Discovery Elementary

Challenger Elementary

9600 Holly Drive

Everett, WA 98204

425-356-1250

Parent Involvement Pla= n

We believe that parents and families are important partners with the school in providing quality education for children.&= nbsp; We invite and encourage parents to join with the school in achieving= a family friendly school dedicated to student achievement and life long succe= ss.

Goals of our family friendly school include:

· Increasing parent involvement and participat= ion at school.

· Helping parents to be a resource/support for each other.

· Increasing home/school communication.

· Providing resources for parents and families= to support student learning.

Some of the most important things parents can do to help their children experien= ce success in school include:

Read to or with your child daily.
Create a safe environment where your child is loved, praised and trusted.
Practice good communicati= on with your child.
Get to know your child’s teacher and what is being taught.
Find a way to help before, during and after school.
Be sure your child is healthy, rested and in school on a regular basis.
Believe in your childR= 17;s potential.

Conferences: Parent-teacher conferences are scheduled on early release days twice during the year. We attempt to meet with all parent= s in the fall and on an as needed basis in the spring. Parents are welcome to request a conference with the teacher or other school staff at any time during the ye= ar.

Progress Reporting: Written progress reports are sent = home with students at the end of each trimester (every 13 weeks). Progress reports are intended to i= nform the parent and student regarding achievement and effort in academic areas as well as attendance, personal/social development and work habits/study skill= s. In academic areas, marks compare s= tudent achievement to grade level standards. Parents should contact teachers with questions about the progress report.

Title Plan: Parents receive information ab= out the Title Schoolwide plan, requirements of the law, and parent rights and responsibilities in September at Curriculum night meeting as well as in Mar= ch or April PTA general meeting. The meeting is held in conjunction with a PTA meeting in order to encourage participation. A copy of our = Parent Involvement Plan is provided to parents at this meeting. The plan is also available on our s= chool website and in our school office. Parents are invited to provide input on the Title plan and Parent In= volvement Plan at the Spring meeting and are welcome to comment or provide suggestion= s at any time during the year.

Code of Conduct: Each student = will be provided with a building-wide compact, or partnership agreement, describ= ing responsibilities of students, parents, teachers and principal. Students will set individual g= oals in the areas of attendance, personal/social development, work habits/study = skills and/or academics. Parents may provide input regarding individual goals.

The compact will be reviewed = and signed by student, parent, teacher and principal, and copies will be kept on file in classrooms and the support staff office. Students and teachers will review = the compacts and individual goals each trimester, and students will self-rate progress toward meeting goals. Compacts may also be reviewed during parent-teacher conferences.

Student Learning Plans: In compli= ance with State and Federal mandates, Student Learning Plans will be developed f= or fifth grade students who did not meet standard on the fourth grade WASL. Parents will have the opportunity = to provide input when plans are reviewed in the fall.

Visitors and Volunteers: Parents and o= ther adults are welcome to volunteer and observe in classrooms, but we do ask th= at all guests follow school and district policy so that visits are productive = and not disruptive to the learning process.&nb= sp; Whether your purpose is to observe or volunteer, please contact the teacher to arrange the date and time in advance. (Observations in a classroom other= than that of your own child should be arranged through the Principal.) Please avoid dropping in unannounc= ed as teachers need to prepare in order to productively use volunteers. Also, visitors are not allowed dur= ing testing, and certain other educational activities.

Please call to cancel or reschedule if you are unable = to be in the classroom at the time you have arranged. For the safety of students, we req= uire all visitors and volunteers to check in at the school office upon arrival.<= span style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'> Visitors sign in and out on a log = and are expected to wear a visitor identification badge at all times. This helps us identify adults auth= orized to be on the school grounds and assists in maintaining a safe campus. Please remember to sign out = when leaving so that we can account for guests in the event of an emergency. Visits during your child’s l= unch and/or recess do not need to be prearranged, but the sign in and visitor ba= dge procedure still applies.

Children are not allowed to visit classrooms during the school day. If you have out-o= f-town visitors or middle school students on different schedules, please make alternative arrangements for them as they will not be allowed to attend cla= sses with Challenger students. Tha= nks for your cooperation in helping us keep the focus on teaching and learning.=

If you need to speak with a teacher, please call befor= e 8:45 a.m., after 3:30 p.m., or during the teacher’s planning period. We welcome families and community members to use our playground and outdoor facilities outside school hours, = but the playground is restricted to student use during the school day. District facility use permits are = required for community use of indoor facilities or for use of our field by organizat= ions such as athletic teams.

Parent Input: Parent input is we= lcome regarding school operations as well as decisions regarding their own children. Formal input is sou= ght on a regular basis through conferences, Child Study Team meetings, Steering Committee meetings, surveys, responses to school newsletter items and throu= gh PTA meeting discussions. Info= rmal input is welcome at any time. Parents should contact the principal regarding school issues and the child’s classroom teacher regarding student or classroom issues. Parent input is valued and will be considered along with the input and recommendations of school staff.

Parent Involvement Strategies: A= dditional strategies for strengthening parent communication and involvement include t= he following:

1. Provide trimester progress reports (3 times a year) for each student.

2. Encourage parent involvement on school Steering Committee.

3. Utilize technology to facilitate communication:&nb= sp; voice mail, email, personal phone contact, reader board, district, school and classroom WebPages.

4. Provide social and learning-focused functions such as:

· Curriculum Night

· Books Before Bedtime

· School Carnival

· Musical Performances

· WASL information night

· Multi Cultural Nights each trimester

7. Promote attendance at PTA mee= tings by providing refreshments and agendas.

8. Provide interpreters for meet= ings and conferences.

9. Provide various forms of writ= ten communication:

· Monthly school newsletters

· Classroom newsletters

· Student logs and classroom calendars

· Individual notes and letters from staff.

10. Include parents in Child Study Team (CST) meetings

11. Provide Student Planners for 3^{rd-5^th
grade students}

12. Provide kindergarten orientation program = for parents

13. Publish and provide student and parent handbook.

14. Update and provide family guide to school= and community services as well as listings of childcare, counseling services and other support for families.

15. Connect families with community agencies = for support with housing, food, medical assistance, counseling, clothing, etc.<= /p>