Family Engagement Plan 2025-26

Welcoming Environment

Our school has staff member(s) available for families to discuss this plan and ask questions

• Principal: Jeffrey Bush
• Assistant Principal: John Osorio
• Classroom and Intervention Specialist Teachers (Available on Website)

Our school communicates with families in many ways. 

• Parents receive a welcome letter in the fall.
• School-Classroom Newsletters: a digital copy will be emailed to elementary families weekly. Middle and high school parents will receive this digital newsletter monthly. Paper copies are available upon request.
• Parents will have access to a staff directory, including email addresses and Google Voice numbers. Information will be provided by classroom teachers and school clerks.
• Regular updates to the school website.
• Parent/Teacher/Student conferences 
• Phone calls, text messages, emails, written letters, notes and flyers
• Teachers, administrators, and clerks will reply to parents' voicemails, emails, and phone calls and will respond back within one business day. 
• Instructional platforms for all students:
• Seesaw: kindergarten through fifth grade.
• Schoology: Sixth through 12th grade 
• Parents have access to see their child’s work (One Stop Shop for Parents)
• A parent guide to Schoology, for middle school and high school, and to Seesaw, for K–5, will be available to parents on the Online School website. A hard copy will be available at school.
• The school calendar and student activities are digitally sent to families, posted on the school website, and given to new students at the spring Open House and during in-person registration. They are also delivered at in-person events throughout the year. It is always available in the office.
• Student Behavior Handbook (Rights and Responsibilities) is available at https://www.spps.org/families/students-rights-responsibilities.
• Automated phone calls, email communication, and text messages via Blackboard Connect: Online School teachers and administrators regularly email families regarding their students, school events and general announcements. Families are required to have an email address and share it with the school since OLS communicates digitally. Parents will be informed on the need to have an email address during the Fall Open House and other school activities. Clerks will run some reports to identify the families who need emails. Families should check their email frequently and contact the school office if their email address changes. 
• Text Messages and Phone Calls: Classroom teachers, clerks, and other staff will contact parents for specific purposes such as attendance, work completion, behavior, and other concerns.
• Family-School Compact for Achievement: The compact is an agreement that parents, students, and teachers develop together. It explains how parents and teachers will work together to make sure all students are successful and receive the individual support they need to reach and exceed grade-level standards. 

The achievement gap, or rather the “opportunity gap,” between students of color and white students in Saint Paul Public Schools is unacceptable. Our school is working to change practices and systems by identifying the barriers that make it harder for students of color to succeed and for their families to support their learning. 

• Leadership team has been created to ensure equity is part of all leadership team discussions and decision-making.
• Online school Teachers and staff are implementing Culturally Responsive Instruction practices in their online classrooms. 
• The Culture Committee will celebrate monthly assemblies to recognize and value all students from diverse ethnic backgrounds.
• Student intervention support specialists will work closely with students needing academic support. 
• The School Improvement Plans have been evaluated and updated for parents. Parents will receive a copy of the SCIP during Open House and other school activities. SCIPs will be posted on the Online School website.

Transitions between schools can be challenging, and we work to help families as their children start and leave our school. 

For new students and families, we support the transition by:

• We conduct an online Open House in the fall for our new families as an opportunity for students to meet their teachers and become more familiar with the school.
• We call parents to make sure they learn more about the Online School and its advantages. We also respond to their questions and concerns.
• Kindergarten families are invited to participate in individual welcome meetings with their child’s teacher.
• Student transitions are planned for K, 5th, 8th, and 12th graders as they transition from K to first grade, from elementary to middle School, from middle school to high school, and from high School to college in the online school. 
• Providing orientation this fall for returning and new families for middle school.
• Middle school parents and students will have the opportunity to have their fall orientation via the online tools.
• New parents and students to the online setting will learn about the Online School through an onboarding session.  More information will be provided to families during supply pick up in the fall.

Family Partnerships

Our school-parent compact establishes the shared responsibility for student success between the school, families, and students. Families and teachers work together to develop the compact.

• Online administrators will share the compact during Open House. Parents will receive a hard copy of the Compact when they come to pick up students’ materials. Families, students, and staff are asked to discuss the compact. A Google form was created for parents to let us know they have read and discussed the compact with their children.
• Compact will be also emailed to families.
• Copies of the compact are available to our families at our Open House office and on our school website at www.spps.org/onlineschool
• The compact is updated annually before the end of the previous school year and also in August prior to conferences.
• Compact will be translated into English, Hmong, and Spanish. Other languages as required by parents. 

There are many opportunities for families to build connections to the school and to each other.

• The Title I Annual Meeting will be held in conjunction with a Fall Open House on August 27, 2025. 
• National African American Parent Involvement Day (NAAPID) - Feb. 9th, 2026
• Throughout the 2025-2026 School year, school administration and staff will work with families to determine how families are interested in being engaged and involved in the school community (PTO, community events, etc.). 
• Families will be invited to participate in online Culturally Relevant Instruction/ Academic Learning Events.  Several online activities will be scheduled throughout the school year to celebrate our student diversity: English, Hmong, African American, Spanish, and other ethnicities.
• Families will be invited to be in partnership with staff in Culturally Relevant Instruction/ Academic Learning Events, and Family Partnership Decision-Making
• In-person and/or online family seminars will be held in Language Affinity Groups several times throughout the year to provide opportunities for parent education, stakeholder input, and feedback regarding school academic and other programs (i.e., PBIS, SAT, and Culture/Climate). Some district departments will be contacted to create a partnership to provide these families to parents.
• Home Visits - Licensed and non-licensed staff will conduct home visits during the fall and throughout the school year if needed.
• Parents are welcome to volunteer in the classroom.  Please contact school admins or  the classroom teacher to arrange your visit.

