The mission of Virginia Beach City Public Schools Parent Involvement is to improve student achievement by fostering the growth and development of mutually beneficial relationships with the parent, teacher, and student.

The mission of Newtown Elementary School is to create and nurture a cooperative community for our children, families, and staff that foster respect, self-worth, independence and life-long learning.

VBCPS Parent Connection
PTA Information
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Bayside Tri-Campus
Parent Involvement Policy
2008-2009

The Bayside Tri-Campus Schools’ Title I Parental Involvement Policy promotes partnerships between parents and teachers to support communications and participation with the schools and the community. We will build parental involvement through a variety of family activities designed to enhance each student’s academic success and social development. The activities will be coordinated with various organizations which may include the PTA, Partners in Education, the Title I departments, and schools’ action teams, among others.

Our plan was presented to, and approved by, the Bayside Tri-Campus School Planning Council. The Planning Council consists of parents, teachers, and administration.  It is available on each school’s website as well as at each school’s building.

The plan will include:

1. Ongoing quality two-way communications between parents and teachers will be provided through the regular use of parent conferences, distribution of teacher-parent newsletters, school parent newsletters, and Title I newsletters. Parents are notified of school events in advance through such means as the websites, weekly folders, special flyers, the schools’ marquees, and the “AlertNow” telephone system.
2. The VBCPS curriculum is available for review by all parents.   It can be found online at www.vbschools.com and can be reviewed at each school site
3. Parents will be provided with the results of their child’s performance as directed by VBCPS.  Methods will include report cards, progress reports, calls from teachers and papers being sent home regularly in the Parent Communication Folder.
4. A School, Teacher, Parent/Guardian, Student Compact has been developed by the School Planning Council and will be distributed to students and parents.
5. Results of assessment devices administered by the division to measure student performance (SOL/Stanford 10) will be provided to parents in writing to include a description as to what the data shows.  Additionally, assessment data (such as classroom quizzes, classroom tests, student portfolios, etc.)  will be presented to parents during parent/teacher conferences.  During these conferences the assessment data will be compared with the students’ work performance.
6. All parents can participate in the district wide Title I Parent Review Committee.  The division’s parent involvement policy can be found on the VBSChools.com website.  Parent comments will be forwarded to the Title I district office. 
   
   Activities for the campus to involve parents and families include: Sneak Peek Open House (including Title I Annual meeting, August, 2008), motivational speaker Dr. Norma Day-Vines, Eagles Excel in Education Program (Williams, both semesters), American Education Week visits (November, 2008), School Lunch Week visits (October, 2008),  Dinner with Dad (Williams, December 2008),  Holiday Program (Williams, December, 2008), Black History Program (Newtown, February, 2009), Spring Concert (Diamond Springs), and PTA meetings. These meetings are held at various times in order to meet the needs of the school community.  Specifically each school will have activities unique to their situation which include, but are not limited to,:

• Diamond Springs Elementary (K, 1): Math Night, Reading Night (second semester), Book of the Month Home Reading Program (monthly), Partner’s in Education Breakfast with Delegate Joe Bouchard (September, 2008), Title I Parent Focus Groups, Mother/Son and Father/Daughter Days
• Newtown Elementary (2,3): SOL Night, Destination FLARE Reading Event, Speak Out on Stage, Honor Roll Ceremonies, Moments with Mom, Pastries for Parents/Muffins for Mom/Doughnuts with Dad, Eagle of the Month, Parents as Teachers, Math Night, Taste of Title I
• Bettie F. Williams Elementary (4,5): Math Night, SOL Spring Fling, Taste of Title I, Girl’s Night Out / Boy’s Night Out, Eagle of the Month Ceremonies, Honor Roll Programs

The effectiveness of the policy to build strong parental involvement will be measured through parent surveys, and evaluation forms that will evaluate the effectiveness of activities and solicit future suggestions. This plan can be amended if presented to, and approved by, the School Planning Council.