Welcoming all families into the school community - Families are active participants in the life of the school, and feel welcomed, valued, and connected to each other, to school staff, and to what students are learning and doing in class and school.

Goal 1: Each school shall create a welcoming climate by:

• developing personal relationships.
  • LCES will partner with FRC and other community agencies to conduct Child Find for developmental screening
  • PreK and Kindergarten parent orientation (FRC)
  • PreK through grade three home visits (teachers and FRC)
  • Parent teacher conferences/bring your parent to school night
  • Faculty and staff available before and after school to meet with parents
• creating a family-friendly atmosphere.
  • Provide greeters during specific school events
  • Registration day
  • Family fall fest, book fair, holiday bazaar, field day, preschool picnic, k-graduation, summer transitional kindergarten camp
  • RTI summer reading program
• Providing opportunities for volunteering.
  • Lenoir City Schools Family Resource Center will provide volunteer training, screening and referral to Lenoir City Elementary School.
  • LCES faculty/staff will provide training and match volunteers to specific tasks based on skills.

Goal 2: Each school shall build a respectful, inclusive school community by:

• respecting all families.
  • LCES will provide a curriculum that reflects and respects diversity
  • LCES will appoint parents to advisory teams
  • LCES will provide translators as needed
• removing economic obstacles to participation.
  • LCES will provide fee waivers for all students who qualify through the free and reduced lunch program.
  • LCES Core Team, faculty and staff will refer parents and students to FRC and other financial resources as needed.
• ensuring accessible programming.
  • LCES will provide translators including sign language as needed
  • LCES will be in compliance with the laws governing ADA.

Communicating effectively - Families and school staff engage in regular, meaningful communication about student learning.

Goal 1: Each school shall share information with their families by:

• using multiple communication paths.
  • LCES will provide written and oral information in English and Spanish when possible.
  • LCES will send home progress reports every four and one half weeks.
  • LCES will send home report cards every nine weeks.
  • LCES will send home routine school work and parent notifications at least once per week.
  • LCES will send out a monthly newsletter
  • LCES and FRC will provide parents with passwords to access their students' accounts via SKYWARD
  • LCES will maintain and update a current website.
  • LCES will notify parents yearly of the Parental Engagement Plan and will place the plan on the school website and secure hard copies in individual classrooms, front office and school library
• surveying families to identify issues and concerns.
  • LCES will place the TSIPP plan on the web page and allow for parent comment.
  • FRC will administer a parent survey on community/school needs. (every other year)
  • FRC will administer a yearly Panther Pack Survey.
  • FRC will administer a yearly Santa Helper Survey.
• having access to the principal.
  • Principal will have an open door policy
• providing information on current issues.
  • Coordinated School Health website will provide current information on health issues facing children PreK through third grade.
  • LCES parent newsletters will address current academic and health issues regarding students.
• facilitating connections among families.
  • LCES will support and encourage participation in PTSO.
  • LCES will support and encourage participation in after school events such as Family Fall Festival, Book Fair, and reading camps.
  • LCES and FRC will provide support to parents through Parents as Teachers Program

Supporting student success - Families and school staff continuously work together to support students' learning and healthy development both at home and at school, and have regular opportunities to strengthen their knowledge and skills to do so effectively.

Goal 1: Each school shall share information about student progress by:

• ensuring parent teacher communication about student progress.
  • LCES will provide bilingual services
  • LCES will provide parent passwords and training on how to access students' grades through SKYWARD.
  • LCES will provide multiple communication avenues for teachers to conference with parents (phone, email, planning time, before and after school time)
• linking student work to academic standards
  • LCES will require all parents to sign a school/family compact outlining school/parent responsibilities for learning.
• using standardized test results to increase achievement.
  • LCES will perform Brigance testing in English and Spanish and share this information with parents
  • LCES will share "Children's Progress" (K-2 benchmark test) with parents three times per year.
  • LCES will share "Discovery Learning"(Think Link third grade benchmark test) with parents three times per year.
• sharing school progress.
  • LCES administration will provide yearly summary of school progress

Goal 2: Each school shall support families as active participants in their children's learning at home and at school by:

• engaging families in classroom learning.
  • LCES and FRC will provide Parents as Children's Teacher Program to PreK and Kindergarten parents.
  • LCES will require all parents to sign a school/family compact outlining school/parent responsibilities for learning.
• developing family ability to strengthen learning at home.
  • LCES and FRC will provide preK and Kindergarten parent orientation emphasizing reading skills.
  • LCES and FRC will provide transitional kindergarten camp emphasizing summer academic and/or social skill building.
  • LCES and FRC will provide written materials emphasizing academic skills.
  • LCES will provide parent workshops based on parent survey information
• promoting afterschool learning.
  • LCES will provide remediation services before and after school.

