Title 1

Title 1 Links

• Information: Title 1 Dissemination Project (http://www.title1project.com)

  Username: Project
  Password:  Students

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Title 1 Events

Download a copy of the flyer in PDF format

GPS Title 1 Hosted Our 4th FREE Fun Family Science Night at the Great Falls Discovery Center

This event, which was held on November 15th, brought out over 125 students and their caregivers to this interactive science museum in Turners Falls! Our feature presenter, the ever popular Tom Ricardi, brought his Birds of Prey which included: a snowy owl, a Northern Saw-whet owl, a red tailed hawk, a peregrine falcon, a turkey vulture, and a bald eagle. Thanks to Sue Cloutier and the Great Falls Discovery Center for hosting this event for the GPS! For those of you who missed the event, please take time to visit this free museum located on Avenue A in Turners Falls across from The Shady Glen Restaurant. Their winter hours (through May) are: Friday and Saturday from 10am-4pm, admission is free. Their phone number is 863-3221. Check out their website for special events: http://www.greatfallsma.org

Photo: Greg Isles

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Title 1
Parent Advisory Council
Meeting Minutes
4/30/08

Parent reps present and schools represented: No one was able to attend this meeting
Title 1 staff present and schools represented: Suzie Hale (Central), Kim Herlihy (FSS), Barbara Ouellette (FC), Joyce Mehaffey (Central) and Ruth Odom (Newton)

• Title 1 sponsored event. Tony Vacca will be performing at the annual Title 1 Spring Event. This event will not only have an evening performance, but will offer workshops in world rhythms and dance to GMS students. The event will be collaboration with the Family Literacy Collaborative. Refreshments will be provided, as well as a free book to each child attending while supplies last. This event was scheduled to take place on Tuesday, June 10, from 6-7:30pm, but was rescheduled to June 17th due to early dismissal because of the heat wave.

• Fundraising: Suzie was able to set up a movie fundraiser for early fall and a 10% night at Pete’s Seafood Restaurant in late fall/early winter. A suggestion was made to sell the movie tickets at Open Houses in the fall, so Suzie will organize the ticket distribution then.

Bill Cardaropoli said he would ask Denny’s to do a 10% night. Suzie has not heard back as of this date.

• In the works: Rotary Reads project is complete, books were distributed to kindergarten and 1st grade teachers, who sent them home with students the first week in June. Thank yous have been pouring in and Suzie will pass along to the Rotary Club. Dictionaries for 2nd grade students went to schools on Friday, June 13th and will go home with students during the last week of school.

• Parent Surveys: The surveys were revamped and sent out to schools for them to send home or put them out during various end of the year events.

• Review Parent Involvement Policy: This was reviewed and a few minor changes were made. This updated policy can be found on the PI page of the GPS website.

• Next meeting: Suzie will be in touch during the beginning of the school year to set-up next year’s meeting schedule.

Thanks to each and every one of you
for your attendance and valued input.

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Title 1 News/Tips

For Elementary School Newsletters
June 2008

Title 1 Parent Involvement Corner

IMPORTANT ~ PLEASE READ

Family Literacy Rocks [CHANGE OF DATE & LOCATION]

The Title 1 spring event “Family Literacy Rocks”, featuring drummer Tony Vacca and Senegalese dancer Abdou Sarr will now be held on Tuesday, June 10th, from 6-7:30pm @ the Greenfield Middle School Auditorium. Light refreshments will be offered, as well as a free book to every child attending (while supplies last). Thanks go out to our co-sponsors: Community Action/Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts: Five & Under Initiative and the Family Literacy Collaborative

Parent Survey

Every spring, Title 1 provides a parent survey to get feedback from you! This year, we are asking you to give us input via this survey which will be available at end of the year events at your respective school. Your opinions are important to us, and help us decide what kind of events to hold in the upcoming school year. We would greatly appreciate you taking the time to fill one out. If you are interested in doing the survey via email, please contact Suzie Hale (suzhal1@gpsk12.org).

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Websites

Reading is Fundamental (http://www.rif.org/parents)
Backyard Nature (www.backyardnature.net)
National Library of Virtual Manipulatives (www.nlvm.usu.edu/en/nav)
Cool Science for Curious Kids (www.hhmi.org/coolscience)
Primary Games (www.primarygames.com
Let's Make Words (www.readwritethink.org/materials/wordbuild)
All About Coloring (http://www.coloring.ws/)

