Parent and Family Involvement Plan Created

By: Camille Osness

Standard 1: Welcoming ALL Families into the School

Table of Contents:
Standard 1: Welcoming All Families into the School Beginning of the year student letter Letter to parents Parent survey Open door policy Meet your teacher night Greet students at the door each morning Organized classroom and parents are shown where everything is Teachers desk is used for clerical tasks only Learn the proper pronunciation of every students name especially those names from different cultures Provide students with reading books in their L1 language as well as English Standard 2: Communicating Effectively Website Notes Phone Calls Take home/bring back to school folders Brown Bag lunches List of topics parents should know about and share a voice about in the classroom

Standard 3: Supporting Student Success Five ways to solicit and invite parents to volunteer to help with student learning o Hold parent nights o Sharing Professional Experience with the class o Hold a Read-athon every trimester o Give them ways to volunteer at home o Parent committees Five ways to involve parents in the classroom o Volunteering to read with reading groups o Volunteering to do dibels/treasure testing or spelling inventories o Parent tutoring o Read-alouds to students o Spotlight on a student and their family Five homework assignments that will enhance content mastery, and will fully involve parents and/or family members o Family tree o The root of your last name o Parent/caregiver interview o Traditions o Autobiography

Standard 4: Speaking Up for Every Child Learning Styles Survey Student-Led Conferences Standard 5: Sharing Power Before school parent meeting Standard 6: Collaborating with Community Community resources

Standard 1: Welcoming All Families Into the School

Description: Families are active participants in the life of the school, and feel welcomed, valued, and connected to each other, to the school staff, and to what students are learning and doing in class . There are two main goals for the standard of welcoming all families into the school community. The first is creating a welcoming climate. When families walk into the school building, they should feel that it is a place where they belong. The Second goal for this standard is building a respectful, inclusive school community. All the schools policies and programs should reflect, respect, and value the diversity of the families in the community (PTA National Standards). Below is a list of ten ways I plan to implement this Standard into my own classroom. 1) Letter to Students: (attached) This letter will be given in the middle of the summer to help the students to begin to feel welcome in the classroom. In the letter I share a little about myself so that they begin to know me and to feel more comfortable. I also talk with them about how important it is to treat each other with kindness and respect and that ultimately I would like our classroom to feel like a family. I also list a few exciting events that they can look forward to mainly to help them get excited about school. The ultimate goal of this letter is to make all students feel welcome, safe, and excited to enter our classroom. This is two way because the letter begins to create a relationship between the students and myself and allows them to also be aware of some of the expectations. The classroom community is addressed very first because I want it to be an expectation they know about before they enter the classroom on that first day of school.

Before I send out the letters, I will find out if any of my students speak another language and would feel more comfortable reading the letter in their first language. If that is the case then I will have the letter translated into that language for them and then I will send it out. 2) Letter to Parents: (attached) A few weeks after I have sent out the letter to my students, I will send out a letter to the parents/families as well. In this letter, I express the important role I believe the family plays in the students education. I also attach a poem (attached) that also beautifully puts this idea together. The goal of this letter and poem is to not only help parents feel welcome but to also feel important. I want them to know that I want the parents to know that I really do believe that they play the most important role in the students lives. I also express that I want to communicate with them often and that they are ALWAYS welcome in the classroom. This is two way because this letter helps begin a relationship with the families and myself. Before I send out the letters, I will find out if any of the families speak another language and would feel more comfortable reading the letter in their first language. If that is the case then I will have the letter translated into that language for them and then I will send it out. 3) Parent Survey: (attached) In addition to the letter to parents I will send out a parent survey. In the survey, I will ask questions about goals and expectations the families have for their students. I will also ask questions about the families and their skills. Some questions also ask about whether or not they would like to volunteer, and if so, how? In addition, I ask the families how I can contact them and what their preferred way of contact is. This is two way because I also give parents a chance to share anything else that they believe to be important for me to know. Before I send out the surveys, I will find out if any of the families speak another language and would feel more comfortable reading the

