Parent involvement is valuable to increase the school’s understanding of each student, connect student’s learning to home culture, and provide an authentic audience for student’s work. Parents will be kept informed of their child’s progress through regular classroom and principal communications.
Parent/Guardian Role in New Heights Charter School
Parent involvement is valuable to increase the school’s understanding of each student, connect student’s learning to home culture, and provide an authentic audience for student’s work. Parents will be kept informed of their child’s progress through regular classroom and principal communications.
Parents are expected to communicate with their child’s teacher about their learning and behavior, including participation in two Parent Teacher Conferences, Family Events, and attendance at meetings as requested by school staff.
To best support your child, the staff and teachers at New Heights expect your participation at the winter and spring Parent-Teacher Conference and our Family Events scheduled throughout the year. Also, staff and teachers may request your attendance at a meeting to discuss strategies. Your presence at these meetings is essential to ensuring student progress. Parents and staff are expected to talk with each other in respectful tones at all times.
Parents/guardians are responsible for ensuring that the student completes and submits his/her homework on time and turns it in to the teacher.
Homework is assigned to reinforce lessons taught during the school day. Students will either receive a weekly homework schedule or will be responsible for recording their own homework assignments. Homework will generally require 15-30 minutes to complete in primary grades and may require as much as two hours by the time your child has reached 6th grade.
Parents/guardians are responsible for participating in Homeside Activities.
Teachers will assign Homeside Activities -- activities designed for you to complete with your child at home. Activities include short conversations, interviews, and conversations with your child.
Parents/guardians have the proper supplies at home to help your student complete their homework.
Parents/guardians ensure their child is ready to learn
Ensure your child arrives to school on time each day, in uniform, and ready to learn. Help us support and reinforce the school’s Code of Conduct.
Parents/guardians monitor exposure to TV, movies, and music to avoid exposure to violence and inappropriate language.
In order for our students to focus on their learning in school, it is critical that they spend time at home reading and talking, rather than watching the television. Also, monitoring what children watch will support students’ social development and to help them to abide by the school’s rule for behavior.
Parents/guardians support your child’s healthy development by encouraging physical activities and healthy eating.
Students are not allowed to bring unhealthy snacks or lunch to school. (Please refer to section on healthy eating for details.) Parents are also not allowed to bring unhealthy food onto the school campus (for students’ lunch, birthdays, or other celebrations.) Parents who volunteer to join their child’s class on field trips, are not allowed to buy unhealthy food for their child or other children.
Parents/guardians participate in the life of the school and in cultural/educational events such as: attending scheduled parent meetings and events, attending field trips, volunteering at school, and organizing educational events over the weekends. Parents who spend 30 hours of time (an additional 10 hours for each additional child in your family) will be recognized at the end year Family Picnic. Parents can use the school’s volunteer card to keep track of their hours.
Sample List of School Meetings and Events:
- Class/School Wide Parent Meetings (at least three times a year)
- Parent/teacher/student conferences (at least twice a year)
- Exhibitions of Student Work (at least once a year)
- Family Nights (for reading, math, social studies, and science)
- Monthly “Tea” / Parent Sessions with the Executive Director
- School wide Community Nights and Performances
- Healthy Families Events
Ideas for Volunteering:
- Helping in the classroom, the school office, or for lunch
- Providing Spanish translation
- Attending student field trips
Another vehicle for parents interested in providing leadership for the school is by being a Parent Ambassador.