Family and Community Engagement

Gordonsville Elementary
Family Involvement Plan

Smith County
 Table of Contents

Preface…………………………………………………………….…………………………..3
Parent Advisory Committee………………..............................…………………....4
Parent Involvement Goals……………………………………............……………....5
Strategies to Increase Family Involvement………………..……….................6

Standard 1 – Welcoming All Families

Accessibility…………………….……………………………………..…………………....6

Standard 2 – Communicating Effectively

LEA Set Aside Funding …………………………………………..…………………….7

Standard 3 – Supporting Student Success

Unsafe Schools …………………………………………………………….…………...…8

Standard 4 – Speaking Up For Every Child

Parent – Student – Teacher Compact
Parents’ Right to Know………………………………………………..……………….9

Standard 5 – Sharing Power

Building Capacity……………………………………………………………………….10

Standard 6 – Collaborating With Community

Working Together……………………………………………………………………….11

Parent/Student/Teacher Compact

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 Preface

The administration and faculty of Gordonsville Elementary School is committed to

providing a safe learning environment in which all of our students are given quality
educational opportunities that challenge them to reach their full potential while
respecting individual differences.

GES acknowledges that parent involvement is an integral component of a child’s

academic success and will foster and support an active parental involvement program.

The following plan was developed jointly with administrators, teachers,

paraprofessionals, and parents with this commitment to excellence in mind and is in
compliance with the legal requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (PL 107-
110 Section 1118).

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 School Wide Title I
Parent Advisory Committee

Angel Williams…………………………………….………...Building Administrative Representative

Shane Vaden………………………………….……..………..Building Administrative Representative
Debe Pilant………………………………….…….…………….System Administrative Representative
Lesa Manning…………………………………….……….………….Literacy Leader/Parent Facilitator
Glenda West…………...................………………………………………….…….…..Parent Representative
Joseph Bradley………….………………………………….………………………….Parent Representative
Elaine Hawthorne…………………….…………………….……….........................Parent Representative
Jennifer Bush……………………………………………………………………………Parent Representative
Deborah Huddleston….……..…………………………….………….…..…Community Representative
Martha Geldreich……………………………………………………………….Community Representative
Amy Dudney…………………….………………………….…….………………….Business Representative
Robin Underwood………….…………………………….………….…………….Business Representative
Stephanie Griffin………………………………………….…………..……………..Teacher Representative
Scott Bennett………………………...………..………………………………………Teacher Representative
Tracy Bradford………………………………………………………………………..Teacher Representative
Tammy Woodard………………………………………….…….……..Paraprofessional Representative
Amy Manning………………………………………………….….....…..Paraprofessional Representative

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 Parent Involvement Goals

 GES families will participate in meaningful and effective parent programs offered
throughout the school year.

 Programs and activities will be relevant to the diverse needs of all of our families.

 Information will be provided in appropriate languages.

 Programs, meetings, and activities will be presented at varying times to

accommodate as many families as possible.

 The principal, faculty, and staff will maintain an open line of communication
between school and home.

 GES will gain family and community input through a family survey each spring.

 The school will work cooperatively with parent volunteers and acknowledge their
support at an awards ceremony in the spring.

 Methods of distributing parenting materials, resources, and training will be created

and maintained.

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 Strategies to Increase Parent Involvement
Standard 1 – Welcoming All Families

