TITLE I

Federal Programs Manual

Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Act provides financial assistance to school districts for programs designed to help eligible students achieve success and reach proficiency on our challenging state standards and assessment.

Title I programs are offered in all elementary and qualifying middle schools. Title I funding supports parent involvement, parent education, mathematics, reading, and school-wide projects. Additionally, Title I programs generally offer smaller classes, additional teachers and assistants, extra time for instruction, a variety of research-based teaching methods and materials, and the opportunity for Title I teachers and other staff to work closely together.

The district and each Title I school has its own Parent Involvement Policy and Compact, which is an agreement between the school and the home to promote student achievement. At the beginning of each school year, the documents are reviewed to determine how to improve them. They can be viewed at the school’s website, at the fall Title I meeting, or a parent can request a copy. Parents are encouraged to make comments or suggestions and give them to their principal.

Parent involvement is the encouragement of parents to become actively involved with their child’s education and opening lines of communication between parents and the school. Parents take the primary responsibility for promoting high academic achievement in their children while working in conjunction with the schools.

Parent education is offered by the school in the areas of computer classes, positive discipline classes, and ways for parents to help with homework and academic areas in workshops.

The mathematics program focuses on students as active learners. While studying concepts from five areas of mathematics (numbers and operations, algebra, geometry, measurement, and data analysis), students will be involved in solving problems and communicating their strategies orally and in writing. Emphasis is placed on connecting mathematics to the real world, different representation of data, and logical reasoning.

The reading program is based on the five essential elements: phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and text comprehension. The reading program combines systematic instruction in specific word and sound skills with frequent, challenging opportunities to practice reading as our students work to become fluent, motivated readers.

School-wide projects– All elementary and qualified middle schools in Sumter School District are Title I schools. In these schools, instructional plans have been developed to benefit all students. The plans may be reviewed by contacting of the school’s office.

Federal Programs Manual

Título I de la Ley de Educación Primaria y Secundaria proporciona asistencia financiera a los distritos escolares para programas diseñados para ayudar a los estudiantes elegibles a alcanzar el éxito y lograr competencia en nuestros desafiantes estándares y evaluaciones estatales.

Los programas de Título I se ofrecen en todas las escuelas primarias y en las escuelas intermedias que califican. La financiación de Título I apoya la participación de los padres, la educación de los padres, las matemáticas, la lectura y proyectos a nivel escolar. Además, los programas de Título I generalmente ofrecen clases más pequeñas, maestros y asistentes adicionales, tiempo extra para la instrucción, una variedad de métodos y materiales de enseñanza basados en investigaciones, y la oportunidad para que los maestros de Título I y otros personal trabajen juntos de cerca.

El distrito y cada escuela de Título I tiene su propia Política de Participación de Padres y Compacto, que es un acuerdo entre la escuela y el hogar para promover el logro estudiantil. Al comienzo de cada año escolar, se revisan los documentos para determinar cómo mejorarlos. Se pueden consultar en el sitio web de la escuela, en la reunión de Título I de otoño, o un padre puede solicitar una copia. Se anima a los padres a hacer comentarios o sugerencias y entregarlos a su director.

La participación de los padres es el aliento a los padres para que se involucren activamente en la educación de sus hijos y abran líneas de comunicación entre los padres y la escuela. Los padres asumen la responsabilidad principal de promover un alto rendimiento académico en sus hijos mientras trabajan en conjunto con las escuelas.

La educación de los padres es ofrecida por la escuela en las áreas de clases de computación, clases de disciplina positiva y formas para que los padres ayuden con la tarea y áreas académicas en talleres.

El programa de matemáticas se centra en los estudiantes como aprendices activos. Al estudiar conceptos de cinco áreas de matemáticas (números y operaciones, álgebra, geometría, medición y análisis de datos), los estudiantes participarán en la resolución de problemas y en comunicar sus estrategias de forma oral y escrita. Se pone énfasis en conectar las matemáticas con el mundo real, diferentes representaciones de datos y razonamiento lógico.

El programa de lectura se basa en los cinco elementos esenciales: conciencia fonémica, fonética, fluidez, vocabulario y comprensión de textos. El programa de lectura combina instrucción sistemática en habilidades específicas de palabras y sonidos con oportunidades frecuentes y desafiantes para practicar la lectura mientras nuestros estudiantes trabajan para convertirse en lectores fluidos y motivados.

