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We urge you to read each of these documents below, it's important.

August 13, 2015

Dear Parent/Guardian:

The Elementary and Secondary Education Act is our country’s most comprehensive federal education law. In 2001, this law was reauthorized and is now called the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). NCLB was designed to make changes in teaching and learning that will help increase academic achievement in our schools. Title I of this Act authorizes programs and funding for schools that have a high percentage of low-income students.

The law requires that all schools receiving Title I funds must inform parents of their right to ask schools about the qualifications of their child’s teachers. Our school receives Title I funding and we are happy to share this information with you at your request.

We believe that nothing is more important to your child’s education at school than having a well-prepared and highly qualified teacher. The law requires that all teachers must meet a specific legal definition of “highly qualified” in order to teach in schools that receive Title I funding. The legal definition of a “highly qualified teacher” has three parts. It states that the teacher must have the following:

1. A four-year college degree
2. A regular teaching certificate/license
3. Proof of his/her knowledge in the subject he/she teaches

New Jersey has some of the most qualified teachers in the country, and we are extremely proud of the quality of the teaching staff at Foundation Academies. All of our regular teachers have college degrees and many have advanced degrees. The state of New Jersey has always required a teaching certificate/license for all teachers. In addition, every teacher continues learning through professional development activities and our teachers are evaluated each year to make sure that their teaching skills remain at the highest possible level.

Most teachers already meet this legal definition of highly qualified. Teachers in the state of New Jersey are required to meet this definition.

To ensure that every child in every classroom has a highly qualified teacher, the state of New Jersey and our school are working together to help teachers meet the requirements of the federal law by providing several options. Teachers may take a content Praxis, or they can demonstrate their expertise through a college major in the content.

A highly qualified teacher knows what to teach, how to teach, and has a full understanding of the subject matter being taught. We believe that every teacher in our school is fully qualified and dedicated to teaching your child, and we will do everything possible to help our teachers who may not yet meet the legal definition required by the federal government.

I encourage you to support your child’s education and communicate with your child’s teacher(s) on a regular basis. For more information on NCLB, and the role of parents, please visit the United States Department of Education Web site at www.ed.gov/nclb. By partnering, families and educators can provide your child with the best education possible.

Sincerely,
Graig Weiss
Chief Executive Officer

Foundation Academies

Title I Parent Involvement Policy

Created: 2015-2016

Creation of Policy

Foundation Academies Parent Involvement Policy is jointly developed and agreed upon by a committee that consists of parents, teachers, administrators, community members and other staff members. The school-wide Title I policy will be evaluated and updated annually by the committee to accommodate any changing needs. The most current version of the policy will be presented and distributed to all parents at the beginning of each academic year and will be written in language that is simple and understandable. A copy of the policy will be on file in the main office and the Mercer County Department of Education.

Annual Meeting for Parents

FA will convene an annual meeting in the fall to inform all about the Title I program and its requirements and inform parents of their right to be involved. Invitations notifying parents of this meeting will be sent home with students. Foundation Academies will make strong efforts to eliminate any parent involvement barriers.

Parent Involvement

Parents will be involved in an organized, ongoing, and timely way in the Title I planning process. This includes developing, reviewing, evaluating and improving the School-wide Title I program, including the Parent Involvement Policy and the School-Parent Compact. The school and

parents will work jointly on an on-going basis to improve parental involvement.

School-Parent-Student Contract

In accordance with Title I regulations, FA utilizes a School-Parent-Student Contract which outlines how parents, staff, and students will share responsibility for promoting high student growth and achievement. Parents receive the contract during their required visit to the school, which is scheduled before the student’s first day at FA. The contract is given out by FA staff and is discussed with both parents and students. Parents are not forced to sign the contract as a term of the child’s admission to FA. They are encouraged to sign it to show their belief that FA is a partnership between parents and educators in creating the best possible education for the child.

Types of Parental Involvement

Parent Involvement activities at FA will provide opportunities for participation in the following ways:

∙ Foundation Academies Council Team (FACT) Parent Meetings

∙ Parent/Teacher Conferences

∙ Fundraising Activities

∙ Back to School/Open House Events

All of these provide positive interaction opportunities, within the school setting, for our families.

Matching Programs to the Needs of Our Community

To provide appropriate and meaningful Parent Involvement programs and activities for our families, FA annually assesses the needs of parents, students, and school personnel through a variety of measures which include the following:

∙ needs assessments

∙ parent surveys

∙ student surveys

∙ staff surveys

Staff/Parent Communication

Notifications of Academic Status are transmitted to parents using the following methods:

∙ Quarterly Progress Reports

∙ Quarterly Report Cards

∙ Quarterly Parent/Teacher Conferences

∙ Risk of Retention Notifications – Given out after the 2nd and 3rd marking period Report Cards

∙ Parent Portal – Online access to student grades available 24 hours a day

Advisor Notifications – All students are assigned a faculty advisor who communicates with parents on a regular basis about their grades and conduct

Notifications of School Events and Announcements are transmitted to parents using the following methods:

∙ Student Handout

∙ Monthly Newsletter

∙ Automated Calling system

∙ School Website

∙ Facebook

Materials and Training Opportunities

The school will provide appropriate and feasible materials and training determined by parent input and surveys. Examples are as follows:

∙ Literacy Workshops

∙ Technology Workshops on existing programs (ex. Study Island)

∙ Parents as Teachers Program – Community based parent involvement program

Survey and Evaluation

An annual parent and student survey includes an evaluation of the content and effectiveness of the Parental Involvement program. Results of the survey helps FA better meet the needs of our families. Parent Involvement at FA is a policy of vision as well as change, as educational needs are identified and addressed. We invite and encourage input from both school staff and parents each year.