Gordonsville Elementary School is located in a small rural community. There are

approximately 460 students in grades PreK through 6th. The majority of the faculty and
staff live in the area and know most of the students’ families. This inviting atmosphere is
conducive to a highly involved and supportive interaction between family members and
the school.
GES promotes programs and practices that enhance parent and family involvement and
reflects the specific needs of our students and families. Our strategies will include:
 Convening an annual meeting to encourage and facilitate family participation in the
development of plans and policies including the School Wide Title I Plan and the
Parent Involvement Plan.
 Offer a variety of meetings and activities throughout the school year that are
relevant to the needs of our students and families including an Open House soon
after school starts in the fall.
 Conduct a Family/Parent Needs Survey in the spring each year that seeks
family/parent input on the effectiveness of our program plans.
 Maintain a school website that includes the School Improvement Plan and Parent
Involvement Plan along with other relevant information for parents.
 Provide families with timely information about programs and activities in an
understandable format through the website, newsletters, marquee, and invitations.
 An active and supportive Parent-Teacher Organization. The major goal is to support
Gordonsville Elementary faculty and students in obtaining academic success by
means of extra funds and activities.
 Actively seek and assist parent volunteers.
 Host a minimum of two parent-teacher conferences with additional meetings
available upon request, to review and assist in improving student progress.

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 Accessibility
Standard 2 – Communicating Effectively
Gordonsville Elementary School will, to the best of its ability, engage in regular,
meaningful communication with its parents. In order to be as accessible as possible to our
families, we will:

 Provide translators if needed when presenting information.

 Documents converted to Spanish using on-line translator, Babble Fish, if needed.

 Assist, as needed, persons of disabilities during school functions.

 Parents of migratory students will be provided information for assistance in

meeting the needs of their child.

 Parents will be notified of meetings, conferences, programs, and activities via phone,
letter, school marquee, or website.

 Conduct a minimum of two parent teacher conferences a year. Within the

conferences teachers will provide assistance to parents in understanding the state
academic content standards, state and local assessments, and how to monitor
student progress.

 Send home a mid six weeks progress report.

 Maintain a school website that includes information on school programs and

policies.

 TCAP academic testing results sent home every year.

 Link to the Tennessee State Report Card for each school is available via school
website.

 Notify parents after each benchmark assessment period as to achievement,

improvement, and grade level expectations.

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  Place school policies and rules in the student handbook.

 Utilize the local newspaper to acknowledge student achievements and successes as

well as school events.

LEA Set Aside Funding

Standard 3 – Supporting Student Success

Each year, Title I funds are allotted to Gordonsville Elementary School in support of
student success through supplemental instruction and resources.

These Title I funds are used for materials, equipment, parent involvement, professional
development, and resources that would otherwise be unobtainable through general
funding.

Title I funds provide monthly home to school newsletters with ideas to help develop
reading skills for students in Kindergarten through sixth grade.

Parent meetings dedicated to teaching parents’ strategies to increase reading

comprehension skills in fiction and nonfiction and promoting family reading together.

The Parent Advisory Committee will make determinations on expenditures based on

parent surveys, teacher request, standardized assessment results, and the School
Improvement Plan.

Decisions made by the committee will be offered to families during the annual meeting to
gain any additional input or comments.

Technology, equipment, and professional development consistently remain a high priority

response on surveys and questionnaires.

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 Unsafe Schools
Parent – Student – Teacher Compact
Standard 4 – Speaking Up for Every Child
Gordonsville Elementary School proudly holds a safe school status.

This information is shared with parents and families through the School Improvement
Plan, annual school meeting, website, and the school newsletter.

Students are encouraged to discuss any fears or concerns they may have with either the
school counselor, principal, or teachers.

The counselor teaches classes covering topics such as Dealing with Bullies, Drug
Awareness, and Life Skills at all grade levels as appropriate.

Parents are encouraged to be their child’s advocate anytime they feel the child is
experiencing difficulty at school and contact either the principal, teacher, or counselor.

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 Parents’ Right to Know
Standard 5 – Sharing Power

To assure that GES parents and families are equal partners in the decision making process
of our programs, plans, and policies, we put forth the following information each year:

 A Parent –Student – Teacher Compact is presented to parents and students at the

beginning of school and signed by all parties.

 A Parents’ Right to Know letter is included with each registration packet.

Gordonsville Elementary School will provide parents information on their right to
know the qualifications of their child’s teacher and paraprofessionals.

