Houston Jr./Sr. High School Parent Engagement Policy
2019-2020
Houston Jr./Sr. High School Vision of Parent Engagement
Houston Jr./Sr. High School is committed to the goal of providing quality education for every
child. To
this end, HJSH wants to establish partnerships with families and community. Everyone gains if our
school and families work together to promote high achievement from our children; no one can do the
job alone. HJSH families play an extremely important role in children live as their first
teachers. A full circle of support for students and is critical to their success every step of the
way.
Houston Jr./Sr. High School recognizes that some students need extra help and assistance to be
successful. Various types of assistance are available through the HJSH Title I program
to reach high academic standards. HJSH will reach out to families for input in all aspects of
the Title I program. The goal is a school-home partnership that will help all students to succeed.
Houston Jr./Sr. High will:
1. Jointly develop/revise with Houston Jr./Sr. High School Families Parent Engagement Policy and
distribute it to the families of participating children and make available the parent Engagement
plan to the local community.
a. Houston Jr./Sr. High School Families are to the quarter 2 Title I Team Meeting, November 18,
2019; which is also combined with our last holiday dinner planning meeting. Notification
of the meetings will be made in the monthly newsletter, social media, and a reminder Blackboard
connect message will be sent before the meeting. A copy of the Title I plan is available on our
website and feedback will also be encouraged through email and
a brief online survey for those who cannot attend the actual meeting.
2. Convene an annual meeting, inviting all Houston Jr/Sr High School Families to attend, inform
Houston Jr/Sr High School Families of their school’s participation under this part and to explain
the requirements of this part, and the right of the Houston Jr/Sr High School
Families to be involved.
a. The annual meeting was on September 17, 2019, & October 30, 2019. We feel that it is
important to inform our Houston families about our Title I funds and all the great things it allows
us to do.
3. Offer other methods to give valuable input if attending a meeting is not possible.
a. Through past surveys, Houston Jr./Sr. High School learned that weekday evenings are the most
convenient for the majority of families. If we combine the meeting with a fun family event
directly following, we found that the attendance improved dramatically. Houston Jr/Sr High
School will use more electronic means to get more Engagement from our families who
have busy schedules and want to give feedback in that manner versus attending a meeting
at Houston Jr/Sr High School. Our Parent Coordinator will continue to inform families promptly
through social media, our website, monthly newsletters, and Blackboard Connect, and usage of the
electronic reader board of all meetings so families can plan accordingly.
4. Involve Houston Jr./Sr. High School Families, in an organized, ongoing, and timely way, in the
planning, review, improvement, and development of the Title I school plan.
a. Houston Jr./Sr. High School families are sent individual emails, monthly newsletters, and
Blackboard Connect messages in addition to fliers sent home with students to invite
Houston Jr./Sr. High School Families to various meetings and forums regarding the
evaluation or revision of the Title I school plan and other important information.
Additionally, our Parent Coordinator will maintain updated information on various social media
outlets and use that as a way to have 2-way communication with families who choose to
take advantage of that method of providing feedback.
5. Involve Houston Jr./Sr. High School Families and school staff in the development of a School-
Community Compact that explains ways the school staff, Houston Jr/Sr High School Families, and
students will work together to increase student achievement.
a. Compacts will be made available electronically and in paper form within the first 90 days of
the start of the school year. The newly designed compacts will also be accessible all year long
at our reception desk, plus made available during every school and Title I event.
