School-Parent Compact and Family Engagement Policy

 

School Parent and Family Engagement Policy

Bennett’s Mill Middle School

J.P. Ward, Principal

School Year 2025 - 2026

In support of strengthening student academic achievement, Bennett’s Mill Middle School receives Title I, Part A funds and therefore must jointly develop with, agree on with, and distribute to parents and family members of participating children a written parent and family engagement policy that contains information required by section 1116(b) and (c) of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA).  The policy establishes the school’s expectations for parent and family engagement and describes how the school will implement a number of specific parent and family engagement activities, and it is incorporated into the school’s plan submitted to the local educational agency (LEA).

Bennett’s Mill Middle School agrees to implement the following requirements as outlined by Section 1116:

Involve parents, in an organized, ongoing, and timely way, in the planning, review, and improvement of programs under Title I, Part A, including the planning, review, and improvement of the school parent and family engagement policy and the joint development of the schoolwide program plan under Section 1114(b) of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). 

Update the school parent and family engagement policy periodically to meet the changing needs of parents and the school, distribute it to the parents of participating children, and make the parent and family engagement policy available to the local community. 

Provide full opportunities, to the extent practicable, for the participation of parents with limited English proficiency, parents with disabilities, and parents of migratory children, including providing information and school reports required under Section 1111 of the ESSA in an understandable and uniform format, including alternative formats upon request and, to the extent practicable, in a language parents understand.

If the schoolwide program plan under Section 1114(b) of the ESSA is not satisfactory to the parents of participating children, submit any parent comments on the plan when the school makes the plan available to the local educational agency. 

Be governed by the following statutory definition of parent and family engagement and will carry out programs, activities, and procedures in accordance with this definition: 

• Parent and Family Engagement means the participation of parents in regular, two-way, and meaningful communication involving student academic learning and other school activities, including ensuring:

(A) Parents play an integral role in assisting their child’s learning

(B) Parents are encouraged to be actively involved in their child’s education at school

(C) Parents are full partners in their child’s education and are included, as appropriate, in decision-making and on advisory committees to assist in the education of their child

(D) Other activities are carried out, such as those described in Section 1116 of the ESSA

JOINTLY DEVELOPED

Bennett’s Mill Middle School will take the following actions to involve parents in an organized, ongoing, and timely manner in the planning, review, and improvement of Title I programs, including opportunities for regular meetings, if requested by parents, to formulate suggestions and to participate, as appropriate, in decisions relating to the education of their child and respond to any such suggestions as soon as practicably possible.

• Parent comment cards are available in the front office or in the parent Resource Room
• Parents will be invited to provide feedback throughout the year either through in-person meetings, virtual meetings, surveys, and workshops.

ANNUAL TITLE I MEETING

Bennett’s Mill Middle School will take the following actions to conduct an annual meeting, at a convenient time, and encourage and invite all parents of participating children to attend to inform them about the school’s Title I program, the nature of the Title I program, the parents’ requirements, the school parent and family engagement policy, the schoolwide plan, and the school-parent compact. 

• Annual Title I Meeting will be held prior to November 1st to distribute the revised Parent and Family Engagement policy
• Invitations will be sent in various formats
• Meetings will be held both in-person and virtually
• Documents will be disseminated in a parent family friendly format

COMMUNICATIONS

Bennett’s Mill Middle School will take the following actions to provide parents of participating children the following:

• Timely information about the Title I programs
• Flexible number of meetings, such as meetings in the morning or evening, and may provide with Title I funds, transportation, child care or home visits, as such services relate to parent and family engagement. 
• Information related to the school and parent programs, meetings, and other activities, is sent to the parents of participating children in an understandable and uniform format, including alternative formats upon request and, to the extent practicable, in a language the parents can understand:
  •  Published in both English and Spanish
  •  Posted on school’s  website
  •  Included in and classroom newsletters
  •  Highlighted on school’s social media outlets
  •  Shared through email notifications 
  •  Housed in the office and parent resource center

SCHOOL-PARENT COMPACT

Bennett’s Mill Middle School will take the following actions to jointly develop with parents of participating children a school-parent compact that outlines how parents, the entire school staff, and students will share the responsibility for improved student academic achievement and the means by which the school and parents will build and develop a partnership to help children achieve the state’s high standards. 

