Fall Back Into School!
POLK COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS FEDERAL PROGRAMS PARENT INVOLVEMENT
October 2015
ESE 101: What Every
Parent Should Know
Agape Food Bank:
Fighting Hunger One Family At A
Time
FloridaHispanic
Heritage Month 2015
Homework Help:
Starting Off the School Year Right
PCSB Hearth Project:
Providing Warmth for Homeless Children
Tough Kid Toolbox for
Parents
In this issue…
Featured Articles In This Issue…
POLK COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS FEDERAL PROGRAMS PARENT INVOLVEMENT
Agape Food Bank: Fighting Hunger One Family At A Time
Tough Kid Toolbox for Parents
Homework Help: Starting Off The Year Right!
ESE (Exceptional Student Education): What Every Parent Needs to Know
PCSB Hearth Project: Providing Warmth for Homeless Children
SAVE THE DATE!Our next Parent University will be in February 2016. What Is Parent University? A FREE event offering:
Parenting Awareness: Tips for parents on being an advocate for their child, being involved in parentleadership, and effective parenting skills.Learning in the 21st Century: Assists parents in staying current with trends in teaching and learning,and living in an age of technology.Health and Wellness: Emphasizes the importance of living a healthy life with a focus on physical,nutritional, and mental health.Personal Growth: Focuses on topics related to personal and professional growth and learning foradults.
Title I Parent Informational Resource Centers (PIRC)
Our goal is educate, equip and partner with our students and their support systems by
offering a wide variety of relevant and effective programs and resources that will make a
positive impact on the individual and community. By building strong parent-learning
communities we will increase student achievement in our schools.
PARENT CENTER LOCATION AND INFORMATION
Combee Elementary PIRC – Jackie Olivo, Family Liaison; Tonya Clayton and Maria Garcia-Parent Outreach
2805 Morgan Combee Road, Lakeland FL 33801 | Tel: (863) 668-3035
Hours: MWF: 7:30 am – 3:00 pm; TUE/THU: 10:30 am – 6:00 pm
Frostproof Elementary PIRC – Anna Loaiza, Family Liaison; Sherry Bickel and Ronei Wright-Parent Outreach
118 West 3rd Street, Frostproof FL 33843 | Tel: (863) 635-8600
Hours: MWF: 7:30 am – 3:00 pm; TUE/THU: 10:30 am – 6:00 pm
Garner Elementary PIRC – Mindy Santiago, Family Liaison; Caleb Colon and Victoire Masseus-Parent Outreach
2500 Havendale Blvd. NW, Winter Haven FL 33881 | Tel: (863) 965-5488
Hours: MWF: 7:30 am – 3:00 pm; TUE/THU: 10:30 am – 6:00 pm
Mulberry Middle PIRC – Nitza Robot, Family Liaison; Dionne McGarr-Parent Outreach
500 Martin Luther King Ave., Mulberry FL 33860 | Tel: (863) 425-9288
Hours: MWF: 8:00 am – 3:30 pm; TUE/THU: 10:30 am – 6:00 pm
Sleepy Hill Elementary PIRC – Azalea Guadalupe, Family Liaison; Jennifer Brito-Parent Outreach
2285 Sleepy Hill Road, Lakeland FL 33810 | Tel: (863) 815-6787
Hours: MWF: 7:30 am – 3:00 pm; TUE/THU: 10:30 am – 6:00 pm
Parent Center Website: www.polk-fl.net/parents/involvement/pirc.htmParent University Website: www.polk-fl.net/parents/involvement/plug.htm
Welcome back parents and students! It is time to hit the school year and take on the challenges that thisschool year may bring us, together. When parents and/or guardians are involved with their children’shomework a communication bridge is built. This allows parents firsthand information on the educationand skills they are being exposed to at school. The Title-1 Parent Informational Resource Centers (PIRC)will have Homework Helpers available to you for FREE. Parent must be present with student. HomeworkHelp is offered at each of our five (5) Parent Informational Resource Centers every Tuesday and Thursdayfrom 3:00-6:00 p.m. for elementary and middle school students. Please contact the PIRC in your area tosign up for Homework Help.
