Title I Family Engagement

Family Engagement Policy and Plan for Shared Student Success

School Year 2025-2026

Revision Date: 05//2025

 

Gould Elementary

4910 Pineland Drive

Savannah Ga 31405
Phone: (912) 395-5400
FAX: (912) 201-5403

 

                                 Principal: Michele Carthon                  Assistant Principal: Tiana Keels                           

What is a Family Engagement Policy?

A Parent and Family Engagement Policy is a plan that describes how Gould Elementary will provide opportunities to improve family engagement to support student learning.  We value the contributions and involvement of families to establish an equal partnership for the common goal of improving student achievement.  This plan describes the different ways that the school will support family engagement and how families can help plan and participate in activities and events to promote student learning at school and at home  (Section 1116)  of the Every Student  Succeeds Act of 2015.

 

Where is the Family Engagement Policy available?

The Family Engagement Policy will be distributed to all families at the beginning of the school year through student communication folders. Additionally, copies are available in the Family Center, where you may also view it and provide feedback. The Policy will also be posted on the school’s website and shared at the Annual Title I meeting.

 

How is it jointly developed/revised?

The following actions were taken to involve parents/guardians in the joint development of  school-parent/family compacts that outline how school staff, parents/guardians, 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:

 

·   An invitation to attend the Annual Title I Family Forum was sent to parents in the spring of the previous school year, offering parents/guardians the opportunity to help plan for the upcoming school year.

·   A final Family Engagement Policy and School-Family Compact(s), with all of the feedback incorporated, will be posted on school website, presented at fall Annual Title I meeting, sent home with all students to serve as an agreement between the school, parents, and students of the shared responsibility for improving student achievement.

 

What is Title I? 

Gould Elementary is identified as a Title I school as part of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). Title I is designed to support State and local school reform efforts tied to challenging state academic standards and reinforce and enhance efforts to improve teaching and learning for students.  Title I programs must be based on effective means of improving student achievement and include strategies to support family involvement. All Title I schools must jointly develop a written family engagement policy with all families . 

 

Who is the purpose of Title I?  

All students participating in the Title I, Part A program and their families are encouraged and invited to fully participate in the opportunities described in this policy.  The school will provide opportunities for the participation of families with limited English, disabilities, and families of migratory children. 

 

Implementation

The staff at Gould Elementary recognizes that the education of students is a responsibility shared with, administrators, teachers, parents and the community. Maximum learning occurs when parents are actively involved and supportive of the education of their children.  In an effort to enhance and expand parental involvement at the school level, parents will be invited to attend several meetings throughout the year in order to provide input in the planning, the review and the improvement of school-wide Title I programs.

 

In order to provide parents/guardians with continuous communication, opportunities for input, and to increase family engagement, the following mandatory Title I family meetings will be held each academic school year:

 

·   Title I Annual Meeting (Fall)2025 – Introduces the School/Family Compacts, the Family Engagement Policy, the Title I budget, and the School Improvement Plan. Information about the school’s curriculum, assessments, and other important information is also shared at this meeting.

·   Family Forum (Spring) 2026– Provides parents/guardians with the opportunity to provide input on School Improvement Planning, the Family Engagement Budget, the Family Engagement Policy, the School-Parent/Family Compact, and staff training .

Meetings or activities will be held during school hours and/ or in the evenings.

 

School-Family Compacts

As part of our family engagement plan, Gould Elementary and our families develop a school-parent/family compact, which is an agreement that explains how parents/families and teachers will work together to make sure students reach grade-level standards. The compacts are reviewed and updated annually based on feedback from parents, students, and teachers during Title I Annual Meeting and from the Annual Family Engagement Survey. The school-parent/family compacts also are reviewed with families during parent-teacher conferences.

 

1% set-aside for parent and family engagement activities

Each year, Savannah-Chatham County Public School System reserves 1% from the total amount of the Title I, Part A funds it receives to carry out family engagement requirements.

