Welcome to ACRMA#8 Parent Orientation Saturday, July 12th, 2014

The ACRMA#8 Office Team

Alliance Core Values High expectations for all students Small personalized schools and classrooms Increased instructional time High qualified principals and teachers Working with parents as partners

Our Goals for the Year To provide a safe, structured environment for your child For your child to thrive academically and begin preparation for high school & college For you and your child to feel a part of our family

School Policies No Tardiness Policy Uniform Policy Code of Conduct Detention Policy Homework Center & Mandatory Tutoring Cell Phone Policy Pick-Up by 4:45pm See Parent-Student Handbook for detailed copies of all school policies.

Grading Policy: Academic Grades Grades represent student’s current level of understanding Homework and activities are not included in the grade calculation. Assessments are the only items that count toward the grade Assessments will receive a score of: 4 = Advanced 3 = Proficient 2 = Basic 1 = Below Basic

Grading Policy: Life Work Skills Based on: Participation in class Behavior Working in groups Work completion/ Homework completion Very important to show you how your child is performing at school We want all 4’s in these categories!

Report Cards Assessment scores are averaged to give an average rubric score between 1-4. Report cards will contain final grades for both academic and life work skills. Range Final Grade 3.4 – 4.0 A 2.7 – 3.39 B 2.00 – 2.69 C 0 – 1.99 NP (Fail)

Checking on your child’s progress By the end of the first week of school, you will receive access to our online grade book where you can check your child’s grades at any time. Online grade books will be updated on a regular, consistent basis.

Summer Homework Read Minimum of 30 minutes daily Complete 1 outside reading book by the first day of school Have all required materials on the first day of school School supply kit on sale in the office for $15 Students must also have their Freak the Mighty summer reading packet with them on the 1st day of school Math Practice If you have access to a computer with internet, work on TenMarks math practice program. Students will receive their free accounts during Summer Bridge.

Drop Off/Pick Up Procedures First day of school is August 4th! NO STOPPING ALONG RED CURBS Always pay for parking if you park at a metered spot. We are working with the community to determine the best drop off and pick up procedures. We will mail home a letter with final information. For parents that will be driving to face South on Rowan when dropping off kids. CHP sometimes is parked outside and may give jaywalking tickets if kids are seen crossing the street.

Alliance Parent Engagement Model 40-Hour Annual Volunteer Commitment School Support Academic Support The 40 hour commitment may sound difficult to do but we will work with every family to ensure they all meet or even exceed their commitment. For example, just for being here today you automatically will receive 2 volunteer hours (1 hour more than what was on the flyer) because just by showing up today we know that you are committed to ensuring your child’s academic success.

Parent Involvement = Student Success Over 30 years of research has demonstrated that parent involvement leads to: Higher grades and test scores; Improved attendance; Better social skills; and Students are more likely to graduate from high school and go on to college! I actually have an article I can share with you if you should need it but the bullets here pretty much cover what it says. The Alliance-wide Summer Conference 2010

Volunteer Procedures How to volunteer: If you have TB test clearance you can volunteer and help with activities such as classroom projects, student supervision, etc. When you volunteer: Record your hours by signing in and out at the main office and wearing proper identification (vest or sticker) Recognition: End of Year “Thank You” Celebration for 40+ Hours At this time you can start to pass out the Parent Engagement Policy and do a quick overview on the “How to Volunteer”, “When you volunteer”, and “Recognition” items listed on page 2. How to be a Parent Volunteer – Read bulleted item When you volunteer – Read bulleted item and #4 and #5 from the list on the policy Recognition – It’s important that you know how appreciative we are of your time and would like to honor you with a small token of our appreciation.

Parent Engagement Opportunities Volunteer Coupons – Supporting your child’s academic success Through museum visits, library visits, school project help, etc. Parent Engagement Calendar Workshops being offered based on your feedback At this time you can pass out the Volunteer Coupons and Parent Engagement Calendar. When we ask parents to volunteer it’s not about the school looking for free labor. It’s giving you an opportunity to create meaningful relationships with the school staff, students and other parents and gain a sense of pride for the school and the community at large. Parent workshops are being offered based on the feedback you provided when you filled out the Parent Interest Survey. We will do our best to provide you the needed resources to ensure your child’s success in middle school. Based on your feedback the workshops will be offered twice a month One Saturday and one weekday.

Important Information Lunch applications Please be as accurate as possible to prevent getting charged incorrectly. If you return by Thursday of next week, you will receive 1 hour of volunteer credit. Automated Calls You will begin receiving automated calls with important school information. Please do not hang up! Our site will be ready by August 1st!

Summer Bridge - See you Monday! Monday – Thursday, 8:00am – 1:00pm Please do not be late. Students can be dropped off in the covered eating area where we will have supervisors present. Students must bring ALL school supplies on day 1.

Final Thoughts & Questions “Every student has the ability, and together, we give them the opportunity.” Don’t forget to read your Parent-Student Handbook for detailed information!