School staff, students, and family members work together to create the compact by contributing ideas and strategies to help connect learning at school and at home. Staff members meet to determine practical strategies for families to use at home. Students provide information about what they need to help them learn. Family members provide feedback on what they need in order to help the student. In addition, family members are encouraged to participate in the annual Title I parent survey. Collaborative meetings are held to review and revise the compact, and all feedback is collected and reviewed in the annual meeting. Feedback is welcomed and encouraged throughout the entire school year.

RESERVATION OF FUNDS

If applicable, Bennett’s Mill Middle School will take the following actions to involve the parents of children served in Title I, Part A schools in decisions about how the 1 percent of Title I, Part A funds reserved for parent and family engagement is spent by:

The amount reserved will support family engagement programs, workshops, and activities. Supplemental materials are also available for parents to help their children achieve more in core content areas. In addition, educational resources, books, games, and activities are available for check out. Throughout the year, meetings are scheduled with families to gain more insight into the best way to spend the funds.

COORDINATION OF SERVICES

Bennett’s Mill Middle School will, to the extent feasible and appropriate, coordinate and integrate parent and family engagement programs and activities with other Federal, State, and local programs, including public preschool programs, and conduct other activities, such as parent resource centers, that encourage and support parents in more fully participating in the education of their children by:

• Encouraging parents to visit the Parent Resource Center to check out books, study materials & activities to use at home with your child.  Computer access is also available in the Center.
• BMMS will work with community stakeholders to:

Provide resources to support student academic achievement

Assist with staff development activities and professional learning for staff

Support instructional experiences with guest speakers, resources, and supplemental activities

BUILDING CAPACITY OF PARENTS

Bennett’s Mill Middle School will build the parents’ capacity for strong parent and family engagement to ensure effective involvement of parents and to support a partnership among the school and the community to improve student academic achievement through the following:

• Providing parents with a description and explanation of the curriculum in use at the school, the forms of academic assessments used to measure student progress, and the achievement levels of the challenging State academic standards; and
• Materials and training to help parents to work with their child to improve their child’s achievement, such as literacy training and using technology (including education about the harms of copyright piracy), as appropriate, to foster parent and family engagement
• Providing assistance to parents of participating children, as appropriate, in understanding topics such as the following:
  • The challenging State’s academic standards
  • The State and local academic assessments including alternate assessments
  • The requirements of Title I, Part A
  • How to monitor their child’s progress
  • How to work with educators to improve the achievement of their child

BUILDING CAPACITY OF SCHOOL STAFF

Bennett’s Mill Middle School will provide training to educate teachers and staff, with the assistance of parents, in the following ways:

• The value and utility of contributions of parents
• How to reach out to, communicate with, and work with parents as equal partners
• Implement and coordinate parent programs
• Build ties between parents and the school by: educating teachers and staff, with the assistance of parents, in the value and utility of contributions of parents, and in how to reach out to, communicate with, and work with parents as equal partners, implement and coordinate parent programs, and build ties between parents and the school.

BUILDING CAPACITY FOR INVOLVEMENT

Bennett’s Mill Middle School will provide other reasonable support for parent and family engagement activities under Section 1116 as parents may request by:

• Ensuring that communications are available in English and Spanish that share how parents can understand the school’s academic standards, local and state assessments, and how parents can monitor their child’s progress and work with educators. Parents will have the opportunity to attend parent conferences and content focused curriculum nights for all academic subjects , receive progress reports and access to Infinite Campus to monitor their child’s progress. 
• Providing material and training to assist parents by hosting a series of events to build the capacity for strong parent and family engagement to support the partnership among the school, parents and the community for improved student learning.
• Providing pamphlets and handout activities to support the learning environment at home. Parents will also have access to updated communication and information via teacher Schoology pages and school website. 
• Coordinating with Federal, state and local programs that support parents including offering 5th grade transition day during the spring to provide parents an overview of course offerings and extracurricular activities at the school. Additionally, during the summer incoming 6th grade students can participate in the Day Camp to become more acclimated with middle school. 
• Ensuring that all communication related to school and parent programs, meetings, and other activities are sent through Infinite Campus and/or Schoology, and posted on the school website, and/or school social media pages.
• Partnering with community stakeholders to share information that will help prepare students for their future.
• Organizing a Parent Advisory Council that focuses on  providing input on policies and plans that impact students and their families. Advisory Council members are particularly focused on how to increase parent and family engagement to ensure student academic success.