letter in their first language. If that is the case then I will have the letter translated into that language for them and then I will send it out. 4) Open Door Policy: In my parent letter I explain to the families that I have an open door policy which means they are welcome any time they would like to drop by. I will also encourage them to do so. When they come in the first time, I will show them the volunteer center which will have a list of tasks that can be done such as: i. Reading with a student ii. Tutoring iii. Assessments (dibels, fluency, etc) iv. Preparations for future lessons In addition to the list, I will also have the supplies (books, assessments, etc) already ready for them. I will teach them what to do and then they can come in and grab the list and the needed supplies. This will help them to feel more welcome and apart of the classroom, therefore making it two way. I also believe that by having everything prepared beforehand the families will see that I want them to be apart of the classroom. I will also thank them for their help and contributes before they leave to reinforce my desire for them to be apart of the classroom community. For those parents who may not speak English, I will have a list in their first language that will have them work with students who speak that language as well. That way they can feel just as much a part of the classroom as the families who speak English. Also, when they first come in I will have a translator present (even if it is just a student) to help me explain how everything works. 5) Meet Your Teacher Night: Before school begins I will arrange to have a meet the teacher night. This night will be a night for students to come with their families and meet me as well as the other students. They

will see the classroom, where they sit, where everything is located, and quickly go over some important procedures. We will play get to know you games and group games where everyone is needed. The goal of this night is for the students to have fun, feel comfortable in the classroom, and begin to build a classroom community. This is two-way because families and teacher are both engaging in conversations and games. Families and students are learning about the teacher and the teacher is learning about families and students. If there are families who do not speak English as their first language, I will provide a translator for them. I will also greet them by saying, hello, and welcome. I am Mrs. Osness and I am excited you are here. In their language as well so that they feel that I am trying to accommodate them. 6) Greet Students: Greet students at your classroom door every morning before school begins. Be cordial, warm, welcoming, and personally interested in each student. Have bell work ready and students trained in the routines so that if a parent wants to talk for a short period of time, you can. If a longer discussion is necessary, make an appointment when you both can meet. Greetings may include: What was the best thing you ate for breakfast this morning? How did you get to school this morning? How many hours did you sleep last night? Whats your favorite thing you are wearing today? What are you hoping to learn about today?

These greetings are important in making personal connections with students and in allowing them to have opportunities to speak with me one-on-one. These are two-way because both teacher and student are speaking and listening. At times students may be the ones asking the questions of the teacher or of another classmate.

If a parent comes to the door, it is often difficult to stop to talk with them. To make sure parents feel that they are not imposing, I will be warm and straightforward about needing to teach the students at that particular time. Alternate times for discussion can be scheduled and planned in an engaging and pleasant manner. If language barriers are an issue, call for someone (their child or an adult in the school) to help schedule a time convenient for both parent and teacher to meet and talk. 7) Organized Classroom: I will keep my room neat and organized so that it creates a welcoming environment for my students and their families. I will also try to label items so that they are easier to find. I will also give a quick tour of the classroom and where everything is located at the meet the teacher night. This way, when families come to volunteer they know where everything is and feel comfortable grabbing any supplies they need. By doing this, I believe this creates a more welcoming environment where parents can engage with the students or help in the classroom (making it two way) and not have to wait for me to show them where items are located. Instead, they are free to volunteer and engage with students without having to feel like they are interrupting the class to ask questions. Parents who do not speak English and come to meet the teacher night will be given the tour with a translator next to them, translating everything as we go. They will also be given a list of words that are written on the labels in English and then in their language as well to use as a reference in the future (if needed). 8) Teachers Desk is for Clerical Tasks: During the school day teachers should move about freely to be available to students and others in the classroom. This is important because it creates a two-way relationship between the teacher and anyone else in the classroom. Everyone is not

expected to move toward the teacher, but rather the teacher, students, parents, aides, and others all share in moving toward each other. The teacher models this and sets the tone as he/she recognizes the importance of everyone in the classroom. If a child has a disability that does not allow them to move easily, accommodations are made by the teacher and students to include the child in all appropriate activities. 9) Learn Proper Pronunciation of All Students Names: As I greet the students at meet the teacher night or the first day of school, I will ask them to pronounce their names for me. Then I will write down their pronunciation next to their name and picture. I will practice learning their names correctly and quickly so that I can call them by their names as quickly as possible. I will also make a sheet with their pictures, names, and pronunciations for the subs and one for parent volunteers. I believe this is important because it shows the student that I care about them individually. I also believe it will help make parents feel more comfortable working with students because they have a picture of the student and they know how to pronounce the students names correctly. If parents speak a language where the letter pronunciation is different then it is in English, I will have someone write out the pronunciations correctly in their language as well and have that available at the volunteer center. 10) Reading Books In First Language: After learning which students

