Tellico Plains Elementary School

Parent-Community

Involvement Plan

2010-2011

Tellico Plains Elementary School

121 Old High School Rd.

Tellico Plains, TN 37385

Parent Involvement Advisory Council

Robert Hooper – Principal

Laura Jones -

- Assistant Principal & Teacher3

Rebecca Isbill – Committee Chair

Dan Schlafer – Director of Federal Programs

Leanne Strickland – Parent Involvement Coordinator

Tina Hollinghead – TeacherK

Cynthia Harris – Teacher1

Garry Butler – Teacher2

Myra Shaw – Teacher4

Shauna Wilson – Reading Teacher

Judy Bunch - Librarian

Sandy Tilley – Special Education Teacher

Amanda Williams – School Nurse

Carla Hunt – School Nurse

Penny Cook – Parent

Jennifer Lynn – Parent

Lori Dalton – Parent

Patricia Sowers - Parent

Shauna Wilson – Reading Teacher

Judy Bunch - Librarian

Sandy Tilley – Special Education Teacher

Amanda Williams – School Nurse

Carla Hunt – School Nurse

Penny Cook – Parent

Jennifer Lynn – Parent

Lori Dalton – Parent

Patricia Sowers - Parent

Parent Involvement Plan

Tellico Plains Elementary School’s Parent Involvement Plan has been developed in cooperation with the principal, faculty, staff, Parent Involvement Advisory Council, and parents.

Shared Responsibility for Student Performance

Tellico Plains Elementary believes that education is a shared responsibility of the students, the teachers, the parents and the community. Student success is greatly increased when we work together. Parents are asked and encouraged to communicate with their child’s teacher on a regular basis. Parents are also encouraged to contact the school with any questions regarding their child’s education. Tellico Plains Elementary School promotes the involvement of parents and community in TPES Parent Teacher Organization, Principal’s Advisory Council, Parent Volunteers, and School Improvement Committee for SACS.

Communicating

Tellico Plains Elementary School will communicate with parents and the community about student progress and school programs effectively.

Methods for communication:

Newsletters – a school wide newsletter will be sent home monthly with information on school activities and events.

Student Agendas will be used by each student daily to ensure effective two-way communication between school and home.

Open House – Parents will be informed of special programs such as Title I, offered at their school. Information is given as to how special programs in the school support academic achievement.

Classroom newsletters will be created by teachers to convey important classroom information.

Parent-Teacher Conferences - Each parent will have the opportunity to formally meet with their child’s teacher at least twice a year.

School Website – School information, upcoming school events, lunch menu, student accomplishments, PTO information, etc., can be easily accessed by logging on to the school website.

Student work assessment – Grade cards will be sent home each six weeks. Student work is to be sent home weekly for parent review.

IEP Meetings – These meetings will include parents to set up their child’s Individual Education Plan.

Local Newspaper- Announcements, accomplishments, and important school information will be submitted to the county newspaper.

STAR – The results of this computer Reading Assessment are made available 2-3 times each year.

An explanation of TCAP results will be sent home to parents.

Parenting

Resources for parents are available through the School Resource Center. Our school media center has available to parents, upon request, a variety of information to help them in all aspects of their child’s educational needs. Information on the Monroe County Family Resource Center in available through the school office. Assistance with various aspects of family needs is available to all parents and community members through the school office.

Kindergarten Readiness packet – These are provided to parents at Kindergarten pre-registration to help parents know what is expected of their beginning kindergarten student.

Health Screening – During Kindergarten registration a variety of screenings are offered to all enrolling kindergarten students. Among those are hearing, vision, dental, and speech screenings. These are organized and facilitated by the school and community as a resource for parents to utilize.

Reading Connections and Home-to-School Newsletters are sent home on a regular basis to give parents suggestions on activities to do at home to help their child be a better student.

Student Learning

It is the goal of Tellico Plains Elementary School to involve families/community in learning activities and awards for students.

