Title I

Welcome to our school's Title I page! Here you will find information and resources about Title I in general as well as Title I at TPES.

What is Title I?

The purpose of Tennessee's federally funded Title I, Part A Program is to support local school districts improve teaching and learning for students in high-poverty schools so that these students meet the state's challenging content and performance standards. According to the US Department of Education, the purpose of Title I funding is “to ensure that all children have a fair, equal, and significant opportunity to obtain a high quality education and reach, at minimum, proficiency on challenging state academic achievement standards and state academic assessments. The basic principals of Title I state that schools with large concentrations of low-income students will receive supplemental funds to assist in meeting the students’ educational goals. Low-income students are determined by the number of students enrolled in the free and reduced lunch program. For an entire school to qualify for Title I funds, at least 40% of students must qualify for free and reduced lunch.(Taken from the Monroe County Schools Federal Programs website at https://www.monroe.k12.tn.us/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=1132970&type=d&pREC_ID=1401647 )

Title I and Other Federal Programs

Tellico Plains Elementary School Parent-Community Engagement Plan 2023-2024 Parent Engagement Advisory Council

Tellico Plains Elementary School

121 Old High School Rd.

Tellico Plains, TN 37385

Parent Engagement Advisory Council

Sheryl Debity-Principal

Becky Duncan-Assist. Principal

Hannah Cordell-Parent Involvement Coordinator/Teacher 1

Tina Hollinghead-Teacher K

Shannon Harris-Teacher 1

Tina Taylor-Teacher 2

Carrie Mobley-Teacher 3

Laura Beth Johnson-Teacher 4

Andrea McKeehan-Special Educ.

Tonya Haley-Special Educ

Charity Standridge-Library

Rachael Wilson-School Nurse

Nancy Lance-Parent/All Corp

Sally Teague-Parent

Jessica Bivens-Parent

Casey Dyer- Parent

Rebecca Brown- Parent

Catie Carson-Parent

Sonya Harris-Grandparent &Community Leader

Marilyn ParkerCommunity Leader

Tellico Plains Elementary School Parent-Community Engagement Plan 2023-2024

Parent Engagement Plan

Tellico Plains’ Elementary School’s Parent Involvement Plan has been developed in cooperation with the principal, faculty, staff, Parent Involvement Advisory Council, and parents.

Shared Responsibility for Student Performance

Tellico Plains Elementary believes that education is a shared responsibility of the students, the teachers, the parents and community. Student success is greatly increased when we work together. Parents are asked and encouraged to communicate with their child’s teacher on a regular basis. Parents are also encouraged to contact the school with any questions regarding their child’s education. Tellico Plains Elementary School promotes the engagement of parents and community in TPES Parent Teacher Organization and on our School Improvement Committee.

Communicating

Tellico Plains Elementary School will communicate with parents and the community about student progress and school programs effectively.

Methods for communication:

Class Dojo is used by our classroom teachers to establish and maintain communication with all parents/guardians. This platform allows teachers and school administrators to share stories with families related to daily and upcoming happenings, keeping parents informed. Class Dojo also allows parents/guardians to send and receive email communication with 2teachers and school administrators on the platform providing a readily accessible tool of communication.

Newsletters-a schoolwide newsletter is published periodically by Dr. Debity and shared digitally on Class Dojo and the Tellico Plains School Community Facebook page with information on school activities and events. Print copies are sent out with each new publication.

Student Communication Binders will be used by each student daily to ensure effective two-way communication between school and home.

Open House-Parents will be informed of special programs, such as Title 1, offered at their school. Information is given as to how special programs in the school support academic achievement.

Classroom newsletters and/or web pages will be created by teachers to convey important classroom information. Parent-Teacher Conferences- Each parent will have the opportunity to formally meet with their child’s teacher at least twice a year.

School Website- School information, upcoming school events, lunch menu, student accomplishments, PTO information, etc., can be easily accessed by logging on to the school or teacher’s website.

Student work assessment- Grade cards will be sent home each nine weeks. Progress reports are sent home half way through each quarter. Student work is sent home weekly for parent review. Skyward Access allows access to up to date student progress online.

IEP Meetings & Section 504 Meetings- These meetings will include parents to set up and/or review their child’s Individual Education Plan or Accommodation Plan.

Local Newspaper- Announcements, accomplishments, and important school information will be submitted to the county newspaper.

Aimsweb Plus- The results of this computer Reading and Math Assessment are made available 2-3 times each year.

