North Rowan Middle School Title I Parent & Family Engagement Policy
2024 – 2025

Statement of Purpose

North Rowan Middle School is a School-wide Title I School. Title I regulations require that each school served under Title I jointly develop with and distribute to parents of participating students, a written parental involvement policy agreed on by the parents/guardians and the school. The policy will be written in a language the parents/guardians can understand and also be available on the school’s website.

Part I: Policy Involvement
North Rowan Middle School teachers and staff are committed to providing a quality educational program that will challenge all children to reach their potential. We believe when school and parents/guardians work together, children will succeed in school and throughout life. Parents/guardians play an extremely important role as their children’s first teacher. Their support is critical to their children’s academic success. North Rowan Middle School teachers and staff will work collaboratively with parents/guardians and our community in the development, evaluation, and refinement of our Title I program.

North Rowan Middle School will:

• Convene an annual meeting each year within the first 20 days of school, meeting with participating parents/ guardians to inform them of the Title I services which will be provided to their children.
• Parents/guardians may request the professional qualifications of their child’s teachers or support staff.
• Parents/guardians will be notified when their child is served for four or more weeks by an individual who does not meet NC Licensure requirements.
• In addition to the annual meeting, parents/guardians will have numerous other opportunities throughout the year to provide feedback on the services provided to their children. This could be done by, but not limited to:
  • Title I Parent and Family events or meetings
  • Quarterly progress reports
  • E-mails
  • Phone Calls
  • North Rowan Middle School Student Handbook
  • Parent Surveys/survey feedback
  • Title I Resources, including home materials and afterschool tutoring
  • Updated website with school information and school calendar
  • Updated and revised Parental Involvement Policy with input from parents/ guardians
  • Maintain an open-door policy.

Part II: Shared Responsibilities for High Student Academic Achievement
North Rowan Middle School will develop jointly with parents/guardians, students and teachers a School/Parent/Student Agreement. The agreement will outline ways in which parents/guardians, school staff and students will work together to ensure high academic achievement.

North Rowan Middle School will:

• Distribute and discuss the school-parent-student agreement through Open House and homerooms.
• Hold parent/guardian trainings throughout the school year.
• Provide parents/guardians information for checking their child’s academic progress through PowerSchool Parent Portal with the school issued iPad.
• Provide parents/guardians with information on the school’s annual report card regarding Adequate Yearly Progress.

Part III: Building Capacity for Involvement:
North Rowan Middle School will provide information and assistance to parents/ guardians regarding the state and local academic standards.

North Rowan Middle School will:

• Provide parents/guardians information about state testing program at least twice during the school year.
• Provide parents/guardians access to student online assessments and study guides to provide support and practice in skills needed for state testing.
• Provide parents/guardians with access to the North Carolina Standard Course of Study for their child’s grade level.

Part IV: Accessibility
North Rowan Middle School will make parent involvement accessible to all parents/ guardians including parents of ELL, children with disabilities and migratory children. This could be done but not limited to:

• Varying meeting times
• Online websites, digital flyer distribution, online school tutorials, social media posts and school-wide announcements to the NRMS website can be accessed daily by parents on the school iPad provided to each child.
• School website and Teacher Canvas pages
• Documents and communication translated in the predominate home language.

North Rowan Middle School has been identified as a Comprehensive Support and Improvement (CSI) school by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction.  North Carolina has identified this school as Comprehensive Support and Improvement School-Low Performing (CSI-LP) as it currently is in the lowest-performing 5 percent of all schools receiving Title I funding in the state. 

The board of education recognizes the value of family engagement in a child’s academic success and believes that the education of children is an ongoing cooperative partnership between the home and the school. Parents and other family members are their children’s first teachers; therefore, the continued involvement of parents and family members in the educational process is most important in fostering and improving educational achievement. School system officials shall strive to support parents and provide parents and family members with meaningful opportunities to become involved in the programs offered by the Title I schools. The board encourages parents and family members to participate in the design and implementation of the programs and activities in order to increase the effectiveness of the school system’s Title I program in helping students meet state and local achievement standards.

