Hamilton Elementary School
Family School Policy 2023-2024
Vision:
The entire school staff and students of Hamilton Elementary will share the responsibility for academic achievement and the means by which the school and parents will build and develop a partnership that will help empower all learners.
Purpose:
Hamilton Elementary School acknowledges that families and schools have vital roles in ensuring that a child's development and education is a shared partnership that requires a collaborative effort. Each partner has the responsibility to be knowledgeable and to foster a climate of respect and cooperation for the benefit of all students.
Definitions:
Parent/Guardian: A person who is legally responsible for the child's welfare.
School: Hamilton is one of seven elementary schools in the Carlisle Area School District.
Engagement: Shall be defined as an ongoing two-way dialogue between parent/guardian and the school.
Family School Partnership:
Although parents/guardians may be diverse in culture, language, resources and needs, all share the school's commitment to the educational success of their children. Hamilton Elementary School recognizes its responsibility to help eliminate barriers that impede family involvement and to create an environment supportive of comprehensive family involvement programs that have been developed in collaboration with parents/guardians. Therefore, this policy shall establish programs and practices that reflect the specific resources and needs of Hamilton Elementary School and their families.
Title 1 Requirements:
Hamilton Elementary School shall incorporate Title 1, Part A parent involvement requirements into this policy, programs and practices and ensure that all parent/guardians are informed about the opportunity and expectation to participate in regular, two-way and meaningful communication involving student academic learning and other school activities. The district shall ensure that parents/guardians are full partners in their child's education and are included, as appropriate, in decision-making, recommending allocation of resources and on advisory committees to assist in the education of their child, and that of all the students in the school.
Expectations:
Parents/guardians and family members shall actively participate in development of school board policies, strategic planning processes, school improvement plans, and family involvement activities.
Family/School Partnerships (PTO) shall emphasize a strengths-based perspective that builds resiliency factors, and serves to leverage the resources and assets of family members, schools and communities to address needs and improve learning and achievement opportunities for all children.
- Parents will be invited to become engaged in the PTO for the school and be given information about the dates and times for the PTO meetings.
- Parents will receive notification of the annual Title 1 meeting to discuss the Title 1 program and to explain the requirements of the program and their right to be involved.
- Parent meetings, including parent conferences, will be held at different times during the day to accommodate as many parents' schedules as possible.
- Title 1 parent involvement funds will be distributed to Hamilton Elementary School each year; to pay reasonable and necessary expenses associated with parent involvement activities as determined by the school improvement team in the building.
- A joint school-parent compact will be collaboratively developed between parents and Hamilton Elementary School that outlines how parents, the entire school staff and students will share in the responsibility for improved student achievement.
- Annual Title One Meeting
- Hamilton Elementary School will provide materials from the parent resource center and training.
- Parent Conferences/Meetings
- PTO Meetings
- Open door policy for all of our classrooms and administrators.
- Hamilton Elementary School will provide parents with Pennsylvania Common Core Standards, curriculum, benchmark assessments, and standards-based report cards used to measure student progress.
Elements of Effective Programs:
- Hamilton Elementary School will provide high-quality curriculum and instruction in a supportive and effective learning environment that enables students to achieve at high standards. Hamilton Elementary will accomplish this through curriculum review, ongoing data analysis, and the implementation of research-based intervention programs.
- Hamilton Elementary School will provide feedback to parents through the form of a standards-based report card 3 times per year. Information regarding a child’s performance on benchmark assessments in reading and math will also be shared.
- Hamilton Elementary School will provide parents with access to staff via conferences, telephone calls, websites and email correspondence.
- Hamilton Elementary School will encourage parents to volunteer and participate in their child’s class, and to observe classroom activities.
- Hamilton Elementary School will provide parents access to a parent resource center, a video library and on-line resources.
- Hamilton Elementary School will encourage parents to participate in all Title 1 Family events.
Evaluation:
Parents/guardians will participate in evaluating the implementation and effect of this policy and our school improvement plans. This evaluation will be used to improve and/or create practices to enhance parent involvement. This policy will be reviewed and/or revised as needed by the Family/School Partnership.