Compact for Literacy
We, the STAR School community, establish this Compact for Literacy in order to support the success of our students, so all may become skilled and independent learners.
We believe this can be done with a partnership of students, families, teachers, school staff and community members.For the purpose of this Compact, "Literacy" is defined as follows: A student using reading, writing, listening and speaking skills fluently to understand and process information for any desired purpose.
Parents' and family responsibilities
We will:
- Make sure that our child attends school regularly, is on time, and is prepared to learn with homework or projects completed.
- Do activities that continue our child's learning at home.
- Read with or have our child read to us starting with 10 minutes and working up to at least 30 minutes each day.
- Get a library card for our child, or check out books from the STAR School and encourage our child to bring reading materials into the home.
- Return borrowed school materials.
- Work with teachers to prepare for planned absences and make sure our child keeps up with their school work.
- Attend parent-teacher-student conferences and communicate frequently with our child's teachers through notes and conversations about our child's progress.
Student's responsibilities
I will:
- Come to school on time and be ready to learn.
- Pay attention to my teachers, family, and fellow students and ask for help when I need it.
- Ask my family to read to me or allow me to read to them, starting with 10 minutes and working up to at least 30 minutes each day, five or more days a week .
- Complete my homework or projects on time, and in a thorough and legible way.
- Welcome help from my family on my homework, projects and papers.
- Take notes, newletters, and other information home and make sure I give these things to my parents.
- Return signed homework and papers to school.
Teacher's Responsibilities
I will:
- Facilitate learning experiences that engage and stimulate the thinking of every student.
- Model skills, character and leadership when working with students and their families.
- Communicate frequently with families about my students' progress and show them how they can help.
- Assign meaningful homework that enhances school activities.
- Recognize that students are accountable for their own learning, and encourage students to take responsibility for this.
- Participate in professional development opportunities.
- Hold at least two parent-teacher-student conferences per year and prepare each student to assist in showing their parents what they've learned.
Director's responsibilities
I will:
- Work with faculty, staff and parents to set high standards in reading and literacy by providing a challenging curriculum.
- Report publicly on school wide reading scores in standardized and performance-based tests, and help teachers and parents to understand how the STAR School's high standards lead toward improvement of scores
- Obtain resources to ensure that high quality teaching is provided to students
- Provide workshops for teachers and parents on ways to strengthen reading at school and at home
- Provide materials and training so that parents can help their children learn to read.
- Establish training workshops for tutors and families to work with children on home activities
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Provide special incentives to teachers who meet with families and tutors in extended-learning programs
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Welcome and involve all families, especially those with limited literacy skills or limited English proficiency, or those who have not been involved in the school before.
Community Member Responsibilities
I will:
- Make a commitment to help all children to learn to read
- Ask children I meet in the community how they are doing in school
- find out more about the STAR School's literacy and reading program
- Contact businesses and other community organizations that can donate resources to local schools to help them meet high standards in reading
- Voluteer to tutor students who need help in literacy skills or support and participate in training for tutors and other partners
- Help to open other facilities where children can go after school to read with someone or to do their homework.
If you want to learn more click on these to see other school policies:
Community Agreements | Compact for Literacy | Multi-age Learning