We work to make these meetings and events available for every family in the school.

• Online School is a diverse school with many languages and cultures. All written materials can be translated into English, Spanish, and Hmong. Other translations will be done upon request.
• Interpreters will be offered during in-person and online meetings if available.
• We conduct personal phone calls to families of English, Spanish, and Hmong learners. District and OLS bilingual staff provide interpreter services during meetings and via phone calls.
• Hmong and Spanish-speaking staff members assist with call and text messages.

Our school supports families as advocates and provides opportunities for parent leadership

• All staff participate in professional development in Culturally Relevant Instruction and Partnerships for working with our families.
• Our school will conduct regular surveys of stakeholders and community partnership meetings to inform and be informed by parents and other community stakeholders.
• We will continue offering parents the opportunity to be part of a PTO group to support students, teachers, and the Principal.

Teaching and Learning

Our school shares information about state standards, assessment and student achievement with families in multiple ways

• Report cards and progress reports will be distributed via email.
• Parent-Teacher virtual conferences are held twice a year on November 6th/7th and on April 2/3 for our Online Elementary. Online middle and high School families will have quarterly student-led virtual conferences for quarters 1-3, with quarter 4 being a student check-in conference.
• During conferences, student results and data will be shared with families. Teachers will be able to share with families some strategies they can use at home to support student learning.
• Our school shares information about student achievement with families in multiple ways.
• Parents will receive individualized progress reports upon request.
• ACCESS scores for ELL students
• MCA Math/Reading scores for grades 3-5, 6-8, 10th grade reading/11th grade math
• MCA Science scores grade 5, 8, and high school students enrolled in biology
• Our school will engage families in personalized learning as a key strategy to accelerate student achievement as these changes come to our school.

Our school will engage in personalized learning as a key strategy to accelerate student achievement. Parents can get more information using many tools.

• Parent log-in information can be accessed at spps.org/onestop or by asking the school clerk.

• iPads: Using the communication platforms of Schoology, Seesaw, and Google Meets, parents will be informed about expectations, methods of instruction, and curriculum. These platforms are effective in also gathering feedback.

• Schoology and/or Seesaw platforms—provide information about the use of these learning management systems at your school.

Many before- and after-school enrichment and support opportunities are available for students

• Given the nature of the online setting and other constraints, it is difficult to offer EDL services for all students
• During the 2025-2026 school year, the Online School will continue providing Credit Recovery opportunities for high school students as an EDL support service to students.

Community Partnerships

Our school develops community partnerships to provide additional support for students and their families

• During the 2025–2026 school year, SPPS Online will continue to explore opportunities for community partnerships in future school years. 
• We will explore ways to introduce and expand monthly meetings in elementary, middle, and high school.

Parents, Students, and Teachers Working Together

Parents, students, and teachers working together.

Standard Operating Practices (SOPs) – SPPS Online Elementary School

These practices are designed with flexibility and compassion, recognizing the diverse home situations of our students. Open communication between parents, teachers, and students is the key to success in an online learning environment. 

Our goal is to make sure students, parents, and staff are working together to support students’ engagement and daily academic success in their learning during the school day.  Your participation and collaboration are highly appreciated.

1. Cameras-Proof of Life? 

Purpose: To foster engagement, monitor participation, and create a classroom community.

SOP:

• Students are expected to have cameras turned on during live instruction, unless a parent communicates a valid reason (e.g., bandwidth issues, pre-arranged exceptions with the assigned teacher).
• Students may use virtual backgrounds (school-appropriate) if it helps with comfort.
• Camera breaks may be offered during longer sessions to reduce fatigue.
• Teachers will follow up with families if a student frequently keeps their camera off without explanation.
• We should also address video and audio
• We also should review the process and expectations of parent/guardian/teacher interaction during a live session and reiterate proper protocols for addressing classroom issues. 

2. Breakout Rooms

Purpose: To encourage collaboration, peer interaction, and small-group instruction.

SOP:

• Breakout rooms will be monitored regularly by the teacher or instructional aide.
• Expectations for behavior and participation are clearly reviewed before breakout sessions.
• Students must remain on task and may be removed from the breakout room for inappropriate behavior.
• Cameras and microphones are expected to be on in breakout rooms unless otherwise discussed.

3. Parental Responsibility 

Purpose: To partner with families in ensuring student progress, safety, consistent learning routines, and academic success.

Expectations for Parents/Guardians:

• Ensure students have a quiet, *distraction-free* space to learn with necessary materials.
  • This is so important and cannot be emphasized enough.
  • Siblings should not be present during online class time
  • Students should not be expected to provide sibling care during school hours
    • Could even impact attendance
• Help students log in on time and support them in maintaining a daily routine. This will include google meet attendance and engagement as well as students working with their teachers regarding Apple Classroom.  Know what to do in case a student is having technical issues. 
• Monitor student engagement and reach out to the teacher if challenges arise.
• Understand the correlation between academic work completion and attendance
• Encourage independent work while being available to assist when needed (especially for younger learners).
• Communicate with teachers proactively about absences, technical issues, or learning concerns.
• Monitor cell phone use during instructional time-Cell phones should not disrupt the educational day and distract students. 
  • New SPPS Cell Phone Policy is reflective of this belief and students throughout the district are required to refrain from cell phone use during the school day except for use in the administrative office.  
• Check weekly progress updates, assignments, and school announcements in Campus and in Seesaw.