For the purposes of this policy, the term “parent and family engagement” means the participation of parents, guardians, and other family members in regular, two-way, and meaningful communication involving student learning and other school activities, including ensuring the following:

1. that parents and family members play an integral role in assisting their child’s learning;
2. that parents and family members are encouraged to be actively involved in their child’s education at school;
3. that parents are full partners in their child’s education and parents and family members are included, as appropriate, in decision making and on advisory committees to assist in the education of their child; and
4. that the school system utilizes activities to support parent and family engagement in the Title I programs.

The Title I program is a federally supported program that offers assistance to educationally and economically disadvantaged children to help ensure they receive an equitable, high-quality, well-rounded education and meet the school system’s challenging academic standards. The Title I program provides instructional activities and supportive services to eligible students over and above those provided by the regular school program.

Qualified Title I schools will operate as school-wide programs or targeted assistance programs based upon federal eligibility criteria. School-wide programs will provide comprehensive support to offer improved opportunities for all students in the school to meet the school system’s academic standards. Targeted assistance programs will provide services to eligible students most in need of assistance in the school, as determined by objective criteria established by the superintendent or designee. Eligibility criteria may include, for example, standardized test scores, teacher judgment, and results of preschool screening and home-school surveys. Both school-wide and targeted assistance programs shall be based on effective means of improving student achievement and shall include evidence-based strategies to support parent and family engagement.

Each year, school officials must invite parents of students participating in Title I programs to a meeting to explain parental rights, discuss the programs and activities to be provided with Title I funds, and solicit input on the Title I program and this policy. In addition, school officials must provide parents and family members a meaningful opportunity annually to evaluate the content and effectiveness of the Title I programs and the parent and family engagement policies and plans. Information collected from these proceedings will be used to revise Title I programs and parent and family engagement plans.

The board believes that the involvement of Title I parents and family members in the design and implementation of the Title I program will increase the effectiveness of the program and contribute significantly to the success of the children. The Title I staff and all school system personnel shall strive to conduct outreach to parents and family members and involve them in activities throughout the school year.

The superintendent shall ensure that this system-level parent and family engagement policy and plan is developed with, agreed upon with, and annually distributed to parents and family members of participating students. In addition to the system-level parent and family engagement plan, each school participating in the Title I program shall jointly develop and annually distribute to parents and family members a school-level written parent and family engagement plan that describes the means for carrying out school-level policy, sharing responsibility for student academic achievement, building the capacity of school staff and parents for involvement, and increasing accessibility for participation of all parents and family members of children participating in Title I programs, including parents and family members who have limited English proficiency, who have disabilities, or who are migratory. School-level plans must involve parents in the planning and improvement of Title I activities and must provide for the distribution to parents of information on expected student achievement levels and the school’s academic performance.

School officials shall invite appropriate school personnel from private schools to consult on the design and development of its programs in order to provide equitable services to students enrolled in private schools. The superintendent or designee shall establish any additional procedures necessary to achieve timely and meaningful consultation with private school officials in accordance with federal law.

In addition, school system officials and Title I school personnel shall do the following:

1. involve parents and family members in the joint development of the Title I program and school support and improvement plan and the process of school review and improvement by including parents on the school advisory committee and any committees that review the Title I program;
2. provide coordination, technical assistance, and other support from various central office departments necessary to assist and build the capacity of all participating schools in planning and implementing effective parent and family engagement activities that are designed to improve student academic achievement and school performance;
3. coordinate and integrate parent and family engagement strategies in the Title I program to the extent feasible and appropriate with parental engagement strategies established in other federal, state, and local laws and programs;
4. with the meaningful involvement of parents, conduct an annual evaluation of the content and effectiveness of the school system parent and family engagement policies and program in improving the academic quality of the school and assisting students to meet the school system’s academic standards;
5. strive to eliminate barriers to parental participation by assisting parents/guardians who have disabilities and parents/guardians who are economically disadvantaged, have limited English proficiency, are migratory, or have other backgrounds or characteristics that may affect participation;
6. provide outreach and assistance to parents and family members of children who are participating in Title I programs in understanding the state’s testing standards, the assessments used, Title I requirements, and all national, state, and local standards and expectations through such efforts as community-based meetings, posting information on school websites, sending information home, newsletters, workshops, and newspaper articles;
7. design a parent–student–school staff agreement that sets out respective responsibilities in striving to raise student achievement and explains how an effective school/home partnership will be developed and maintained;
8. with the assistance of parents/guardians, ensure that teachers, specialized instructional support personnel, principals, and other staff are educated in the value of the family as partners in the educational process and understand how to work with, communicate with, and reach out to families as equal partners in education;
9. distribute to parents information on expected student proficiency levels for their child and the school’s academic performance, and provide materials and training to help parents/guardians monitor their child’s progress and work with educators to improve achievement through such methods as literacy training or using technology, which may include education about the harms of copyright piracy;
10. coordinate and integrate, to the extent feasible and appropriate, parental involvement programs and activities with federal, state, and local programs, including public preschool programs, and conduct other activities in the community that encourage and support parents/guardians to more fully participate in the education of their child;
11. strengthen the partnership with agencies, businesses, and programs that operate in the community, especially those with expertise in effectively engaging parents and family members in education;
12. ensure that parents/guardians are involved in the school’s Title I activities; and provide such other reasonable support for Title I parental involvement activities as requested by parents.

School system officials and Title I school personnel shall provide effective notice of the following information as required by law. The notice must be in an understandable and uniform format and, to the extent practicable, in a language the parents can understand.

1. Program for English Learners

Each year the principal or designee shall provide notice of the following to parents/guardians of English learners identified for participation in a Title I, Part A or Title III funded language-instruction educational program:

a. the reasons for the child’s identification;

b. the child’s level of English proficiency and how such level was assessed;

c. methods of instruction;

d. how the program will help the child;

e. the exit requirements for the program;

f. if the child has a disability, how the language instruction educational program meets the objectives of the child’s individualized educational program (IEP);

g. any other information necessary to effectively inform the parent/guardian of the program and the parental rights regarding enrollment, removal, and selection of a program for English learners; and

h. notice of regular meetings for the purpose of formulating and responding to recommendations from parents.

2. System Report Card

Each year, school system officials shall disseminate to all parents, schools, and the public a school system report card containing information about the school system and each school, including, but not limited to:

a. the following information both in the aggregate and disaggregated by category: student achievement, graduation rates, performance on other school quality and/or student success indicators, the progress of students toward meeting long-term goals established by the state, student performance on measures of school climate and safety, and, as available, the rate of enrollment in post-secondary education;

b. the performance of the school system on academic assessments as compared to the state as a whole and the performance of each school on academic assessments as compared to the state and school system as a whole;

c. the percentage and number of students who are:

1. assessed,
2. assessed using alternate assessments,
3. involved in preschool and accelerated coursework programs, and
4. English learners achieving proficiency;

d. the per pupil expenditures of federal, state, and local funds; and

e. teacher qualifications.

3. Teacher Qualifications

a. At the beginning of each year, school system officials shall notify parents/guardians of students who are participating in Title I programs of the right to request certain information on the professional qualifications of the student’s classroom teachers and paraprofessionals providing services to the child (see policy 7820, Personnel Files).

b. The principal or designee of a Title I school shall provide timely notice informing parents/guardians that their student has been assigned to or has been taught for at least four consecutive weeks by a teacher who does not meet applicable state certification or licensure requirements at the grade level or subject area in which the teacher has been assigned.

4. Parental Rights and Opportunities for Involvement

a. Each year, the principal or designee of a Title I school shall provide notice to parents/guardians of the school’s written parent and family engagement policy, parents’ right to be involved in their child’s school, and opportunities for parents and family members to be involved in the school.

b. Each year, the principal or designee of a Title I school shall provide notice to parents/guardians of their right to request information regarding student participation in state-required assessments.

Each year, school system officials shall publicize on the school system website and, where practicable, on the website of each school:

1. the report card described in subsection E.2, above; and
2. information on each assessment required by the state and, where feasible, by the school system, organized by grade level. The information must include:

a. the subject matter assessed;

b. the purpose for which the assessment is designed and used;

c. the source of the requirement for the assessment;

d. if available, the amount of time students will spend taking the assessments and the schedule of the assessments; and

e. if available, the time and format for distributing results.