Local Learning Spots

• Greenfield Public Library (Hours: Tuesday& Wednesday 9:30AM-8:00PM; Thursday & Friday 9:30AM-5:00PM)
• Historic Deerfield Museum Sat. 9:30-2
• Berkshire Museum in Pittsfield
• Children's Museum at Holyoke
• Great Falls Discovery Center and Northfield Mountain
• Eric Carle Museum of Picture Art in Amherst
• Forest Park Zoo in Springfield
• Red Gate Farm Education Center in Buckland
• Springfield Museums at the Quadrangle
• Magic Wings and Butterfly Conservatory

***Please note that the Greenfield Public Library has
free passes to many of these places, and more***

* * *

Ways to Get Involved

• Serve on newly forming parent committees or advisory councils

• Read all notices that are sent home with your child

• Attend PTO meetings

• Let your child's teacher know what is going on in your child's life

• Attend open houses and other school events

• Volunteer at school, maybe you could even do volunteer activities at home

• Provide a quiet, well lit place for homework. Ask if homework has been completed, or if help is needed.

• Talk with your child about what their hopes are for the coming year. What do they want to learn?

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Parent Advisory Council
Member List

Four Corners:

Gretchen Emond

Bill Cardoropoli

Federal Street:

Rob Avery

Middle School:

Ellen Villani

Newton Street:

Laura Cayer

Sue Gonsalus

Nicole Howe

Teachers:

Kim Herlihy

Ruth Odom

Maryann Nembirkow

Ruthanne Weissman

Jill Putala

Barb Ouellette

Sue Patterson

Alberta Martin

Nancy Putnam

Donna Gleason

Central Office:

Suzie Hale, Title 1 Parent Coordinator

Joyce Mehaffey, Ph.D., Director of Curriculum and Instruction

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Parent Involvement Policy
Greenfield Public School District
(reviewed/revised April 2008)

The GREENFIELD PUBLIC SCHOOLS are committed to building strong partnerships among home, school, and community. Providing students’ families with opportunities to become involved in their child’s education and the life of the school – from pre-school right through high school graduation – is essential to improving student achievement and providing opportunities after graduation.

Every Greenfield school is expected to:

1. Involve parents in the joint development and annual review of:

• The School Improvement Plan through School Councils
• The District Parent Involvement Policy
• The School-Based Parent Involvement Policy
• Home and School Compacts

2. Convene a meeting at least annually with parents to discuss, re-evaluate and disseminate information such as the following:

• School Improvement Plan
• Home and School Compact
• MCAS standards
• School report card info, including proficiency levels expected of all students
• Curriculum in place at the school
• Parents’ rights regarding information pertaining to their student/school
• Additional information as deemed necessary

3. Schedule Parent-Teacher Conferences to discuss:

• Individual student’s progress in meeting state performance standards
• Individual student’s progress in class
• Individual student’s assessment results
• School/family issues that may be impacting student’s performance/behavior
• Parent’s questions and concerns regarding academic progress

4. Disseminate, discuss, and have the Home and School Compact signed at the conference

5. Send information to caregiver in language used in the home whenever possible.

6. Send home progress reports and report cards each marking period

7. Build capacity for strong parental involvement through:

• Volunteer Opportunities
• Workshops/ Parenting Sessions
• Flexible meeting times to encourage parent participation
• Providing childcare, transportation and food as available
• Using a buddy system - pairing a parent that is new to the school/school system with a parent that has been in the school/school system for multiple years
• Innovative ways to involve families with diverse needs

8. Coordinate/integrate parent involvement strategies with local private schools and with programs such as:

• Special Education
• Title 1
• Early Childhood
• Safe and Drug Free Schools
• Bilingual/ELL
• Community Agency Programs
• Professional Development Programs

9. Conduct an annual evaluation to:

• Determine level of parent participation
• Identify barriers to increase parental participation
• Use findings to design strategies for improvement of parent involvement policies and programs
• Measure the success of the Title 1 Program

To support this policy, district and school level plans provide opportunities that will build the capacity of parents to act as:

Co-teachers of their children by providing…

Suggestions for at-home activities to support learning

Parenting workshops for all parents to become teachers of their children

Invite parents to participate in and observe activities

Co-Supporters of school involvement activities by providing opportunities to become…

Classroom volunteers

School/classroom tutors

Active planners/participants in school-based activities

Co-communicators with the school by…

Attending Open House

Attending Parent Conferences

Reading newsletters and other communications sent home

Attending an Annual Meeting required by Title 1

Attending school activities

Talking with your school’s Title 1 Parent Advisory Council representative

Utilizing technology via Greenfield Public School website

Co-advocates for their children by serving on policy and decision-making committees, such as…

School Improvement Team

District-level committees

PTO

Title 1 Parent Advisory Council

Co-learners for themselves to increase self-knowledge and skills by attending and participating in events such as …..

District Wide Events

Parenting Workshops

English as a second language instruction

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Page last updated: June 13, 2008

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