are not fluent in English, I will provide those students with take home books in their L1. By giving them their reading in the L1 language, the students family can also be involved in their childs reading. They can read with the student and assess they students growth and/or struggles. They can also clarify words that the student might not

understand or needs help pronouncing. I believe that this will help the families feel more involved in their childs education. I hope that it will also get those families to support that students reading at home. I believe that it is important for students to read at home so this provides a way to make that possible for all students. In the classroom the ELL students can read books in English to help them learn to read in English as well.

Standard 2: Communicating Effectively

Standard 2: Communicating Effectively

Description: Families and school staff engage in regular, two-way, meaningful communication about student learning. For the standard of communicating effectively there is one key goal: sharing information between school and families. All families should feel that the school keeps them informed on important issues and events and that it is easy to communicate with teachers, the principal, and other school staff. The most effective way to build a real partnership is to create regular opportunities for open, honest dialogue (PTA National Standards). Below I have created 5 ideas on how to create open and honest dialogue in my own classroom.

1) Website: I plan to create a website that can be a great resource to the students and their families. This website will be password protected in order to ensure that nothing confidential is being seen by anyone else. On the website I will post each days assignments so that when students miss a day the families can log on and print out the missing assignments. I will also list resources for different learning games that the students can play to practice skills we are learning in the classroom. I will also have a section dedicated to sign ups for parents to sign up to volunteer for various activities. In addition I will have regular updates about what is going in the class and upload photos from various activities (with parent permission). I will also have a spot that links directly to my email so that they have an easy way to contact me if they need to. This website will help families be informed about what is going on in the classroom on a regular basis. A question I ask on the family survey is do you have access to the internet? If the families say that they do not, then I will print out their students missing work as well as send them home with any updates or sign ups that the other parents have access to. I will also

allow them to look at the website when they come by the classroom. If the parents do not speak English I will do the same, but I will translate the notes into their L1. 2) Notes: I plan on creating notes to send home for great behavior instead of just bad behavior. I want to send home notes that tell the families when students have a good day or do something exceptional. I also want to send home notes when a student improves or does really well on a test. These notes will be sent home frequently so that families are constantly aware of the wonderful things that their children are accomplishing. For families who do not speak English, I will have the notes written in their native language before they are sent home.

3) Phone Calls: I want to call families often to help them be caught up and aware of the ongoing events inside the classroom. I will call them to tell about students successes, good behavior, improvements, and other encouraging news. I also will call to let them know of events coming up and to give them an opportunity to talk with me about any issues they have or to ask any questions. This will help me keep improving my relationships with all of the families. 4) Take Home/ Bring Back to School Folders: Often students bring home work and parents arent sure if they are supposed to keep it. I want to label the pockets in a folder. One pocket will be labeled (stay at home) while the other is labeled (bring back to school). When students are given assignments that I want their families to keep at home they can put it in the stay at home side of their folder. In addition, they can put any newsletters or notes in that pocket as well. Then, when I need students to bring assignments back I will have them put them into the, bring back to school side. I can also put permission slips or letters that I want a response. This way I communicate to parents what stays at home

and what needs to come back to school. Also, parents are welcome to write notes to me and put them in the, bring back to school section. 5) Brown Bag Lunches: At the beginning of the year I will invite parents to meet with me during lunch over sack lunch. This can be a time dedicated to getting to know each other. As well as asking for the families opinions on events going on in the classroom. This is a time dedicated to get to know each family/caretaker on a one on one basis. I will also encourage them to share their feelings about what goes on in the classroom and be accepting of their input. 6) List of topics parents should know about and share a voice about in the classroom Academics Socialization Test Scores Behavior Upcoming events Missed assignments Ways to communicate with each other Extra curricular/ other opportunities Individual needs are being met In and out of class reading Interventions Differentiation

