Annual Title I Parent Meeting Minutes

Walnut Creek Elementary
September 25, 2025
WCE CAFE

Staff included:

• Ms. Tamika Knighton, Principal
• Ms. Nikjovnia Parks, Family Engagement Liaison
• Walnut Creek Elementary Staff

Copies of the School-Parent Compact, the Parent & Family Engagement Plan, and Acknowledgement Forms were handed out.

Ms. Knighton and the APs welcomed everyone and introduced the staff.

A powerpoint was presented with the following info:

• Walnut Creek supports and agrees with the Henry County Core Beliefs and Commitment that each student can learn at or above grade level.

• Our purpose for the meeting is to inform families about the Title I program, share info about resources available, and encourage parents to understand and participate in the education of their child at school and at home.

•  What is a Title I school and how do we participate?

  • A Title school is a school that receives federal funding to help students who are low achieving or at most risk. The purpose is to ensure that all students have a fair, equal opportunity to reach minimum proficiency levels on state assessments. A school becomes eligible based on the percentage of students receiving free or reduced meals at school. However, once a school qualifies, then ALL the students receive the benefits of attending a Title I school (schoolwide program).

•  How does our school spend Title I money?

  • Personnel - (Title I Teacher, Math Instructional Lead Teacher, Family Engagement Liaison)

  • Tier 1 Instruction- (Classroom supplies, Tutoring)

  • Professional Development- (Leadership and Teacher Development)

• What are our Title I requirements?
  • Provide high-quality curriculum and instruction; facilitate an Annual Title I Parent Meeting, Family Engagement Program, Professional Development, Parent’s Right to Know, opportunities for Input, Annual Evaluations.
•  What are our schoolwide goals?
  • Reading- WCE will increase the percentage of students in Grades 3rd & 5th who score at Grade Level or Above on Reading Lexile Levels according to Georgia Milestones.
    • 3rd Grade student scores will increase from 60% to 65%.
    • 4th Grade student scores will increase from 46% to 51%
    • 5th Grade student scores will increase from 53% to 58%.
  • Math- WCE will increase the percentage of students in Grades 3rd & 5th who score at levels of Proficient or Above on Georgia Milestones End-of-Grade Assessment for Math.
    • 3rd Grade student scores will increase from 19% to 24%.
    • 4th Grade students will increase from 32% to 37%
    • 5th Grade student scores will increase from 14% to 19%.
• What is the state’s grades report for our school?
  • The link was provided so parents could see more details. (Schoolgrades.Georgia.gov)

• School improvement and our Action Plan

  • Mr. Wright talked about our 90-day action plan and ways that we are working to improve academic achievement.

• What curriculum does our school use?

  • Mr. Wright explained that Henry County uses a Balanced Model of Instruction. He talked about the textbooks that are used and the fact that the textbooks are available digitally also. In conjunction with the state standards, HCS also aligns instruction with Henry Teaching and Learning Standards.

•  Support for English Language Learners

  • When a student enrolls and indicates a language other than English on the Home Language Survey or registration form, eligibility screening for language services is provided.

  • Supplemental Services are provided to those students who are identified during the screening process.

  • Support for Parents of English Language Learners- School communication will include translation options. Interpreters may be provided as needed.

• Assessments
  • The various testing platforms were discussed including when and how the testing occurs, as well as, how to interpret results. Tests include: Measures of Academic Progress (MAP), Georgia Kindergarten Inventory of Developing Skills (GKIDS), Running Records- Fountas & Pinnell (F&P), Early Literacy Model (ELM), Amira *K-3rd grades only, Georgia Milestones (GMAS) *3rd-5th grades only, Georgia Alternate Assessment (GAA), Access (English Language Learners)
•  Resources for home
  •  Henry Connects Family View- new platform introduced. Can find school info, calendars, handbooks, report card and grading info, school meal menus and info, learning standards, tools and resources.
  •  Infinite Campus- How to access grades, attendance, previous test performance.
• What is a Parent and Family Engagement Plan?
  • It is a plan that describes how we will provide opportunities to improve parent and family engagement to support student learning. It describes many of the activities, meetings, and workshops we will host this year.
  • There is a District Level Plan, as well as the school level plan. It is revised each year with input from parents and other stakeholders. Parents were given a copy of this year’s Plan to look at as we discussed it.
• What is a School-Parent Compact?
  • The Compact is an agreement that parents, teachers, and students develop together to make sure all our students reach grade-level, as well as, the State’s high achievement standards. The Compact is reviewed and updated annually based on feedback from parents, teachers, and students in the Spring and Fall of each year.
• Parents, (students, and teachers) are asked to sign an Acknowledgement Form to acknowledge they have read, received, and agree with the information included in the Plan and Compact.
• What is a Parent’s Right to Know?
  • Does my child’s teacher meet professional qualifications? Parents have the right to request info on the qualifications of their child’s teachers and/or paraprofessionals.

• How can families partner with Walnut Creek?

  •  Provide feedback at Parent Input Meetings in the Spring and Fall of each year. Be part of the decision-making process.

  • Attend workshops, meetings, and other activities focused on increasing academic achievement.

  • Communicate with school staff often.

  • Attend parent-teacher conferences.

  • Utilize the resources in the Family Resource Center (FRC) at home to support their child’s learning.

•  Parent Communication from school- Ways we communicate info to parents was discussed. Principal’s Weekly Newsletter (Sunday evenings), Schoolwide and Teacher Class Dojos, Class Newsletters, phone calls, emails, texts, and letters, IC.

• Meeting Evaluation- Parents were asked to complete a short evaluation of the meeting using a QR code. Results are available in a separate document.

 Parents in attendance were able to do a make and take activity to take home for their children.