LEB – Parents Organizations

Descriptor Code: LEB
Parents Organizations

 The Cherokee County Board of Education is aware of the constructive role which parent-teacher groups play in the School District. The effective leadership provided by the PTA organizations and School Councils is valuable to the improvement of educational programs and community support of schools. The School Board will offer these groups its cooperation and urge parents, teachers and administrators to become active participants.

PARENT/FAMILY INVOLVEMENT
In keeping with the belief that learning should take place at home, in school and in the community and with research showing that parent involvement is the single most important indicator of school success, the School Board has identified “Family, Partner and Community Engagement” as one of its Priority Areas in its Five-Year Strategic Plan “Blueprint.” The purpose of this policy is to promote meaningful parent and family participation and to identify standards for effective parent/family involvement. Other School Board Policies that directly support parent/family involvement are Goals and Objectives and Public Participation at School Board Meetings. The parent/family involvement policy is adopted from “National Standards for Family-School Partnerships developed by National PTA.

I. Parents’ Responsibilities
Assumptions:
1. In order for students to achieve, parents must provide a climate in the home that supports education; sets high but reasonable expectations for student learning; and be involved in their children’s education at school and in the community.
2. Students whose parents are involved in the above manner have better grades, higher test scores, better attendance records and more homework assignments completed.
3. Regardless of socio-economic status, ethnic/racial background or education level, when parents are involved in their children’s education process, students achieve more.
4. When parents and teacher collaborate, there are higher expectations for the students’ success.
5. There are significant benefits for learners when parents of students of all ages and all grades are directly involved with their education.
6. There are many different ways for parents to be involved in their child’s education. To have long-lasting results, parent and family involvement activities must be planned, continuous, inclusive and comprehensive.

II. Schools’ Responsibilities
Assumptions:
1. Schools that work well with families improve teacher morale and engender more teacher support by parents.
2. When parents receive frequent and effective communication from a school and School District, their attitude about the school is more positive and their involvement increases. A school’s and the School District’s practices to inform and involve parents are strong determinants in the frequency and quality of parent involvement.
3. Parents contribute most effectively to improved student achievement and school effectiveness when they are treated as equal partners and given needed information in a timely manner.
4. Parent and family involvement is a critical component of school reform. It is not a substitute for high quality educational programs, effective instruction or systemic research-based school improvement.

III. National Standards, Goals and Indicators for Family-School Partnerships

• Standard One: Welcoming All Families into the School Community Families are active participants in the life of the school, and feel welcomed, valued and connected to each other, to school staff and to what students are learning and doing in class.
• Standard Two: Communicating Effectively Families and school staff engage in regular, two-way, meaningful communication about student learning.
• Standard Three: Supporting Student Success Families and school staff continuously collaborate to support students’ learning and healthy development both at home and at school, and have regular opportunities to strengthen their knowledge and skills to do so effectively.
• Standard Four: Speaking Up for Every Child Families are empowered to be advocates for their own and other children, to ensure that students are treated fairly and have access to learning opportunities that will support their success.
• Standard Five: Sharing Power Families and school staffs are equal partners in decisions that affect children and families and together inform, influence and create policies, practices and programs. BOARD POLICY Descriptor Code: LEB Parents Organizations Page 3
• Standard Six: Collaborating with Community Families and school staff collaborate with community members to connect students, families and staff to expanded learning opportunities, community services and civic participation.
  *Adopted from “National Standards for Family-School Partnerships,” used by permission of National PTA.

PARENTS’ BILL OF RIGHTS
Unless otherwise prohibited by law, parents have the following rights with respect to their children:

IV. Right to Review Student Records
Procedures for a parent/guardian of a student to review records relating to his or her minor child are contained in School Board Policy - - Student Records (JR). V. Right to Review Instructional Materials The first two weeks of each nine-week grading period, parents can access instructional materials online through the School District’s learning management system. If such instructional materials are not made available for review online, then they will be made available for review on site upon a parent’s request made during the review period.

VI. Right to Object to Instructional Materials
Procedures for a parent/guardian to opt out and receive alternative instructional materials intended for use in his or her minor child’s classroom or recommended by his or her minor child’s teacher are contained in School Board Policy - - Supplemental Materials Selection and Adoption (IFAB).

VII. Right to Withdraw from Sex Education
​​​​​​​ Pursuant to OCGA 20-2-143, parents/legal guardians of a student who may receive Sex and AIDS Prevention Education in grades 5-8 will be informed as to what content is to be provided and have the opportunity to review all materials to be utilized before choosing to allow his or her child to take the specific unit of study. Parents/legal guardians may ensure that their child does not receive such course of instruction by declining to submit a parent permission form for their child to participate. Any student without a signed parent permission form on file at the start of such program instruction will not participate. Elementary school parents/legal guardians of a child eligible to receive sexual abuse and assault awareness and prevention education may ensure that their child does not receive such instruction by exercising the option of completing the opt-out form at their child’s school.

VIII. Right to Object to Release of Directory Information Regarding Your Student
​​​​​​​The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), a Federal law, requires that the School District with certain exceptions, obtain your written consent prior to the disclosure of personally identifiable information from your child’s education records. However, the School District may disclose appropriately designated “directory information” without written consent, unless you have advised the School District to the contrary. If a parent/guardian objects to his/her child being included in any or all of the below, he/she must annually notify the Principal in writing by September 1, or within one week of admission/enrollment if enrollment occurs after September 1st. The primary purpose of directory information is to allow the School District to include information from your child’s education records in certain school publications and events. Examples include:
• A playbill, showing your student’s role in a drama production;
• The annual yearbook;
• Honor roll or other recognition lists;
• Graduation programs;
• Recognition of achievement at School Board meetings;
• District and School Websites;
• School and District Social Media; and
• Sports activity sheets, such as for wrestling, showing weight and height of team members.

Directory information, which is information that is generally not considered harmful or an invasion of privacy if released, can also be disclosed to outside organizations without a parent’s prior written consent. Outside organizations include, but are not limited to, companies that manufacture class rings, companies that publish yearbooks, military recruiters, college recruiters, law enforcement agencies and the news media. Directory information includes:
• Student’s name
• Address
• Telephone listing
• Electronic mail address
• Photograph
• Date and place of birth
• Major field of study
• Dates of attendance
• Grade level
• Participation in officially recognized activities and sports
• Weight and height of members of athletic teams
• Degrees, honors and awards received
• The most recent educational agency or institution attended
• Student ID number, user ID, or other unique personal identifier used to communicate in electronic systems but only if the identifier cannot be used to gain access to education records except when used in conjunction with one or more factors that authenticate the user’s identity, such as a PIN, password, or other factor known or possessed only by the authorized user.
• A student ID number or other unique personal identifier that is displayed on a student ID badge, but only if the identifier cannot be used to gain access to education records except when used in conjunction with one or more factors that authenticate the user’s identity, such as a PIN, password, or other factor known or possessed only by the authorized user.

ADOPTED: August 2, 2001        REVISED: July 21, 2022