Parent & Family Engagement Policy

Contact

Lisa Gray, Principal
102 Hill Road
Dalton, GA 30721
(706) 278-3074
lisa.gray@wcsga.net

Parent & Family Engagement Policy and Plan for Shared Student Success

Updated August 5, 2026 — Eastside Elementary will take the following measures to promote and support parents as an important foundation of the school in order to strengthen the school and reach our school goals. We will:

Ensure that all information related to school and parent programs, meetings, and other activities is published in both English and Spanish, and posted on the school website and social media.
Provide quarterly training for staff in the value and utility of contributions of parents as well as strategies to improve communication with parents and ideas to increase family engagement. Staff will also share best practices during regularly scheduled departmental meetings.
Partner with early childhood programs, middle and high schools, college and career-ready resources or organizations, parent resource centers, or other programs (as applicable) to help prepare parents and their children for successful school transitioning.
Share information in English and Spanish at meetings, on the school website, and on social media for parents to understand the school’s academic standards and assessments, their child’s academic assessment results, and how parents can monitor their child’s progress and work with educators to support their child’s academic achievement.
Communicate with all families and the community on a regular basis regarding school-wide events and activities, through phone messages, social media, and flyers.
Work with our families to develop relevant training and helpful presentations to educate our staff on the importance of family involvement.
Provide necessary materials and handouts for families at conferences, meetings, and activities to help families work with their child to improve their child’s achievement.
Use our community stakeholders to improve awareness of the activities and events listed in the school's parental involvement policy.

Resources

School Plan for Shared Student Achievement

What is it?
This is a plan that describes how Eastside Elementary will provide opportunities to improve parent engagement to support student learning. Eastside Elementary values the contributions and involvement of parents to establish an equal partnership for the common goal of improving student achievement. This plan describes the different ways that Eastside Elementary will support parent engagement and how parents can help plan and participate in activities and events to promote student learning at school and at home.

How is it revised?
Eastside Elementary School invited all parents to attend our annual Meet Your Teacher even in August and in March to review and revise this parental involvement policy, as well as the schoolwide plan, our school-parent compact and the parental involvement budget. Additionally, parent input and comments regarding this plan are welcome during the school year through various means. The plan is sent home with students at the beginning of the year, in our school lobby and on our school website so parents are able to view the plan throughout the year and provide feedback at any time. All parent feedback received during the year will be used to revise the plan for the next school year. We also distribute an annual survey online and on paper to ask parents for their suggestions on the plan and the use of funds for parental involvement. Parents also have the opportunity to provide feedback during several parent meetings and activities throughout the school year.

Who is it for?
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 plan. Eastside Elementary will provide full opportunity for the participation of parents with limited English, parents with disabilities, and parents of migratory children.

Where is it available?
The school-parent compacts are available for review in each classroom during Meet the Teacher. The plan will be available for review at the Title I information meeting scheduled in the fall. The plan will also be posted on the school website under Resources for Families. Guardians can also retrieve a copy of the plan in the front office and the attendance office waiting areas.

2026-2027 District & School Goals

2026-2027 District Goals

Goal 1: Maximize opportunities for career awareness and exploration in grades K–12.
Goal 2: Sustain a safe, positive, and welcoming school environment.
Goal 3: Continue to ensure information is effectively communicated to families.
Goal 4: Continue to support families with resources to further students' education.

EES School Improvement Goals

Goal 1: Eastside Elementary will increase student growth by 10 points from Spring 2026 to Spring 2027 in the area of reading using the MAP assessment
Goal 2: Eastside Elementary will increase student growth by 10 points from Spring 2026 to Spring 2027 in the area of math using the MAP assessment.
Goal 3: EES staff will follow individual student plans created during LAR, Tier 2, or SST meetings with 100% fidelity and will provide data to indicate the intervention was done by documenting days/times the intervention was done.

School–Parent Compacts

As part of this plan, Eastside Elementary and our families will develop a school-parent compact, which is an agreement created collaboratively by families, teachers, and students that outlines how guardians and teachers will work together to ensure all students reach grade-level standards. The compacts will be reviewed and updated annually based on feedback from parents, students, and teachers throughout the school year. School-parent compacts are sent home with students and are also available on our school's website.

Parent Resource Center & Involvement

Parent Resource Center

Resources are available in the Parent Resource Center. Parents have the opportunity to check out
books, study materials and activities to use at home with their child. Parents are invited to contact the school office for more information, Monday–Friday, 7:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m.

Parental Involvement

Eastside Elementary believes that parental involvement means the participation of parents in regular two-way, meaningful communication discussing student academic learning and other school activities. We believe that parent involvement should ensure:

That parents play an integral role in assisting their child’s learning.
That parents are encouraged to be actively involved in their child’s education.
That parents 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.
The carrying out of other activities as described in this plan.

Parental Involvement Standards
Eastside Elementary 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:

Welcoming All Families
Communicating Effectively
Supporting Student Success
Speaking Up for Every Child
Sharing Power
Collaborating with Community

Helping at Home

One of the most frequent questions we get from parents is, “How can I help my child at home?” Fortunately, there are lots of ways. Here are just a few:

Read to and with your child each day.
Find fun ways to apply skills being learned at school.
Utilize the Internet and other web apps with your child (AR, Reflex Math, etc.).
Parents can access Infinite Campus to help keep track of grades throughout the year.

What is Title I?

Eastside Elementary is identified as a Title I school as part of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA). Title I is designed to support State and local school reform efforts tied to challenging state academic standards to 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 parental involvement. All Title I schools must jointly develop with all parents a written parental involvement policy.

Parent Involvement Events

Eastside Elementary will hold a variety of events to strengthen parental involvement and foster a strong partnership among the school, families, and the community in support of student academic achievement. To accommodate different schedules, meetings for parents and family members will be offered at various times.. When available, child care and transportation assistance will be provided to help remove barriers to participation and ensure all families have the opportunity to engage.

Annual Title I Meeting- Fall 2026 – Virtual
Join us for an informative session to learn about our Title I program. Topics will include our parental involvement policy, the school-wide plan, school-parent compacts, and parents’ rights and responsibilities.
Meet the Teacher - August 5 & 6, 2026 2:-4 p.m.
Meet your child’s teacher
Complete beginning of year paperwork
Drop off your child’s supplies (optional)
Grandparents' Breakfast - Date October 1, 2026
Families are invited to come eat breakfast with their student. All adults will receive a pastry of their choice.
Hispanic Heritage Night- October 8, 2026
Read and Feed – Three cohorts throughout the school year.
Families join Eastside staff members for dinner and a read aloud where families will learn strategies to help their student with reading at home.

We welcome parents to give feedback at each event.

Eastside Elementary is committed to helping our parents attend the parental activities listed in this plan. Please call or email us if you need assistance with childcare or transportation in order to participate in our programs at (706) 278-3074 or lisa.gray@wcsga.net.

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