School Level Parent and Family Engagement

1. Involve parents and family members in the planning, review and improvement of the school's Parent and Family Engagement Policy:
   1. Input will be gathered during the May MPSA (Middle Paxton School Association) meeting, where families review and offer feedback on the engagement policy and compact.
   2. An annual family survey is distributed at the end of the school year. Results are shared through the Family Flyer and during MPSA meetings.
2. Hold an annual meeting to inform family members of their school’s participation as a Title I school; and To explain the requirements and the rights of family members to be involved.
   1. This meeting is held at Open House, with a Title I presentation delivered by school staff. Handouts and digital materials are also provided for families who cannot attend in person.
   2. Other events include:
      1. Kindergarten Orientation
      2. New Student Orientation
      3. MPSA Meetings
      4. Parent/Teacher Conferences
3. Offer meetings in the morning and/or the evening:
   1. Families are welcome to schedule meetings with the principal, teachers, or Title I staff throughout the school day and in the evening to accommodate various work schedules.
   2. MPSA meetings are held the 1st Wednesday of each month at 7:00 PM in the Middle Paxton Elementary library.  During these meetings, the principal/staff share and discuss information with families specific to Middle Paxton Elementary to include initiatives, family events, staff training and survey results.
   3. Parent/Teacher conferences are scheduled twice a year with the classroom teachers and other staff as necessary.  Parent/Teacher conferences can be scheduled during or after school on other days based on family availability and phone/virtual conferences are also honored as requested.
4. Include families regularly in planning, reviewing, and improving the Title I program and family engagement activities at the school.
   1. MPSA meetings serve as a space for families to learn about Title I programming, volunteer opportunities, and schoolwide activities.  The MPSA meets the first Wednesday of each month.
   2. Volunteer information and support are available at school events and through communication from school administration.
5. Provide family members with information about the Title I program:
   1. Information is shared through Blackboard messages, email, printed flyers, school website updates, district approved apps, and the bi-monthly Family Flyer newsletter.
   2. Title I information is shared with all families at Kindergarten and New Student Orientation as well as Open House.
   3. Translation services are provided when needed.
6. Provide family members with an explanation of the curriculum in use at the school, the forms of academic assessments used to measure student progress, and the achievement levels of the state academic standards:
   1. Teachers share this information during Open House, Parent-Teacher Conferences, and via classroom newsletters.
   2. State assessment, benchmark data, and diagnostic assessments are reviewed with families.
   3. A curriculum overview is available on the Central Dauphin School District website.
7. Provide opportunities for meetings, when requested by families, to offer input in decision-making related to their student’s education, and ensure all suggestions are appropriately addressed. 
   1. Families can request meetings with teachers or administration. Suggestions will be accepted via surveys, email, and open forums. 
8. Involve family members in the joint development of the Schoolwide Program Plan in accordance with federal law. [Note: applies only to Title I schools operating a Schoolwide Program]:
   1. The compact will be reviewed at the Title I family meetings and distributed in the fall of the school year.
   2. Feedback is collected through the end-of-year Title I survey and discussed at the end of the year MPSA Meeting in May.
9.  Create a school-parent and family compact developed jointly with parents and family members outlining how parents and family members, the entire school staff, and students will share in the responsibility for improved student academic achievement and the means by which the school and the parents and family members will build and develop partnerships to help children achieve the state's academic standards. The compact shall: . 
   1. Describe the school's responsibility to provide high-quality curriculum and instruction in a supportive and effective learning environment that enables children in Title I programs to meet the state academic standards, and the ways in which each parent and family member will be responsible for supporting their children's learning; volunteering in their child's classroom; and participating, as appropriate, in decisions relating to the education of their children and positive use of extracurricular time and address the importance of communication between teachers and parents and family members on an ongoing basis through, at a minimum:
      1. Teacher conferences with families , at least annually, during which the compact shall be discussed as the compact related to the individual student’s achievement.
      2. Frequent reports to families on their children’s progress
      3. Reasonable access to staff, opportunities to volunteer and participate in their child’s class, and observation of classroom activities
      4. Ensuring regular two-way communication between families and school staff, in a language that families can understand. 
10. Provide assistance to family members in understanding the state academic standards, state and local academic assessments, how to monitor a student’s progress, and how to work with teachers to improve achievement:
    1. Family workshops and learning nights offer support in understanding academic expectations.
    2. Data letters and benchmark summaries are provided to help families track their student’s progress.
11. Offer instructional resources and training opportunities to equip family members with strategies to support their student’s academic success and strengthen family engagement. 
    1. Family engagement events focusing on reading, math, and behavior.
    2. A Family Resource Area.
12. Educate school staff on the importance of family involvement. Train staff to connect, communicate, and partner with families, run effective family programs, and build strong relationships between home and school.
    1. Professional development sessions for staff will be provided, guided by family feedback from surveys and MPSA discussions.
    2. Teachers are encouraged to maintain consistent communication with families.
13. Coordinate family member involvement programs and activities with other federal, state, and local programs including public preschool programs, and conduct activities that encourage and support family members to participate in the education of their students: 
    1. Middle Paxton participates in district-wide transition events for incoming Kindergarten and outgoing Grade 5 students.
    2. Families will be invited to participate in training sessions with professionals if available.
14. Ensure that information related to school and family member programs, meetings, and activities is sent in a format and language the family members can understand:
    1. Communications are translated into families’ preferred languages using Google Translate, district interpreters, or contracted services.
    2. Communication sent by the building principal can be translated in the family's home language.
    3. Printed materials are made available to families who request it.
15. Provide opportunities for participation including family members who have limited English proficiency, disabilities, and those belonging to migratory communities.
    1. All school events are inclusive, with accessibility accommodations as needed.
    2. Translations and supports are available for families needing interpretation, visual aids, or mobility access.
16. Ensure distribution of the policy to all family members with a student participating in a Title I program.
    1. The Title I policy and compact are distributed at Open House, school newsletter, and posted on the Middle Paxton website.
    2. The “Parent’s Right to Know” letter is distributed at Open House and emailed to families via the school newsletter.

Delegation of Responsibility