Myers School Family Engagement Policy 2024-25 (English)

What is a Family Engagement Policy?
A Parent and Family Engagement Policy is a plan that describes how Myers Middle School will provide opportunities to 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 the “Every Student Succeeds Act 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 with the MMS Compacts. 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 how 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 of 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?
Myers Middle 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 Myers Middle 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 the education of their children. 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, Myers Middle 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

Myers Middle School Goals:
• Goal #1: All grade levels 100% of our students will achieve a 3% or better increase in Lexile as measured by GMAS data.
• Goal #2: At Myers all teachers will participate in professional learning opportunities to include collaborative planning and data team to impact student achievement.
• Goal #3: Decrease the number of OSS infractions by 50% through implementing the PBIS program.
• Goal #4: Increase parental involvement by offering monthly opportunities to engage parents through our parent facilitator.

PARENT AND FAMILY ENGAGEMENT
Myers Middle 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, 8:00 AM-2:00 PM
Come 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 Community Relations Specialist: Kristen.lufburrow@sccpss.com, 912-395-6600 ext. 735104 and the Parent Center is in room 104.

1% SET-ASIDE FOR PARENT AND FAMILY ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES
Each year, Savannah-Chatham County Public School System reserves 1% from the total amount of the Title I, Part A funds it receives to carry out family engagement requirements.

ACCESSIBILITY
In carrying out the parent and family engagement requirements established by Section 1116 of the ESSA, the district family engagement coordinator will communicate and collaborate with the Office for Student Support Services to ensure full opportunities for participation of parents with limited English proficiency, parents with disabilities, and parents of migratory children including providing information and school reports in a language parents can understand.

2025 FAMILY ENGAGEMENT EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES
Myers Middle 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 at different days and times to meet all parent and family needs.

Title I Annual Meeting – September 2024
We invite you to an evening of learning and sharing about our Title I program, including our parents.
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.

Curriculum Night – TBA
Learn about the curriculum used in your child’s classroom - the academic standards, assessments, materials, and more!

Hispanic Heritage Night – TBA
Celebration of Hispanic Heritage and Latino History and Culture.

Family Workshops – Quarterly
Gain knowledge about topics relevant to your child’s progress.

Parent-Teacher and Student Conferences
Scheduled updates on your child’s progress.

Lunch ‘n Learn – Monthly
Gain knowledge about topics relevant to your child’s education.

Title I Annual Family Forum – February/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.

Building the Foundation
Myers Middle School will take the following measures to promote and support parents/families as an important foundation of the school to strengthen the school and reach our school 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
• Share 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.
• Savannah-Chatham County Public Schools has changed the name of their volunteer program to VISTA – Volunteers in Schools Targeting Achievement. We encourage parent to volunteer using this program.

PARENT AND FAMILY ENGAGEMENT STANDARDS
Myers Middle 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.

Myers Middle School’s School council members are:
Jennie Thompson, Principal
Kristen Lufburrow, Family Community Relations Specialist
Michelle Oliver, School Counselor

SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS
We want to hear from you! If you have any suggestions or if there is any part of this policy that you feel is not satisfactory with the goals for academic achievement, please share your feedback in writing and submit at our front office!

Myers Middle School
2025 E 52nd St #4872,
Savannah, GA 31404 Phone: (912) 395-6600

Principal: Jennie Thompson 
Assistant Principals: Dr. Jereice Jackson and Dr. Tiffany Frasier