 

Accessibility

In carrying out the parent and family engagement requirements established by Section 1116 of the ESSA, the district family engagement coordinator will communicate and collaborate with the Office for Student Support Services to ensure full opportunities for participation of parents with limited English proficiency, parents with disabilities, and parents of migratory children including providing information and school reports in a language parents can understand.

GOALS FOR STUDENT SUCCESS

 

SCCPSS District Goals:

Goal 1: Promote the development of foundational skills and expand early learning opportunities.

Goal 2: advance proficiency in literacy and numeracy through high quality instruction and support for   

              diverse learners.

Goal 3: Enhance learning opportunities to develop the critical thinking and interpersonal skills needed             

              for workforce development and college readiness.

 Goal 4: Provide high quality support and services for whole child development.

 

 Gould Elementary Goals:

Goal 1: Analyze student reading data from MAP, I Ready, DRC Beacon and classroom assessments

Goal 2: Align lesson plans with Georgia Standards and the school- wide instructional framework

Goal 3: Design targeted small group and whole group strategies to address identified needs.

Goal 4: Embed writing across the curriculum for reading.

 

Parent and Family Engagement

Gould Elementary believes that family engagement means the participation of parents and family members in regular two-way, and meaningful communication involving student academic learning and other school activities, including ensuring:

·        That parents/families play an integral role in assisting their child’s learning.

·        That parents/families are encouraged to be actively involved in their child’s education at school.

·        That parents/families 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.

 

Family Resource Center

 

HOURS: Fridays, 9:15 am – 3:00 pm

Come visit the Family Resource Center to check out books, study materials, and activities to use at home with your child. Computers are available for parents to log into PowerSchool/ParentAccess and explore educational resources.

The Savannah-Chatham County Public School System is looking for volunteers to donate their time at our schools. Volunteers provide valued resources and experiences for our students and create connections that strengthen our schools. See the link below to apply online on the Raptor app   

 

If you need support, please reach out to our Family Engagement point of contact:

Sheriann Johnson-Bailey

912-395-5400 

sheriann.johnson-bailey@sccpss.com

 

2025-2026 FAMILY ENGAGEMENT Events and Activities

Gould Elementary will host the following events to build the capacity for strong family engagement to support a partnership between the school, parents, and the community to improve student academic achievement.

 

Title I Annual Meeting – September 2025

We invite you to an evening of learning and sharing about our Title I program, including our parent

and family engagement policy, the schoolwide plan, the school-parent compacts, and parents’ requirements. Invitations will be emailed and posted in the school newsletter, social media, and local media

Literacy Night – October 2025

Learn how to make math fun at home.

Family Engagement Month- November 2025

A celebration of family engagement and the recognition of its impact on school and student success.

Math  Night – January 2026

Learn about the curriculum used in your child’s classroom - the academic standards, assessments, materials, and more!

Title I Annual Family Forum – March

Provides an opportunity for parents/family members to participate in discussions with the principal and staff regarding the school improvement plan, family engagement policy, school-parent/family compacts, and the family engagement budget.

 

Building the Foundation

Gould Elementary will take the following measures to promote and support parents/families as an important foundation of the school in order to strengthen the school and reach our school goals. We will:

 

·     Communicate effectively by ensuring that information related academic standards/assessments, events, etc. is published in a language and format accessible to parents and is communicated in multiple ways.

 

·     Offer training for parents and family members to help further enhance their various educational levels.

·     Partner with early childhood programs, feeder schools, college and career ready resources, or other programs to help prepare parents and their children for successful school transitions.

 

·     Provide necessary materials and handouts for parents/guardians at conferences, meetings, and activities to help parents work with their child to improve their child’s achievement.

 

·     Collaborate with Community Partners to provide information and introduce resources to benefit families.

 

·     Based on parent/guardian feedback, provide staff training to improve communication with parents and ideas to increase family engagement with reading and math activities for our students outside of the classroom.

 

·     Collect feedback from parents and family members at all events, place input cards around the building and post a suggestion form on the school website in order to respond to parents’ requests for additional support for parent and family engagement activities.

