Dandridge Elementary School will take the following actions to involve families in an organized, ongoing, and timely manner in the planning, review, and improvement of Title 1 programs, including opportunities for regular meetings, if requested by families, to formulate suggestions and to participate, as appropriate, in decisions relating to the education of the child and respond to any such suggestions as soon as practicably possible. This has been fulfilled by taking parent suggestions, parent review of the policy, and request for ideas throughout the year. The plan has been made available to parents, families, and the community at afterschool events, at conferences with parents, on the DES website, and by request.

Dandridge Elementary School will take the following actions to conduct an annual meeting, at a convenient time, and encourage and invite all families of participating children to attend to inform them about the school's Title 1 program, the nature of the Title 1 program, the families' requirements, the School, Parent, and Family Engagement policy, the schoolwide plan, and the school-parent compact.

Dandridge Elementary School will take the following actions to provide families of participating children the following:

• Timely information about the Title 1 programs

• Flexible number of meetings, if necessary

• Information related to the school and parent programs, meetings, and other

  activities, is sent to the families of participating children in an understandable and uniform format, including alternative formats upon request and, to the extent practicable, in a language the families can understand.

  The Dandridge Elementary School Parent and Family Engagement Plan supports these beliefs in the following ways:

• The student handbook is updated annually and is posted on our website. The student handbook outlines rules, procedures, and communication information. Parents and students are asked to sign and return the shortened school/parent/student compact each year. The full document will be available upon request.

• An all-school phone notification system is used to leave messages on a parent or guardian’s phone.

• All classroom teachers send home weekly newsletters.

• Some teachers and parents/families use daily planners or communication folders

  between home and school depending on the grade level of the student.

• Pre-Kindergarten (Pre-K) home visits are conducted through collaboration with

  our Family Resource Center once a year as a Pre-K initiative.

• Parents and families are given timely reports on progress with report cards every

  nine weeks and progress reports between report cards in compliance with the

  Jefferson County Schools calendar.

• Our website can be found at des.jc-tn.net. This site contains all faculty email

  addresses, articles highlighting school activities, and photographs taken during

  school and after-school functions.

• The Green Sheet, our school-wide weekly newsletter is sent home with a weekly

  lunch menu and reminders of up-coming events and opportunities. The newsletter will be received electronically at some point during this school year. Until then, it will be a hard copy.

• Dandridge Elementary School maintains a Facebook page and an Instagram account in order to share information about our school.

Dandridge Elementary School will take the following actions to jointly develop with families of participating children a School-Parent Compact that outlines how families, the entire school staff, and students will share the responsibility for improved student academic achievement and how school families will build and develop a partnership to help children achieve the state's high standards. This will be done through discussion with parents and families and by their review of the document.

This compact outlines how the school staff, parents, families, and students at Dandridge Elementary School will share the responsibility for improved student academic achievement and how the school, parents, and families will build and develop a partnership that will help children achieve Tennessee’s high standards.  In compliance with parent involvement laws and regulations, parents and families will be asked to sign and return the shortened form of this compact.  This more descriptive form will be placed on our website for reference at des.jc-tn.net and is available at our front desk.        As staff and faculty, we will:

• Provide high-quality curriculum and instruction in a supportive and effective learning               environment in order for students to meet academic achievement standards.

• All teachers at Dandridge Elementary are highly qualified.
• Teachers participate in on-going professional development.
• Grade level teachers work weekly in collaborative teams both school and district based.
• Intervention is provided in math and reading based on student needs.

• Hold parent teacher conferences in both the fall and spring semesters.

• Parent teacher conferences will be scheduled in advance.
• The school calendar will reflect the parent teacher conference dates.

Teachers will send home information on scheduling their parent teacher conferences.

• Give families timely reports on student progress.

• Report cards are given every nine weeks along with mid-terms between each nine-week reporting period.
• Teachers send home information which may include schedules, daily behavior, and homework expectations.

• Be accessible to parents and families by responding to their questions and concerns in a timely manner.

• Parents and families can contact teachers by email, phone, note, classroom messaging or in person by making an appointment.
• Teachers are available to return phone calls or meet with parents and families during their planning times.  All teachers have a planning time daily.

 

• Provide parents with opportunities to participate in their child’s class and/or classroom   activities.

• Volunteer training is available to parents throughout the year upon request.
• Volunteers are utilized during special school events such as book fairs, parties, and in other ways according to teacher request.
• Parents are encouraged to attend field trips with their child’s class.
• Parents have the opportunity to eat lunch with their child at school.                                               

 

• Set and enforce firm and fair safety, discipline, and drug/alcohol policies.
• Safety measures are in place and updated annually.
• Students are educated on classroom rules and procedures.
• Teachers use a behavior system with students.
• Office and bus referral forms are utilized by school staff.
• Provide a safe and caring environment conducive to learning.                                                         Students are treated respectfully.
• School rules are outlined in the student handbook.
• Various schedules are in place.

