The Family and Community Engagement Plan and all other Title I information are available on our school’s website at www.gwinnett.k12.ga.us/Summerour MS/home.html under the Title I section. Families can also find paper copies of this Family and Community Engagement Plan in our Family Engagement Center, the Title I Assistant Principal’s office, the registrar’s office, and the GCPS Title I Office.

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.

We will communicate effectively with SMS families by providing information in English and Spanish to the extent necessary and reasonable. Flyers, phone calls, student’s agenda, ParentVUE, email, telephone and virtual meetings, school website, and social media will be used to promote and increase parent engagement.

Families may contact the front office at (770) 448-3045 to schedule meetings at a parent’s request and /or email the teachers directly. Teachers have 24 hours to get back to parents when they call the school. Interpreters will be provided when needed.

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.  

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

One of our goals at Summerour is to implement a system of supports to address academic and non-academic student needs and remove barriers to success.

Our action steps to support this academic school goal will be: 

• Ongoing engagement with family and community partners​
• Focus efforts on improved outcomes for students, families, and staff

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. The document will be available on the school website.
• It will be discussed at parent meetings/ workshops throughout the year.

Summerour will…                                            

• Host series of social and emotional wellness workshops throughout the year.
• Host workshops and present academic strategies, offer families printed and online resources, and provide families with materials for check out through the Parent Center, that students can use at home to practice:
  • Reading comprehension and vocabulary
  • Operations with rational numbers
  • Mathematical problem solving
  • Number sense and math reasoning
  • Data analysis
•  Post a brief summary of all parent workshops on the website

As Students, we will…

• Spend time at home reading and writing using a variety of resources to develop better literacy skills.
• Use school approved ELA and Math digital resources to support extended learning at home.
• Commit to using materials and resources that our families get from the teachers, parent center, and workshops to practice problem solving, math mental skills, and mathematical thinking. 

As Families, we will…     

• Attend family trainings on math, reading and writing, and SEL (Social and Emotional Learning) to support our children’s skill development.
•  Use online resources regularly to support learning at home.
• Ask for information and materials to help our children practice math and literacy skills at home.
• Monitor my child’s academic progress on ParentVUE
• Update myself using the school website about reading, math, or SEL workshops not attended.

• 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.

SMS is committed to frequent two-way communication with families about student learning such as: Parent-teacher conferences, student agendas, ParentVUE, emails, telephone/ virtual conferences, eClass, Talking Points, school website, Facebook, Instagram, school newsletter, progress reports, and report cards.

If you need interpretation and/or translation services, please contact: Rosanna Carlson at 770-582-7545.

• Planning Meeting (March 25)
• Title I Document Review Meeting (March 26, 27, and 28)
• Ready, Set, Go (ESOL) Parent Night (August 14)
• Annual Title I Parent Meeting (August 20)
• Curriculum Night (August 20) 5:30 PM
• Literacy Night (September 26) Book Author
• Hispanic Heritage Night (October)
• Parent -Teacher conferences (Oct. 23 -24 & Mar. 5-6)
• National Parent Involvement Day (Nov.21)
• Math Night (November)
• Parent Support Groups / Fiesta Friday (Monthly beginning in Oct.)
• ESOL Parent Night (January)
• GMAS Parent Night (February 26)
• International Night (May)
• Transition to Middle School Parent Night (April 17)
• Social and Emotional Wellness Workshops (Nov., Jan, and Feb.)
•  Science workshops (2 per semester)
• English as a Second Language - twice weekly
• English and Civics for U.S. Citizenship- twice weekly
• Tech Math Workshop

• 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.

Our Mission

Summerour Middle School ignites academic excellence and character building by creating opportunities for each student to be successful in OUR school and in OUR world.

Our Parent Center has learning games, books, and many other resources available for families to checkout and use at home. Our Parent Instructional Coordinator is Rosanna Carlson.  She is available to help you find resources, ways you can help your children at home, navigate ParentVUE, and connect with teachers.

Our Parent Center is located in room 1.123 on the first floor.

8:15 AM - 4:00 PM

Please contact Rosanna Carlson for additional information about our Parent Center and resources available.

770-582-7545

rosanna.carlson@gcpsk12.org

Parents need to contact the teacher to schedule a classroom observation. SMS invites and encourages parents and community members to volunteer at our facility. Volunteer opportunities available through the Parent Center.