Proyectos a nivel escolar: Todas las escuelas primarias y intermedias calificadas en el Distrito Escolar de Sumter son escuelas de Título I. En estas escuelas, se han desarrollado planes de instrucción para beneficiar a todos los estudiantes. Los planes pueden ser revisados al contactar la oficina de la escuela.

Pamela Rhodes, Director of Federal Programs
Email: pamela.rhodes@sumterschools.net
Extension: 503

Christopher Jones, Title I Budget Analyst
Email: christopher.jones@sumterschools.net
Extension: 505

Valerie Moore, Title 1 Administrative Assistant
Email: valerie.moore@sumterschools.net
Extension: 500

Tamara Collier, McKinney-Vento Liaison, Family and Community Engagement Coordinator, and Foster Care

Email: Tamara.collier@sumterschools.net
Extension: 502

Judy Boyce, Title I Data Specialist
Email: Judy.Boyce@sumterschools.net
Extension: 409

Lydell Hickmon, Title I Systems Technician

Email: Lydell.hickmon@sumterschools.net
Extension: 115

1. Alice Drive Elementary believes that parents and schools are partners when it comes to the education of our children. Studies show that when parents are involved, students are more successful and have:

• higher test scores, grades and graduation rates

• better school attendance and attitudes toward schoolwork

• increased motivation and self-esteem

• lower rates of school suspension

2. Alice Drive Elementary’s 2024-2025 Title I Parent Involvement Policy has been developed jointly and distributed to the parents. Parents will be invited to an annual Title I meeting at the beginning of the school year to plan, review, and revise the policy as needed.

3. Participants identified the following as goals of the parent involvement policy:

• Encourage parents, guardians, and grandparents to be involved with their child’s education and to encourage high achievement.

• Open lines of communication between parents and schools

• Remove or prevent barriers between the school and economically disadvantaged families; families with limited English proficiency and/or limited literacy; families with special needs or disabilities; and families of any racial or ethnic minority background.

4. Parent conferences and meetings are held at different times throughout the year.

5. Title I funds are used, when necessary, to enable parents to participate in school meetings, training sessions, and parent involvement activities. Funds may be used for transportation, child care, or home visits.

6. Parents will be invited to an annual Title I meeting in the spring to review and make recommendations to improve the Title I school program and to assist in the development of the following year’s Title I plan and School Renewal plan.

7. A variety of workshops and family nights will assist parents in understanding and supporting our school’s academic and behavioral expectations.

8. Opportunities for feedback and suggestions are provided through conferences, meetings, or principal emails.

9. Alice Drive Elementary provides opportunities for all parents, regardless of disability or limited English proficiency. If needed, a translator will be provided.

Por favor, haga clic en el enlace a continuación para leer la Política de Participación Familiar de la escuela.

1. La Primaria Alice Drive cree que los padres y las escuelas son socios en lo que respecta a la educación de nuestros hijos. Los estudios demuestran que cuando los padres participan, los estudiantes tienen más éxito y tienen:
- puntajes de exámenes, calificaciones y tasas de graduación más altos
- Mejor asistencia escolar y actitudes hacia el trabajo escolar.
- aumento de la motivación y la autoestima
- tasas más bajas de suspensión escolar

2. La Política de Participación de los Padres Título I 2024-2025 de la Escuela Primaria Alice Drive se desarrolló conjuntamente y se distribuyó a los padres. Se invitará a los padres a una reunión anual de Título I al comienzo del año escolar para planificar, revisar y modificar la política según sea necesario.

3. Los participantes identificaron los siguientes como objetivos de la política de participación de los padres:
- Aliente a los padres, tutores y abuelos a participar en la educación de sus hijos y a fomentar altos logros.
- Líneas abiertas de comunicación entre padres y escuelas.
- Eliminar o prevenir barreras entre la escuela y las familias económicamente desfavorecidas; familias con dominio limitado del inglés y/o alfabetización limitada; familias con necesidades especiales o discapacidades; y familias de cualquier origen racial o étnico minoritario.

4. Las conferencias y reuniones de padres se llevan a cabo en diferentes momentos durante el año.

5. Los fondos del Título I se utilizan, cuando es necesario, para permitir que los padres participen en reuniones escolares, sesiones de capacitación y actividades de participación de los padres. Los fondos pueden usarse para transporte, cuidado infantil o visitas domiciliarias.

