Parent Involvement Policy: Parents as Partners Program

Our goal is to create the strongest possible partnership between home and school in order to increase student achievement and success. At LAPCS, parents are our most important partners in the road to student success. We strongly believe that students will find greater levels of academic success when their home and school share similar values about learning, develop a positive relationship and work together to build a strong partnership.

To ensure the development of authentic and productive relationships with parents, LAPCS offer a variety of opportunities for you to be involved in the academic life of your child at the classroom and school levels. We further demonstrate our commitment to forging genuine partnerships with all parents by offering high-quality family services, including a comprehensive parent workshop program.

Student and Family Services

Each school offers coordinated support services for students and families as well as meaningful ways for parents to get involved in the school community. Workshops and training sessions are offered to build on the capacity of our families. Parents involved in a leadership position through their active participation in the School Site Council receive targeted trainings to empower and motivate them to seek personal and professional growth opportunities for themselves while advocating for a quality education and life for their children.

School, Parent and Student Pledge and Pledge Review Form

The School, Parent and Student Pledge Review Form (Attachment C) is connected to LA Promise Charter Schools’ School, Parent and Student Pledge (Attachment B), which is a set of shared commitments signed at the beginning of each school year by the student and the family. The goal of the Pledge and Review Form is to create the strongest possible partnership between home, school, and student in order to increase academic achievement and success. Pledge components include ensuring your child is supplied with materials; homework/projects are completed and on time; families are responsive to teacher contacts and school recommendations; books are read at home; tardies and absences are minimized; the school behavior/code of conduct is understood; and parents participate in service hours, attend conferences, workshops and school activities.

LAPCS DOES NOT REQUIRE parents to volunteer, but research shows that parent engagement increases student academic success. As part of the School, Parent and Student Pledge, parents are encouraged, but NOT REQUIRED to complete 40 hours of volunteer service per family, per site. Attendance at workshops and school activities will count towards hours of volunteer service, however donations are not equivalent to volunteer hours. Another way to meet the volunteer service hours pledge is to attend an educational community event (i.e. book fair, college fair) by completing city college classes, taking your child to the public library or by enrolling in other community-based education programs.

Five Ways You Can Make a Difference

As a parent, you are your child’s first teacher. Even while your child is in school, you still teach important lessons every day. Research shows that when parents and schools work together, students do better. Here are some suggestions from the Parent Institute on ways you can make a difference in your child’s education. They don’t cost money. They don’t require training. All they need is you.

1. Read to your child every day. Long after children learn to read for themselves, they love this special time with you. Kids who are read to are the kids who want to read on their own.
2. Join your school’s parent organization. When parents and schools work together schools improve.
3. Volunteer. The more help parents give teachers, the more time teachers can spend with students. Work full-time? There are still ways to help. Ask your child’s teacher what you can do.
4. Let your children know school is important. Ask about their homework. Attend school events. Talk about how you use what you learned in school in your daily life.
5. Recognize your child’s special gifts. Each child has special talents. Perhaps the most important thing you can do is help your child see how he or she is special. That boosts confidence and sets the stage for learning.

Ways to Participate at LAPCS

Become a School Instructional Volunteer

Throughout the school year opportunities will arise for you to volunteer in your child’s classroom, in the school, and for special events. LAPCS strongly encourages your involvement as a volunteer in the life of our school and welcomes your participation as a volunteer. We ask that you follow certain policies and guidelines as a school volunteer as outlined in the following section “School Volunteer Policy.”

School Site Council

Each school site has a School Site Council (SSC), which serves as an advisory council to the school site Principals. The council will consist of the Principal, teachers, other staff and parents. The school site council will serve as a medium for parents to engage the Principal, staff and other parents. Students will also be encouraged to participate so that they may help shape school policy.

The SSC will review and approve the school’s single plan for student achievement, monitor its implementation throughout the year recommend it to the Board for approval, and in addition, provide numerous opportunities for students and parents to contribute to the school’s operations and growth. The SSC may also recommend modifications to the strategic plan to reflect changing needs and/or priorities. Also, the SSC may provide input on: LCAP, curricula and instructional strategies, staff professional development, the school budget, parent involvement, staff stipends, and the school calendar. The SSC will meet monthly during the academic year. Ultimately, the goal is to ensure that there is two-way communication between the school, parents and all its stakeholders.

Election of parent representatives and other community members are held each school year by the third week in September. Nomination forms for parent and community members shall be distributed at each school site and sent home to parents. New members and alternates shall be installed by the October meeting. Other special program/project committees may be established for specific purposes such as fundraising activities, special events, etc.

Participate in Parent Workshops

Various Parent Workshops and school special events and activities will be held during the school year. Attendance to workshops and school activities will count towards your hours of volunteer service. Throughout the year the school may offer educational opportunities solely for the continuing education of the parents. Such opportunities may include classes on parenting, health topics, open communication, job training, domestic violence and English Language Development.

School Climate Survey

The School Climate Survey, administered in the spring of each year, provides valuable information to stakeholders about LAPCS schools. Students in grades 3-12, parents and staff answer survey questions such as how welcoming and collaborative, safe, and conducive to learning their schools are. The answers to survey questions are reported in time to allow school communities to plan improvements for the following year.