1310/4002 - Parental Involvement

The Avery County Board of Education recognizes the critical role of parents in the education of their children and in the schools. The board directs school administrators to develop programs that will promote and support parental involvement in student learning and achievement at school and at home and encourage successful progress toward graduation. Each parent is encouraged to learn about the educational program, the educational goals and objectives of the school system and his or her own child's progress. The board also encourages parents to participate in activities designed by the schools to involve them, such as parent conferences, in order to encourage effective communication.

PARENT COMMUNICATION AND CONFERENCES

The board encourages regular contact with parents by school personnel for commendation as well as for notification of concerns. Principals or designees shall plan for periodic communication with parents. Teachers are responsible for scheduling conferences with parents.

Interim Reports: Notification Concerning Class Grades

  1. All middle and high school teachers are required to send interim reports to all students at the mid-point of each grading period.
  2. All elementary regular classroom teachers and “teachers of record” for academic classes are required to send interim reports to all students. Special teachers (i.e. art, music, P.E., library, computer, guidance, etc.) are required to send interim reports if a student has had a drop in behavior or performance.
  3. If the report indicates a student has had a drop in grade or may not pass the grading period, then Interim Reports must be signed by the parent and returned to the teacher. If the teacher does not receive the signed document from the parent, it is the teacher’s responsibility to call or meet with the parent and document that conversation.
  4. Teachers may offer rewards (such as a point added to a final average) for the student returning the interim report. However, punishment may not be used.

Notification Concerning Repeating a Grade or a Course

If any student is not making satisfactory progress toward promotion or passing the End-of Grade/End-of-Course exam, parents must be notified at the mid-year (elementary and middle school) or mid-semester (high school). This communication must be confirmed by signature of the parent, and/or documented meetings.

Notification Concerning High School Graduation

If a student may not graduate on time, parents must be notified in person or by certified mail by mid-semester, or as soon as a teacher becomes aware of the problem. The principal or designee shall strive, through oral or written communication or other means, to include the parents of students identified as at-risk in the implementation and review of academic and/or behavioral interventions for their children, in accordance with policy 3405, Students at Riskof Academic Failure.The principal or designee shall provide the parent of each student in kindergarten, first, or second grade with written notification of the student’s reading progress. The notice will be provided three times a year, following each benchmark assessment and will include: 1. assessment results 2. whether the child may not reach reading proficiency by the end of third grade; and 3. instructional support activities for use at home.

The board encourages the superintendent to work with local business leaders, including the local chambers of commerce, to encourage employers to adopt as part of their stated personnel policies time for employees who are parents or guardians to attend conferences with their child’s teachers.

PARENTAL NOTIFICATION

Each principal or designee of a Title I school shall effectively notify parents of all parental rights and other required information regarding Title I schools and programs, in accordance with federal law. Parents of students in Title I schools shall receive a copy of the system-wide Title I parent involvement policy (policy 1320/3560, Title I Parent Involvement) and the school-wide parent involvement plan.

In addition, annually every building principal or designee shall effectively notify parents of the following:

