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Title I Parent and Family Engagement Policies


 

Part I – School Parent and Family Engagement Policy

Thomas Henderson Middle School will work collaboratively with parents to develop, review, and update the Thomas Henderson Middle School Parent and Family Engagement Policy. Once finalized, the policy will be shared with all families of enrolled children and made accessible to the wider community. Thomas Henderson Middle School will accomplish this through:

  • An annual end-of-year parent survey will gather feedback on current practices and procedures.
  • Sharing the Parent Handbook with all families. 
  • Ensuring all families are on Parent Square. 
  • Consistently using the school website and sending home printable flyers. 
  • Hosting the annual Title I meeting in September.  

To ensure that families understand and can participate fully in the Title I program, Thomas Henderson Middle School will hold an annual meeting at a time that is convenient for parents. During this meeting, Thomas Henderson Middle School will explain its Title I status, outline program requirements, and describe parents’ rights and opportunities for involvement. Thomas Henderson Middle School will determine the meeting details and communication methods by:

  • Sending home printable flyers.
  • Uploading social media updates. 
  • Communicating through Parent Square. 
  • Hosting community walks.

Thomas Henderson Middle School is committed to offering flexible opportunities for parent engagement. Meetings will be scheduled at various times, including mornings and evenings. When possible, Thomas Henderson Middle School will provide transportation, childcare, or home visits, supported by Title I funds. Flexibility will be ensured through:

  • Having virtual and evening meeting options.
  • Ensuring that activities for children are available. 
  • Providing refreshments for evening events. 

Parents will be actively involved throughout the year in planning, reviewing, and improving Thomas Henderson Middle School's Title I plan, including the requirements outlined in Sections 1112, 1114, and 1116. This ongoing involvement will occur through:

  • Parents being able to share concerns as a family representative. 
  • Parent Surveys being readily available. 

To support families of English learners, Thomas Henderson Middle School will implement effective outreach and provide information in languages and formats that are easily understood by parents. These efforts will help families participate in their child’s education and assist their children in attaining English proficiency, achieving at high levels, and meeting State academic standards. Outreach will be carried out by:

  • Leveraging the Language Justice Department. 
  • Usage of the language line. 
  • Having on-site interpreters for school events. 

Thomas Henderson Middle School will also ensure that parents receive timely information about Title I programs, along with clear explanations of the school’s curriculum, academic assessments, and expected proficiency levels. Upon request, parents will be offered opportunities to meet regularly, share suggestions, and collaborate in decisions related to their child’s education, with Thomas Henderson Middle School responding promptly to input. These commitments will be fulfilled by:

  • Sending through Parent Square. 
  • Teachers and Admin Weekly Newsletters. 
  • Hosting Parent Teacher Conferences (two per year). 
  • Sharing Interim Reports and Report Cards with parents/guardians. 

If parents are not satisfied with the schoolwide program plan, their comments will be collected and submitted to the LEA upon sharing the plan. Thomas Henderson Middle School will uphold this requirement by

  • Having an open-door policy for communicating and scheduling meetings with the administration. 



 

 

Part II – Building Capacity for Parents and Staff

To ensure effective involvement of parents and to support a partnership among Thomas Henderson Middle School, parents, and community to improve student academic achievement, each school and LEA must engage families and staff in activities that will assist parents in understanding the challenging State academic standards, how to monitor their child’s progress, and how to work collaboratively with educators. 

These efforts will include providing guidance, resources, and opportunities for parents to engage directly with staff and students, and will be carried out through:

  • Providing the Testing Schedules. 
  • Sharing SOLs and Pacing Guides. 
  • Having Printable Diagnostic Assessments and Summaries. 

 

To further support families, Thomas Henderson Middle School will provide materials and training to help parents work with their children at home. This may include literacy instruction, technology training, and guidance on responsible digital practices, including the harms of copyright piracy. Resources and training will be offered through:

  • The school website and administration check-ins. 
  • Title I events with take home materials. 
  • The VDOE resource site. 

 

Thomas Henderson Middle School will also provide professional development for teachers, specialized instructional personnel, and other staff to increase understanding of the value of parent engagement and the role of families and communities in promoting student achievement. Staff development will include:

  • Professional Development on Family Engagement.
  • Monthly staff meetings. 
  • School-wide departmental representation when planning family engagement activities. 
  • Data-centered outreach.




 

Parent engagement will be coordinated and integrated with other federal, state, and local programs. Additional initiatives, such as parent resource centers, will be conducted to encourage and support meaningful family participation. Coordination and implementation will occur through:

  • Ensuring that Parent engagement activities are aligned across Special Education, ELL services, Counseling, and Attendance to provide consistent communication and support.

 

Thomas Henderson Middle School will ensure that information about programs, meetings, and other engagement activities is provided to parents of enrolled children in formats and languages they can understand, to the extent practicable. Communication and outreach will be maintained through:

  • Providing take-home materials in various languages. 
  • Weekly email newsletters shared through Parent Square. 
  • Available interpretation services. 

 

Part III – School-Parent Compact

Thomas Henderson Middle School, along with the parents of enrolled children, agrees to share responsibility for student learning and to build a partnership that helps children meet the state’s high academic standards.

School Responsibilities

Thomas Henderson Middle School will provide high-quality instruction, hold conferences, communicate progress, make staff accessible, provide volunteer opportunities, and maintain two-way communication by 

  1. Providing high-quality curriculum and instruction in a supportive learning environment through

 

  • SOL attachment to Family Engagement Events.
  • Research-based instructional materials. 
  • Extended learning opportunities
     
  1. Holding parent-teacher conferences at least annually to discuss the compact and student achievement, through:

 

  • Formal caregiver conferences
  • Ongoing teacher communication
  • Open access to counselors, APs, and support staff
  • Goal-setting meetings
  • IEP, 504, and EL support meetings
  • Tiered intervention meetings


 

  1. Providing parents with frequent progress reports, through:

 

  • Quarterly Report Cards
  • Interims
  • Parent Portal Access 
  • Weekly Principal Updates
     
  1. Providing parents with reasonable access to staff for consultation, through:

 

  • Open-door policies
  • Caregiver conferences 
  • IEP, 504, and ELL support meetings
     
  1. Providing opportunities for parent volunteering and classroom participation, through:
    • Classroom observations
    • School-based engagement events 
    • Adopt a teacher/classroom opportunities


 

  1. Ensuring two-way, meaningful communication in a language families can understand, through:

 

  • District and School Website
  • Parent Square
  • School Communications 

 

Parent Responsibilities

Parents will support their children’s learning by monitoring attendance, ensuring homework completion, promoting positive use of extracurricular time, volunteering, participating in educational decisions, staying informed, and communicating with Thomas Henderson Middle School. This will be demonstrated when:
 

  • Parents assist students with homework and other assignments. 
  • Parents establish consistent school-related schedules. 
  • Parents maintain regular contact with school personnel and teachers. 
  • Parents utilize school-provided digital platforms. 

 

Part IV – Accessibility Requirements

In implementing the Parent and Family Engagement requirements, Thomas Henderson Middle School and local educational agencies will provide opportunities for all parents and family members to participate meaningfully in their child’s education. This includes parents and family members with limited English proficiency, parents with disabilities, and parents of migratory children. 

 

Thomas Henderson Middle School will ensure that information and school reports required under Section 1111 are provided in a format and, to the extent practicable, in a language that parents can understand. 

 

  • Thomas Henderson Middle School will provide information in English and Spanish or on platforms where it can be translated. 
  • Leverage the RPS Language Line for over-the-phone and in-person translation services. 
  • The Parent Resource Center will be available for interpretation and accommodation support.