Homework Tips: Let’s get it done! Homework should be done as soon as time permits, the earlier the better.
Study with a Buddy. Make friends and get help on work you may have missed. Ask Questions! Ask your child’s teachers for additional resources to help him/her be successful in school.
Fighting Hunger One Family At A Time By Charisse Jones, Coordinator-Parent Engagement Program
Did you know?· One in six of our neighbors struggles to put food on the table· Over 70% of our public school students are eligible for free and reduced lunchThese are just a couple of facts on hunger in our communities. Fortunately, there is one program who isfighting to end hunger, one family at a time: Agape Food Bank. Agape Food Bank , a program of CatholicCharities of Central Florida, has been serving the hungry in Polk, Hardee and Highlands counties since1983. The mission of Agape is to lead the fight against hunger in our communities by providing nutritiousfood and changing lives through programs, education and hunger advocacy. In 2013/2014, Agapedistributed over 7.3 million meals. That’s called making a difference for families!
Mobile Food Pantries: Agape’s outreach efforts include “mobile food pantries” which takes food tocommunities in great need. Polk County Schools has partnered with Agape through its Regional PIRC’s toprovide mobile food pantries services across our district to serve students and families. At each location,Agape gives groceries to 200 families on a first come, first served basis. Distribution begins at 11:30 a.m.and continues until all food is gone. Below are the locations and dates for the next Agape Mobile FoodBanks. Please contact one of the Parent Informational Resource Centers for more information:
Starting Off The Year Right! By Don Brown, Coordinator-Parent Engagement Program
GARNER ELEMENTARY: December 1, 2015 and March 15, 2016
MULBERRY ELEMENTARY: November 10, 2015 and March 1, 2016
COMBEE ELEMENTARY: February 9, 2016
FROSTPROOF ELEMENTARY: December 15, 2015
SLEEPY HILL ELEMENTARY: October 13, 2015 and January 19, 2016
Tough Kid Toolbox for Parents
Is your child’s temper tantrums wearing you down? What do you do if you have a strong-willed child? Do you need more tools in your parenting toolbox to work with your child?
Learn strategies for working effectively with tough kids. Participate in a variety of positive reinforcement and reductive techniques. Intended Audience: Families of students with behavioral difficulties ages 3-12.
Tuesday, October 6, 2015 at 8:30-11:30 am270 Bartow Municipal Airport
Bartow, FL 33830To register for this workshop, please contact Stephanie Brooks at 863-647-4258
or email: [email protected]
By Stephanie Brooks, FDLRS Parent Services/Transition
FLORIDA HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH 2015 "Recognizing the Past, Honoring the Present and
Celebrating the Future."
http://www.floridahispanicheritage.com/
Message from Governor Rick Scott:Florida's history has been written, in part, by the contributions of strong Hispanic leaders who have
helped shape our great state. During Hispanic Heritage Month, we take time to recognize the contributions of Hispanic Floridians who have enriched our communities with their traditions and
cultural practices while pursuing the American dream. It is my privilege to join all of Florida in recognizing Hispanic Heritage Month with this year's theme, "Recognizing the Past, Honoring the
Present and Celebrating the Future." The 2015 Hispanic Heritage Month Contests will help students learn about the contributions and important role of Hispanic culture in Florida. Florida is proud of our
strong history, and we will keep working to make Florida the best state for families to live their dreams.
The Hearth Project began in 1991 as one of a few pilotprograms in Florida. The program is responsible forensuring the educational rights of homeless students asoutlined in the McKinney-Vento Federal Law.