6. Se invitará a los padres a una reunión anual de Título I en la primavera para revisar y hacer recomendaciones para mejorar el programa escolar de Título I y ayudar en el desarrollo del plan de Título I y el plan de renovación escolar del año siguiente.

7. Una variedad de talleres y noches familiares ayudarán a los padres a comprender y apoyar las expectativas académicas y de comportamiento de nuestra escuela.

8. Las oportunidades para recibir comentarios y sugerencias se brindan a través de conferencias, reuniones o correos electrónicos del director.

9. La Escuela Primaria Alice Drive brinda oportunidades para todos los padres, independientemente de su discapacidad o dominio limitado del inglés. Si es necesario, se proporcionará un traductor.

PARENT'S RIGHT TO KNOW TEACHERS QUALIFICATIONS 

Under ESSA, parents/guardians have the right to obtain information regarding the qualifications of their child's teachers.

Specifically, parents/guardians have the right to know:

• what type of certificate the teacher holds;

• what subjects the teacher is certified to teach; 

• whether a teacher has met state qualification and licensing criteria for the grade levels and subject areas in which the teacher provides instruction; 

• whether a teacher is teaching under emergency or other provisional status through which state qualification or licensing criteria have been waived; 

• and the baccalaureate degree major of a teacher and any other graduate certification or degree held by the teacher, and the field of discipline of the certification or degree. 

Most of this information is accessible through the State Department of Education's (SCDE) Division of Quality Website, www.scteachers.org/titleii/parents.cfm. You may search for this information by entering the teacher's name directly or by accessing a listing of all teachers by district or school name. Only teachers currently employed in South Carolina's school districts are included in this listing. Information obtained through the Teacher Qualification Search Website is intended for informational use only and is not an official record.

Parent Notification of Teachers Who Do Not Meet State Licensing Requirements

In addition to the information that parents may request, a school that receives Title I funds must provide each individual parent a timely notice that the parent's child has been assigned, or has been taught for four or more consecutive weeks by a teacher who is not highly qualified. 

If a child attends a Title I school and is taught four consecutive weeks by a teacher not meeting the criteria of Highly Qualified, the school will send a letter home explaining the teacher’s qualifications.  The notice and information provided to parents must be in an understandable and uniform format and, to the extent practicable, provided in a language that the parents can understand. This applies to all teachers teaching core academic subjects in a Title I school, regardless of whether the school has a school-wide or targeted assistance program. 

If parents do not have access to the Internet or wish to receive additional information, please send a letter of request addressed to the child's school principal giving the name of the teacher and the grade or subject the person teaches, as well as the specific information you are requesting. The information will be provided to you within a reasonable period of time, normally within three weeks of receiving your request.

Concerns, complaints or suggestions may be submitted by contacting the school’s principal or by placing comments/suggestions in the school’s Suggestion Box located in the front office.

You can fill out this form for direct suggestions and/or concerns.

To appeal a school-level decision, please submit your concern, complaint or suggestion in writing to:

Eric Masaitis
Alice Drive Elementary
251 Alice Drive
Sumter, SC 29150

All concerns, complaints or suggestions received will be addressed in a reasonable manner, not to exceed three weeks.

Los padres/tutores en el Distrito Escolar de Sumter tienen el derecho de conocer las siguientes calificaciones del maestro de su hijo: los requisitos de licencia estatal para el nivel de grado y las áreas de contenido que se enseñan, el estado actual de la licencia del maestro de su hijo y la certificación/título de bachillerato/posgrado. También puede solicitar las calificaciones de un paraprofesional educativo que atiende a su hijo en un programa de Título I o si la escuela de su hijo opera un programa de Título I a nivel escolar. Los padres/tutores pueden solicitar esta información a la Oficina de Título I del Distrito Escolar de Sumter al 803-469-6900.

FERPA letter to Families

Sumter School District does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, disability, or age in admission to, treatment in, or employment in its programs and activities. For inquiries regarding the policy, contact the Chief Operations Officer at Sumter School District, 1345 Wilson Hall Road, Sumter, SC 29150 or call 803-469-6900.

Click HERE to view our Annual Report to Parents

Alice Drive Elementary School will:

• Provide highly qualified teachers and a safe school environment.