·     Parents are welcome to fill out a Parent/Teacher Conference Request Form if they would like to meet with their child’s teacher.

 

 

Parent and Family Engagement Standards

Gould Elementary and our parents have adopted the National PTA Standards for Family-School Partnerships as the school’s model in engaging parents, students, and the community. These standards are:

 

1.       Welcoming All Families

2.       Communicating Effectively

3.       Supporting Student Success

4.       Speaking Up for Every Child

5.       Sharing Power

6.       Collaborating with Community

 

SCHOOL COUNCIL

The school council is an advisory body created to offer advice to the principal on matters pertaining to student achievement and school improvement. The school council initiative was created by the Georgia State Legislature as a method of involving parents, teachers, and community stakeholders in the educational process.  It is governed by state law; O.C.G.A § 20-2-85 and O.C.G.A § 20-2-86. The school council is made up of elected parents, appointed community/business members, elected teacher representatives, and the school principal, with the parent group constituting the largest segment. If you would like to learn more about the school council, please contact our principal.

 

Gould Elementary school council members are:

Michele Carthon, Principal

Tiana Keel, Vice Principal

 

 

                                                                                                                                   

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SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS

 

We want to hear from you! If you have any suggestions or if there is any part of this policy that you feel is not satisfactory with the goals for academic achievement, please provide us with your comments in the space provided and leave this form in the Main Office:

 

Name: (optional) ______________________________________    Telephone Number: (optional): _________________

 

Comments: ______________________________________________________________________________________

 

________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

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Savannah-Chatham County Public School System

Family Engagement Policy

Parents and Families Matter

 

As your partner in education, we have provided this resource to help you and your child get the most out of their educational experience with the Savannah-Chatham County Public School System. To learn more about SCCPSS programs and to access important resources, visit the District’s website at www.sccpss.com.

SCCPSS is looking for volunteers to donate their time at our schools. Our VISTA  program helps identify volunteers who provide valuable support, resources, and experiences for our students and schools, creating connections that strengthen our schools. Learn more and register to volunteer by visiting  the VISTA page on the Family & Students page at www.sccpss.com.

Locate the VISTA link on the Family & Students page of the SCCPSS website.

 WHAT IS FAMILY ENGAGEMENT?

 Family Engagement is the participation of parents/guardians and/or other family members in regular, two-way, meaningful communication involving student  learning and other school activities, including   making sure:

· That families play a role in assisting their child’s learning.

· That families are encouraged to be       actively involved in their child’s education

· That parents/families 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.

· The carrying out of other activities, such as those outlined in Section 1116 of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), occur.

 

 

 

 

 

Family-School Events

AUGUST

Documents that will be sent home:

 · Grade Level School-Home Compacts for your child’s school

· Your child’s school’s Family Engagement Policy

· SCCPSS’ Family Engagement Policy

· Notification to Parents/Guardians of English Language Learners (ELL)

SEPTEMBER

· Annual Title I Meeting (at each site)

FEBRUARY—MARCH

· Annual Evaluation Surveys

· Family Forum (at each site)

THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL YEAR (AUGUST-MAY)

· Parent/family workshops (at each site)

· Information posted on websites

· Events advertised two weeks in advance, in multiple ways

· Quarterly staff training on building capacity to work effectively with parents/families

· Notification to Parents of English Language Learners (ELL)

 

Visit the SCCPS website for useful information and to find out what is going on in your District...

« Registration Information

« School Calendars

« Student/Parent Tools

« School Nutrition Info & Menus

« Student Program Information

« How to Get Involved/Volunteer

« Assessment Calendars

Þ School Counselors

Þ Library Media Services

Þ And many more topics

If you have questions related to events, activities, or support related to   Title I schools  or District family engagement, please contact the Compensatory Programs/Title I office @ 912-395-5635.