McKINNEY-VENTO HOMELESS EDUCATION ASSISTANCE ACT
If a student lacks a fixed, regular, night-timeresidence, and lives in any of the following situations: Sharing the housing of others due to loss of housing
or economic hardship Living in a motel or hotel due to loss of housing or
economic hardship Staying in a shelter; emergency or transitional Substandard housing; without electricity, running
water, health code violations, lack of cookingcapabilities, etc.
Sleeping in a car, campground, park or public space Whether the student resides with his/her legal
parent or guardian or not
Then, the student may have the following rights orprotections under the McKinney-Vento HomelessEducation Act: To go to school, no matter where the student is
currently living To be immediately enrolled in school even if student
lacks a permanent address, lacks proof of residencyor other documents.
To continue enrollment in the student’s school thathe/she attended before becoming homeless, or theschool for which the student is currently zoned.
To attend classes while the new school securesprevious school records.
To continue to attend classes while dispute is beingheard and resolved, in case of an enrollment dispute.
To request assistance with transportation to schoolof origin.
To participate in school programs with students whoare not homeless.
To receive free lunch.
http://www.polk-fl.net/districtinfo/departments/learning/title1/hearth.htm
or www.polk-fl.net Keywords: Hearth, homeless
If you have any questions about the educational rights listed above, please contact the HEARTH Program at: 863-534-0801Dee Dee Wright, Homeless Liaison
By Dee Dee Wright, Homeless Liaison
ESE 101: What EVERY Parent
Should Know
Thursday, October 1, 2015
2 Sessions
9–11am Emergency Management Center1890 Jim Keene Blvd., Winter Haven, FL 33880
6–8pm Jim Miles Professional Development Center
4270 Wallace Rd., Lakeland, FL 33812
Come Learn All About:
LAT teamsSEDNET
Inclusion vs Self ContainedIEP vs. 504
FDLRSChild Find
Mental HealthTutoring
Due Process vs. State ComplaintStatute Updates
Accommodations vs. ModificationsAnd much more!
Contact Cheryl Marino at [email protected]
or Lisa Miller at [email protected] us on Facebook @ Polk ESE Advisory
Save the date for our next event “Behavior Supports”December 3, 2015. 9 – 11 a.m. at the
Emergency Management Center
Polk County Public SchoolsExceptional Student Education (ESE) Advisory
The goal of Title I is to improve student achievement through effective instruction, professionaldevelopment and parent involvement. One percent (1%) of the district’s Title I allocation is to bespent on ways to increase the involvement of parents. Schools have been busy working on theirparent involvement plans. With the first report card each child in a Title I school will receive a copyof their school’s brochure summary and the District brochure summary. These summaries outlinethe school and District’s plan to increase our parent involvement efforts. If you would like to see afull copy of the school and District parent involvement plan you can find them on your school’swebsite and in the parent involvement notebook located in the front office. You will also find a copyof your school’s School Improvement Plan (SIP) and School’s Accountability Report (SPAR).
If you are interested in serving on the Title I District Parent Advisory Team to give input on thedistrict’s Parent Involvement Plan please contact Denise Atwell, Title I Parent InvolvementCoordinator-Federal Programs at Office: (863) 519-3603 or [email protected]
TITLE I
FEDERAL PROGRAMS
What is Just Take 20?
The Florida Department of Education created the Just Take 20 campaign to provide K-12
Florida families with practical, easy-to-implement reading activities that establish literacy
as a lifelong value. Just Take 20 encourages families to seize everyday teachable
moments by using 20 minutes a day to integrate reading into their busy lives. Families
are invited to create their own custom literacy plans and have fun while learning! Just
Take 20 events will be held across the state, including family workshops, community
events, and professional development opportunities to support literacy education amongeducators and the families they support.
To sign up please visit the website http://justtake20.org/#whatIsJT20
Every-day reading increases fluency and confidence.
Why do reading experts recommend students read 20 minutes outside of school hours a day?
Increased time spent reading increases vocabulary,
comprehension, and writing skills.
Reading outside the classroom helps students experience the world around
them and understand how literacy leads to college, career, and beyond.