  1. parental rights related to student records (policy 4700, Student Records);
  2. parental rights related to student surveys (policy 4720, Surveys of Students);
  3. the approximate dates of any non-emergency, invasive physical examination that is: (a) required as a condition of attendance; (b) administered by the school and scheduled by the school in advance; and (c) not necessary to protect the immediate health and safety of students; and their right to opt their child out of any such examination;
  4. the schedule of pesticide use on school property and their right to request notification of nonscheduled pesticide use (see policy 9205, Pest Management);
  5. student behavior policies and school standards and rules (policies in the 4300 series);
  6. permissible use of seclusion and restrain in the schools (policy 4302)
  7. Discrimination, Harassment and Bullying Complaint Procedure (policy 1720/4015/7225);
  8. Student and Parent Grievance Procedure (policy 1740/4010);
  9. the dates of the system-wide and state-mandated tests that students will be required to take during that school year, how the results from the test will be used, and whether each test is required by the State Board of Education or by the local board;
  10. grading practices that will be followed at the school and, in the high school, the means for computing the grade point averages that will be used for determining class rank (Evaluation of Student Progress, policy 3400; Class Rankings, policy 3450);
  11. available opportunities and the enrollment process for students to take advanced courses and information explaining the value of taking advanced courses;
  12. a report containing aggregate information, including, but not limited to, student achievement (disaggregated by category), graduation rates, performance of the school system and teacher qualifications;
  13. the grade awarded to the school on the most recent annual report card issued for it by the State Board of Education if the school received a grade of D or F;
  14. supportive services available to students, including guidance, counseling and health services (Comprehensive Health Education Program, policy 3540; Counseling Program, policy 3610);
  15. information about meningococcal meningitis and influenza, including the causes, symptoms, vaccines, how the diseases are spread and places where parents and guardians may obtain additional information and vaccinations may be obtained;
  16. for parents of students in grades five through twelve, information about cervical cancer, cervical dysplasia, and human papillomavirus, including the causes and symptoms of these diseases, how they are transmitted, how they may be prevented by vaccination, including the benefits and possible side effects of vaccination, and places parents and guardians may obtain additional information and vaccinations for their children;
  17. how to reach school officials in emergency situations during non-school hours; and
  18. their right to take four hours of unpaid leave from their jobs every year in order to volunteer in their child’s school as stated in G.S. 95-28.3 (see policy 5015, School Volunteers);
  19. information about the school breakfast program
  20. information about the availability and location of free summer food service program meals for students when school is not in session;
  21. for parents of children with disabilities, procedural safeguards (see also policy 1730/4022/7231, Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Disabilities);
  22. information on the availability of the asbestos management plan and planned or in-progress inspections, re-inspections, response actions and post-response actions, including periodic re-inspection and surveillance activities;
  23. education rights of homeless students (see policy 4125, Homeless Students);
  24. the content and implementation of the local school wellness policy (see policy 6140, Student Wellness);
  25. their right to take four hours of unpaid leave from their jobs every year in order to volunteer in their child’s school as stated in G.S. 95-28.3 (see policy 5015, School Volunteers);
  26. that the school system does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, or age (see policies 1710/4021/7230, Prohibition Against Discrimination, Harassment, and Bullying and 1730/4022/7231, Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Abilities);
  27. that the school system provides equal access to its facilities, programs and activities to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups (see policy 1710/4021/7230, Prohibition Against Discrimination, Harassment and Bullying); and
  28. that the school system provides equal access to its facilities, programs and activities to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups (see policy 1710/4021/7230, Prohibition Against Discrimination, Harassment and Bullying); and

As a part of the annual notification described above, parents will be effectively notified that they may opt out of any of the following:

  1. release of student directory information about his or her child for school purposes or to outside organizations (Student Records, board policy 4700).
  2. release of their child’s name, address and telephone listing to military recruiters or institutions of higher education (see policy 4700, Student Records);
  3. student's participation in curricula related to (1) prevention of sexually transmitted diseases, including Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS), (2) the avoidance of out-of-wedlock pregnancy, (3) reproductive health and safety education as provided in policy 3540. A copy of the materials that will be used in these curricula will be available in the school media center during the school year and other times that the media center is available to the public. To meet any review periods required by law, materials also may be made available for review in the central office.
  4. their child’s participation in academic or career guidance or personal or social counseling services of a generic nature offered to groups of students (e.g., peer relations strategies offered to all sixth graders); however, parental notification and permission is not required for; (1) short-duration academic, career, personal or social guidance and counseling and crisis intervention that is needed to maintain order, discipline or a productive learning environment; (2) student-initiated individual or group counseling targeted at a student’s specific concerns or needs; or (3) counseling if child abuse or neglect is suspected - Child Abuse-Reports and Investigations policy 4240);
  5. their child’s participation in non-Department of Education-funded surveys concerning protected topics (see board policy on Surveys of Students, 4720).
  6. their child’s participation in any non-emergency, invasive examination or screening that is (a) required as a condition of attendance; (b) administered and scheduled in advance by the school administration; and (c) not necessary to protect the immediate health and safety to students;
  7. the collection, disclosure, or use of their child’s personal information for marketing purposes (see policy 4720, Surveys of Students); and
  8. release of a student's free and reduced-price lunch meal information to State Medicaid or State children’s health insurance program (SCHIP).

