Rutherford High School 

20-21 Parent and Family Engagement Plan

 The Parent and Family Engagement Plan (PFEP) must be jointly developed with parent and must be distributed to parents in an understandable and uniform format, and in the language parents can understand. It must be made available for the community and updated periodically to meet the changing needs of the parents and the school. [Section 1116(b)]. 

 Instructions: Describe the means by which the school will carry out the ESSA requirements below. 

1. POLICY INVOLVEMENT

 A. By what means will the school conduct a Title I Annual Meeting (convened at a convenient time, to which all parents are invited and encouraged to attend) to inform parents of their school’s participation in Title I, the requirements of Title I, and the right of parents to be involved [Section 1116(c)(1)]? 

The title I annual meeting will be held virtually and parents can select a time that best fits their schedule.

 B. By what means will the school involve parents, in an organized, ongoing, and timely way, in the planning, review, and improvement of the PFEP [Section 1116(c)(3)]? 

All parents are given the opportunity to complete a paper or on-line Title I Spring Parent Survey. The results of the survey are tallied and shared with the faculty for their thoughts on ways to improve our PFEP for next year. An evaluation of the current PFEP is conducted during a SAC meeting. Based on the evaluation and survey results, revisions to the plan are made for the next school year. The plan will be reviewed during SAC meetings throughout the year to make revisions according to the changing needs of parents and the school. 

 C. By what means will the school involve parents in the joint development of the School Improvement Plan [Section 1116(c)(3)]? 

During a SAC meeting, results from a comprehensive needs assessment are discussed. Strategies from the current year’s SIP are reviewed. Revisions are made based on needs, barriers, and parent input.

SAC meetings will be held virtually due to Covid-19 restrictions.

 D. By what means will the school provide parents opportunities, if requested, for regular meetings to formulate suggestions and to participate, as appropriate, in making decisions relating to the education of their children, and respond to any such suggestions as soon as practicably possible [Section 1116(c)(4)(C)]? 

The Spring survey revealed that parents needed multiple opportunities to attend meetings. Meetings for the year will be scheduled at varied times (before school, during lunch, after school and in the evenings) in order to accommodate more stakeholders. If parents are unavailable to attend, they will have an opportunity to participate in phone conferences. Parents also have the opportunity to participate in SAC meetings, CST meetings, IEP meetings, etc.

 E. If the School Improvement Plan is not satisfactory to the parents, by what means will the school provide parents an opportunity to submit comments with the plan when it is submitted to the district [Section 1116(c)(5)]? 

Parents who are not satisfied with the school-wide plan will complete a form to be submitted with the plan to the district.

2. BUILDING CAPACITY FOR INVOLVEMENT

 In Table A, list the activities that will address topics F - J.                                                                      F. Assist parents in understanding:

• State academic standards;
• State and local academic assessments;
• requirements of Title I;
•  monitoring a child’s progress; and
•  work with educators to improve the achievement of their children [Section 1116(e)(1)] 

G. Description and explanation of:

• Curriculum in use at the school [Section 1116(4)(B)]

H. Description and explanation of:

•  Academic assessments used to measure student progress [Section 1116(4)(B)]? 

I.  Description and explanation of:

•  Achievement levels of the State academic standards that students are expected to obtain [Section 1116(4)(B)] 

J.  Provide materials and training to:

•  help parents work with their children to improve their children’s achievement, such as literacy training and using technology (including the harms of copyright piracy), to foster parental involvement [Section 1116(e)(2)]  (LEA note: this includes Parent Portal training)

Table A - 

Parent Training Opportunities

 List all activities for requirements F through J and transition activities that involve parents. 

*To be updated throughout the year.                                                                                                                Table B - Other Events/Activities

 Other activities, such as parent resource centers, that encourage and support parents in more fully participating in the education of their children [Section 1116(e)(4)]. 

*To be updated throughout the year

 K. By what means will the school educate the faculty, staff, and administrators, with the assistance of parents, in the value and utility of contributions of parents, and in how to reach out to, communicate with, and work with parents as equal partners, implement and coordinate parent programs, and build ties between parents and the school [Section 1116(e)(3)]? 

