The Family and Community Engagement Plan and all other Title I information are available on our school’s website at https://www.gcpsk12.org/AlfordES under the Title I Section. Families can also find paper copies of this Family and Community Engagement Plan in our Family Engagement Center. Feedback can be sent to the Parent Instructional Coordinator, Lisa McPherson, at 678-245-3209 or Lisa.mcpherson@gcpsk12.org

It is reviewed and revised at least annually during the Planning Meeting in the spring. All feedback forms from the Planning Meeting are submitted to the Office of Federal Programs for review.  Families who are not able to attend the Planning Meeting have the opportunity to review draft documents and provide input during the draft document review period.

Frequent two-way communication with families about student learning is highly encouraged. Some of the ways we can foster communication include Parent Teacher Conferences, School website (alfordes.org), Email, ParentVue, Teacher websites through eCLASS, and phone calls from teachers, Parent Instructional Coordinator, and Parent Outreach Liaison. 

Parents may request a meeting with a teacher throughout the year by contacting the teacher through email located on the school’s website, sending in a note with the student, or calling Alford Elementary at 678-924-5300 or Lisa McPherson in the Family Engagement Center at 678-245-3209. 

Empathy: Cultural competence, staff and student wellbeing, educator diversity.
Equity: Multi-tiered system of supports, opportunity and access, equitable resource allocation.
Effectiveness: Results-Based evaluation system, talent management, educational return on investment.
Excellence: Preferred education destination, post-secondary and workforce readiness, world-class communication and engagement.  

Alford Elementary will provide all students with high quality curriculum and instruction in a supportive and effective learning environment to meet high academic standards.

We will create and maintain a school culture/climate in which students feel a sense of belonging concerning all school wide activities and processes.

We will Implement and maintain instructional/social supports to maximize student achievement. We will increase the percentage of K-2 students performing on or above grade level on district assessments and the percentage of 3-5 students performing on or above grade level on the Georgia Milestones Assessment.

Alford teachers will target foundational early reading skills and comprehension tasks to develop strong readers. We will use Quality Plus Mathematical Practices and Rich Mathematical tasks to develop expertise in mathematical thinking.  Students will work in small groups and collaboratively to solve real world problems.   

It is a plan that describes how our school will provide opportunities to improve family engagement that will support student learning at school and at home. All students and their families are invited and encouraged to fully participate in the opportunities described in this plan. The school will provide information and as many opportunities as possible for the participation of all family members.

It is a written agreement that outlines how the school, the students, and the family will work together to ensure your child’s academic success. An effective School-Family Promise contains the following elements:

• Clear learning goals that are linked to the school’s improvement plan
• Specific skills students will learn during the year
• Strategies that staff, families, and students will use to improve student learning
• Ways to extend learning at home
• Methods teachers and family members will use to communicate about student progress
• Opportunities for family members to observe and participate in the classroom
• Jointly-developed by families, school staff, students, community business partners, and other stakeholders during our Planning Meeting
• Reviewed and revised throughout the year during parent-teacher conferences and building parent capacity activities. 

ENGAGING AND EMPOWERING FAMILIES WITH…

• Title I Program Information: Program information is available during the Title I Planning Meeting in the spring and Annual Parent Meetings in the fall, on the school website, and in the Parent Center.
• Curriculum Information: Knowing what your child is learning at school is important. We will keep you informed throughout the year about what your child is learning during parent meetings, conferences, eCLASS, and on our school website.
• Student Progress Monitoring: The Parent Portal is an online resource that allows families to view grades, attendance, schedules, assessment, and your child’s results, course history, and much more. Monitoring your child’s progress in school is an important way to be engaged.
• Parent Resources: We have many resources available for checkout to use at home with your child. We also host several parent workshops to empower you as you work with your child at home.
• Staff Training: We will train our staff to effectively communicate with you. Your input on how we train our staff is valuable.
• Communication: We will communicate, to the extent feasible, all information with you in a language and format you understand. Whenever possible, we will provide interpreters during parent workshops, and academic events. Translation is available for most documents.
• Transition Support: Entering a new school can be scary for both students and families. We will host events to make sure both you and your child are aware of what is expected and how you can prepare as your child transitions to a new school level, college, and career.

Alford Elementary School will…

• Provide ongoing informational sessions and workshops to increase parental capacity by sharing resources and strategies to help students become successful learners.
• Provide remediation and enrichment supports, along with family communication, to enhance the learning of each student both academically and emotionally/socially.
• Will invite and engage with families and business partners during school wide events such as Curriculum, Literacy, Math, and STEM Nights.

 Dr. Shon Davis             5-17-2024

Principal’s Signature                  Date

As Students, we will…

• Participate in SEL time and restorative practices using strategies to develop my social and emotional learning. 
• Read nightly, study for tests and quizzes and complete assignments.
• Share invitations with family and ask them to take me to school wide events such as Literacy, Math, and STEM Nights. 

As Families, we will…

• Attend parent workshops to learn skills 
  and strategies to support our children in their academic success. 
• Take our children to school wide events such as Literacy, Math, and STEM Nights. 
• Visit the Family Engagement Center to check out resources to help our children at home and frequently check Alford's website, ParentVue and ParentSquare.

Alford Elementary School is committed to frequent communication with families about student achievement and learning. Some of the ways we foster effective communication include but are not limited to; parent-teacher conferences, email, Friday folders, school website and marquee, ParentSquare, and ParentVUE.

If you need interpretation and/or translation services, please contact: Isabel Montenegro @ 678-245-3209 or Isabel.montenegro@gcpsk12.org.

· July – Open House/Meet Your Teacher

· August – Title I Parent Meeting

· August – Curriculum Nights

· September – ESOL Night

· October – Math Night

· October 23-24 – Parent Teacher Conferences

· November – Literacy Night

· January – Stem Night

· February – ESOL Night

· March 5-6 – Parent Teacher Conferences

· March – International Night

· March – 5th Grade Transition Meeting

· April – Title I Planning Meeting

· April – Kindergarten Registration/Transition Meeting

· May – Grade Level Award Ceremonies

• Title I is a federal program designed to support school reform efforts to improve teaching and learning for all students.
• Title I programs are based on effective means of improving student achievement and include strategies to support family engagement.
• The Title I Office reserves at least one percent of the district’s allocation to fund family and community engagement programs. The use of these funds is based on suggestions gathered at our spring Planning Meetings from families and community members. Funds are distributed equally to all our Title I schools.
• Childcare and/or transportation may be provided for meetings and school events.

Alford's Mission Statement:

"Building the Bridge from Empathy to Excellence"

Our Family Engagement Center has learning games, books, and many other resources available for families to checkout and use at home. Our Parent Outreach Liaison, Isabel Montenegro and Parent Instructional Coordinator, Lisa McPherson are available to help you find resources, navigate MyPayments Plus, ParentVUE, connect with teachers, and learn about ways you can help your children at home. Our Family Engagement Center is in room 1.108A which is located on the first hallway on the left, first door on the right. 

Hours of Operation
Monday – Friday
9:00 AM – 3:00 PM 

Phone Number:  678-245-3209 
Email: Lisa.McPherson@gcpsk12.org 
Isabel.Montenegro@gcpsk12.org 

Alford Elementary provides all parents, guardians, and community members opportunity to volunteer in our school. Call the Family Engagement Center for more details using the contact information above.