 

Building Family and School  Capacity

For Parents/Guardians/Families

SCCPSS will work as a district and through its schools to provide assistance to parents in understanding state and district academic information such as how Georgia Milestones and the Georgia Standards of Excellence connect to their student’s learning and progress, as well as information regarding the Title I program. SCCPSS will provide workshops for parents to gain knowledge about the challenging state academic standards, local academic assessments, as well as the required assessments for Georgia students including monitoring student progress and alternative forms of assessment.  The dates and delivery method of these workshops will be advertised on websites, press releases, and social media.  Examples of events are Student Success Expo, Superintendent’s Kick Off and Family Engagement Day which are held as district-wide events.

 

Two SCCPSS schools (Brock ES and Low ES) use the Academic Parent-Teacher Teams (APTT) family engagement model. APTT strengthens teacher-family relationships by focusing on student academic growth and achievement. APTT elevates the traditional parent-teacher conference by inviting all families from the same classroom to meet together rather than individually. The meeting includes a team-building activity to build rapport with the teacher and among parents; review of specific grade-level skills that must be mastered; anonymous review of every child’s status on the focus skills; teacher modeling and parent practice of at-home activities to improve the focus skills; and 60-day goal-setting for each child. Families receive take-home materials to support at-home practice. After 60 days, families are invited to a second meeting to receive progress updates and learn about another skill.  APTT meetings take place three times during the school year. The District’s Family Engagement Leadership Team (FELT) trains, guides, and monitors the implementation of the APTT model in SCCPSS schools.

 

SCCPSS will also conduct workshops such as literacy training and maintain district and school websites that will contain academic content resources and materials, APTT activities, and ways to help parents work with their children at home to improve academic achievement.  Copies of materials will be made available at all schools for those families who may have limited internet access, including copies in the student’s home language. Additionally, workshops and webpages will assist parents with understanding the online student information system and other digital educational resources (including education about the harms of copyright piracy). Dates and times for these workshops will be determined and announced by each individual school.  On the district level workshops and information will be shared at events such as the Back to School Showcase, Student Success Expo, and Family Engagement Day.

 

A  districtwide Family Engagement Advisory Council comprised of parent representatives from each school will provide advice on all matters related to family engagement programs. Community leaders and business partners will be invited to serve on this council.   This event is open to all parents of all students.

 

SCCPSS will provide reasonable support for family engagement activities as requested by parents/families with the support of local school staff and community partners.  This will include workshops and information related to community resources, English language learners, SPED, GED, mental health & behavioral workshops sponsored by the district and local schools.

SCCPSS will coordinate and integrate the district’s family engagement programs with the local preschool program and other federally- and state-funded preschool programs in the district by inviting faculty and staff from those programs to attend planning meetings focused on family engagement activities. In the spring, each elementary school will host a Kindergarten Orientation so parents may tour the schools and receive information to help prepare them and their children for kindergarten.  Coordination of services will include Student to Work Job Fairs, Business Partner Events, Student Leadership Program, Chatham County Youth Commission, Summer 500 City of Savannah Youth Employment Program, PTA/PTSO, Title I, Title II, Title III, Title IV, 21st Century, CTAE, IDEA, and other agencies.

 

For School Staff

SCCPSS will conduct  trainings during the school year for school family engagement personnel, with the assistance of parents,  to learn and discuss strategies to increase family engagement, improve school-family communication, in the value and utility of contribution of parents, how to work with parents as equal partners, and build ties with parents and the community.  These trainings will be redelivered to staff that includes principals, teachers, other school leaders, specialized instructional support personnel, and other staff of schools. Trainings will also be provided  for appropriate school staff and faculty that will focus on creating welcoming environments and improving two-way communication with families.

 

Schools and Families Working Together

            Jointly Developed with Parents/Guardians anD Family Members

During a series of meetings all parents were invited to participate and provide suggestions and ideas to improve this district’s family engagement policy, Comprehensive LEA Improvement Plan ( CLIP), School Improvement Plan/Title I Targeted Assistance Plans and Title I family engagement fund allocations for the 2025-2026 school year. 

