TITLE I & Family Engagement

This is a policy describing how Mercer Middle School will provide opportunities to improve parent engagement to support student learning. Mercer Middle School values the contributions and involvement of parents to establish an equal partnership for the common goal of improving student achievement. This policy describes the different ways we will support family engagement and how families can participate in activities and events to promote student learning at school and home.

Mercer Middle School invites all parents to complete the 1% FE Budget survey in the fall. The survey allows our families to provide input as to how they would like to see the funds allocated for the family engagement activities. Also families are invited to our Annual Family Forum meeting in the Spring to review and revise the Family Engagement Policy, as well as the school-wide plan, our Family/Parent-School Compacts and Family Engagement budget. These meetings are offered at various times. Our last Annual Family Forum was held on March 8 - 18, 2024, which was pre-recorded on our website via Nearpod. The plan is posted on our school website for parents to view and submit feedback at anytime throughout the year. All parent feedback received throughout the year will be used to revise the plan for the next school year. We also distributed an annual survey online and by mail asking families for their suggestions on the policy and the use of funds for family involvement.

All students participating in the Title I, Part A program, and their families, are encouraged and invited to participate fully in the opportunities described in this policy

Mercer Middle School will take the following measures to promote student achievement and support our staff as an important foundation of the school in order to strengthen our families. We will:

• provide quarterly training for staff during their planning period on strategies to improve communication with parents and ideas to increase family engagement with core academics activities for our students outside of the classroom. Staff will also share best practices during regularly scheduled faculty meetings.
• educate teachers, principals, and other staff, with the assistance of parents, in the value and utility of contributions of parents, and in how to reach out to, communicate with, and work with parents as equal partners.

Mercer Middle School’s Annual Family Title I meeting occurs twice at various times. ALL families are encouraged to attend one of the meetings at the beginning of the school year. Families/Parents are notified through fliers, letters, school web page, front office materials, school marquee, and the automated phone system at least 2 weeks prior to the scheduled meeting. All of the requirements will be addressed and noted on the agenda for the Annual Title I meeting: Mercer Middle School’s Title I program, nature of the Title I program, parents’ requirements, school family engagement policy, school-wide plan, and family/parent-school compact.

Additionally, Mercer Middle School will use parent/teacher conferences as a time to inform parents about the school curriculum, forms of academic assessments used to measure student progress, and the proficiency levels students are expected to meet. The school will also inform families/parents about the Title I programs during Title I parent meetings and various school/family functions throughout the year.

At the beginning of the year, the policy is sent home with the students. The policy will also be posted on the school’s website under the Title I tab. Families/Parents can always retrieve a copy of the policy in the Family Resource Center.

Mercer Middle School will provide assistance to families of participating children, as appropriate, in understanding topics through providing training in the following areas: · The requirements of Title I Part A.

• How to monitor their child’s progress.
• How to work with educators.
• The State’s academic content standards and academic achievement standards.
• The State (Georgia Milestones Assessment) and local academic assessments (iReady Reading and Math) including alternate assessments and how to interpret the test results

Families/Parents will have the opportunity to receive materials, training and information on the curriculum and assessments through quarterly workshops, resources provided by the school during Family/Parent Meetings, information provided to parents during Parent/Teacher conferences, and through school sponsored trainings both during the day and after school hours to meet the needs of the parents. This includes the Family Action Team, which is comprised of a team of parents that contribute ideas and suggestions to the School Action Plan. The Family and Community Relations Specialist is committed to helping our parents attend the parental activities listed in this plan. Please call or email us if you need assistance with transportation or translation services in order to participate.

9th Grade Parent Transition Meeting - January 2024

Families are invited to attend The Rising 9th Grade information night. Families will learn about the Pathway selections, Individual Graduation Plan and extra curricular activities.

