Felicitas Méndez International School (MIS) will involve parents in the education of their children at all grade levels. The Superintendent or his/her designee shall provide coordination, technical assistance and other support necessary to assist all schools in planning and implementing effective parent involvement activities to improve student academic achievement and school performance. Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), Section 1118-Title I Parent Involvement establishes that to build capacity for parent involvement within schools, a district is to “develop jointly with, agree on with, and distribute to parents of participating children a written Parent Involvement Policy”. Building Parents Capacity, for Involvement.
The Felicitas Méndez International School teachers and staff believe that empowering parents to be involved with their child and providing them with options regarding their children’s education, will help the district to realize its vision to become the “District of Choice” for patrons of the community. As a result of this belief, Mendez International School shall create an environment of supportive and collaborative parent involvement.
1. Program Information for Parents: Felicitas Méndez International School shall provide assistance to parents of all children in understanding topics such as the state’s academic content and achievement standards, the assessments being used, the requirements of Title I, Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), how to monitor their children’s progress, and work with educators to improve their child’s academic achievement. The school will provide parents with the necessary information to increase their child’s ability to succeed at school. This information will address specifics about MIS’s unique language program and the procedural specifics in the application process.
2. Educate Educators: Felicitas Méndez International School shall educate staff members in the value and contributions of parents, and how to communicate with them and work with parents as equal partners.
3. Understandable Communication: Felicitas Méndez International School shall ensure that information related to school and parent programs, meetings, and other activities is communicated to the parents of all children in a format and language the parents can understand.
- Bilingual Monthly Newsletter
- Bilingual Classroom communication on ClassDojo
- Bilingual District & Office information
4. Parents and Volunteering: Felicitas Méndez International School will continually solicit and encourage all parents to support their children and school by volunteering to participate in various acts of service as needed and defined by the staff. The school will provide parents multiple opportunities to participate in classroom and office activities. These will include but are not limited to; learning projects, field trips, and field day. MISoffers parents the opportunity to volunteer in the office and will provide training on how to use the school equipment.
5. Other Requested Activities: Felicitas Méndez International School shall provide opportunities for parental involvement as parents may request or suggest. The school will have multiple events in which families are invited to participate. Some examples of events are as follows: District Art Festival, Music Program, Book Fair, Literacy Night and STEM Night are some of what is planned for this school year.
6. Additional Resources Provided for Parents:
- Recruitment information meetings, including tours of school, prior to application period.
- Bilingual Parent Teacher Association (PTA)
- 8 hour bilingual Parent Liaison
- Talking Points allows parents to sign up to receive texts and emails in both languages, parents can also access all teachers and staff emails for effective, quick and convenient communication.
- Translation headphones are provided by the district to make meetings understandable to Spanish speakers.
- Use of a computer in the Parent Liaison/Volunteer Office to research, complete enrollment and transfer applications, and access PowerSchool
- Assessment needs are given to families twice a year through a survey– to help us understand the needs of the families.
- Availability of a clothes closet to supply children with uniform change as needed.
- Parent information bulletin board in the entrance/exit leading to the office.
- Volunteer information board in the Parent Liaison/Volunteer Office with information in both languages.
- Talking Points– Bilingual phone message, text, and email sent from MIS or the district
- Peachjar sends school and district flyers via e-mails to keep parents posted on events going on with the school and the district.
Legal Reference: Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), Title I