The superintendent shall develop any administrative procedures necessary to implement the requirements of this policy.

Legal References: Elementary and Secondary Education Act, as amended, 20 U.S.C. 6301 et seq., 34 C.F.R. pt. 200

Cross References: Parental Involvement (policy 1310/4002), Goals and Objectives of the Educational Program (policy 3000), Curriculum Development (policy 3100), Personnel Files (policy 7820)

Adopted:

Title I School-Home Agreement

North Rowan Middle School 2024-2025

We know that learning can take place only when there is a combination of effort, interest and motivation. As we are all committed to          ’s progress in school, we are going to do our best to promote his/her achievement. This agreement is a promise to work together. We believe that this agreement can be fulfilled by our team effort. Together we can improve teaching and learning.

Most important, we promise to help each other carry out this agreement.

As a student I pledge to:

• Complete all my work on time and to the best of my ability, both work in school and e-learning day assignments
• Be prepared, having materials for class (such a pencils and paper) and bringing my iPad charged.
• Be responsible with my technology, taking care of the device and using it safely by only using school approved apps and sites.
• Discuss with my parents/guardians what I am learning in school.
• Ask questions when I do not understand something.
• Finding creative and/or physical activities that I enjoy in or outside of school.
• Respect and cooperate with other students and adults, and refrain from bullying.
• Follow classroom rules and the Code of Conduct

Signature of Student                           Date

As a parent/guardian I pledge to:

• Send my child to school on time and following dress code.
• Provide a quiet study time at home and encourage good study habits
• Talk to my child about his/her school activities every day
• Monitor my child’s academic progress by checking Parent Portal, attending conferences, reviewing his/her schoolwork and calling or emailing the school with questions.
• Encourage my child to develop a love for reading with a daily dedicated reading time and model by reading myself
• Attend school academic events as I am able to discover what my child is learning and how to help.
• Reinforce school rules and the Code of Conduct, including discouraging bullying in all forms.
• Make sure my child is prepared each day, making sure his/her iPad is charged as well as having the necessary supplies

Signature of Parent/guardian                Date

As a teacher I pledge to:

• Provide positive, motivating and challenging learning experiences for all my students
• Teach the NC Standards for mastery.
• Explain my expectations, instructional goals and grading systems to students and parents
• Explore techniques and materials that are needed most and work best for the student.
• Report to parents/guardians quarterly about the students’ progress and update grades in PowerSchool weekly.
• Communicate and cooperate with each parent/guardian to ensure quality education for all students
• Promote positive relationships among students and discourage bullying.
• Support and implement the RSS Grounding Practices, Priorities and Commitments as well as the NRMS Renewal and Title I Plans.

Signature of NRMS Teacher                                       Date

As a principal I pledge to:

• Create a welcoming environment for students and parents
• Communicate to teachers, students and parents/guardians the school’s mission and goals
• Ensure a safe, orderly and healthy environment, free from bullying.
• Reinforce the partnership between parent/guardian, student and staff.
• Act as the instructional leader by supporting teachers in the classroom.
• Provide the appropriate in-service training for teachers.
• Support and implement the RSS Grounding Practices, Priorities and Commitments as well as the NRMS Renewal and Title I Plans.

Signature of Principal                                     Date

The teachers, administration and staff of North Rowan Middle School look forward to partnering with your student and family to make this a wonderful year of learning and growth!

• Parent and Family Policy
• Política de Padres y Familias 

• NRMS Title I Brochure 2024-2025

28 de noviembre, 2022

Estimado padre/tutor:

Espero que el año escolar haya comenzado con éxito para todos ustedes. Como padre/tutor de un estudiante en la escuela North Rowan Middle, estoy escribiendo esta carta para hacerles saber que North Rowan Middle, ha sido designada como una escuela de Apoyo y Mejora Integral de Bajo Rendimiento (CSI-LP) por la Junta de Educación del Estado de Carolina del Norte.  Como se indica en la Sección 1111(c)(4)(D)(i) de ESSA, Carolina del Norte tuvo que identificar las escuelas para el apoyo integral y la mejora. Las escuelas CSI-LP de Carolina del Norte son las que se encuentran en el 5 por ciento de menor rendimiento de todas las escuelas que reciben fondos del Título I. La intención de esta oportunidad es mejorar los resultados educativos de todos los estudiantes, cerrar las brechas de rendimiento, aumentar la equidad y mejorar la calidad de la instrucción.

