Andrea B. Williams Elementary School
Family Engagement Policy and Plan
Family Engagement Policy and Plan for
Shared Student Success
School Year 2024-2025
Revision Date: 4/26/2024
Andrea B. Williams Elementary School
1150 Wheaton Street
Savannah, GA 31404
Phone: (912) 395-2500
FAX: (912) 201-7528
Principal: Dr. Tony Foy Assistant Principal: Ms. Teresa Baker
What is a Family Engagement Policy?
A Parent and Family Engagement Policy is a plan that describes how Andrea B. Williams Elementary School
will provide opportunities to improve family engagement to support student learning. We value the
contributions and involvement of families to establish an equal partnership for the common goal of
improving student achievement. This plan describes the different ways that the school will support family
engagement and how families can help plan and participate in activities and events to promote student
learning at school and at home (Section 1116) of the Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015.
Where is the Family Engagement Policy available?
The Family Engagement Policy will be distributed to all families at the beginning of the school year through
student communication folders. Additionally, copies are available in the Family Center, where you may also
view it and provide feedback. The Policy will also be posted on the school’s website and shared at the Annual
Title I meeting.
How is it jointly developed/revised?
The following actions were taken to involve parents/guardians in the joint development of school-
parent/family compacts that outline how school staff, parents/guardians, and students will share the
responsibility for improved student academic achievement and the means by which the school and parents
will build and develop a partnership to help children achieve the state’s high standards:
- An invitation to attend the Annual Title I Family Forum was sent to parents in the spring of the previous school year, offering parents/guardians the opportunity to help plan for the upcoming school year.
- A final Family Engagement Policy and School-Family Compact(s), with all of the feedback incorporated, will be posted on the school website, presented at the fall Annual Title 1 meeting, sent home with all students to serve as an agreement between the school, parents, and students of the shared responsibility for improving student achievement.
WHAT IS TITLE I?
Andrea B. Williams Elementary School is identified as a Title I school as part of the Every Student Succeeds
Act (ESSA). Title I is designed to support State and local school reform efforts tied to challenging state
academic standards and reinforce and enhance efforts to improve teaching and learning for students. Title
I programs must be based on effective means of improving student achievement and include strategies to
support family involvement. All Title I schools must jointly develop a written family engagement policy with
all families.
WHO IS THE PURPOSE OF TITLE I?
All students participating in the Title I, Part A program and their families are encouraged and invited to fully
participate in the opportunities described in this policy. The school will provide opportunities for the
participation of families with limited English, disabilities, and families of migratory children.
IMPLEMENTATION
The staff at Andrea B. Williams Elementary School recognizes that the education of students is a responsibility
shared with, administrators, teachers, parents, and the community. Maximum learning occurs when parents
are actively involved and supportive of the education of their children. In an effort to enhance and expand
parental involvement at the school level, parents will be invited to attend several meetings throughout the
year in order to provide input in the planning, the review, and the improvement of school-wide Title I
programs.
In order to provide parents/guardians with continuous communication, opportunities for input, and to
increase family engagement, the following mandatory Title I family meetings will be held each academic
school year:
- Title I Annual Meeting (Fall) – Introduces the School/Family Compacts, the Family Engagement Policy, the Title I budget, and the School Improvement Plan. Information about the school’s curriculum, assessments, and other important information is also shared at this meeting.
- Family Forum (Spring) – Provides parents/guardians with the opportunity to provide input on School Improvement Planning, the Family Engagement Budget, the Family Engagement Policy, the School-Parent/Family Compact, and staff training.
SCHOOL-FAMILY COMPACTS
As part of our family engagement plan, Andrea B. Williams Elementary School and our families develop a
school-parent/family compact, which is an agreement that explains how parents/families and teachers will
work together to make sure students reach grade-level standards. The compacts are reviewed and updated
annually based on feedback from parents, students, and teachers during Title I Annual Meeting and from the
Annual Family Engagement Survey. The school-parent/family compacts also are reviewed with families
during parent-teacher conferences.
GOALS FOR STUDENT SUCCESS
SCCPSS District Goals:
Goal 1: To Ensure all Students are College and Career Ready.
Goal 2: To Provide a Supportive Learning Environment that is Conducive to Teaching and Learning.
Goal 3: To Maximize Family and Community Engagement that Contributes to the Advancement of Student
Growth and Success.
Goal 4: To Build Professional Capacity in Order to Achieve a Premier Student- Focused Workforce
Andrea B. Williams Elementary School Goals:
Goal 1: Andrea B. Williams Elementary will increase their preliminary CCPRI score in the Spring of 2025.
Goal 2: The number of 3rd and 5th grade students reading within the grade level Lexile band will increase
from 46% in the third grade to 55% and the Georgia Milestones Assessment in the spring of 2025.
Goal 3: The number of 3rd and 5th grade students scoring in the proficient range in Mathematics on the
Georgia Milestones Assessment will increase form 16% in the third grade to 25% and from 19% in the 5th
grade to 27% in the spring of 2025.
Goal 4: During the 2024-2025 school year, we will continue to implement PBIS according to GADOE
guidelines with fidelity to increase positive behavior.
