Parent Involvement

Parent Involvement Policy & Parent School Compact

School Site Council

This is a small leadership group that meets monthly to discuss the school plan, programs, school wide data and budget. This group is made up of administrators, teachers, staff members and parents. For more information contact Rita Leon in the main office. Its purpose is to determine, implement, and oversee the necessary task to become a successful Community School and it has the responsibility of planning, implementing, establishing a budget, and evaluating the School Improvement Plan. Members of the School Site Council are elected every year and it is one way of directly involving parents, teachers, students and community members in conversations about their school. This forum welcomes all parents to participate. Meeting dates are announced in the monthly calendar.

School Site Council Minutes, Presentations and Agendas

English Language Advisory Committee (ELAC)

The purpose of ELAC is threefold. First, through ELAC meetings parents are informed of the school’s programs to bring children who are English language learners to fluency. Second, the parents are asked to advise the school of ways that it may support these English learners. Finally, through ELAC, parents are oriented to the school system and are given additional information so they may support their children at home. New officers are elected every year and parents suggest topics for future meetings. ELAC meets every month, checking the school calendar for dates.

Taft Parent Teacher Organization

The goals of Taft Parent Group include:

* Partnering with the school to ensure academic success,

* Promotion of fundraising activities to support field trips and enrichment activities.

* Promotion of a strong sense of community spirit among the school families.

* All parents are welcome and encouraged to attend.

Parent Volunteer Opportunities

We have many opportunities available at Taft for parents to get involved. Volunteer in the classroom and help your child’s teacher either from home or in the classroom. Also, we have opportunities to help at school events, in the office and other parts of the school. We provide training opportunities for parents to learn more about how they can support the school. For more information, please ask in the Family Center.

Parent Volunteers

Classroom teachers and other school staff welcome parents, guardians and grandparents to volunteer their time and expertise in the following areas:

* Being a chaperone on a field trip

* Reading to students and listening to students read

* Helping with special events

* Preparing activity packets

* Assisting children using the computer

* Serving and attending school committees

Classroom Volunteers

If you are able to volunteer in the classroom, parents must complete district protocols for volunteering. Please make sure to make prior arrangements with the teacher. Be sure to sign in the office and place a Visitor’s Pass on the upper part of your shirt so that it is visible for everyone to see.

Volunteer Guidelines

All volunteers must complete volunteer paperwork at the district office.

* Volunteer paperwork in school office

* Fingerprinting

* TB test

Please sign up in the volunteer binder in the office, each day that you volunteer in the classroom, for field trips, or school events. Volunteer hours are logged in the family center for certificates and awards at the end of the year.

You can sign up to work in the classroom, do projects at home for the teacher and also help with yard and cafeteria supervision and office help. It is the administration’s discretion to ask parents to leave if they are creating problems at school.

Please review the full volunteer guide available in the main office and family center. The volunteer guide must be signed and returned before volunteering.

Classroom Observation

Parents are welcome to observe their child in the classroom. Arrangements must be made 24 hours in advance with the teacher. Observations are a distraction in the classroom; therefore, are usually kept to 30 minutes, unless previously arranged. The observer must sign-in the office and place a Visitor’s Pass on the upper part of his or her shirt.