Rising 6th Grader Family Day - May 2024

Mercer Middle School will visit Garden City Elementary School and Brock Elementary School to meet the new families transitioning to middle school. Parents and students are welcomed to learn about Mercer Middle School’s curriculum, and are invited to Mercer Middle School for a campus tour with the Family and Community Relations Specialist.

As part of this policy, Mercer Middle School and its families will develop a family/parent-school compact, which is an agreement that parents, teachers, and students develop to explain how parents and teachers work together to make sure all students reach grade-level standards.

The compacts will be reviewed and updated annually based on feedback from parents, students and teachers during the Mercer Middle School Family Forum meeting event and the School Council Meetings. The Family/Parent-School Compacts are distributed at the beginning of the school year. They are also kept in the Family Resource Center and posted to the school’s website if parents need an additional copy.

Mercer Middle School believes family involvement is the participation of parents in regular and meaningful communication involving student academic learning and other school activities through ensuring:

• Parents play an integral role in assisting student’s learning.
• Parents are actively involved in their child’s education at school.
• Parents are full partners in the student’s education and are included in decision-making and on advisory committees to assist in the education of the student.
• The facilitation of other activities as described in this policy.

Mercer Middle School is identified as a Title I school as part of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESSA). Title I is designed to support State and local school reform efforts tied to challenging state academic standards to 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 with all parents a written Family Engagement Policy.

George A. Mercer Middle School will adhere to the following as required by law:

• Update the school family engagement policy yearly to meet the changing needs of parents and the school, distribute the policy to the parents and make the family engagement policy available to the local community.
• Provide full opportunities to the extent practicable for the participation of parents with limited English proficiency, parents with disabilities, and parents of migratory children, including providing information and school reports required under Section 1111 of the ESEA in an understandable manner.
• The school’s principal will submit to the district Title I office via email any comments of parents who feel the school improvement plan is not satisfactory.

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.

Mercer Middle School encourages all parents to attend the School Council Meetings to share ideas and ways to involve other parents to build partnerships with school, families, and the community. The School Council meets four times a school year, but parents can also submit their ideas or suggestions at any school activity and/or meeting, as well as through our parent surveys and website. If you would like to learn more about the School Council, please contact the Principal at 912-395-6700 or submit the completed Family Interest Form to the Administration Office.

What is a Family / Parent-School Compact?

The Family/Parent-School Compact is an agreement outlining how parents, school staff, and students share in the responsibility for improved student academic achievement. It also provides strategies to connect learning at school and home. The document clarifies what families and schools can do to help students succeed at high levels of academic achievement.

How is it jointly developed and/or revised?

Parents, students and staff worked together and shared ideas to jointly develop the Family/Parent-School Compact with the school’s Family Engagement Facilitator. Teachers met in grade level teams with the school’s Family Engagement Facilitator to design effective strategies for student academic success at school and home. Parents also provided valuable feedback at the Family Forum and over the phone as to how Mercer Middle School can be an effective partner in reinforcing learning of specific skills at home. Students participated by completing a survey at school.

Annual meetings are held to review and revise the Compact based on Mercer Middle School’s academic achievement goals and students’ needs. Parents are encouraged to provide feedback at anytime. All feedback will be collected and reviewed during the allotted input meeting with parents.

How We Communicate?

Mercer Middle School staff realizes the importance of school and home communication. Mercer Middle School communicates with parents using different modes of communication: telephone calls, call outs, school website/marquee postings, newsletters/fliers and email.

Please maintain current information for your child. Review and update your child’s Student Verification Form with the Student Information Specialist!

Questions about your child’s progress?

