Gulf Trace Elementary School scholars will use college readiness strategies,
develop skills in global perspectives and become well-rounded learners.
Parent Involvement Policy Development
GTES has an active School Advisory Council (SAC) which is comprised of parents, teachers, school-related personnel, school administrators, district liaison, and business/community members. Through these quarterly meetings, the SAC carefully monitors our school success plan goals, strategies for improvement, and elicit feedback on important school initiatives. Each year, we develop a Parent and Family Engagement Plan with input from our stakeholders.
Title I Meeting for Parents/Guardians
Each year GTES hosts an Annual Title 1 Meeting in conjunction with an Open House for all families at the beginning of the school year. Parents are notified of the meeting through our school website, Facebook, Twitter, ConnectEd, school calendar, and the weekly student communication folder. Parents are informed of the school’s participation in the Title I program and provided with information about Title 1 services. Parents are provided with copies of the Parental Involvement Plan and are informed of their right to be involved in their child’s education. Parents will be invited and encouraged to attend quarterly SAC meetings to offer suggestions and participate in decisions related to the education of their children. All parents will be provided access to information on school performance data and assistance interpreting their child’s individual results. They will be provided with a description and explanation of the curriculum and standards used at the school, the forms of assessment used to measure student progress, and the proficient levels students are expected to meet.
Parent Involvement Opportunities
GTES will foster parent involvement by providing materials and training to help parents work with their children to improve their children’s academic achievement and activities that will teach parents how to help their children at home. During the 2024-2025 school year, the parent workshops and training sessions will be ongoing at the school, held at flexible times for parent convenience and all parents will be encouraged to attend. Other parent involvement opportunities include:
• Annual Title 1 Meeting.
• Parent Academies/Curriculum Nights/Learning Fairs/Family Workshops.
• Recognition Ceremonies; Night of the Sea Stars Learner Attributes Recognition, Honor Roll Celebration.
• School Advisory Council.
• Parent/Teacher Conferences.
• Parent Teacher Organization Meetings.
• Parents contribute to their child’s education by providing a supportive home environment.
• Parents are invited to eat lunch with their children.
• Parents are encouraged to complete school surveys, which help determine school needs and offerings.
• All parents are encouraged to apply with the District School Board of Pasco County to become approved volunteers. GTES value their volunteers. Opportunities include but aren’t limited to; mentoring, assisting with classroom teachers, assisting in the media center, office assistant, and lunchroom assistant.
• A school/parent compact that outlines how parents and the school staff will share the responsibility for improved student achievement will be developed jointly with parents.
School and Parent Communication
Parents/guardians will be informed of school activities through various types of communication throughout the school year. GTES staff will maintain a record of parent contacts and strive to engage families in their child’s school experience. Some of the types of communication to be used are:
• ConnectEd Calls/Emails
• GTES Website
• GTES Facebook/Twitter
• Conferences
• Parent Workshops and Curriculum Nights
• Recognition Events
• Daily and Weekly Communication Folders
• School Flyers
• School Marque
• Let’s Talk
• Parent Portal
GTES will provide parents with student progress updates through:
• Mid-Quarter Progress Reports (my Student Parent Portal)
• Quarterly Report Cards (my Student Parent Portal)
• Parent/Teacher Conferences
• PMP Conferences
• Daily Communication Folder
• FAST Report Three Times A year.
GTES provides assistance to parents in understanding such topics as:
• Florida Best Standards
• Grade Level Expectations
• Progress Monitoring Plans
• State, District, and School Assessments
• Title 1 Requirements
• STEM Fair
• Magnet Program Articulation
This written Parent Engagement Plan shall be distributed to all parents of students at GTES in an understandable format and in a language parents can understand. It has been placed on the school website making it available to the local community. This plan has been periodically updated to meet the changing needs of parents and the school. If the plan is not satisfactory to parents, comments may be submitted in writing. The staff will actively work to resolve the concerns and respond appropriately.
In carrying out the Parent Engagement requirements of this plan, the district and school, to the extent practical, shall provide full opportunities for the participation of parents with children with limited English proficiency, parents with children with disabilities, and parents of migratory children, including information and school reports in a format, and to the extent practical, in a language such parents can understand.
GTES administration along with the SAC, will continually monitor the range and responsibilities of the Parent Engagement Plan. If the school-wide plan under section 1114(b)(2) is not satisfactory to the parents of participating children, the school will also submit the parents’ comments on the plan that will be available to the local education agency.