As parents and families, we will:

• Send children to school on time, appropriately dressed, and prepared to learn.

• Consult the handbook on questions involving the dress code.

• Monitor and supervise progress and completion of homework and offer assistance when            needed.

• Read at home together or encourage your child to read at least 20 minutes a day.

• Some teachers require students to keep a reading log.

• Make an effort to attend school functions, including parent teacher conferences.  Show support to teachers at Dandridge Elementary.

• Review and sign report cards.

• Send a note, email, call, message, or make an appointment with the teacher or administration if                          concerns arise.

• Support the school efforts to maintain good discipline and a safe environment.

As a student of Dandridge Elementary, I will:

• Attend school regularly, ready to learn, and with any homework completed.

• Talk to my family about problems and progress in school.

• Seek assistance from teachers when there are problems with schoolwork.

• Follow the discipline, safety, and all other school policies.

• Treat adults and other students with fairness and respect.

• Try my best to be successful and productive in learning.

Dandridge Elementary School will take the following actions to involve the families of children served in Title 1, Part A schools in decisions about how the one percent of Title 1, Part A funds reserved for parent and family engagement are used:

• Reading Nights and Evening of the Arts are regularly scheduled events at Dandridge Elementary School that parents and families are invited to attend with their child/children. Resources are provided using funds provided by Title 1, Part A funds. These are traditional events that are supported extremely well by parents and families. Discussions with parents and families regarding the effectiveness of these programs are helpful. Feedback is sought and given on an ongoing basis.

• Intervention Night is an event for the purpose of explaining interventions, the graphs used, and how to help students at home. The use of various resources is explained and some of those resources are given to families to use with students at home.

0. Dandridge Elementary School will, to the extent feasible and appropriate, coordinate and integrate parent and family engagement programs and activities with other federal, state, and local programs, including public preschool programs, and conduct other activities, that encourage and support families in more fully participating in the education of their children. Some ways we do this is by providing various content-oriented evening programs for parents and students, weekend food bags for students, free sealants to students through a state program, upon receipt of grant money provide a Summer Learning Camp for struggling students, and share school supplies with needy students received from various local churches and other stakeholders.

Dandridge Elementary School will provide training to educate teachers, specialized instructional support personnel, principals, other school leaders and staff, with the assistance of families in the value and utility of contributions of families, and in how to reach out to, communicate with and work with families as equal partners, implement and coordinate parent programs, and build ties between families and the school. This is accomplished by utilizing the strengths of our counselors, ESL teacher, RTI2B Team, and families to help families in need. PLCs and other meetings are often the venue for discussions. Administration is also involved in ongoing conversations with parents, families, and school staff to help to increase student achievement and assist in other areas of life as needed.

Dandridge Elementary School will provide other reasonable support for parent and family engagement activities under Section 1116 as families may request. During a non-COVID 19 time:

• Volunteers are used in a variety of ways such as but not limited to: one-on-one and small group tutoring, other classroom assistance, and social activities.

• Grade level musical performances are scheduled throughout the year.

• Dandridge Elementary School holds an Open House at the beginning of each year in

  order for students, parents, and families to meet and greet faculty. The annual Title 1 meeting is held at Open House. This meeting will provide parents and families with school standards, assessments, requirements, and rights of families to be involved.

• Parent-Teacher Conferences are held in the fall and spring and any other time as requested by parent and/or teacher.

• Opportunities exist for parents and families to review the Tennessee State Standards for grades K-5 electronically on the county web site at http://jc-tn.net. Parents and families are encouraged to familiarize themselves with grade specific curriculum, standards, and student textbooks each year during Open House.

• Parents are encouraged to attend events involving their children.

• PTO members are at after-school events to distribute information to parents and

  families.

• Meetings/events are held at various times to provide an opportunity for parent and

  family participation.

• Parents and families are invited to join the PTO at the beginning of the school year. This organization works with school personnel to support on-going programs in the school.

0. Opportunities for parents and families to participate in the decision-making process of Dandridge Elementary School:

• A parent and family representative will serve on a committee that will, among other things, be asked to examine the allocation of selected school resources.

• Parents and families are encouraged to contact teachers and administrators with comments and concerns about Dandridge Elementary School. We believe that the education and well-being of our students is our primary concern. Success in these areas is best achieved through a partnership with students, parents and families, teachers, administration, and the community.

Opportunities for parents and families to participate in the decision-making process of Dandridge Elementary School:

· Parents and families are invited to join the PTO at the beginning of the school year. This organization works with school personnel to support on-going programs in the school.

· A parent and family representative will serve on a committee that will, among other things, be asked to examine the allocation of selected school resources.

· Parents and families are encouraged to contact teachers and administrators with comments and concerns about Dandridge Elementary School. We believe that the education and well-being of our students is our primary concern. Success in these areas is best achieved through a partnership with students, parents and families, teachers, administration, and the community.