Standard 1: Welcoming all families into the school community - Families are active participants in the life of the school, and feel welcomed, valued, and connected to each other, to school staff, and to what students are learning and doing in class and school.

Goal 1: Each school shall create a welcoming climate by:

• developing personal relationships.
  • LCI/MS will hold parent teacher conferences at least four times per year.
  • LCI/MS will hold an annual open house
  • LCI/MS faculty and staff will be available before and after school to meet with parents
• creating a family-friendly atmosphere.
  • LCI/MS will hold a registration day for all parents
  • LCI/MS will support family engagement activities such 8th grade graduation, Heritage Day
• providing opportunities for volunteering.
  • Lenoir City Schools Family Resource Center will provide volunteer training, screening and referral to Lenoir City Intermediate/Middle School.

Goal 2: Each school shall build a respectful, inclusive school community by:

• respecting all families.
  • LCI/MS will provide a curriculum that reflects and respects diversity
  • LCI/MS will appoint parents to advisory teams
  • LCI/MS will provide translators as needed
• removing economic obstacles to participation.
  • LCI/MS will provide fee waivers for all students who qualify through the free and reduced lunch program.
  • LCI/MS Core Team, faculty and staff will refer parents and students to FRC and other financial resources as needed.
• ensuring accessible programming.
  • LCI/MS will provide translators including sign language as needed
  • LCI/MS will be in compliance with the laws governing ADA.

Standard 2: Communicating effectively - Families and school staff engage in regular, meaningful communication about student learning.

Goal 1: Each school shall share information with their families by:

• using multiple communication paths.
  • LCI/MS will provide written and oral information in English and Spanish when possible.
  • LCI/MS will send out a monthly newsletter
  • LCI/MS will provide parents with passwords to access their students' accounts via SKYWARD
  • LCI/MS will maintain and update a current web site.
  • LCI/MS will notify parents yearly of the Parental Engagement Plan and will place the plan on the school website and secure hard copies in individual classrooms, front office and school library
• surveying families to identify issues and concerns.
  • LCI/MS will place the TSIPP plan on the web page and allow for parent comment.
  • FRC will facilitate parent survey on community/school needs assessment (every other year)
  • FRC will facilitate Panther Pack Survey
  • FRC will facilitate Santa Helper Survey
• having access to the principal.
  • LCIS/MS principal has open door policy including phone number and email address.
• providing information on current issues.
  • Coordinated School Health web site will provide current information on health issues facing pre-adolescents and adolescents.
• facilitating connections among families.
  • LCI/MS will support and encourage participation in PTSO by:
  • providing a web page on the school site
  • using ParentSquare to encourage parental participation in school events (phone, text and email)
  • PTSO registration table at registration day

Standard 3: Supporting student success - Families and school staff continuously work together to support students' learning and healthy development both at home and at school, and have regular opportunities to strengthen their knowledge and skills to do so effectively.

Goal 1: Each school shall share information about student progress by:

• ensuring parent teacher communication about student progress.
  • LCI/MS will provide bilingual services to all families
  • LCI/MS will provide parent passwords and training on how to access students' grades through SKYWARD.
  • LCI/MS will provide multiple communication avenues for teachers to conference with parents (phone, email, planning time, before and after school time)
• linking student work to academic standards
  • LCI/MS will require all parents to sign a school/family compact outlining school/parent responsibilities for learning
  • LCI/MS will put school/family compact on the school web page.
  • LCI/MS will provide a spring preregistration day with summer academic requirements
  • CSH will provide information to parents about the health barriers to education
• using standardized test results to increase achievement.
  • TCAP test scores sent home to parents
  • Discovery Learning assessment scores will be sent home with parents
  • LCI/MS will provide in-service opportunities (written, oral) to parents on test score interpretation.
• sharing school progress.
  • LCI/MS administration will provide yearly summary of school progress

Goal 2: Each school shall support families as active participants in their children's learning at home and at school by:

• engaging families in classroom learning.
  • LCI/MS will require all parents to sign a school/family compact outlining school/parent responsibilities for learning
• developing family ability to strengthen learning at home.
  • LCI/MS will send home newsletter entitled "Middle Years" which discusses academic and social needs of middle school students.
  • Staff will support families via personal communication
  • CSH will provide information on health barriers to learning
• promoting afterschool learning.
  • LCI/MS will promote the LCHS computer lab hours to all parents via the monthly newsletter and webpage
  • Staff is available before and after school to assist students.
  • Students are supported through ICU.

