Addison Northwest Supervisory Union Policy
SECTION: School-Community
Relations CODE:
H2
TITLE: PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT
Policy
It is the policy of the school
boards of the Addison Northwest Supervisory Union to encourage and support the
involvement of parents in their children’s education.
Background
Research has
shown that parent involvement is a key factor in the academic and social success
of students. The boards believe it is important that parents are involved in
their child's education at home, in school, and within the larger community.
Federally funded educational programs such as Title I and other No Child Left
Behind (NCLB) strategies and programs mandate or encourage the strengthening of
the parent/school/community relationship.
Implementation
The
Superintendent shall assure that each school will develop and implement program
and procedure to:
- Inform parents about their
children's educational programs, instructional methods and objectives, and
notify them directly of any significant changes.
- Provide parents with opportunities to become informed about program
design, operation and evaluation, and to communicate with educators on these
subjects.
- Encourage parents to observe
instructional activities, attend program meetings, discuss concerns with
educators, participate in program evaluation and improvement efforts, and give
recommendations to school staff, administration, and Board members.
- Provide parents with information, opportunities and reasonable support
intended to improve their abilities to work with their children at home and in
school; to build partnerships between homes and schools; and to develop
involvement activities as parents may request.
- Provide professional and non-professional staff
members, administrators, School Board members, and school-community partners
with training opportunities intended to improve their abilities to build more
effective relationships with parents.
Concerns or Complaints
The school boards encourage parents
and/or guardians to discuss their concerns or complaints through informal
conferences with the teacher and/or principal in an effort to resolve the matter
at the lowest possible level. However, if an informal conference fails to
achieve resolution of the matter, the individual may initiate the following
procedures:
In general, all concerns or
complaints shall be in writing and addressed at the level closest to where the
complaint originated.
- A complaint
regarding a classroom should be addressed first by the Teacher.
- A complaint
regarding the school should be addressed first by the Principal.
- A complaint
not resolved at the classroom or building level should be addressed to the
Superintendent.
- In the
event the Superintendent is unsuccessful in resolving the matter, the complaint
will be reviewed by the School Board at its next scheduled meeting. The Board
decision in the matter shall be final.
If the
complaint alleges improper administration by the District of a state or federal
program:
- A written
complaint shall be filed with the Superintendent. The complaint shall provide a
specific description of the alleged violation, the date and time and location of
the violation and sufficient details to allow the Superintendent to investigate
and respond to the complaint.
- The
Superintendent or his/her designee shall, within fifteen (15) working days after
receiving the complaint,(a) investigate the allegations; (b) meet with the
Complainant; (c )take steps to resolve the complaint and (d) notify the Federal
Programs Coordinator at the VT Department of Education of the action
taken.
- If the
Complainant is dissatisfied with the Superintendent's proposed resolution of the
complaint, the Complainant may file a written notice with the Federal Programs
Coordinator at the VT Department of Education within fifteen (15 working days
following receipt of the Superintendent's proposed resolution of the complaint.
The Federal Programs Coordinator will (a) initiate an investigation; (b)
determine the facts relating to the complaint and (c) issue a written notice of
his/her findings to the Superintendent and the Complainant. If the findings
support the Complainant's allegations, the District will be directed to take
corrective action.
- In the
event that the complaint alleges a violation of state or federal law, the
findings and decisions of the Federal Programs Coordinator at the VT Department
of Education may be appealed to the Commissioner of Education whose decision in
the matter shall be final.
Date
Revised/Adopted: February, 2006; October,2009 (Proposed
Revisions)
Legal
Reference(s): 16 V.S.A. §165 (School Quality
Standards)
Cross
Reference: Visits to Schools (H5)
School Community Relations (H1)
