Foothill Ranch Middle School has developed a written Title I parental involvement policy with input from Title I parents. Parents wrote the original policy and update it every year by reviewing each section and providing input for amendments, if necessary. FRMS has distributed the policy to parents of students by including it in the school’s registration packet each year. The policy describes the means for carrying out the Title I parental involvement requirements.

Foothill Ranch Middle School will:

I. Convene an annual Title I meeting to inform parents of Title I students about Title I requirements and about the right of parents to be involved in the Title I program.

 

a. The Foothill Ranch Middle School annual Title I meeting is held in conjunction with the site Back To School Night each year. During this meeting, information about the Title I program, No Child Left Behind, student performance data, and parental rights are explained to parents.

 

II. Offer a flexible number of meetings for Title I parents, such as meeting in the morning or evening.

 

a. Foothill Ranch Middle School holds meetings with parents at times that are convenient for them. The School Site Council, ELAC, Back To School Night and Open House are all held in the afternoons and evenings, after feedback about the most convenient times was solicited from parents.

 

b. Meetings with parents are coordinated through the counseling office and are scheduled at times convenient for the parents, including mornings and evenings after parents return from work.

 

III. Involve parents in an organized, ongoing and timely way in the planning, review, and improvement of the school’s Title I programs and the Title I parental involvement policy.

 

a. Parents are involved in the planning, monitoring, and modifications involved with the Title I program primarily through their participation planning all reform efforts in the school.

 

b. Representatives from parent organizations work with the School Site Council to analyze data, monitor progress and, when necessary, make modifications to the instructional program at Foothill Ranch Middle School both through the school site plan and the parent involvement policy.

 

IV. Provide timely information to parents about its Title I program.

 

a. Working with the Twin Rivers Unified School District’s Categorical Program Office, parents are regularly mailed information concerning the Title I program at Foothill Ranch Middle School.

 

b. Parents are informed about student achievement data at the site’s Annual Title I meeting and at other parent meetings.

 

c. Parents received their Program Improvement information through mail in English and in Spanish. They also received information about their opportunities for CHOICE and SES.
d. At site council and ELAC meetings and other meetings convened throughout the year, parents learn about the Title I program and how it can serve their children through supplemental programs.
e. Parents also receive information through the district and site webpage, School Loop, Tele-parent, parent teacher conferences and Back to School and Open House.

 

V. Provide parents of Title I students with an explanation of curriculum used at the school, the assessments used to measure student progress, and the proficiency and levels expectations students are expected to meet.

a. Parents are provided an explanation of all of the programs in place at Foothill Ranch Middle School during the Annual Title I Meeting, Back to School Night, Open House, School Site Council Meetings, and at ELAC meetings.

 

b. Teachers review and explain curriculum and assessment data, including proficiency expectations at parent conferences where parents talk to teachers one-one-one about their children’s’ academic achievement.

 

c. Additionally, the site administration has adopted an open door policy to foster authentic two way communication with our parents and community members.

 

VI. If requested by parents of Title I students, the school provides opportunities for regular meetings that allow the parents to participate in decisions relating to the education to their children.

a. Parent experience an open door policy at Foothill Ranch Middle School. They may prearrange meetings with site administration or staff.

 

b. Parents may submit comments in writing regarding the school site plan and attend regular SSC and ELAC meetings.

VII. Develop and distribute its Parent/Student/School Compact for shared responsibility for improving student achievement, and the means by which the school and parents/guardians will build a partnership to help students achieve state standards.

 

a. The Parent/Student/School Compact is provided to all parents annually with the registration papers. Parents and students sign the compact and return it to the school prior to enrolling their students.

 

b. During the school year, the School Site Council reviews the current adopted Parent/Student/School Compact in peer groups and makes modifications when deemed necessary.

 

Foothill Ranch Middle School will build capacity of the school and parent/guardians for strong parent involvement by implementing parent training to assist parents in supporting their child’s efforts in learning in the following ways:

I. Assists parents in understanding the States academic content standards, assessments, and how to monitor and improve the achievement of their children.

 

a. FRMS parents will receive training and necessary information on the topics above through the Annual Title I meeting, parent conferences, ELAC Tele-parent, School Loop, the district and school web page, IEPs, district parent retreats and trainings and committees such as the DELAC and DAC provide information and training.

 

II. Provides materials and training to help parents work with their children to improve their children’s achievement.

 

a. EL parents receive traininIII. g in English as a Second Language. They requested more sessions and are currently attending classes at the school two days a week.

 

b. The classes focus on helping parents acquire English and understand their children’s coursework and how to most effectively communicate with teachers and staff to assist their children’s in school. Parents also receive copies of books.

 

c.Training for parents to effectively use School Loop to interact with teachers and keep up with their children’s school work through this online resource. District and site level committees such as DAC, DELAC, SSC, ELAC provide parent trainings for increasing parental involvement and gaining input and support from parents in planning programs for student achievement.

 

III. Educate staff, with the assistance of parents, in the value of parent contributions and how to work with parents as equal partners.

 

a. The school’s regular weekly staff development often focuses on best practices for working as partners with parents.

 

b. Teachers and staff attend parent meetings and district sponsored parent trainings and retreats as partners with the school’s parent participants.

IV. Coordinate and integrate parental involvement with other programs and conducts other activities such as parent resource centers, to encourage and support parents in more fully participating in the education of their children.

 

a. FRMS has developed a subcommittee of teachers and parents that plan events parent, family, and school neighborhood events.

 

b. Subject matter departments are encouraged to hold parent nights in which parents can learn about coursework and participate in lessons with students.

 

V. Distribute information related to school and parent programs, meetings and other activities to parents in a format and, to the extent practicable, in a language the parents understand.

 

a. All documents sent home to parents and auto dialer phone messages made to homes are translated into Spanish as well as sent in English.

b. Although there is only a small number of Russian parents, whenever possible, written notices are translated into Russian for them also.

 

VI. Provide such other reasonable support for the parental involvement activities as parent may request.

 

a. Because of the open door policy, parents feel invited to make requests for involvement programs. For example, this year parents requested English as Second Language classes so that they could better communicate at the school to assist their children. FRMS responded by arranging ESL classes two days per week.

 

b. Parents report that they feel comfortable communicating with teachers one on one personally or through phone calls, email, or the school web page or during conferences, where they may make requests for involvement activities or information, as needed.

 

Accessibility

I. Foothill Ranch Middle School provides full opportunities for the participation of parents with limited English proficiency, parent with disabilities, and parents of migratory students including providing information and school reports in a format, and to the extent practicable, in a language that parents understand.

 

a. FRMS translates into Spanish all notices sent home to students through phone message or mail. Whenever possible, our few Russian speaking parents receive translated information and reports also. Translators are available as needed for conferences and meetings such as IEPs and SSTs.