Parents are informed of the State’s Standards and a checklist of goals for each six weeks.

Student of the Month program is held at the end of each month to reward one child chosen from each class for outstanding academic work and behavior.

Perfect Attendance incentives are awarded at the end of each six weeks to encourage good attendance. There is also a Perfect Attendance and Academic Awards Ceremony at the end of the school year.

The Accelerated Reader Program hosts a party at the end of the year. Students may earn points by reading and testing, which determines how much time they get to spend at the party.

Field Day is held at the end of each year. This involves each grade level, with games that encourage physical fitness, good sportsmanship, competition, and teamwork. Ribbons are awarded to students for their accomplishments.

Volunteering

Tellico Plains Elementary School welcomes and encourages parent and community volunteers to support our students, staff and school.

We utilize many of our PTO members as volunteers to assist in classrooms and other programs in the school that support curriculum.

Parents are asked to volunteer to assist in such programs as field day, career day, chaperon field trips, and school programs that help with funding and rewards.

Volunteers will be recognized for their contributions at the Awards Ceremony at the end of the school year.

Community Involvement

Tellico Plains Elementary School recognizes that our school and our students are more successful when we have the support of our parents and our community. The following resources have participated and will continue to be asked for their support in our efforts to make our school the best that it can be. We also feel that it is important for our students to join with agencies in our community to help others in need.

Citizens Bank- This bank supports academic achievement by awarding savings bonds to our Student of the Month winner.

Hardee’s supply our school with coupons for free items to reward students for good work and behavior.

Area businesses help many of our economically disadvantaged students by supplying them with clothes and gifts at Christmas. Some of these businesses include KOYO, and Johns Mansville.

Ingle’s Grocery supports our school by donating supplies and technology equipment.

Community organizations help our students with needs such as shoes, glasses, and medical care. Some participating organizations are the Lion’s Club, Shriner’s, and Kiwanas Club.

Bierley-Hale Funeral Home presents all staff members with a yearly calendar.

As a part of giving back to our community, our school helps raise money, food, etc. for such organizations as the Good Shepherd Center, the Red Cross, American Diabetes Association, and the American Cancer Society.

Title I Services for Students in Monroe County

Students are eligible for Title I services based on the number of free and reduced lunch participants. Currently, we have nine schools being served by the Title I funding. There are two types of programs- targeted assistance and school wide. Targeted assistance schools mean that only those students who have been identified as eligible for Title I services can be worked with by our Assistants at that school. All nine schools; Coker Creek, Madisonville Primary, Madisonville Intermediate, Rural Vale, Tellico Plains Elementary, Tellico Plains Junior High, Tellico Plains High School, Sweetwater High School  and Vonore Elementary are being served as a school wide facility. In these schools, no student or staff member is identified as "Title I". Being school wide give the schools more flexibility in the way Title I funds and personnel are used.

The emphasis in the new law is still on improving reading and math skills- that is, students must make the gains as set by the State in these areas. One major change is that all staff, including Title I, must be better qualified educationally to work with children. Specifically, the new law states that educational assistants must have the equivalent of two years of college or pass a test approved by the State. All assistants currently employed are highly qualified. At this time, Title I employs 6 1/2 Reading Specialist teachers, 1 Accountability and Parent Involvement Coordinator, and 31 Educational Assistants.

Currently, Title I funds a Reading Program which is in operation in all nine schools. Our Reading Specialists and Educational Assistants work in each school with students who have been identified as needing help with reading skills. Principals and teachers are very pleased with the progress these students are making in this program.

Any questions concerning the Title I program should be directed to your principal or any of the Title I personnel in the Monroe County Education Central Office. (423) 442-7104.

Contacts

Tellico Plains Elementary Principal- Robert Hooper (423)-253-2626

Federal Programs (Title I) Director – Dan Schlafer

Federal Programs Secretary- Colleen Sloan (423) 442-3972

Family Community Resource Center Director- Lacey Curtis (423)- 442-6109

Director of Schools- Mike Lowry