Family Engagement Policy and Plan for Shared Student Success

School Year 2024-2025

Revision Date: 05/15/2024

 

Sol C. Johnson High School

3012 Sunset Blvd.

Savannah, GA 31404
Phone: (912) 395-6400
FAX: (912) 201-2775

 

Principal: Mrs. Jemeela Brown                   Assistant Principal: Mrs. Shennel McCullough          

 

 

What is a Family Engagement Policy?

A Parent and Family Engagement Policy describes how Johnson High School will 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 Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) 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 platforms. 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 the feedback incorporated, will be posted on school website, presented at fall Annual Title I 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?

Johnson High School is identified as a Title I school as part of 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 Johnson High 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 their children's education.  To enhance and expand parental involvement at the school level, parents will be invited to attend several meetings throughout the year to provide input in the planning, the review, and the improvement of school-wide Title I programs.

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, Johnson High 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
 

 Johnson High School Goals:
 
Goal 1: By June 1, 2025, Johnson High School's Georgia Milestone (GMAS) Content Mastery will show an increase from 2024 to 2025. U.S. History Content Mastery score will increase from 37.8 in SY24 to 39.7 in SY25; Biology Content Mastery score will increase from 48.6 in SY24 to 50.1 in SY25; and American Literature Content Mastery score will increase from 52.3 in SY24 to 53.7 in SY25 as measured by 2025 GMAS examination. *Algebra 1 Content Mastery will not be calculated and revealed until fall 2024. Algebra 1 Content Mastery score will increase baseline content mastery score to 3% higher than 2024 score once revealed.
 
Goal 2: By June 1, 2025, Student with Disabilities Georgia Milestone Content Mastery will show an increase from 2024 to 2025.  American Literature will increase from 7.5 in June 2024 to 19 in June 2025; U.S. History increase from 26.5 in June 2024 to 28.7; Biology will increase from 17 in June 2024 to 19.49 as measured by CCRPI Performance Index calculation method. *Algebra 1 Content Mastery for Students with Disabilities (SWD) will not be calculated and revealed until fall 2024. SWD Algebra 1 Content Mastery score will increase baseline content mastery score to 3% higher than 2024 score once revealed.
 
Goal 3: By June 1, 2025, English Language Learners (ELL) GMAS Content Mastery scores will increase by 3% over 2024 ELL Content Mastery scores in all four content areas as measured by the 2025 GMAS CCRPI calculation method.

 

Parent and Family Engagement

Johnson High 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, 7:30 am – 3:30 pm

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/Parent Access and explore educational resources.

 

If you need support, please reach out to our Family Engagement Facilitator Linda Dudley (912) 395-6400
2024-2025 FAMILY ENGAGEMENT Events and Activities

Johnson High 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. All meetings for parents and family members will be held before school, during the day, and in the evening, beginning at 5:30 pm.

 

SCJ/Parent Resource Center Open House/9^th Grade Parent Night - August 2024

Title I Annual Meeting – September 2024

We invite you to an evening 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.

PTSA Meeting(s)-As scheduled

School Council Meeting(s)-As scheduled

School Wide Curriculum Night – October 2024

Learn about the curriculum used in your child's classroom - the academic standards, assessments, materials, and more!

Senior Parent Night – November 2024

Parent-Teacher and Student Conferences – Ongoing

Scheduled updates on your student's progress.

Student Success Expo – January 2025

Financial Aid FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) Workshop – February 2025

Title I Annual Family Forum Meeting – March 2025

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.

Save our Seniors/Transition Meetings– March 2025

Provides Seniors and parents with current progress and expectations moving forward. Provides families with information to help transition from middle school to high school and high school to post-secondary.

Books, Blankets, and Family Fun-April 2025

Celebrating family and literacy with a fun day in the park.

 

Building the Foundation

Johnson High School will take the following measures to promote and support parents/families as an important foundation of the school to strengthen it and reach our 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 to respond to parents' requests for additional support for parent and family engagement activities.

 

PARENT AND ENGAGEMENT FAMILY STANDARDS

Johnson High 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.

 

Johnson High School council members are:

Mrs. Jemeela Brown, Principal

Diedra Grimm, Parent

S Kemp, Parent

Susan Cobb, Parent

Kate Hilliker, Parent

Ivy Boswell, Teacher

Amanda Fanelli, Teacher