Standard 3: Supporting Student Success

Standard 3: Supporting Student Success

Description: Families and school staff continuously collaborate 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. For the standard of supporting student success there are two goals. The first is sharing information about student progress. Families should be kept fully informed of how their children are doing in school, as well as how the entire school is progressing. The second goal for this standard is supporting learning by engaging families. Families should have opportunities to learn how to be active participants in their childrens learning at home and at school (PTA National Standards). Below I have created lists to help implement this standard into my own classroom. 1) Five ways to solicit and invite parents to volunteer to help with student learning One way I will solicit parents to volunteer and help with student learning is by holding parent nights. These nights will be for discussing what is going on in the classroom and how to make learning better. It will be a time for families and myself to collaborate to solve problems as well as set goals. Parents will be invited to contribute ideas that can be put into action in the classroom and thus help with student learning. Another idea for inviting parents to help with student learning is to have parents share related professional experiences with the class. For example, a parent who works at a bank for his/her profession could come in and teach a lesson on money management when the class is talking about financial literacy. In the family survey I asked families to share what professional

experiences they have and if they are willing to share so I will know ahead of time and be able to plan accordingly. Thirdly, I thought that holding a Read-athon every trimester where families are invited to read with their students at the school while relaxing in their PJs would be fun for all members. I also think it would be a great way for students to get excited about reading. In addition, those parents who dont usually listen to their students read will become aware of how successful or how much of a struggler their student is as a reader. Many parents are not able to come and volunteer during the day because of work and other priorities. But I believe that they still wish that they could do something to help. Therefore, my fourth idea is to give families ways to volunteer at home. Depending on what units are happening I could have parents use their skills (that they list in the survey) to help make units extra special. For example, when we learn about the Holocaust a parent could sew gold stars that the students can wear to help them relate better to the story. Finally, I would love to have parent committees where parents can divide and conquer. They can help me with any task or problem and also help to arrange a translator for families who speak another language or maybe help provide breakfasts for students who arent able to get one at home. They could be used in any way that would be beneficial to the students. I think this would also help the parents feel more empowered in the classroom also. 2) Five ways to involve parents in the classroom: One way I plan to do this is by having parents/families to volunteer to read with reading groups. During the literacy block I will have parents come in and work with different reading groups. They can listen and help them with words they do not know. I might also give them some guiding questions to be used for

a discussion among the students. Then I can have parents share with me what they saw, if students were able to discuss what they had read, if any students struggled, etc. If parents have young children they can bring them during this time and let them listen to the story as well. If there are enough students who speak a different language besides English I could have families volunteer to read with that group in their native language. Another idea I had was having families volunteer to do dibels/treasure testing or spelling inventories during the literacy block. This would be very beneficial for my students and me because it would help me stay current. I could also show them how to organize the information for me, and that way I am always aware of where my students are. For families with small children, the children can be assigned a student during the block that reads the child stories. They can also have center, where they can color if they get board of listening to stories. Thirdly, I would like to have parent tutoring. Before the school year starts I will send out the family survey and some of the questions have to do with this idea. I will ask them if they are willing to be a parent tutor and what subjects they feel most comfortable teaching. Then I will arrange for a family night to come and discuss parent tutoring before the school year. Where I can give them some direction and they can ask questions. Also so we can come up with a plan on how we want this to be done. Then when students need extra support in practicing a content idea the parents can help support them. Also, parents who speak other languages will be great assets in helping students who struggle with in English in other subjects. Another idea I have is to have parent Read-aloud to students. Near the end of the school day I will have parents sign up to

come and read for 15-20 minutes. This will be similar to teacher read-alouds. The parents can bring their small children and have them listen to the story as well or color. If parents are not able to come to the school they can record their voice reading the story and then have their student bring the tape into class. Finally, my last idea is a spotlight on a student and their family. This is a time when students can be proud of who they are and where they came from and share with the class. They can make food from their culture and bring in their family and siblings to help share the spotlight. The student will talk about his/her family, hobbies, traditions, favorite things, and anything else they want to share. This will be done every Friday until all students have had a turn and parents can sign up for a date and time that works best for them (as long as it is on Friday and during the school hours). For families who are not able to attend, I will record a video of the students spotlight and email the video to the families. 3) Five homework assignments that will enhance content mastery, and will fully involve parents and/or family members: One assignment that will help students with content is creating a family tree and have it go as far back as they can make it. This would be interesting to do at the beginning of the year because students will find out they are related to historical people we talk about in class. I also think this is a great opportunity for students to work with their families and find out where they come from. Another assignment that I think would go hand- in- hand is to find out the root of your last name. My last name comes from Norway and because it is unique many people ask me where it comes from. I think this is important to know especially because when we learn about the culture we come from it peeks our interest because it is related to our heritage and us.