Speaking up for every child - Families are informed and enabled to be advocates for their own and other children, to ensure that students are treated fairly and to have access to learning opportunities that will support their success.

Goal 1: Each school shall help parents understand how the school system works by:

• understanding how the school and district operates.
  • LCES will provide a bi-lingual student/parent handbook that explains the operations of the school.
• understanding their rights and responsibilities under federal and state laws.
  • LCES will provide a section of the student/parent handbook that explains all current federal and state laws that apply to students and their families including military opt out program and staff qualifications.
• learning about resources.
  • LCES faculty and staff as well as FRC will provide resource assistance when needed.
• resolving problems and conflicts.
  • LCES administration will have an open door policy for parents to address problems and concerns regarding their students.

Goal 2: Each school shall empower families to support their own and other children's success in school by:

• developing families' capacity to be effective advocates.
  • LCES will use the FRC Advisory Council as a forum for parental input to the Family Engagement Plan. This plan will be reviewed annually by the FRC Advisory Council (membership to include parents from each school) on an annual basis based on recommendations from parents.
  • FRC Advisory Council will work with LCES administration to develop a PD program to help teachers and parents work as equals to enhance a child's success.
  • LCES provides bi-lingual informational flyers to address parental involvement in their child's learning.
• working with families to plan for their child's future.
  • Family Resource Center will provide information about graduation requirements to parents.
  • LCES will provide parenting skills
  • LCES will provide school orientation and academic skill building
• providing smooth transitions.
  • LCES will provide a transition program for third grade students and their parents when they move to the intermediate school.
  • LCES and Family Resource will provide a PreK and Kindergarten parent orientation.
  • LCES will host an annual Registration Day before school starts each fall.
  • LCES will provide a back to school night event for parents to meet teachers.
• engaging in civic advocacy for student achievement.
  • LCES will encourage parents to attend school board meetings through announcements
  • LCES will confer with director of schools to appoint a parent representative to the Loudon County Education Foundation.
  • LCES will work with Family Resource Center to appoint parents to the FRC advisory council.

Sharing power - Families and school staff are equal partners with equal representation in decisions that affect students and families and together inform, influence, and create policies, practices, and programs.

Goal 1: Each school shall strengthen the family's voice in shared decision making by:

• Having a voice in all decisions that affect children
  • Providing information to parents in advance of changes to procedures, grading, and other areas that affect their children
  • Allowing parental input through membership in advisory councils
• Addressing equity issues
  • FRC will provide parent education on attendance issues.
  • LCES will provide, when reasonable, activities for students or siblings to enhance parental involvement.
• Developing parent leadership
  • LCES will encourage and support efforts of PTSO to increase membership and participation.

Goal 2: Each school shall build families social and political connections by:

• connecting families to local officials.
  • LCES will have a link on their school website that will provide information on school board members and meeting times.
  • LCES will advertise city and local government functions
  • LCES will provide a free facility use for political forums
• developing an effective parent involvement organization that represents all families
  • LCES will confer with director of schools to appoint a parent representative on the Loudon County Education Foundation

Collaborating with Community - Families and school staff work together with community members to connect students, families and staff to expand learning opportunities, community services and civic participation.

Goal 1: Each school shall strengthen family ties to the community by:

• linking families to community resources.
  • LCES Guidance Department and Staff will refer families to Family Resource Center and other social service agencies as needed
• organizing support from community partners.
  • LCES will use the Family Resource Center to educate, coordinate, screen and train community members and businesses to work effectively with the school.
• turning the school into a hub of community life.
  • LCES will provide low or no cost facilities to the general public.
• partnering with community groups to strengthen families and support student success.
  • LCES will provide opportunities to local community groups and businesses to provide assistance for school events such as Child Find, RTI, Panther Pack, etc.