Parent & Family Engagement Policy Compact

2023-2024 Title I Parent & Family

Engagement Policy & Compact

Purpose of this Policy and Compact

Efforts will be made to clearly articulate the school’s intentions to engage with and involve parents/caregivers in the educational process.

Hybla Valley Elementary is a Title I school within Fairfax County Public Schools’ (FCPS) and utilizes the Title I grant to improve student achievement and help all students meet the objectives of the FCPS Program of Studies and the Virginia Standards of Learning. A partnership with families is essential to meeting this goal.  

Under Title I, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, schools that receive Title I funds are expected to collaborate with families to develop and maintain a parent and family engagement policy that describes the school’s approach to involve families in students’ learning and includes a compact expressing the partnerships among staff, caregivers, and students to reach high academic goals for every student.  

Hybla Valley Elementary jointly developed this policy and compact with members of the school community and adopted it for the 2023-2024 school year. Several of the provisions specifically address state or federal expectations for the policy and compact.  

This policy and compact is distributed to all caregivers in a language that families can understand. Caregivers have opportunities to provide comments and feedback on the policy and compact through PTO meetings. Comments are submitted with the school’s policy and compact to FCPS central offices and the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE). This policy and compact are made available to the broader school community through the school website.

Important Dates

Parent-Teacher Conferences                                                 

  • November - Ongoing | Additional Dates - November 6 and 7, 2023

Progress Report Distribution Following End of Quarter Dates below:

  • November 15, 2023
  • February 5, 2024
  • April 15, 2024
  • June 12, 2024

School Events

  • Back to School Night - August 31, 2023
  • 6th Grade Family Night - October 12, 2023
  • 3rd Grade Family Night - November 9, 2023
  • 1st Grade Family Night - January 11, 2024
  • 2nd Grade Family Night - February 2, 2024
  • Kindergarten Family Night - March 7, 2024
  • 5th Grade Family Night - April 4, 2024
  • 4th Grade Family Night - April 11, 2024

Building Capacity for Involvement

Efforts will be made to ensure parents/caregivers are actively involved in the development, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of the school’s Title I program, including the following

  • Provide family members a voice in decision-making on committees, such as SIIP Committee. 
    • Engage caregiver input when developing the School Improvement and Innovation Plan (SIIP), Comprehensive Needs Assessment, the Title I Parent and Family Engagement Policy and Compact and plans for use of Title I family engagement funding.  
    • Seek feedback from families on programs within the SIIP, offer multiple methods for caregivers to submit comments about programs they may not find satisfactory, and submit any such comments with SIIP to FCPS central offices.  
    • Invite family members to help in organizing and executing a variety of school events to build collective ownership, such as International Night and PTO Activity Nights. 
    • Provide opportunities for caregivers to volunteer within the school in various ways, such as Cafeteria hosts and Food/Clothing Drives. 
    • Encourage families to take part in the annual evaluation of the division-level Title I parent and family engagement policy in order to identify: barriers to greater family participation,  
    • ways to help family members be better able to assist in student learning, and  trategies to support successful school and family interactions.  

Effective Communication with Parents

Efforts will be made to ensure parents/caregivers receive meaningful communication in a timely manner, including the following:

  • Use multiple methods of communication to families such as News You Choose, Talking Points, flyers in Wednesday Folders, phone calls, and the electronic sign out front. 

    • Encourage all caregivers to attend an annual meeting on Wednesday, October 18th at 5:00 P.M. virtually on Google Meet, to share information about Title I services, explain Title I grant requirements, and inform families of their right to be involved in the school.  

    • Share school and student performance data with families in ways that seek their ideas about how to improve performance toward Virginia’s challenging academic standards, such as SISParent Vue, letters sent home in Wednesday folders, and Talking Points. 

    • Provide opportunities throughout the year for families to better understand the school’s goals for students and find ways to improve student learning by attending family nights, and attending informational nights. 

    • Maintain resources for caregivers to review student assignments and ongoing communication about student work, such as Talking Points, Schoology, and consistent communication. 