Standard 4: Speaking up for every child - Families are informed and enabled to be advocates for their own and other children, to ensure that students are treated fairly and to have access to learning opportunities that will support their success.

Goal 1: Each school shall help parents understand how the school system works by:

• understanding how the school and district operates.
  • LCI/MS will provide a bi-lingual student/parent handbook that explains the operations of the school.
• understanding their rights and responsibilities under federal and state laws.
  • LCI/MS will provide a section of the student/parent handbook that explains all current federal and state laws that apply to students and their families including military opt out program and staff qualifications.
• learning about resources.
  • LCI/MS faculty and staff as well as and FRC will provide resource assistance when needed.
• resolving problems and conflicts.
  • LCI/MS administration will have an open door policy for parents to address problems and concerns regarding their students.

Goal 2: Each school shall empower families to support their own and other children's success in school by:

• developing families' capacity to be effective advocates.
  • LCI/MS will use the FRC Advisory Council as a forum for parental input to the Family engagement Plan. This plan will be reviewed annually by the FRC Advisory Council (membership to include parents from each school) on an annual basis based on recommendations from parents.
  • FRC Advisory Council will work with LCES administration to develop a PD program to help teachers and parents work as equals to enhance a child's success.
  • LCI/MS will provide link to advocacy websites on their home page
  • LCI/MS will provide pages in handbook to explain parental rights
• working with families to plan for their child's future.
  • LCI/MS will provide information about graduation requirements to parents.
  • LCI/MS will provide school orientation and academic skill building
  • LCI/MS will provide spring pre-registration day
• providing smooth transitions.
  • LCI/MS will provide a parent night for eighth grade students and for rising fourth grade students
  • Registration day
  • Annual Open House
  • Spring pre-registration day
• engaging in civic advocacy for student achievement.
  • Encourage parents to attend school board meetings through announcements
  • Parent representative on the Board of the Loudon County Education Foundation
  • Parent rep will serve on the FRC advisory council.

Standard 5: Sharing power - Families and school staff are equal partners with equal representation in decisions that affect students and families and together inform, influence, and create policies, practices, and programs.

Goal 1: Each school shall strengthen the family's voice in shared decision making by:

• Having a voice in all decisions that affect children
  • Parents will have opportunities to serve on various committees
  • Parents will be notified in advance of major changes in curriculum, standards, and other events that impact student achievement
• Addressing equity issues
  • LCI/MS will provide fee waivers for standardized testing to students who qualify under free and reduced lunch program.
  • LCI/MS will provide oral and written translations of school related materials to parents who are non-English speakers when feasible.
  • LCI/MS will provide, when reasonable, activities for students or siblings to enhance parental involvement.
• Developing parent leadership
  • Parents will have opportunities to serve on various school and PTSO school committees.
  • LCI/MS will support efforts of PTSO to recruit and retain members.

Goal 2: Each school shall build families social and political connections by:

• connecting families to local officials.
  • LCI/MS will have a link on their school web site that will provide information on school board members and meeting times.
  • LCI/MS will advertise city and local government functions
  • LCI/MS will provide a free facility use for political forums
• developing an effective parent involvement organization that represents all families.
  • LCI/MS will provide support for PTO to meet at school on a monthly basis.

Standard 6: Collaborating with Community - Families and school staff work together with community members to connect students, families and staff to expand learning opportunities, community services and civic participation.

Goal 1: Each school shall strengthen family ties to the community by:

• linking families to community resources.
  • LCI/MS Guidance Department and Staff will refer families to Family Resource Center and other social service agencies as needed
• organizing support from community partners.
  • LCI/MS will use the Family Resource Center to educate, coordinate, screen and train community members and businesses to work effectively with the school.
• turning the school into a hub of community life.
  • LCI/MS will provide low or no cost facilities to the general public.
• partnering with community groups to strengthen families and support student success.
  • LCI/MS will provide opportunities to local community groups and businesses to provide assistance for school events such as Child Find, RTI, Panther Pack, etc.

Lenoir City Intermediate/Middle School

Parent Engagement Plan

Final Copy

Approved by FRC Advisory Board

January 23, 2012