Valley View School
Family Engagement Plan

Goal Statement:  Encourage and maintain effective relationships between school and community.

Objective 1:  Provide timely communication concerning school curriculum, assessments and events.

Action Plan:

1. Handbook, discipline procedures and individual class expectations are sent home at the start of each school year.  Parent also receive a hard copy of the Bradley County Schools calendar, a Valley View Fall schedule and Valley View Spring schedule.
2. "Parent Night" is held by each grade/classroom during August.  Classroom teachers meet the parents/guardians and as a group go over goals, expectations, procedures, curriculum, etc.
3. Teachers send a letter of welcome to their upcoming students during the summer and contact each family by phone before the start of school.
4. At the end of school each May, parents receive information about their child's placement for the coming school term and list of needed supplies.
5. Parents are sent information on upcoming assessments such as TCAP, writing assessment, and weekly tests.  Graded work, tests, state assessments results are sent to parents in a timely manner.
6. Parent conferences, phone conferences, student take home folders or agendas, email, web site, notes and letters to parents, report cards, and automated phone messages are some of the ways teachers and parents communicate.
7. Open House early in the school year to promote parents being comfortable in the school, getting to know their child’s teacher and classroom.
8. Two or three notices being sent home with each student to promote upcoming events. Major events are also listed on the 'Calendar'. The automated phone system is now being used to contact parents. School-wide events are also announced on the sign in front of the school.
9. First grade students take home a reading folder each day. After listening to the book, the parent/guardian signs the sheet, and the child returns the folder to school the next day.
10. Some classrooms send weekly agendas home.  The agendas keep parents aware of upcoming events, special assignments, and what the class is studying.
11. Fourth and fifth grade students have a daily 'Agenda' where they list assignments, homework, and other projects or events. Parents should review the 'Agenda' each day and sign.
12. Parents may check the Bradley County Schools web site and the Valley View School web site at www2.bradleyschools.org.  From the Bradley County Schools web site, click on the 'link for parents' and on the next page click on 'Valley View".  Most classrooms have a web page and an email link to the teacher.

Objective 2.  Promote family and community participation in school activities.

Action Plan:

1. Parent – Teacher organization with programs and activities that encourage parents and other family members to attend.
2. Fall Festival is an annual event that brings community, families and school together to work hard and have lots of fun.
3. Field Day is a special time when parents, grandparents, and others in the community come out to help and have a good time.
4. Thanksgiving Lunch has become a tradition at Valley View. Parents, grandparents, and community members share in this special day.
5. 'Muffins for Moms' and 'Donuts for Dads' are special reading events in which students invite a mom figure or a dad figure to school to read and have muffins or donuts.
6. Parent Volunteer forms are passed out at the start of each school year. Volunteers are used to tutor students, listen to students read, assist students with AR tests, run copies, help with bulletin boards, and etc.
7. Field Trips – parents are encouraged to participate as chaperons..
8. School parties – parents or grandparents help plan, prepare and give parties.
9. Partners with Valley View Baptist for projects such as landscaping, playground, food drives, and Box Tops for Education.
10. Parent participation in parent classes such as "Love and Logic".

Objective 3.  Provide curriculum activities to be utilized at home to enable and encourage parents to participate in their child’s education.

1. Library is open two days a week until 6 P.M. This time allows parents to be active in reading to or with their child.
2. Leveled take home readers are sent home with students for extra practice.
3. Kindergarten and first grade classes may send home Frog Family Fun Packs.
4. Science projects are completed at home with parent assistance.
5. Re-teaching or Extra Practice materials are sent home as needed.
6. In lower grades, parents assist children in learning vocabulary words for each week's new reading story.
7. Parents, also work with students on learning to spell, new spelling words each week.
8. Many students and parents read AR books together.  At lower grades, parents may read the entire book several times to the child before the child brings the book back to school to take an AR test on it.