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School Policies

School & Home Compact for Achievement

What is a School-Home Compact?

A School-Home Compact for Achievement is an agreement that parents, students, and teachers develop together. It explains how parents and teachers will work together to make sure all our students reach grade level standards.

Effective compacts:

  • Link to goals of the school improvement plan.
  • Focus on student learning skills.
  • Describe how teachers will help students develop those skills using high quality instruction.
  • Share strategies parents can use at home.
  • Explain how teachers and parents will communicate with regard to student progress.
  • Describe opportunities for parents to volunteer, observe, and participate in the classroom.

Jointly Developed

The parents and staff of Doty developed this School-Parent Compact for Achievement. Meetings are held each year to review the Compact and make changes based on student needs. Parents are welcome to contribute at any time. If you would like to volunteer, participate, or observe in the classroom, please contact the school.

Building Partnerships

Your support and input are valued and instrumental in helping our students succeed! Opportunities for involvement include:

  • Back-to-School/Parent Night
  • PTA Meetings – Monthly
  • Parent Workshops
  • Open House
  • School Site Council Meetings
  • Title I and English Learner Advisory Council
  • Student Productions
  • Awards Assemblies
  • District Sponsored events
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District Goal

By June 2027, 90-100% of all students will perform at grade level or higher and, upon graduation, meet the requirements for admission to the UC and CSU systems.

School Goals

By June 2027, we will continue to increase the number of students reaching proficiency in mathematics and reading.

Our focus in reading will be:

  • Develop lifelong reading and comprehension strategies that will increase proficiency on state tests and meet our critical reading focus.
  • Encourage and foster students’ interest in reading using a variety of fictional literature and nonfiction texts.
  • Determine the meaning of, comprehend, and appropriately utilize academic vocabulary in speaking and writing.

Our focus in mathematics will be to:

  • Integration of technology to enrich day-to-day learning, intervention and authentic assessment.
  • Have students explain their mathematical reasoning that supports their problem solving strategy.
  • To provide daily homework in order to review and practice the day’s lesson.

Our focus in Science and Social Studies will be to:

  • The science and social studies departments will incorporate more written reports alongside projects and labs to support the non-fiction targets of the Common Core standards and the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS).
  • Science will assign research-based projects that involve experimentation and investigation.

At School

The Doty staff will work with students and their families to support students’ success in reading and math. Some of our key connections with families will be:

  • Communicate regularly with parents regarding current academic programs and be accessible to parents/guardians to discuss questions or concerns
  • Provide materials and information to help parents support the school’s academic program

Offer Parent Workshops:

  • Provide parents with strategies and resources to help their child with academics in any subject area, how to use iReady, and/or social-emotional learning while focusing on real-world situations.

At Home

Doty Middle School parents joined staff to develop ideas about how families can support students’ success in reading and math.

  • Discuss and review your child’s schoolwork nightly and contact the teacher with questions or concerns. Make appointments as needed, especially after the first progress report.
  • Make school attendance a priority.
  • Read and use the classroom materials and information to support my child’s learning at home.
  • Read with or listen to your child read every day. Attend the family literacy workshops and use the strategies learned to improve my child’s literacy skills.
  • Involve your child in solving real-world math problems every day. Attend the family math workshop and use the strategies learned to improve my child’s mathematics skills. Ask about homework, reading requirements, and iReady reports.

Student Responsibilities

Doty Middle School students know the importance of being responsible. A responsible student will come to school on time every day, prepared and ready to learn. To make connections between learning at home and at school, students will:

  • Take home, review, and discuss schoolwork and materials nightly with parents/guardians
  • Ask for help when they have trouble with their schoolwork
  • Participate in classroom discussions and group work
  • Read to/with and discuss the text with an adult for 20-30 minutes every day.
  • Use strategies learned in class to solve real-world math problems
  • Update iPad regularly and come to school with it fully charged
  • Complete two or more iReady lessons in both math and reading weekly.

AS TEACHERS, PARENTS, AND STUDENTS, DOTY KNIGHTS WILL EXEMPLIFY AND MODEL THE SIX PILLARS OF CHARACTER, EVERYWHERE AND ALL THE TIME!

Engagement Policy

Doty Middle School recognizes that parents/guardians are their children’s first and most influential teachers and that continued parental involvement in the education of children contributes greatly to student achievement and conduct. A parent and family engagement policy and program shall be an integral component of the school plan that promotes a meaningful partnership between the school and the home.

Part 1: General Expectations

Doty Middle School agrees to implement the following requirements:

  • The school will jointly develop the Parent and Family Engagement Policy with parents and distribute it to parents of participating children, who agree to uphold it.
  • The school will notify parents about the School Parent and Family Engagement Policy in an understandable and uniform format and, to the extent practicable, will distribute this policy to parents in English and Spanish.
  • The school will revisit the School Parent and Family Engagement Policy yearly to meet the changing needs of parents and the school.
  • The school will make the School Parent and Family Engagement Policy available to the local community through a website link.
  • The school will adopt the School-Parent Compact as a component of its Parent and Family Engagement Policy
  • The school will provide accessibility and opportunities for parents with limited English proficiency, parents with disabilities, and parents of migratory students.