 A notification letter is sent home to parents when a teacher who has failed to reach
highly qualified status is teaching their child or a substitute not deemed highly
qualified has been in the classroom for four consecutive weeks.

 Parents are encouraged to serve on various committees that are responsible for the
decisions affecting GES programs and policies.

 School level professional development will include strategies for increasing parental
involvement. All committee members will be notified of these PD activities and
given the opportunity to attend.

 The goal of improving parent involvement at GES is embedded in the School

Improvement Plan.

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 Building Capacity

Standard 6 – Collaborating with Community

Gordonsville Elementary School recognizes the importance of its support from

community and area businesses through their contributions of money and
sponsorships.

The local health department, hospital, doctor, and dentist offices contribute
materials and information about community resources available to families.

NYASCAR, our local mining company, presents a rock and mineral program.

“Dinners, Dollars, and Decisions” - Melissa Ross, Smith County Health Council,
presided over a parent meeting promoting healthy, economically affordable meal
planning.

Upper Cumberland Electric Membership Corporation presents an electrical safety

program.

The Army Corp of Engineers at Cordell Hull Lake presents an environmental

program for our fifth grade students.

The school board members frequently attend school functions.

GES coordinates with area preschools through visitation days and pre-registration.

Programs and resources for homeless and migratory families are available through
the school and the board of education. A backpack program is implemented so that
students who are considered latch key children have access to healthy foods they
can prepare themselves.

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The State Department of Education, along with the Smith County School System held
a County Wide Forum explaining the new math standards mandated by the state.
Dr. Connie Smith, along with other state leaders, fielded a question and answer
session with parents across the county.

GES strives to emphasize the importance of helping others within the Middle
Tennessee area. Our students participate in:

Donating personal hygiene items to the Ronald McDonald House

Encouraging family members to support the American Red Cross Blood Drive

Programs are held throughout the school year during the day and evening hours.
These include:
Grandparents’ Day
Fall Fun
Salute to Veterans’
Parent Read Night
Tennessee
Grades 3 – 6 Honors Ceremony

The local newspaper graciously allows the school to advertise meetings,

conferences, and school events, as well as, acknowledge student achievement and
success without charge.

Gordonsville Elementary School believes the shared responsibility of its students

among the school, home, and community will produce a positive effect on student
achievement and create a sense of stakeholder ownership in the success of our
school.

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 Smith County Schools
Parent/Student/Teacher Compact
2011-2012

Dear Parents/Guardian:

We value your role in working to help your child achieve high academic standards. The following is an outline of some of the ways
you, your child, and the school staff can build and maintain a partnership to share the responsibility for improving your child’s
academic achievement.

Parent/Guardian Agreement
It is important to have my child reach his/her full potential. Therefore, I will:
 encourage my child to attend school regularly, arrive on time, and be well prepared.
 encourage my child to show positive school behavior.
 review my child’s homework.
 volunteer in my child’s school and classroom, if time or schedule permits.
 attend parent-teacher conferences and participate, when appropriate, in decisions relating to the education of my child.

Student Agreement
It is important that I work to the best of my ability. Therefore, I will:
 attend school and have materials needed for schoolwork.
 complete and return homework assignments on time and ask for help when needed.
 write down homework assignments daily in planner.
 give to my parents or the adult that is responsible for my welfare all notices and information received by me from my school
every day.
 always try to do my best.

Teacher Agreement
Students must be given the opportunity to succeed. Therefore, I will:
 set high expectations for each student, for myself, and for my school.
 maintain an environment that is conducive to learning, while communicating with my students and their parents.
 provide a mid- six weeks progress report to parents.
 encourage parents to participate in school activities.
 respect the students and their parent while showing concern and sensitivity to students’ individual needs.

Please sign and review this Parent/ Student/Teacher Compact with your child. Thank you for your support and involvement in your
child’s education.

Parent Signature_______________________________________

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Student Signature _____________________________________

Teacher Signature______________________________________

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