Any parent or legal guardian wishing to opt out/withhold consent must do so in writing after receiving notice. Otherwise, consent to the programs or activities is presumed. After the annual notification, the school is not required to provide further notice to the parent as to the manner in which student directory information is used, the curriculum is provided, or the guidance programs are made available.

Parental Permission Required

Written parental permission is required prior to the following activities:

  1. the administration of medications to students by employees of the school system (see policy 6125, Administering Medicines to Students);
  2. the release of student records that are not considered directory information unless the release is allowed or required by law (see policy 4700, Student Records);
  3. off campus trips;
  4. participation in high impact or high-risk sports or extracurricular activities, such as football or mountain climbing (see also policy 4220, Student Insurance Program);
  5. all decisions or actions as required by the IDEA with regard to providing special education or related services to students with disabilities (see policy 3520, Special Education Programs/Rights of Students with Disabilities);
  6. parental permission as required by law for certain health services;
  7. students’ participation in programs or services that provide information about where to obtain contraceptives or abortion referral services;
  8. students’ participating in surveys concerning protected topics that are funded by the Department of Education (see board policy on Surveys of Students, 4720);
  9. disclosure of a student's free and reduced-price lunch eligibility information or eligibility status;
  10. disclosure of the identity of any student receiving supplemental education services under the Title I program; and
  11. students’ independent access to the Internet, as described in policy 3225/4312/7320. Technology Responsible Use.

Legal References: Elementary and Secondary Education Act, as amended, 20 U.S.C. 6301 et seq., 34 C.F.R. pt. 200; Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, 20 U.S.C. 1232g, 34 C.F.R. pt. 99; Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment, 20 U.S.C. 1232h, 34 C.F.R. pt. 98; Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, 20 USC 1400, et seq.; Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act, 15 U.S.C. 2641, et seq.; McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, 42 U.S.C. 11431, et seq.; 42 U.S.C. 1758, 7 C.F.R. pt. 245; 42 U.S.C. 1758b; Boy Scouts of America Equal Access Act, 20 U.S.C. 7905, 34 C.F.R. 108.9; 20 U.S.C. 7908; G.S. 90-21.1; 95-28.3; 115C-47(47), -47(51), -47(54), -47(58), -81(e1), -105.41, -109.1, -174.26(d), -307(c), -375.4, -390.2, -391.1, -407.16; State Board of Education Policies KNEC-002, PRNT-000, TEST-001

Cross References: Title I Parent Involvement (policy 1320/3560), Prohibition Against Discrimination, Harassment and Bullying (policy 1710/4021/7230), Discrimination, Harassment and Bullying Complaint Procedure (policy 1720/4015/7225), Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Disabilities (policy 1730/4022/7231), Student and Parent Grievance Procedure (policy 1740/4010), Technology Responsible Use (policy 3225/43/7320), Student Performance Policies (3400 series), Students at Risk of Academic Failure (policy 3405), Special Education Programs/Rights of Students with Disabilities (policy 3520), Comprehensive Health Education Program (policy 3540), Counseling Program (policy 3610), Extracurricular Activities and Student Organizations (policy 3620), Homeless Students (policy 4125), Student Insurance Program (policy 4220), Child Abuse – Reports and Investigations (policy 4240/7312), Student Behavior Policies (4300 series), Rules for Use of Seclusion and Restraint in Schools (regulation 4302-R), Students Fees (policy 4600), Student Records (policy 4700), Surveys of Students (policy 4720), School Volunteers (policy 5015), Registered Sex Offenders (policy 5022), Administering Medicines to Students (policy 6125), Student Wellness (policy 6140), Free and Reduced Price Food Services (policy 6225), Pest Management (policy 9205)

Adopted: 6/5/00

Revised: 1/16/03; 3/20/06; 9/10/07; 12/03/07; 9/14/09; 2/14/11; 3/12/13; 12/10/13; 4/14/15; 12/13/16; 12/19/17