SECTIONS:	QUESTIONS:
Visiting the School	Is it ok to eat with my child? What if I want to observe in the classroom? How would I go about picking up my child during the school day? My child’s birthday is coming up. Can I have a party in the class, bring a cake for lunch, or send flowers to school that day?
Becoming Involved	How can I go about becoming a parent volunteer? Does our school have a parent organization, and how can I join? Does our school have any sort of campus decision-making committee, and are parents allowed to participate?
Attendance and the School Calendar	What is your policy on attendance? At what time would my child be considered tardy? If we do arrive late, what time is too late to be considered present for the day? What if my child has been to the doctor, and then reports to school later in the day? Who decides on what the school calendar is going to be each year? How can I keep up with what days the district will observe as holidays?
Working with Teachers	What should I do if I need to talk to the teacher? Can I e-mail the teacher? What should I do if I don’t agree with a class policy or have a concern about something? I’ve heard there is some kind of transfer policy. What’s that all about?
Curriculum	Does your school teach phonics? When I was in kid, Kindergarten was mostly playtime. Why are expectations for Kindergarteners so high now? What is TAKS? I’ve heard your school is rated as “Recognized”. What does that mean?
Special Programs	What should I do if I think my child may have a disability or learning problem? What services are available for children who have English as a second language? How are children identified for the Gifted and Talented Program?

 

Visiting the School

Question: Is it OK to eat lunch with my child?
Answer: Absolutely! We love it when parents visit the school, and you’re more than welcome to eat lunch with us. All you have to do is arrive just prior to lunchtime, report to the office, sign in, and obtain a visitor’s badge. You can then wait near the cafeteria doors for your child’s class to arrive.

Question: What if I want to observe in the classroom?
Answer: You are welcome to observe in the classroom; however, we do ask that you make arrangements with the teacher prior to your observation. Sometimes the presence of parents can be distracting to the students, and the teacher can tell you the best time to visit.

Question: How would I go about picking up my child during the school day?
Answer: First, please check your child out during the day only when it is absolutely necessary. Believe it or not, we have so much to teach that instruction must go on until the very end of the day. You can help by making appointments after school hours whenever possible, and avoid checking out a child simply as a convenience factor. However, if you do need to check your child out of school, you must do this through the office. Let the office staff know you need your child to be sent to the office, sign your child out on the appropriate form, and please have your driver’s license or some other form of photo ID ready. Under no circumstances should parents report directly to the classroom and try to take the child without going through the office.

Question: My child’s birthday is coming up. Can I have a party in the class, bring a cake for lunch, or send flowers to school that day?
Answer: The district Student Handbook specifically states that parties, refreshments, or flowers/balloons for student birthdays are not allowed. In fact, this policy applies to any sort of special occasion or celebration. This may seem strict, but think of it this way: we have over 750 students in our school, and that many celebrations would amount to an unreasonable number of disruptions. In order to protect the instructional program we simply cannot allow it.

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Becoming Involved

Question: How can I go about becoming a parent volunteer?
Answer: Volunteer applications are available in the front office, or you can contact the assistant principal, LeaAnn Boswell at (832) 668-8200 for more information on becoming a volunteer.

Question: Does our school have a parent organization, and how can I join?
Answer: Yes, our school has a PTO (Parent Teacher Organization). The PTO Executive Board meets regularly to discuss ways to support the school. The PTO also acts as an advisory group for the principal. If you are interested in learning more about how to become involved in PTO, simply contact principal, Allan Myers at (832) 669-8200.

Question: Does our school have any sort of campus decision-making committee, and are parents allowed to participate?
Answer: Our school has a Campus Improvement Committee (CIC) that meets monthly to make decisions that affect the school as a whole, such as budget, staffing and curriculum issues. The CIC is also often asked to provide input to the district-level decision-making committee. The CIC is made up of teachers, administrators, community members, business leaders and parents. Meetings are open to anyone who would like to observe the process.

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Attendance and the School Calendar

Question: What is your policy on attendance?
Answer: Students must be in school every day unless they are ill or have another excused absence. School districts are required to monitor student attendance and take action if attendance falls below the mandatory level. According to state law, students are required to be in attendance at least 90% of the time in order to be promoted to the next grade level. That means if your child misses more than 18 days of the school year, he/she is in danger of retention. Excessive absences can also be referred to the truancy officer and/or the legal system for prosecution.

Question: At what time would my child be considered tardy?
Answer: Students should be in class by 8:00 a.m. Arriving on time is very important to your child and contributes to a smooth start to the day. Students who are tardy not only miss out on important instruction, they disrupt the beginning of the day for the teacher and the other students in the classroom.

Question: If we do arrive late, what time is too late to be considered present for the day?
Answer: Your child must arrive to school by 10:00 a.m. in order to be considered present.