PARENT AND FAMILY ENGAGEMENT
Andrea B. Williams Elementary School believes that family engagement means the participation of parents
and family members in regular two-way, and meaningful communication involving student academic learning
and other school activities, including ensuring:
- That parents/families play an integral role in assisting their child’s learning.
- That parents/families are encouraged to be actively involved in their child’s education at school.
- That parents/families are full partners in their child’s education and are included, as appropriate, in decision-making and on advisory committees to assist in the education of their child.
FAMILY RESOURCE CENTER
HOURS: Monday – Friday, 9:30 am – 3:30 pm
Come visit the Family Resource Center to check out books, study materials, and activities to use at home
with your child. Computers are available for parents to log into PowerSchool/ParentAccess and explore
educational resources.
If you need support, please reach out to our Family Engagement Facilitator/Family Community Resource
Coordinator: Brittanie Odum, 912-395-2500, x-7471002, brittanie.odum@sccpss.com
1% SET-ASIDE FOR PARENT AND FAMILY ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES
Each year, Savannah-Chatham County Public School System reserves 1% from the total amount of the Title
I, Part A funds it receives to carry out family engagement requirements.
ACCESSIBILITY
In carrying out the parent and family engagement requirements established by Section 1116 of the ESSA,
the district family engagement coordinator will communicate and collaborate with the Office for Student
Support Services to ensure full opportunities for participation of parents with limited English proficiency,
parents with disabilities, and parents of migratory children including providing information and school
reports in a language parents can understand.
2024-2025 FAMILY ENGAGEMENT EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES
Andrea B. Williams Elementary School will host the following events to build the capacity for strong family
engagement to support a partnership between the school, parents, and the community to improve student
academic achievement.
Title I Annual Meeting – September 2024
We invite you to a time of learning and sharing about our Title I program, including our parent and family
engagement policy, the schoolwide plan, the school-parent compacts, and parents’ requirements.
Invitations will be emailed and posted in the school newsletter, social media, and local media.
STEM Night – October 2024
Learn about the curriculum used in your child’s classroom. Meet various community partners and engage
in STEM activities.
Math Lunch and Learn – December 2024 (In-person and virtual option)
Learn how to make math fun at home.
Parent-Teacher and Student Conferences – January 2025 (In-person and virtual option)
Scheduled updates on your child’s progress.
Parent Appreciation – February 2025
A celebration of family engagement and the recognition of its impact on school and student success.
Title I Annual Family Forum – Late February/Early March
Provides an opportunity for parents/family members to participate in discussions with the principal and
staff regarding the school improvement plan, family engagement policy, school-parent/family compacts,
and the family engagement budget.
Building the Foundation
Andrea B. Williams Elementary School will take the following measures to promote and support
parents/families as an important foundation of the school in order to strengthen the school and reach our
school goals. We will:
- Communicate effectively by ensuring that information related academic standards/assessments, events, etc. is published in a language and format accessible to parents and is communicated in multiple ways.
- Offer training for parents and family members to help further enhance their various educational levels.
- Partner with early childhood programs, feeder schools, college and career ready resources, or other programs to help prepare parents and their children for successful school transitions.
- Provide necessary materials and handouts for parents/guardians at conferences, meetings, and activities to help parents work with their child to improve their child’s achievement.
- Collaborate with Community Partners to provide information and introduce resources to benefit families.
- Based on parent/guardian feedback, provide staff training to improve communication with parents and ideas to increase family engagement with reading and math activities for our students outside of the classroom.
- Collect feedback from parents and family members at all events, place input cards around the building and post a suggestion form on the school website in order to respond to parents’ requests for additional support for parent and family engagement activities.
PARENT AND FAMILY ENGAGEMENT STANDARDS
Andrea B. Williams Elementary School and our parents have adopted the National PTA Standards for
Family-School Partnerships as the school’s model in engaging parents, students, and the community. These
standards are:
1. Welcoming All Families
2. Communicating Effectively
3. Supporting Student Success
4. Speaking Up for Every Child
5. Sharing Power
6. Collaborating with Community
SCHOOL COUNCIL
The school council is an advisory body created to offer advice to the principal on matters pertaining to
student achievement and school improvement. The school council initiative was created by the Georgia State
Legislature as a method of involving parents, teachers, and community stakeholders in the educational
process. It is governed by state law; O.C.G.A § 20-2-85 and O.C.G.A § 20-2-86. The school council is made up
of elected parents, appointed community/business members, elected teacher representatives, and the
school principal, with the parent group constituting the largest segment. If you would like to learn more
about the school council, please contact our principal.
Andrea B. Williams Elementary School’s school council members are:
Dr. Tony Foy, Principal
Ashley Dubois, community partner
Molly Lieberman, community partner
Marquita Verdree, parent
Brittanie Odum, employee
Alvin Jackson, community partner
Stephen Salley, instructional technology coach
Leslie Sweetenburg, academic coach
Hillary Sapp, gifted teacher
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SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS
We want to hear from you! If you have any suggestions or if there is any part of this policy that you feel is
not satisfactory with the goals for academic achievement, please provide us with your comments in the
space provided and leave this form in the Main Office:
Name: (optional) ______________________________________ Telephone Number: (optional): _________________
Comments: ______________________________________________________________________________________
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