An explanation of TNReady for grades 3 and 4 will be sent home to parents.

Student Learning

It is the goal of Tellico Plains Elementary School to involve families/community in learning activities

and awards for students.

Parents are informed of the State’s Standards and a checklist of goals for each nine weeks.

Grade reports are sent home for each nine weeks grading period.

A progress report is sent home half way through each quarter.

The TPES Student of the Month program is held at the end of each month to reward one child chosen from each class for outstanding academic work and behavior.

CUBS Ambassadors are nominated by homeroom teachers each week for deserving students that have exhibited the expectations outlined in our CUBS student behavior plan. These students 4receive recognition school-wide, receive a certificate and are invited to a special lunch at the end of each month.

Perfect Attendance incentives are awarded several times a year to encourage good attendance. There is a Perfect Attendance and Academic Awards Ceremony at the end of the school year.

Book It: Students are encouraged to read for fun and awards through the Book It Reading Challenge Program administered by Mrs. Standridge, our school library teacher.

Field Day is held at the end of each year. This involves each grade level, with games that encourage physical fitness, good sportsmanship, competition, and teamwork.

Parents

Resources for parents are available through the School Resource Center. Our school media center has available to parents, on request, a variety of information to help them in many aspects of their child’s educational needs. Information on the Monroe County Family Resource Center is available through the school office. Assistance with various aspects of family needs is available to all parents and community members through the school office. Kindergarten Readiness packet- These are provided to parents at Kindergarten pre-registration to help parents know what is expected of their beginning kindergarten student.

Health Screenings- During Kindergarten registration, a variety of screenings are offered to all enrolling kindergarten students. Among those are hearing, vision, dental, and speech screenings. These are organized and facilitated by the school and community as a resource for parents to utilize. During Pre-K application day, speech screenings are completed for those children in need.

Community Involvement Tellico Plains Elementary School recognizes that our school and our students are more successful when we have the support of our parents and our community. The following resources have participated and will continue to be asked for their support in our efforts to make our school the best that it can be. We also feel that it is important for our students to join with agencies in our community to help others in need.

UT Extension hosts several programs in our school, such as 4-H for fourth graders and Health & Nutrition for third graders.

People’s Bank- This bank supports academic and social achievement by awarding a cash prize to our Student of the Month winner.

Area businesses help many of our economically disadvantaged students by supplying them with clothes, gifts at Christmas, and dental service. Some of these businesses include JTEKT and Monroe County Dental Clinic. Community organizations help our students with needs such as shoes, glasses, and medical care. Some organizations also donate teaching and classroom supplies, and student award items. Some participating organizations are the Lion’s Club, Shriner’s, Kiwanis Club, Cherokee Women’s Club, People’s Bank, and many area churches including Tellico First Methodist Church, Rural Vale Baptist Church, Lone Ridge Baptist Church, and Hiwassee Church of God.

Bierley-Hale Funeral Home presents all staff members with a yearly calendar.

As a part of giving back to our community, our school helps area organizations such as the Good Shepherd Center by sponsoring a food drive where students can bring in canned goods for the food pantry.

Title 1 Services for Students in Monroe County

Students are eligible for Title 1 services based on the number of free and reduced lunch participants. Currently, we have nine schools being served by the Title 1 funding. There are two types of programs- targeted assistance and school wide.

Targeted assistance schools mean that only those students who have been identified as eligible for Title services can be worked with by Assistants at that school. School wide assistance schools means that no student or staff member is identified as “Title 1”. Being school wide gives the school more flexibility in the way Title 1 funds and personnel are used. All nine schools; Coker Creek, Madisonville Primary, Madisonville Intermediate, Rural Vale, Tellico Plains Elementary, Tellico Plains Junior High, Tellico Plains High School, Sweetwater High School, and Vonore Elementary School are being served as school wide facilities.

The emphasis in the new law is still on improving reading and math skills- that is; students must make the gains as set by the State in these areas. One major change is that all staff, including Title 1, must be better qualified in education to work with children. Specifically, the new law states that educational assistants must have the equivalent of two years of college or pass a test approved by the State. All assistants currently employed are highly qualified. At this time, Title 1 employs 6.5 Reading Specialist teachers, 1 Coordinator of Accountability and Parent Involvement, and 31 Educational Assistants.

Currently, Title 1 funds a Reading Program which is in operation in all nine schools. Our Reading Specialists and Educational Assistants work in each school with students who have been identified as needing help with reading skills. Principals and teachers are very pleased with the progress these students are making in this program.

Contacts