Family Engagement Policies

Bradley Creek Elementary School Family Engagement Policy

School vision/mission statement: In order for our students to become contributing citizens, we will work collaboratively with stakeholders in the school community to foster academic excellence, critical thinking skills, and mutual respect for all learners.

Bradley Creek Elementary School will:

Engage parents in developing a family engagement policy and make parents aware of their right to be involved in their children's education.
Host an annual Title I meeting.
Dedicate at least 1 percent of Title I funds for family engagement, with parents deciding the best use of these funds.
Develop a school compact that outlines shared responsibilities for student achievement for parents and school staff.
Build parent capacity by explaining state academic standards, showing how parents can support student learning, face-to-face or remote.
Coordinate with other federal, state, and local programs, including early childhood and English learner programs.
Provide materials in a language parents can understand, to the extent practicable.

Plan of Action:

Title I annual meeting: Each fall, Bradley Creek will host its annual Title I Meeting. During this meeting, information will be shared in regards to what qualifies a school as Title 1, our Title 1 budget, and the school’s budgeted expenses.

Parents have the right to be involved in children's education, and we welcome families for conferences at any time that there are concerns. Teachers will make themselves available for phone conferences, if necessary, and will respond promptly to electronic communications. Title I programs, family engagement policies, and state assessments are explained at an annual fall meeting and throughout the school year, not as part of an open house or back-to-school night. Parents will be provided with information regarding all assessments as they are made available.

In the fall, parents will receive a compact outlining shared responsibilities for the education provided to students. These documents will be distributed electronically. Follow-up meetings will include Title I updates, strategies for students’ success in face-to-face and remote learning environments. Parents will be allowed to provide feedback through a survey on Title I programs to make adjustments to programs for the upcoming school year.

Outreach to all families: We use a variety of methods to communicate with families, including surveys via School Messenger emails and Google Forms, personal invitations mailed home, flyers, personal phone calls, as well as a weekly electronic newsletter. Traditionally, we offer Kindergarten Play Dates for incoming families, Math Night, a Dynamic Dolphin Night Curriculum Night, and Student-Led Conferences.

School partnerships: Bradley Creek Elementary has developed partnerships with The Cape Fear Garden Club, UNCW, The Arboretum Garbage to Gardens, as well as our PTA which works with a variety of local businesses to host fundraising nights each year.

Communication: The school is committed to meaningful, two-way communication. School messages are delivered through School Messenger calls and emails, as well as flyers and, for some events, personal invitations mailed. The school’s Facebook page is a resource for the most current information. A weekly electronic newsletter is shared each week via School Messenger. Bradley Creek is committed to reaching our families whose native language is not English. All correspondence is translated and the Talking Points app is used to communicate brief messages and reminders by teachers.

Use of family engagement set-aside: One percent of Bradley Creek’s Title I budget is spent on family engagement. Additional funds are set aside for on-site events, meals, resources and materials, as well as take-home educational materials.

Parent capacity building: Traditionally, several times each quarter, Bradley Creek offers family nights focused on supporting academics and to enhance parents’ and families’ ability to support the education of their children at home.

Documentation: Parents must sign in at all Title I school meetings and activities. Sign-in sheets are recorded with dates and times and collected and archived for audits. The school also keeps parent survey results and meeting minutes as well as copies of the Title I plan and parent-school brochures.