Another assignment is a parent/caregiver interview where students will ask their parents questions about when they went to school and compare the differences. I think this will be a fun assignment for both parties and I also think it will increase students perspectives about schooling.

I will have students ask their families about the traditions that the family has and how they came to be. I want them to also ask their parents if there are any traditions that the parents had when they were younger and didnt carry on and why. Then I will have the students share with the class their traditions and their findings.

Finally, I will have students write an autobiography. They will need to ask their family members questions about when they were younger (making it a family assignment). This will be a fun experience for all family members because it will bring back memories and it will also teach students about themselves.

Standard 4: Speaking Up For Every Child

Standard 4: Speaking Up for Every Child

Description: Families are empowered to be advocates for their own and other children, to ensure that students are treated fairly and have access to learning opportunities that will support their success. The first goal for speaking up for every child is understanding how the school system works. Parents must know how the local school and district operate and how to raise questions or concerns about school and district programs, policies, and activities. The second goal for this standard is empowering families to support their own and other childrens success in school (PTA National Standards). Below are two ways that I can help implement this standard and be a better advocate for my students.

1) Learning Styles Survey: (attached) To truly be an advocate teachers and families need to really know what a student needs. One of the ways teachers and families can help students learn is by understanding how each student best learns. To find this out I will give parents a learning style survey to give to their students. By knowing students learning styles parents and teachers can work together to make sure that what is being taught in the classroom fits their students needs. They are also able to know what needs the students have according to their style. I will also be able to take these results and decide how to differentiate for all of the students. 2) Student-Led Conferences: Student-Led Conferences are a great way for families and teachers to be advocates for students. This is an opportunity for students to take pride in their work and for parents and teacher to support them and be proud of them too. This also a time for parents and teacher to listen, acknowledge his or her growth, and ask questions of the student. It is also a time to set goals together with

the student leading. Student-Led Conferences are also a great way for students to take accountability of their work.

Standard 5: Sharing Power

Standard 5: Sharing Power

Description: Families and school staffs are equal partners in decisions that affect children and families and together inform, influence, and create policies, practices, and programs. For the standard of sharing power there are two goals. The first is strengthening the familys voice in shared decision-making. The second goal for this standard is building families social and political connections (PTA National Standards). Below is an idea on how I can fully involve families in developing a classroom policy or procedure. 1) Parent Meeting: Before the school year begins, I will have parents come to the class and hold a parent meeting where we will discuss procedures and rules that I have outlined. I will ask for their input and ideas as well and we establish them together before the school year begins. This will be beneficial because parents will have say so they will support the rules and procedures. Also, they will be aware of them and so they will know what is expected in the classroom. For parents who speak another language, I will provide a translator for them. Laos, for parents who cannot attend I will provide an outline for them through email and ask for their ideas and opinions to add to the policies as well so that they can feel apart of the decision making process.

Standard 6: Collaborating with Community

Standard 6: Collaborating with Community

Description: Families and school staff collaborate with community members to connect students, families, and staff to expanded learning opportunities, community services, and civic participation. For this standard of collaborating with community, there is one overriding goal: connecting the school with community resources. Parent and school leaders should work closely with neighborhood associations, government agencies, businesses, and institutions of higher education to strengthen the school (PTA National Standards). Below is a rationale for a plan I have to help implement this standard into my own classroom. Rationale: I have created a plan that helps connect family members, students, school staff, and community members to expand learning opportunities, services, and civic participation. Below I have created three lists as a resource for students and family members to build awareness of the many services available in our community. I will also provide families with weekly newsletters that will communicate current events that provide students and families with more opportunities to expand learning and engage in civic participation such as volunteering during the St. George Marathon, participating in food and clothing drives, and attending the Arts Festival. Finally, in the classroom I will incorporate the standard by providing field trips to expand learning and service projects to involve students in civic participation. Before the activities I will invite families to come experience these opportunities with their students.