Como escuela CSI-LP, North Rowan Middle debe desarrollar un plan integral que aborde específicamente cómo la escuela mejorará el rendimiento de los estudiantes. El plan también inclui

• La gestión del salón de clases
• Instrucción alineada con los estándares
• Comunidades de aprendizaje profesional (PLC)
• Liderazgo educativo
• Reclutamiento y retención de maestros efectivos
• Apoyo para transiciones de grado a grado
• Implementación de un sistema de instrucción por niveles
• Toma de decisiones basada en datos
• Servicios de apoyo estudiantil
• Participación de la familia y la comunidad

Hemos establecido las siguientes metas para North Rowan Middle este año:

• En NRMS, la aptitud general de los estudiantes aumentará un 4% anualmente en lectura, según lo medido por las pruebas de EOG en mayo de 2023.
• En NRMS, estableceremos una cultura de éxito centrada en las prácticas restauradoras para reducir las instancias de incidentes mayores en un 25% para el 2022-2023.
• En el año escolar 2022-2023, el 90% de los estudiantes tendrán la oportunidad de explorar múltiples caminos de carrera trimestralmente para mayo de 2023.
• En NRMS, la aptitud general de los estudiantes aumentará un 4% anualmente en matemáticas según las pruebas de EOG para mayo de 2023.

Nuestros estudiantes necesitan experimentar niveles de rendimiento más altos, pero esto requerirá un trabajo arduo por parte del personal, los estudiantes y las familias. Aquí hay algunas estrategias que North Rowan Middle implementará:

• Los estudiantes participarán en el aprendizaje personalizado a través de iReady.
• Los estudiantes recibirán intervención usando Lectura Correctiva o Lectura Guiada basada en datos.
• Los maestros utilizarán la instrucción en grupos pequeños para aumentar la participación de los estudiantes con el contenido y para recibir el aprendizaje en su nivel adecuado.
• Habrá tutoría disponible después de escuela.

La participación de los padres es fundamental en la mejora escolar. Aquí hay algunas maneras en que podemos trabajar juntos:

• Asegúrese de que tanto usted como su estudiante estén al tanto de las expectativas académicas establecidas para su estudiante este año escolar. Los maestros tendrán una lista de objetivos claros en aprendizaje que estará disponible para los estudiantes.
• Llame al 704-639-3018 si tiene preguntas o inquietudes sobre su estudiante o para programar una cita para reunirse con un miembro del personal de la escuela que trabajará con su estudiante.
• Asegúrese de que su estudiante esté preparado y asista a la escuela todos los días.
• Revise la tarea de su estudiante.
• Revise el progreso de su estudiante y asista a las reuniones con los maestros.
• Visite nuestro sitio web y síganos en nuestras redes sociales North Rowan Middle School
• Ofrézcase de voluntario.

Parece mucho, pero preparar a nuestros estudiantes para que puedan tener éxito no es fácil y es un esfuerzo en grupo. Aquí hay algunos recursos disponibles para ayudar:

• El programa de Communities in Schools en NRMS
• Servicios estudiantiles en NRMS
• Requisitos de graduación: High School Graduation Requirements
• Estándares K-12 en materias académicas: Office of Teaching and Learning
• Resultados de las pruebas estatales de rendimiento estudiantil: School Accountability and Reporting
• Boletas de calificaciones escolares de Carolina del Norte: North Carolina School Report Cards

Estamos entusiasmados con este año escolar y estamos trabajando para que sea un éxito para su estudiante. Ya nuestra escuela:

• Colaboró con Buffalo's Concern for Youth para ofrecer una campaña de alfabetización y una reunión para animar la lectura con los Charlotte Hornets.
• Organizó una Noche Familiar de Título I donde las familias pudieron reunirse con los maestros y ver los horarios de los estudiantes.
• Celebramos actividades de incentivos académicos divertidos como Gobble Up iReady para ayudar a los estudiantes a priorizar el éxito académico.

