teachers and mathematicians who were careful to provide instruction in a logical progression from Pre-Kindergarten through 12th Grade. Eureka Math connects math to the real world in ways that take the fear out of math and build student confidence. This curriculum dramatically reduces gaps in student learning, builds persistence in problem solving, and prepares students to understand advances mathematics.

Balanced Literacy (Grades 3-5) - Balanced Literacy is an opportunity for teachers and students to use high-interest, engaging books to practice the Georgia English Language Arts Standards of Excellence in reading and writing. Balanced Literacy program assures that students get the maximum amount of time with eyes on the page and pen in hand.

GMAS (Georgia Milestones Assessment System) - GMAS is a comprehensive summative assess-ment program spanning grades 3 through high school given towards the end of every school year. Georgia Milestones measures how well students have learned the knowledge and skills outlined in the state-adopted content standards in English Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies.

MAP (Measures of Academic Progress) - MAP Reading and Math are computerized adaptive district assessments that allow teachers to see their students as individuals—each with their own base of knowledge. As the student responds to questions, the test responds to the student, adjusting up or down in difficulty. SCCPSS students in grades K-8 participate in MAP.

Family Engagement Standards

Rice Creek School and our families have adopted the National PTA Standards for Family-School

Partnerships as the school’s model in engaging families, students, and the community. These

standards are:

1. Welcoming All Families

2. Communicating Effectively

3. Supporting Student Success

4. Speaking Up for Every Child

5. Sharing Power

6. Collaborating with Community

Family Resource Center

Come visit the Family Resource Center to check out books, study materials, and

activities to use at home with your child. Computers are available for families to

explore Parent Access and educational resources.

Family Resource Center Hours

Monday-Wednesday-Friday

8:00 am– 12:00 pm

Tuesday– Thursday

12:30– 3:00 pm

Room 1821

Rice Creek School is On the Move!

Rice Creek School will take the following measures to promote and support families

as an important foundation of the school in order to strengthen the school and reach

our school goals. We will:

Ensure that all information related to school and parent programs, meetings, and

other activities is sent home in a family-friendly language, posted on the school

Web site, and included in the weekly announcements for all parents.

Provide quarterly trainings for staff, with the assistance of parents, in the value and

utility of contributions of families, in how to reach out to, communicate with, and

work with families as equal partners. Trainings will also include how to implement

and coordinate family programs and build ties between home and school.

Coordinate with Beacon volunteers, English Language Learning Program,

Homeless Liaison, Migrant, Neglected, and Delinquent Programs, college and

career resources, school family resource center, and other agencies as

appropriate.

Partner with Port Wentworth Elementary and local high schools to help prepare

families and their children for 3rd grade and high school to improve school

transition from 2nd grade to 3rd grade and from middle school to high school.

Share information in English and Spanish on the school website for families to help

with understanding the school’s academic standards and assessments as well as

the ways families can monitor their child’s progress and work with educators.

Work with our families to develop relevant trainings and helpful presentations to

educate our staff on the importance of family engagement.

Provide necessary materials and handouts for families at conferences, meetings,

and activities to help families work with their children to improve their children’s

achievement.

Collect feedback from families at all events and post suggestion form on the school

website in order to respond to families’ requests for additional support for family

engagement activities.

Let’s Get Together!

Rice Creek School will host a wide variety of events and meetings (held at various

times to allow family attendance) to build the capacity for strong families to support a

partnership among the school, families, and the community to improve student

academic achievement.

Family meetings and workshops will be offered at multiple times and on multiple days.

Notice to families will be provided two weeks in advance by flyer, on school Web site,

and on weekly announcements. The meetings/workshops will address educating

families about the following topics and initiatives:

Open House—August

Meet your child’s teacher and our friendly and helpful school staff.

Annual Title I Meeting—September (held two times to allow family

attendance)

We invite you to learn and share about the requirements of Title I, the schools

participation, and families rights to be involved. The Annual meeting will provide

information about our family engagement policy, schoolwide plan, the parent/family

-school compacts, family engagement budget and parents’ requirements.

Parent Conferences - After each report card

Scheduled updates on your child’s progress, assessment results, and

interpretation of those results. Family school compacts will be discussed during

at least one conference time.

Testing and Assessment Meetings (MAP test, GMAS) - Various times during

the school year to support academic success

Academic Nights: Math—Eureka Math (Fall), Literacy-Balanced Literacy

(Winter), Science (Spring)

English Language Learner academic strategies—during academic nights

Family Forum—March

A forum for parent to participate in roundtable discussions with the principal and

staff regarding the schoolwide plan, family engagement policy, family/parent-school

compacts, family engagement budget, and staff training in family engagement.

Rice Creek School will provide any other meetings that are requested by

parents/families (to address family needs)—various times during the school

year as requested

So How Can I Become Engaged at Rice Creek School?

Operation Beacon (Volunteer Program)

Rice Creek coordinates services with the district’s Beacon Volunteer Program. If

interested in becoming a volunteer, go to sccpss.com and click on Operation Beacon

on the bottom of the page to register.

Family/Parent—School Compacts

As part of this policy, Rice Creek School and our families will jointly develop a Family/

Parent—School Compact, which is an agreement/partnership that families, school

staff, and students. It explains how families, school staff, and students will share

responsibility to make sure all our students improve academic achievement and

achieve state academic standards. The compacts will be reviewed and updated

annually based on feedback from families, students, and teachers during our Family

Forum meetings. The Family/Parent-School Compact is kept in the Family Resource

Center if parents need a copy.

Family Engagement

Rice Creek believes that family engagement means the participation of families in

regular two-way, and meaningful communication involving student academic learning

and other school activities, including ensuring:

That families play an integral role in assisting their child’s learning.

That families are encouraged to be actively involved in their child’s education at

school.

That families are full partners in their child’s education and are included, as

appropriate, in decision-making and on advisory committees to assist in the

education of their child.

The carrying out of other activities as described in this plan.

School Council

___Yes, I am interested and wish to join the School Council

___Please contact me so I can learn more joining the School Council

___Please send me notifications about future meetings and updates

Name: _________________________________

Child’s Name:____________________________

Child’s Grade Level: __________

Address: ________________________________

Phone Number: __________________________

Email address: ___________________________

Share Your Thoughts

We want to hear from you. If you have any suggestions or if there is any part of this plan

that you feel is not satisfactory with the students’ and the school’s goals for academic

achievement, please provide us with your comments in the space provided and leave this

form in the Main Office:

Name: (optional) _________________________

Telephone Number: (optional)_______________

Comments:__________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

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