• Provide high-quality curriculum and instruction in a supportive and effective manner to help our students achieve their goals.

• Provide opportunities for parent-teacher conferences as needed throughout the school year.

• Provide observation and volunteering opportunities within the school when possible.

• Provide an open line of communication between the home and the school by way of phone calls, emails, social media, and school website.

• Provide reasonable access to staff through availability for conferences, phone calls, emails and other electronic communication. 

• Provide parents with bi-weekly, interim, and quarterly reports on their child’s academic progress.

• Provide instruction with an interesting and challenging curriculum that promotes student achievement and motivates students to learn.

• Set high expectations for learning and academic achievement.

_______________________________ Principal _________________________________ Teacher

As parents, we will support our children’s learning in the following ways:

• Ensure that my child attends school every day on time (7:30am) and gets an adequate amount of sleep.

• Provide a quiet time and place for homework.

• Read with my child daily.

• Monitor my child’s progress.

• Attend parent-teacher conferences.

• Attend school events.

• Volunteer and join school organizations and committees whenever possible.

_______________________________________ Parent/Guardian

As a student, I will:

• Respect others. (BEE Respectful)

• Be responsible for my own behavior. (BEE Responsible) 

• Come to school prepared to learn with a positive attitude. (BEE Ready to Learn)

• Follow district, school, and class rules. 

• Bring necessary materials to school and complete all class assignments and homework.

___________________________ Student Name _________________________Student Signature 

*If you have any questions or suggestions about this document, please contact Ms. Davis at (803)775-0857, extension 502. 

Compacto entre la escuela y el hogar

Click HERE to view our School Strategic Plan

Click HERE to view our SC School Report Card

What You Need to Know to Help Your Child in School

Supporting the Education of Children and Youth Experiencing Homelessness

Lo Que Necesita Saber Para Ayudar a Su Hijo en la Escuela

Apoyando la Educación de los Niños y Jóvenes Sin Hogar

You are your child’s best and most important teacher. Your connection to your child’s school can make a major difference in the success of your child’s education. Here are some tips to help your child be a success here at school.

Meet your child’s teacher. Go to Back to School events and Open House to meet your child’s teacher and learn about the day to day life inside the classroom.

Your child spends over 6 hours a day here. See how your child spends the day learning.

Keep on top of your child’s grades and attend all parent conferences. Look at graded papers that come home and grades that are put on parent portal.            Discuss these grades with your child. Meet with your child’s teacher throughout the year to discuss your child’s progress.

Make sure your child completes assignments and studies for tests. It is important that students reinforce the skills they learned at school. Please help them be prepared for the following day by completing homework and studying for tests. Your support reinforces the importance of education to your child.

Make sure your child is at school and on time to school each day. Let your child see that education is something to be valued. Make sure your child comes to school on time daily. By being on time, you are teaching your child the importance of education and how to be successful in the world.

Keep updated on events at school. View the school website and social media regularly and look for flyers on events happening at school. Join us for parent sessions, student events, know what special events are happening at school.

Don’t be afraid to ask questions! If you have a question or concern please contact your child’s teacher before any misunderstandings occur. We all want what is best for your child. By working together, we can help your child be successful. If your child is struggling in a subject, meet with the teacher to find out what can be done to help your child improve.

Be positive about education to your child. Your attitude about your child’s education will help determine their success and motivation in school. When parents and teachers show that education is important, students develop a positive self – image towards their education. They are more willing to complete assignments, they are motivated to learn, and are more confident learners. This confidence will help them to become life-long learners.

Encourage your child to be responsible for their learning. Help your child develop the skills to work independently and be responsible for his /her learning. When students are responsible for their own learning, they will strive to do their very best and enjoy their learning.

Use outside resources to continue your child’s learning. Take advantage of what is around in the community. We are very fortunate to have resources such as our public library, the Sumter County Museum, and Swan Lake to help our students discover new and exciting things about their community and the world that they live in and they are excited about.

TALK WITH YOUR CHILD! Ask your child about their day. Ask them what they learned and what they enjoy learning about. Studies show that kids do better in school when they have parents that are genuinely interested in their education. Enjoy what your child is doing. You might be surprised to learn something new from your child!

Here is a link to these and other tips to help your child succeed in school! Tips for Success

View all the monthly Title I resources here.