 

The district /schools sent a flier home with each student informing parents of the meetings and posted the announcement on the district’s website.  Additionally, the district’s public relations department did a media release concerning the date, locations and times of the meetings.

 

The district’s Family Engagement Advisory Council reviewed the district family engagement policy before the end of the school year and contributed feedback. All feedback received was included with the policy for this school year. 

 

Upon final revision, elements of the district family engagement policy was incorporated into the CLIP which was submitted to the state.  Parents are welcome to submit comments and feedback regarding the policy at any time on the Family  Engagement section of the district’s web site.

 

The district family engagement policy was posted on the district and school websites, distributed during the Annual Title I school meetings held in September, and made available in the school’s family resource centers.

Technical Assistance to  Schools

The district Title I program specialist will provide coordination, technical assistance and other support necessary to all Title I schools to ensure family engagement requirements are being satisfied and that strategies and activities to build effective  family capacity which leads to student     achievement and school performance are being implemented. 

 

When necessary meaningful consultation will be conducted with local employers, business leaders, institutes of higher    education or individuals with expertise in effectively engaging parent and family member in education.

 

During the year school administrators and school family engagement staff will receive training on developing meaningful two way communication and consultation with families.  This will include building capacities for strong staff and family   engagement with EL families.

 

Accessibility

In carrying out the family engagement requirements established by Section 1116 of ESSA, the Title I District program managers will communicate & collaborate with schools to ensure full opportunities for participation of parents with limited English proficiency, parents with disabilities, and parents of migratory children including providing information and school reports in a language parents can understand. District Title I letters, information and        materials will be made available in a format and language that all parents can understand. This includes providing information and school reports required under Section 1112€(4) in a format and extent practicable, in a language parents understand.

 

Adoption of Family Engagement Policy

In carrying out the family engagement requirements established by Section 1116 of ESSA, the Title I district program managers will communicate and collaborate with schools to ensure full opportunities for participation of parents with limited English proficiency, parents with disabilities, and parents of migratory children including providing information and school reports in a language parents can understand. District Title I letters, information and materials will be made available in a format and language that all parents can understand.  This includes providing information and school reports required under Section 1112€(4) in a format and extent practicable, in a language parents understand.

 

This districtwide family engagement policy has been developed jointly and agreed upon with parents of children participating in all schools to include Title I Part A programs as evidenced by the collaboration of parents, school and district personnel .

This policy was adopted by the Savannah-Chatham County Public School System (SCCPSS) in  June 2025 and will be in effect for the 2025-2026 academic school year.  The District will make the policy available to all parents of participating Title I, Part A children on or before August 31, 2025.

 

Reservation of Title I  Family Engagement Funds

SCCPSS will reserve one percent from the total amount of the Title I, Part A funds it receives in FY26 to carry out family engagement requirements listed in this policy and as described in Section 1116 of the ESSA.  Furthermore, SCCPSS will distribute 90 percent of the amount reserved to all Title I schools to support their local-level family engagement programs and activities with priority being given to high need schools. The district will provide clear guidance and communication to assist each Title I school in developing an adequate family engagement budget that addresses their needs assessment and parent recommendations. 

 

In the fall, each school will send out a One Percent Family Engagement Budget survey  to families and each spring, schools will conduct a Family Forum during which the one percent family engagement budget is discussed.  Parent/Guardian/Family feedback forms and minutes will be collected from this meeting.  The survey and meeting feedback will be used to determine areas of family engagement need for the upcoming school year. 

Funds reserved by the district will be used to provide books, pamphlets and various materials for families related to increasing family engagement especially among economically disadvantaged families.  Workshops and supporting programs will also be provided to reach families at school and in the community .  These activities & strategies will be provided  primarily through District events listed on the included calendar.

Additionally, professional development is provided to family engagement school personnel during the school year by community organizations such as Healthy Kids, Early Learning College, Salvation Army, the housing authority and other agencies.  Tours are conducted of community agencies  to include family shelters, health care facilities, and neglected and delinquent children support properties.  The information from these trainings is then provided to school staff.