Defining Parental Involvement

The school agrees to be governed by the following definition of parental involvement and will carry out programs, activities and procedures in accordance with this definition: Parental involvement means the participation of parents, including those with disabilities and/or with limited English proficiency, in regular and meaningful communication involving student academic learning and other school activities, including ensuring –

  • that parents play an integral role in assisting their child’s learning;
  • that parents are encouraged to be actively involved in their child’s education, including the School-Parent Compact;
  • that parents are full partners in their child’s education and are included, as appropriate, in decision-making and on advisory committees to assist in the education of their child;
  • the carrying out of other activities, such as those described in section 1118 of the ESEA.

Part 2: Policy Implementation

Developing and Updating the Policy

Doty Middle School will take the following actions to involve parents in the joint development and joint agreement of its Engagement Policy:

  • Title I Parent Team Meetings will be held to create, review, and improve the Engagement Policy and the School-Parent Compact yearly.
  • Parents will have the opportunity to discuss and share ways to improve the Title I Program.
  • Parents will have the opportunity to complete a survey about our Title I Program each year.
  • Parents will be provided, if they request an appointment for regular meetings.

Distribution and Accessibility

  • The hard copy of the school’s Parent and Family Engagement Policy will be available to any parent when requested.
  • The Engagement Policy will be posted on our official school website for the community to view.

Annual Review

  • A team meeting will be held yearly to review and/or update the Engagement Policy. The Fall Information Meeting will review the Williams Uniform Complaint Procedure.
  • Fall meeting with survey regarding dates, times, and topics.

Annual Title I Meeting

Doty Middle School will convene an annual meeting to inform parents of the following:

  • That their child’s school participates in Title I
  • About the requirements of Title I
  • Of their rights to be involved in the Parent and Family Engagement Policy and School-Parent Compact
  • Williams Uniform Complaint Procedure
  • Invitations emailed home in English & Spanish and posted on social media
  • Dialer callers in English and Spanish, and at convenient times for parents
  • Parents are highly encouraged to attend parent functions
  • Parents are encouraged to take the LCAP survey yearly to voice their opinions

Flexible Scheduling and Support

  • Invitations will be sent home in English and Spanish, with plenty of notice, along with automatic dialer calls.
  • Childcare will be provided by trained volunteers.
  • Spanish translation will be provided at parent functions.
  • Parent surveys will be administered to determine parents’ interests and needs.
  • The school will provide parents of participating children with information about Title I programs in a timely manner.
  • A Fall meeting will be held.

Curriculum and Assessment

  • Please contact your child’s teacher or counselor if you need assistance with curriculum, grades or any other concerns regarding your child’s academics and progress.
  • This will also be discussed at the Title I Informational Meeting.

Doty Middle School will provide parents opportunities to formulate suggestions and to participate, as appropriate, in decisions relating to the education of their children:

  • Informational meetings
  • SSC – School Site Council
  • PTA Meetings
  • Annual Title I Meeting
  • District LCAP Survey

Part 3: Shared Responsibilities for High Achievement

Building Capacity for Involvement/h4>

Doty Middle School will build the school’s and parents’ capacity for strong parental engagement through the following activities:

  • Needs Assessment Survey taken by parents (conducted by Title I)
  • Parent input through team meetings (conducted by Title I)
  • Parental requests (conducted by Title I)
  • Varied/multiple meeting times (conducted by Title I)
  • PTA Meetings (conducted by the PTA board members)
  • Encouragement to attend “Back To School” night and Open House (conducted by the staff and principal)
  • Principal’s newsletter, which is distributed in Spanish and English

Home-School Compact

Doty Middle School will incorporate the School-Parent Compact as a component of its Parent and Family Engagement Policy:

  • Both policies will be reviewed at the meetings held for Title I parents
  • Both policies will be displayed on our school website
  • Both policies will be available in the school office.

Supporting Student Progress

With district assistance, Doty Middle School helps parents understand essential academic topics:

  • The State’s academic content standards
  • The State’s CAASPP proficiency levels
  • The State and local academic assessments, including alternate assessments
  • The requirements of Title I
  • How to monitor their child’s progress
  • How to work with educators
  • Results of the annual Title I review – These various topics will be addressed at the Title I Informational Meetings and through Parent Education throughout the year.

Materials for Parents

  • Parent brochures/newsletters
  • Parent education
  • Parent meetings and school functions
  • Gathering parental input on desired parent education trainings

Staff Education

Doty Middle School, with the assistance of its district and parents, educates its staff in how to work with parents as equal partners through:

  • Staff Meetings
  • Professional Development
  • Professional Literature
  • ‘Q’ Parent Connect Online System through the DUSD App as well as Canvas.
  • ParentSquare

Part 4: Adoption

This Parent and Family Engagement Policy has been developed jointly with and agreed upon by parents of children participating in Title I, as evidenced by Vicky Arosteguy, Categorical Coordinator.

This policy was approved and adopted by the Doty Middle School Site Council in February of 2026 and will be in effect for the 2026-2027 school year.

students in class