Si tiene preguntas sobre el contenido de esta carta, comuníquese con Jerri Hunt, Directora de Programas Federales: jerri.hunt@rss.k12.nc.us o 704-680-6838.

Sinceramente,

Jonathan A. Clark

Director, Escuela North Rowan Middle

November 28, 2022

Dear Parent/Guardian:

I hope the school year has started successfully for all of you.  As a parent/guardian of a student in North Rowan Middle School, I am writing this letter to let you know that North Rowan Middle, has been designated as a Comprehensive Support & Improvement Low-Performing (CSI-LP) school by the North Carolina State Board of Education.  As stated in ESSA Section 1111(c)(4)(D)(i), North Carolina had to identify schools for comprehensive support and improvement. CSI-LP schools in North Carolina are those found in the lowest-performing 5 percent of all schools receiving Title I funding. The intent of this opportunity is to improve educational outcomes for all students, close achievement gaps, increase equity, and improve the quality of instruction.

As a CSI-LP school, North Rowan Middle is required to develop a comprehensive plan that specifically addresses how the school will improve student achievement. The plan will also include how our district will support us and monitor the progress of our school.  The comprehensive plan will address the following areas:

• Classroom Management
• Standard-aligned Instruction
• Professional Learning Communities (PLCs)
• Instructional Leadership
• Recruitment & Retention of Effective Teachers
• Support for Grade-to-Grade Transitions
• Implementation of a Tiered Instructional System
• Data-Driven Decision Making
• Student Support Services
• Family and Community Engagement

We have set the following goals for North Rowan Middle this year:

• At NRMS, overall student proficiency will increase by 4% annually in reading  as measured by EOG testing in May 2023.
• At NRMS, we will establish a culture of success centered around restorative practices to reduce instances of major incidents by 25% by 2022-2023.
• In the 2022-2023 school year, 90% of students will be provided opportunities to explore multiple career pathways quarterly by May of 2023.
• At NRMS, overall student proficiency will increase by 4% annually in math as measured by EOG testing by May 2023.

Our students need to experience higher achievement levels, but it will require hard work on the part of staff, students, and families. Here are some strategies North Rowan Middle will be implementing:

• Students will engage in personalized learning through iReady pathways.
• Students will receive intervention using Corrective Reading or Guided Reading based on data.
• Teachers will utilize small group instruction to increase student engagement with the content and to receive learning at their just right level.
• After school tutoring will be available for students to attend.

Parent engagement is at the heart of our school improvement efforts. Here are some ways we can work together:

• Make sure that both you and your student are aware of academic expectations set for your student this school year.  A list of learning objectives in student-friendly language is available from your student’s teacher(s).
• Call 704-639-3018 and ask for your grade level counselor if you have questions or concerns about your student or to set up an appointment to meet with a school staff member who will be working with your student.
• Make sure that your student is prepared and attends school each day.
• Monitor your student’s homework.
• Monitor the progress your student is making and attend meetings with your student’s teacher(s).
• Keep track of our website and social media sites North Rowan Middle School
• Volunteer.

Sounds like a lot but preparing our students so that they can succeed is not easy and is a group effort. Here are some resources available to help:

Communities in Schools at NRMS
NRMS Student Support Services
Graduation requirements: High School Graduation Requirements
K-12 standards in academic subjects: Office of Teaching and Learning
State student achievement test results: School Accountability and Reporting
N.C. School Report Cards: North Carolina Report Cards

We’re excited about this school year and are working to make it a success for your student. Already, we have:

• Collaborated with Buffalo’s Concern for Youth to provide literacy outreach and a literacy pep rally with the Charlotte Hornets.
• Hosted a Title I Family Night where families could meet with teachers and walk student schedules.
• Held fun academic incentive activities such as Gobble Up iReady to help students prioritize academic success

If you have questions about the content of this letter, please contact Jerri Hunt, Director of Federal Programs at jerri.hunt@rss.k12.nc.us or 704-680-6838.

Sincerely,

Jonathan A. Clark

Principal, North Rowan Middle School