 

 Opportunities for Meaningful Parent/Family Consultation

Input and suggestions from parents/family members are an essential component of the district and school improvement plans that are developed each year. All parents of students eligible to receive Title I services are invited to attend two meetings (described below) to share their ideas and suggestions to help the district, schools, and students to reach our student academic achievement goals.

District Title I Meetings , Student Success Expo in January, and Family Engagement Day in April.

 

All parents are welcome to hear the latest updates from SCCPSS  as well as review and provide input into the district family engagement policy and the Comprehensive LEA Improvement Plan for the school year. Notices regarding these meetings will be advertised in multiple ways by the district and Title I schools. The district will also communicate information regarding these meetings on the school district website.

 

Family Forums ~ February/ March

Each spring, Title I schools will host a forum for parents/family members to participate in roundtable discussions to review the schoolwide plan, the school-home compacts, building school staff capacity, the school’s family engagement policies, and to provide input on the family engagement budget and programs. Each Title I school will advertise in multiple ways to notify about dates and times of the forums. Information regarding the Family Forums will also be made available on the school websites. Parent input on the use of Title I funds to support family engagement programs may also be provided through the annual school and district evaluation survey. The survey will contain questions related to the family engagement budget as well as a place for parents/families to provide comments.

 

All school, district Title I meetings and forums documents , handouts, agendas and presentations will be posted on websites for parents/families to view and provide input if they are unable to attend events. 

  

 About the Family Engagement Policy

In support of strengthening student academic achievement, the Savannah-Chatham Public School System ( SCCPSS) has developed this family engagement policy. This policy establishes the district’s expectations for meaningful family engagement and guides the strategies and resources that strengthen school and parent partnerships in the district’s schools.  This policy will describe SCCPSS’s commitment to engage families in the education of their children and to build capacity in its schools to implement family engagement strategies and activities designed to achieve the district and student academic achievement goals. 

 

When schools, families, and communities work together to support learning, children tend to do better in school, stay in school longer and enjoy school more.  Title I, Part A provided for family engagement at every level of the program, such as in the development and implementation of the district and school plan, and in carrying out the district and school improvement provisions.  Section 1116 of the Every Student Succeeds Act ( ESSA)  contains the primary requirements for schools and school systems to involve parents in their children’s education.  SCCPSS will work with its all schools to ensure that the required school-level family engagement policies meet the requirements of Section 1116(d) and each include, as a component, a school-parent compact.

 

Neglected & Delinquent Children

Parents, parent proxies, or legal guardians of     students in neglected facilities will be informed of all family engagement activities provided by the LEA (Savannah-Chatham County Public School System). To the extent practicable, school-based Family Resource Centers shall be available to these parents, with educational resources available for check-out.

 

Family Engagement Annual Evaluation

Each year SCCPSS will conduct an evaluation of the content and effectiveness of this family engagement policy and family engagement activities at the district and school levels. This review will be conducted by each school through an annual evaluation survey and Family Forums held at Title I schools in the spring of each year. 

 

In addition to conducting surveys, each Title I school will hold a Family Forum to collect parent feedback on family engagement and to facilitate a discussion on the needs of families of children eligible to receive Title I services related to designing strategies for increased student achievement and effective family engagement. 

 

Additionally, parents and family members will be asked how they can assist with the learning of their children including engaging with school personnel.  This will include strategies on how to support school and family interaction.

 

SCCPSS will use these findings to design evidence-based strategies to improve effective family      engagement to remove possible barriers to parent/guardian/family participation which include economic disadvantages, disabilities, limited English proficiency, limited literacy or other background issues. This information will be used to revise its family  engagement policies, family engagement budget, and school-parent compacts.  To take the survey visit www.sccpss.com.  

All Gould Elementary students participate in the Title I, Part A program.  We share these compacts with our students and their families.  This compact outlines how the parents, the entire school staff, and the students will share the responsibility for improved student academic achievement as well as describes how the school and parents/families will build and develop a partnership that will help children achieve the State’s high standards.