6. Provide Houston Jr./Sr. High School Families timely information about –
a. The curriculum in use at the school, the forms of academic assessment used to measure student
progress, and the proficiency levels students are expected to meet.
i. This is communicated through the monthly newsletter, individual teacher and
school-wide website, teacher syllabi, and progress reports sent home with students.
b. If requested by Houston Jr./Sr. High School Families, opportunities for regular meetings to
formulate suggestions and to participate, as appropriate, in decisions relating to the
education of their children, and respond to any such suggestions as soon as practically
possible.
i. Houston Jr./Sr. High School advocates a collaborative approach with families which
encourage a phone call at any time with concerns or suggestions. This is communicated to
Houston Jr./Sr. High School Families via the Title I Annual Meeting, monthly newsletters,
teacher websites & emails, and the Parent Forum meetings.
c. A description of the Title I program in the school
i. Houston Jr./Sr. High School families are welcomed to have input in the Title I plan either in
person or by electronic communications and surveys. A review of the entire plan is offered
during any of the quarterly Parent Engagement events and during the first Title I Annual meeting
at the beginning of the new school year.
7. Will provide a way for families to offer feedback and share concerns form any parent/guardians
on the plan when it’s available to the community.
a. Houston Jr./Sr. High School families are invited to respond to the Title I plan via email,
phone call, or to come by personally at any time to discuss concerns.
8. Work together to share the responsibility for improved student academic achievement by:
a. Conducting parent/teacher conferences, annually (at a minimum),
i. Mat-Su Borough School District guidelines are followed, which plans conferences to take place
twice per school year at staggered times to make it convenient for all families of Houston Jr./Sr.
High School students to attend.
b. The compact shall be discussed as the compact relates to the individual
child’s achievement;
i. Teachers discuss certain aspects of the Compact with students during a daily
scheduled Advisory class (called Hawk Talk) and make themselves available to Houston
Jr./Sr. High School families and students via individual websites, emails, and telephone.
c. Providing frequent reports to Houston Jr./Sr. High School Families on their
children’s progress; and
i. Teachers print progress reports for students to monitor their academics and mid- quarter grade
nonfictions are sent to Houston families.
d. Providing Houston Jr./Sr. High School Families with reasonable access to
staff, opportunities to volunteer and participate in their child’s class and observation
of classroom activities.
i. Houston Jr./Sr. High School families can access the staff via telephone, email or personal
websites at any time. Volunteer opportunities are posted in the monthly newsletter and during
special event notifications and planning processes. Families who want to observe classroom
activities are encouraged to make arrangements using the above communication tools or to stop in
personally.
e. Providing Houston Jr./Sr. High School Families with regular meetings to make suggestions and
participate in decisions relating to the education of their children.
i. The Parent Forum will meet to encourage family participation in Title I, programs, and other
suggestions relating to their student’s education.
9. Assist Houston Jr./Sr. High School Families in understanding topics such as the State’s
academic
content standards, local academic assessments, all the requirements, and how to monitor a child’s
progress and work with educators to improve the achievement of their children;
a. Houston Jr./Sr. High School provides links on its website to the state website
for assessments and standards.
10. Provide materials and training to help Houston Jr./Sr. High School Families to work with their
children to improve their children’s achievement, such as literacy, math, and technology training,
as appropriate, to foster parental Engagement;
a. Although past training events have not historically been well attended, Houston Jr./Sr. High
School will offer after school tutoring starting in the first quarter; this will focus on all
academic areas.
11. Provide full opportunities for the participation of Houston Jr./Sr. High School
Families with children with limited English proficiency, Houston Jr./Sr. High School Families with
children with disabilities, and Houston Jr./Sr. High School Families of migratory children,
including providing information and school reports in a format and, to the extent
practicable, in a language such Houston Jr./Sr. High School Families can understand.
This Houston Jr./Sr. High School Parental Engagement Policy has been developed/revised jointly with
and agreed on, with Houston Jr./Sr. High School Families of children participating in the Title I
program. The draft version is available on-line 11/12/2019 – 11/20/2019 during which time is
considered the final input period. The final version of the Parent Engagement Policy will be
developed/revised by Houston Jr./Sr. High School on 11/21/2019 and be in effect for the period of
the school year. The completed copy of the Parent Engagement Policy is made available on or before
11/30/2019 to all Houston Jr./Sr. High School Families via the website or a paper version upon
request.
11/11/2019
(Signature of Title I Authorized Representative) (Date)