Contact your child’s teacher by phone at (912) 395-6700 or email. Faculty and Staff E-mail addresses are on the school website. http://mercer.sccpss.com

Activities to Build Partnerships

• VISTA Volunteer Program
• School Council
• Parent/Teacher/Student Conferences
• Assemblies/Sporting events at the school
• Open House
• Title I Meetings (Annual, Family Forum & Parent Information Workshops)
• District Events (Student Success Expo & Parent University).
• Grade Level Curriculum Nights and Awards Ceremony

If you would like to sign up for Parent Access to PowerSchool, observe, volunteer and/or participate in activities at Mercer Middle School, please contact our Assistant Principal, Natachsa Cave at (912) 395-6700 or via email at Natachsa.Cave@sccpss.com. Hours: Monday-Friday, 8:00 am – 2:00 pm or By Appointment

Goals for Student Academic Achievement

Savannah - Chatham County Public School System Goals

The Savannah-Chatham County Board of Education is committed to establishing strategic goals which support the Board’s Vision and Mission Statement. These goals will be periodically reviewed and updated. The current strategic goals are as follows:

GOAL 1: To Ensure all Students are College and Career Ready.

GOAL 2: To Provide a Supportive Learning Environment that is Conducive to Teaching and Learning.

GOAL 3: To Maximize Family and Community Engagement that Contributes to the Advancement of Student Success.

GOAL 4: To Build Professional Capacity in Order to Achieve a Premier Student-Focused Workforce.

Mercer Middle School Goals

• Implement multiple opportunities of differentiated instructional strategies to increase the percentage of students scoring at Developing Learner and above in ELA from 41% to 62% as measured by the Spring 2025 GMAS EOG.
• Implement multiple opportunities of differentiated instructional strategies to increase the percentage of students scoring at Developing Learner and above in Math from 43% to 69% as measured by the Spring 2025 GMAS EOG.
• Increase the percentage of students meeting grade level reading targets in literacy from 47% to 60% or higher as measured by the Spring 2025 GMAS EOG.

Academic Success Involves Teachers, Parents and Students Working Together

As the Teacher/School, we will ...

Reading

• ensure students check out a variety of reading genres from the school’s media center to read at school and at home to improve literacy rates and reading on/above grade level.
• use additional learning supports in the classroom and at home (supply websites and passwords): i-Ready, HMH Into Literature, Progress Learning, and Common Lit. Paper copy supports will be distributed to students upon request.
• provide parent and student support services as needed: Curriculum Nights, PowerSchool Parent/Student Access, parent/Teacher/Student conferences, Afterschool Tutorial and Saturday Academy.
• Use reading comprehension strategies to summarize, organize, and to develop vocabulary and critical thinking skills.

Math

• use graphic organizers, note-taking, and reading comprehension strategies, so students can work on basic mathematical skills in the classroom and at home.
• provide additional support in the classroom and at home to promote independent learning by using i-Ready, and Progress Learning.

As Parents, We will …

Reading

• monitor/ensure students are reading nightly. Take student to the public library to check out additional books to read on their Lexile levels to improve literacy rates.
• check students progress on-line if available, or request paper copy supports if Internet access is unavailable.
• practice with students using reading comprehension strategies while studying content at home and contact the teacher with questions/concerns by phone, email, or through parent-teacher –student conferences.
• utilize the support services available: attend Curriculum Nights, sign up and access PowerSchool, request parent/Teacher/Student conferences, and attend Afterschool Tutorial and Saturday Academy with child. Math
• review and practice basic mathematical skills with child.
• check students progress on-line, if available, or request paper copy supports if computer access is unavailable.
• Attend after –school tutorial to receive additional supports to assist child at home.

As Students, We will …

Reading

• read nightly using the books checked out from school or public library.
• take charge of learning and utilize on-line resources during Instructional Focus Period at school, at home, if available, and at the public library.
• ask for help and utilize support services available: attend/participate in the Curriculum nights, Parent/Teacher/Student conferences, Afterschool Tutorial and Saturday Academy.
• utilize reading comprehension strategies at home for studying.

Math

• review and practice basic mathematical skills with parent.
• take charge of learning and utilize on-line resources during Instructional Focus Period, at school, at home, if available, and/or request paper copy supports.
• attend after-school tutorial to enhance skills and concepts where additional assistance is needed.