Question: What if my child has been to the doctor, and then reports to school later in the day?
Answer: If you have visited the doctor that day and bring verification from the doctor’s office, your child will be counted present regardless of what time you arrive.

Question: Who decides on what the school calendar is going to be each year?
Answer: The district has a committee comprised of teachers, administrators, parents and community members. Input from each campus is given, then the committee works together to come up with a calendar that reflects the wishes of the community as a whole.

Question: How can I keep up with what days the district will observe as holidays?
Answer: Each year the district publishes a calendar, which is distributed to all students. At Parkwood Elementary we also have a weekly newsletter that is very helpful in keeping you informed of school events, holidays and other important dates.

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Working with Teachers

Question: What should I do if I need to talk to the teacher?
Answer: Obviously, teachers can’t take phone calls during class time. The best thing to do is call the office and request that the teacher return your call. If what you want to discuss is too lengthy to take care of in a phone call, the teacher can set up a conference with you.

Question: Can I e-mail the teacher?
Answer: Yes, in fact many teachers appreciate it when parents use this form of communication. You can access a teacher’s e-mail address through the directory portion of this website.

Question: What should I do if I don’t agree with a class policy or have a concern about something?
Answer: The first and most important step you can take is to get in touch with the teacher and present your concerns openly and honestly. If something that is going on in the classroom is being perceived negatively by you or your child, that is something every teacher wants to know. Teachers appreciate the opportunity to hear from your directly, and most of the time problems can be worked out at that level. If, however, you still have a concern after talking with the teacher, you may contact the principal or assistant principal.

Question: I’ve heard there is some kind of transfer policy. What’s that all about?
Answer: Students in Deer Park ISD can apply for a transfer to the campus of their choice as long as there is room at that school for additional students in your child’s grade level. Once a transfer has been approved, the student must meet district guidelines regarding (1) attendance, (2) tardiness, and (3) discipline in order to remain at the school.

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Curriculum

Question: Does your school teach phonics?
Answer: Yes. We believe a solid foundation in phonics is extremely important to increase fluency and reaching comprehension. However, phonics is not taught in isolation but rather as part of a balanced literacy approach.

Question: When I was in kid, Kindergarten was mostly playtime. Why are expectations for Kindergarteners so high now?
Answer: There has been a drastic increase in Texas regarding the standards of learning we are required to meet at every grade level. The learning expectations are rigorous, and we can’t afford to wait until first grade to begin. We must start early to make sure every child is able to meet those standards.

Question: What is TAKS?
Answer: TAKS (Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills) is the state mandated test administered to students beginning in grade three. The items measured on the test are directly aligned with the TEKS (Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills) that we must teach at each grade level. State law requires that children must pass the third grade TAKS test in order to be promoted.

Question: I’ve heard your school is rated as “Recognized”. What does that mean?
Answer: Each year the Texas Education Agency reviews information about schools through something called the Academic Excellence Indicator System. Information such as attendance, dropout rates, and the test scores are used to determine each school’s rating. Students are looked at as a whole, and also as sub-groups based on ethnicity and economic factors. In order to have an Recognized rating, 75% or more of your students in all of the groups must pass all portions of the test. There are three other ratings a school could receive, and each rating requires different passing percentages. An Exemplary rating requires 90% or higher, Acceptable requires 65% or higher, and the Low Performing category is for any school that has achievement levels lower than 65%.

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Special Programs

Question: What should I do if I think my child may have a disability or learning problem?
Answer: If you are concerned your child may have a disability, you should contact our counselor, Enedelia Hinojosa, at (832) 668-8203. She will conference with you about your child’s situation and the different types of services that are available. Examples of programs include dyslexia, special education, speech therapy, and accommodations under Section 504 of the 1974 Disabilities Act. If you feel your child might require any of these, you can request that a referral be initiated. Information regarding your child would be gathered and sent to a committee to determine if further testing is warranted.

Question: What services are available for children who have English as a second language?
Answer: Students whose dominant language is Spanish are placed in bilingual classes and receive English instruction for a portion of every school day. Children who speak languages other than Spanish are placed in a regular classroom that is taught by a certified ESL (English as a Second Language) teacher. This teacher has received specialized training on how to assist the child in developing English language skills. Some Spanish speaking students who also speak English are placed in these ESL classes as well.

Question: How are children identified for the Gifted and Talented Program?
Answer: There is quite a bit of differentiation that goes on in each classroom to make sure each child is challenged to his/her full potential. We also conduct regular screening activities to try and identify those students who might qualify for our Gifted and Talented program. Students who pass the screening level are assessed further, and the information is then presented to a committee to determine if the child meets the district criteria for the program. Students who are identified as Gifted and Talented are placed with a teacher who has G/T certification, and also received weekly services through our district’s G/T itinerant teacher.

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