    • Provide ongoing feedback on student progress through quarterly progress reports that show specific areas of proficiency and areas for continued growth.  

    • Hold parent-teacher conferences for all students at least annually in the fall and more often, as needed. 

Shared Responsibilities for High Academic Achievement

Efforts will be made to ensure parents/caregivers receive materials, training, and benefits from school partnerships with social and academic services, community-based organizations, and businesses, including the following:

  • Hold workshops connecting caregivers to tools and resources, such as Family Engagement Nights.                           
    • Offer regular opportunities for families to learn directly from school staff about the school’s academic, behavioral, and social programming through PTO meetings, Family Nights, News You Choose, and Talking Points.
    • Encourage participation in family learning events where caregivers learn strategies to support their child’s learning at home and have a chance to practice those strategies with their child, such as Family Nights. 
    • Provide ongoing access to resources in the school, such as News You Choose, Talking Points, PTO activities and events.
    • Provide mentors for students though our Counselors, Psychologist, Social Worker, and SEL Resource Teacher. 
    • Provide opportunities to donate and access supplies donated by others through our Parent Liaisons and Counselors. 
    • Leverage partnerships with local businesses and organizations to enhance school programs and events, such as Staff appreciation moments, filled backpacks donated to us by Lockheed Martin, and books donated to us through an individual.
    • Support parents in accessing county and community resources, such as Spanish Early Literacy Program and School Readiness Program for 2-5 yrs old.
    • Offer outreach and training for targeted families, such as Basic English Classes, and Basic Computer Skills Classes.

Welcoming All Families

Efforts will be made to ensure that all parents/caregivers are welcomed and provided opportunities to actively engage within the school, including the following:

  • Create a welcoming atmosphere at the school with monthly Parent Coffee hours, Girls On The Run, Girl Scouts and the Huntley Meadows Park Program for 4th and 5th graders.

  • Provide interpretation services for parent-teacher conferences, workshops, and meetings.  

  • Translate or provide interpretation of all school documents and communication to make them accessible in the caregiver’s preferred correspondence language and for those with vision or hearing impairments.  

  • Support two-way communication between families and staff through assistance of a parent liaison for individual family needs, volunteer opportunities, and school activities. 

  • Expand access for family participation in informational meetings and learning sessions through a variety of times for family to join us for different activities.

Compact Provisions

School staff, parents/caregivers, and students must work together to ensure a student success.

The staff will:

Provide a high-quality curriculum and instruction that enables students to meet challenging academic standard through the following actions:

  • Provide clear expectations for student behavior and academic learning.  

  • Offer a variety of resources to help students with their learning.  

  • Implement practices that teach collaboration and respect, e.g. Morning Meetings.

Provide assistance to caregivers in understanding the school’s program through the following actions

  • Hold an annual meeting to present information on the school’s Title I programs, state and division curriculum and assessments, and the school’s state and federal accountability status.

  • Provide multiple opportunities for caregivers to ask questions and give input in the Title I program(s)

  • Provide multiple ways to communicate with parents.                 

 Build caregivers’ involvement in the school’s Title I program through the following actions:  

  • Include caregivers as members of the School Improvement and Innovation Planning (SIIP) Committee and as collaborators in developing the SIIP and plans for the use of Title I family engagement funds.  
  • Encourage Family Members to join and participate with the PTO.

The parents/caregivers will:

Demonstrate understanding that participation in my child’s education will help his or her achievement through the following actions:

  • Participate in decisions related to school programs and my child’s education and share my   questions or comments about the programs in my child’s school. 
  • Volunteer in my child’s classroom or in school activities, as my schedule allows.  
  • Encourage and support my child’s learning at home and at school.  
  • Participate in after school

The student will:

Share the responsibility to improve my academic learning to achieve the state’s challenging standards through the following actions:

  • Get enough sleep every night. 
  • Come to school on time unless I am sick.  
  • Try my hardest and work with my classmates to complete learning tasks. 
  • Give my parents all notes and papers from my teacher.  
  • Ask questions if I do not understand something.

Additional Events:

  • Movie Night
  • Bingo Night
  • Early Literacy Class (Spanish