Williams Elementary School & Title 1

"Working Together to Achieve Quality Success for All"

The Williams Elementary School Title 1 planning team is comprised of people who have a specific interest in the Title 1 program. These stakeholders include, but are not limited to: teachers, administrators, instructional assistants, Title 1 parents & students.

The role of the Title 1 Planning Team is:

• To review the effectiveness of the Title 1 program and use those findings to design the following year's Title 1 plan.

• Review the Ttle 1 Parental involvement policy and make any necessary revisions.

• Identify barriers to greater participation by parents in activities sponsored by Title 1 and formulate ways to eliminate those barriers.

The Title 1 planning committee will determine at least two goals for the up-coming school year to be implemented to the extent possible.

Instructional Paraprofessional standards:

Title 1 highly qualified instructional paraprofessional must meet the requirements established in the "No Child Left Behind" Legislation to be considered for a position in the program.

• Each Title 1 instructional paraprofessional receives several hours of professional development, attends workshops and conferences throughout the year to use researched best practices.

• The role of the Title 1 instructional paraprofessional is to strengthen concepts taught by the classroom teacher as well as practice higher order thinking skills. The district goal is for 82% of ALL students to achieve mastery of grade level core curriculum skills as stated by our Board of Education.

Highly qualified paraprofessionals currently working in our school wide

Title 1 program at Williams Elementary include:

• Alicia Baker

• Clara Bernklau

• Diane Cooley

• Kathy Kelley

• Linda Lowe

• Laura Slovacek

• Sue Smith

• Laurel Spencer

• Robin Thompson

Parent Involvement Policy Implementation

Research indicates that parent involvement has multiple benefits for students and schools. Student benefits can include improved grades and test scores, better attendance, higher rates of homework completion, more positive attitudes towards school, less disciplinary actions, higher graduation rates and increased post-secondary enrollment. School benefits can include improved teacher morale, better ratings of teachers by parents, improved community perceptions and positive changes in student achievement.

With this in mind, Williams Elementary School implements the parent involvement activities outlined in Jonesville’s School Board Policy #2112 as the main focus of our school’s policy.

Williams Elementary School supports parental involvement as both a valuable resource and ally in teaching and learning for our students. We consider parents/guardians essential partners in the educational and psycho-social develoment of their children.

The building principal will act as the key liason for parent involvement. The building principal will provide leadership for the development and implementation of a parent involvement plan. Parent involvement may include both school and home activities. The parent involvement plan will include specific attention to obstacles, which preclude parent/guardian participation with intended remedies.

Recognizing that parents are their child’s first teachers, we believe that parent involvement in our school is not limited to, but includes:

Instilling an appreciation for the value of a sound education and a sense of individual responsibility for learning and achievement.

Emphasizing the importance of daily attendance, attention in class, completion of all assignments and compliance with rules of conduct.

Preparing the child for school by building positive home conditions that support learning and appropriate behaviors.

Volunteering for and attending school-related activities, functions and events, including parent-teacher conferences and helping at school at your convenience.

Serving on school-based committees and assisting in decision-making roles.

In order to facilitate a collaborative partnership, Williams Elementary School’s staff and administration are committed to:

Involving parents, students, and community members in advisory groups and committees at the school level.

Maintaining an on-going effort to provide parents, students, and the community with information about our school.

Establishing effective two-way communication with all families, respecting their diversity and various needs.

Providing multiple ways in which parents, students, and community volunteers can support our schools and contribute to our students’ education and well being.

Developing strategies and learning experiences to enable parents to participate in their children’s education.

Providing support and coordination to implement and sustain appropriate parent involvement through their child’s attendance in our school and participation in our programs.

Utilizing the school to connect students and families with community resources that provide educational enrichment and support.

Coordinating the services and resources from other programs to maximize support to the parents and students.

Annually evaluating the effectiveness fo parent involvement strategies to identify and address barriers to participation and to use the results to redesign the strategies for maximum participation.

To provide parents with opportunities for participation in our Title 1 program and services, the school and administration will:

Convene an annual meeting to explain the Title 1 program and to inform parents of their right to be involved in the program.

Involve parents in the planning, implementation, and review of the school’s Title 1 program and parent involvement plan as appropriate.

Provide information about the Title 1 program and describe curricula, student assessments, and proficiency levels inn a language that parents can understand.

Provide parents with opportunities to submit dissenting views about the school’s Title 1 program and parent involvement policies and practices.

Offer a flexible schedule of meetings.

Provide support /training to parents to build their capacity to be more involved in their child’s education and to be able to help their child’s learning at home.

Providing support /training to build the staff’s capacity to effectively involve parents.

Create collaborative school-parent-student agreements (compacts) which outline

the responsibilities of the school, the parent and the student for a true partnership

for improved student academic achievement.

When necessary, accommodate parents with disabilities, parents who are limited English proficient and parents of migratory children so that they can become more involved.