Home-School Communication
District Policy Regarding Home-School
Communication Channels
The Port Washington Board of Education has provided us with a policy designed to foster productive communication between home and school, to underscore teachers' professional status and to recognize parent's legitimate right to consult with school personnel on their children's behalf. Its aim is to encourage an atmosphere of open and stress-free exchanges that contribute to a cooperative and mutually supportive environment for the benefit of all.
The following recommended sequence of steps focuses on issues with the adults most directly involved in a pupil's life: parent and teacher. In fairness to both parties, it also offers channels for further exploration and dialogue with school administrators on issues that remain unresolved.
- A brief telephone conference between parent and teacher is frequently the only informal interaction necessary to discuss concerns or answer questions and is recommended as the first step.
- A face-to-face conference between the parent and the teacher is recommended if either party feels that a telephone exchange cannot resolve or has not resolved the issue.
- For any issue that cannot be resolved between the parent and teacher, the next step would be a conference with the teacher, parent, and principal.
- If a parent is not completely satisfied with the outcome of the conference involving the teacher and principal, the parent should outline his/her concerns and the details of unresolved issues directly to the principal. The principal will respond to the parent, articulating the school’s position on the issues raised by the parent.
- Should the matter remain unresolved, the parent should communicate with the Superintendent to Schools. After consulting with the person lodging the complaint and the appropriate personnel involved in the issue, the Superintendent will discuss the disposition of the matter with the person lodging the complaint.
- An appeal of the decision of the Superintendent may be made, in writing, to the Board of Education.
Compact for Learning
At the start of school in the fall of 1994 each of the Public Schools in Port Washington had established a "New Compact for Learning" Committee. The basic goal of the Compact is to ultimately improve student achievement. Our district plan established a committee at each school building site to engage in cooperative planning and shared decision making in issues affecting our children's education. The role of the site-based committee is to make decisions consistent with the goals and policies of the district. The committee consists of 4 parent representatives, 4 teacher representatives, 1 support representative, and the school principal. Meetings are open to the public however, there is no direct participation by non-committee members allowed. An agenda and minutes of the Compact meetings are posted on the PTA bulletin board and emailed to Class Parent Coordinators.