Parent and Family Engagement Policy
Welcome parents! Title I, Part A Parent and Family Engagement affords parents meaningful opportunities to participate in their children's education. Title I resources support activities of the district’s Family and Community Engagement Department (FACE) in building capacity for effective parental involvement, which includes training parents on how to work with their children to improve academically and training to improve their own literacy and parenting skills. For additional information, contact External Funding (713-556-6928 or email Ext.Funding@HoustonISD.org) or the FACE department (FACE@HoustonISD.org).
Garden Oaks Montessori Magnet
Parent and Family Engagement Program
What Is It?
Houston ISD is committed to our vision: Every student matters and serves a purpose. We strive to provide high-quality education individualized for each student by developing and maintaining relationships with families and the community. One way we continue to do this is by participating in the Title I, Part A State Program. This program provides funding for low socioeconomic schools. In return, we promise to meet the expectations laid out for us by the Texas Education Agency and the United States Department of Education.
Expectations and Objectives
Parents and families are a child’s first teacher. They imitate you from the moment they are born. Therefore, a mutually beneficial relationship between school and home is in the best interest of every child. The expectation of our PFE Program is to foster communication and decision-making with parents about student performance and to collaboratively support learning. Our objectives are:
· Effective two-way communication between school and home which is linked to a higher completion rate on homework, better attention during instructional tasks, increased participation by all parties, and improved interactions and relationships between parents, teachers, and students.
· If a child’s parents are more involved in school experiences, the child is more likely to have higher grades, improved behavior, better attendance, higher social skills, and adaption.
· Learning together leads to better school and home life.
· Being a life-long learner can prevent some health issues that often occur later in life.
Houston ISD will:
· Create a Parent Advisory Board on which parents will be included. This board will plan, develop, evaluate, and revise support and school improvement plans.
· Hold regular meetings where the Parent Advisory Board will seek input of families, community members and educators.
· Distribute the PFE Policy, this document, to parents and the communities by:
· Posting it on our district website, and keeping it up to date
· Distributing printed copies to all the local churches, restaurants, and other businesses
· Sending a printed copy home with every student
· Distributing printed copies and QR codes to the electronic version at all the school’s annual meetings
· Have a representative at every school’s annual Title I meeting
· Have a representative at every school PFE event
· Per request, provide the qualifications of a child’s teacher
· Conduct evaluations of every PFE event at each school, collect that data, and give a report that school
· Assist schools in the evaluation and revision of their PFE policy and school-parent compact
· Evaluate the District Parent and Family Program and its policy throughout the year and revise it as needed
· Provide training to every district employee on the most effective PFE strategies
· Provide trainings to parents on how to navigate the school system
Garden Oaks Montessori Parent and Family Engagement Commitment:
Garden Oaks Montessori Magnet is committed to our vision: Every student matters and serves a purpose. We strive to provide high-quality education individualized for each student by developing and maintaining relationships with families and the community. One way we continue to do this is by participating in the Title I, Part A State Program. This program provides funding for low socioeconomic schools. In return, we promise to meet the expectations laid out for us by the Texas Education Agency and the United States Department of Education.
Funding:
Title I funds will be allocated for the implementation of the parent and family engagement program. Such programs, activities, and procedures will be planned and implemented with meaningful consultation with parents of participating children.
Review:
All use of funding and activities can be reviewed by the Texas Education Agency upon request to ensure they meet the needs of the PFE Program.
Family Meetings:
Parent Meetings offer a time for the school and family to communicate necessary information. These meetings will always take place in the cafeteria. You can enter through the main entrance facing Sue Barnett Drive. The information is the same for both coordinating meetings and will be offered both in person as well as virtually. Different meeting times are offered for family convenience.
How To Be Involved:
Become a member of the GOMM PTO. Attend the PTO meetings above and the family trainings/activities offered throughout the school year. Talk to your child’s teacher about how to help/volunteer in the classroom. The front office has information about registering with VIPS Volunteers in Public Schools System.
Family Trainings and Activities:
Family trainings are opportunities for family members to come learn new knowledge and skills from other parents, community members, and educators. The schedule and locations will be communicated via the Parent Square app, weekly Gazette emails, and on our school website.
Curriculum:
Garden Oaks Montessori Magnet utilizes high-quality curriculum that supports student success.
Forms of Academic Assessments:
Garden Oaks Montessori Magnet has common formative assessments that every teacher gives as part of the NWEA MAP. No matter the teacher, each child is assessed via the same assessment provided by TEKS Resource System which models each assessment after the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness or STAAR test. Previous STAAR tests are released and utilized for assessment and instruction in addition to other curriculums.
Expected Achievement Levels on Academic Assessments:
The State’s Performance Standards can be found on this website: https://tea.texas.gov/student-assessment/testing/staar/staarperformance-standards
Garden Oaks Montessori Magnet tracks each child’s growth throughout the year via local assessments (NWEA MAP). Each child has a folder where teachers help them track their own learning growth.
Ways to Request Regular Meetings:
Guardians can bring any suggestions, ideas, or concerns to the monthly “Brew With Brown” or other parent meetings. However, if they need to meet with the administrators or their child’s teacher at another time, they can email that individual person to set up a time to meet. We welcome any ideas, feedback, and concerns as we want our school to be a place where everyone feels safe and welcome.
SCHOOL – PARENT COMPACT
The School’s Responsibilities:
· Provide high-quality curriculum and instruction focused on differentiation for the growth of every student.
· A plethora of opportunities for guardians and families to volunteer in the school and classrooms.
· Opportunities for guardians and families to participate in the decisions regarding the education and use of extracurricular time for their children.
· Hold an open mindset.
· Be team oriented.
The Guardian’s Responsibilities:
· Support their child’s learning at home through dialog, homework, and setting a positive example.
· Participate in parent meetings where decisions regarding the education and use of extracurricular time will be discussed.
· Participate in parent meetings and trainings/activities when able.
· Hold an open mindset.
· Be team oriented.
The Student’s Responsibilities:
· Be open and honest when needing help regarding learning.
· Act appropriately and do not disrupt the learning environment.
· Strive to grow.
· Hold a growth mindset.
· Be team oriented.
On-Going Communication:
· Parent-Teacher Conferences.
· Monthly parent meetings, trainings, and activities offered at different times on different days.
· Progress reports every three weeks.