 L. To the extent feasible, by what means will the school coordinate and integrate parent involvement programs and activities with other Federal, State, and local programs, including public preschool programs that encourage and support parents in participating in the education of their children [Section 1116(e)(4)]? 

The school will coordinate with the following community agencies to support parents and families:

-With DCF for Access assistance to parents

-With local churches for school supplies, clothing and stocking the food pantry

-With sororities and fraternities for school supplies and clothing

-With Anchorage Children’s Home for parent resources and support

-With various businesses for student mentoring services

 M. By what means will the school provide other reasonable support for parental involvement activities as parents may request [Section 1116(e)(13)]? (Based on the Title I Spring Parent Survey results, what activities did the parents request that are included in this plan?) 

Based on the Title I Spring Survey results, parents requested events for Parent Portal, monitoring student progress, curriculum information and graduation requirements. Parent involvement events have been set up according to parent requests.

 N. Middle and High Schools - How will the school distribute the school-parent-student compact? [Section 1116 (d)(2)(A)]? 

The school-parent-student compact will be distributed by student carry. Copies will also be available in our front office.

 O. Optional – How will the school develop appropriate roles for community-based organizations and businesses in parent involvement activities [Section 1116(e)(13)]? 

 P. Optional – By what means will the school involve parents in the development of training for teachers, principals, and other educators to improve the effectiveness of the trainings [Section 1116(e)(6)]? 

 Q. Optional – By what means will the school provide literacy training for parents if the LEA has exhausted all other sources of funding [Section 1116(e)(7)]? 

 R. Optional – By what means will the school pay reasonable and necessary expenses, including transportation and child care costs, to enable parents to participate in school-related meetings and training sessions [Section 1116(e)(8)]? 

 S. Optional – By what means will the school train parents to enhance the involvement of other parents [Section 1116(e)(9)]? 

 T. Optional – By what means will the school conduct in-home conferences for parents who are unable to attend at school [Section 1116(e)(10)]? 

 U. Optional – By what means will the school adopt and implement model approaches to improve parent involvement [Section 1116(e)(11)]? 

3. ACCESSIBILITY

 V. By what means will the school provide opportunities for informed participation of parents and family members (including parents and family members with limited English proficiency, with disabilities, and parents of migratory children). [Section 1116(f)]? (List the barriers identified by parents in the Title I Spring Survey and the methods by which the school will assist to overcome the barriers.) 

There was a common trend on the Title I Spring Survey and that was the lack of communication from school to

home. Rutherford High School will take the necessary steps to ensure that communication to parents is in a format that is easy to understand. Documents and other materials will be translated when necessary and/or requested by parents to ensure that all parents have the opportunity to participate in their child’s education. Information regarding the plan will be distributed at the beginning of the school year and will be reviewed at the annual Title I meeting in September. The PFEP will also be posted on the school website and on school social media sites.

 W. By what means will the school ensure that information related to school and parent programs, school reports, meetings, and other activities is sent to the parents in a format and in a language the parents can understand [Section 1116(e)(5) and (f)]? 

All school communications are translated for our ELL families. Google Translate and staff members assist with this. Our new ADA approved website will translate all uploaded documents. Bilingual staff members assist with conferences and phone calls.

 X. By what means will the school offer a flexible number of meetings, such as meetings in the morning or evening to accommodate parents’ schedules [Section 1116(c)(2)]? 

Based on the Spring Parent Survey responses, the majority of parents indicated that right after school and evenings are the most convenient times for meetings. This will be taken into consideration.

 Y. By what means will the school provide parents with timely information about meetings, activities, and events [Section 1116(c)(4)(A)]. 

A minimum of 2 weeks’ notice will be our school policy. This will give parents an opportunity to save the date. Various methods of communications, such as flyers, iris alerts and notifications via the school website and social media pages will be used to notify and remind parents about events to ensure the greatest participation.

 Title I Expenditures Parent and Family Engagement (Adjust to reflect the planned expenditures)