Mundy Mill Arts Academy’s Parent & Family Engagement Plan for 2026-2027 4260 Millside Parkway, Gainesville, GA 30504     770-287-2016 Revised June 10, 2026            Dr. Michelle Masters, Principal                  Mrs. Amy Buffington, Assistant Principal

 

 

In support of strengthening student academic achievement, Mundy Mill Arts Academy receives Title I, Part A funds and therefore must jointly develop with, agree on with, and distribute to parents and family members of participating children a written parent and family engagement policy that contains information required by section 1116(b) and (c) of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). The policy establishes the school’s expectations for parent and family engagement and describes how the school will implement a number of specific parent and family engagement activities, and it is incorporated into the school’s plan submitted to the local educational agency (LEA).

 

Mundy Mill Arts Academy agrees to implement the following requirements as outlined by Section 1116:

• Involve parents, in an organized, ongoing, and timely way, in the planning, review, and improvement of programs under Title I, Part A, including the planning, review, and improvement of the school parent and family engagement policy and the joint development of the schoolwide program plan under Section 1114(b) of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA)
• Update the school parent and family engagement policy periodically to meet the changing needs of parents and the school, distribute it to the parents of participating children, and make the parent and family engagement policy available to the local community
• Provide full opportunities, to the extent practicable, for the participation of parents with limited English proficiency, parents with disabilities, and parents of migratory children, including providing information and school reports required under Section 1111 of the ESSA in an understandable and uniform format and including alternative formats upon request and, to the extent practicable, in a language parents understand
• If the schoolwide program plan under Section 1114(b) of the ESSA is not satisfactory to the parents of participating children, submit any parent comments on the plan when the school makes the plan available to the local educational agency
• Be governed by the following statutory definition of parent and family engagement and will carry out programs, activities, and procedures in accordance with this definition:

 Parent and Family Engagement means the participation of parents in regular, two-way, and meaningful communication involving student academic learning and other school activities, including ensuring:

(A) Parents play an integral role in assisting their child’s learning

(B) Parents are encouraged to be actively involved in their child’s education at school

(C) 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

(D) Other activities are carried out, such as those described in Section 1116 of the ESSA

JOINTLY DEVELOPED

Mundy Mill Arts Academy will take the following actions to involve parents in an organized, ongoing, and timely manner in the planning, review, and improvement of Title I programs, including opportunities for regular meetings, if requested by parents, to formulate suggestions and to participate, as appropriate, in decisions relating to the education of their child and respond to any such suggestions as soon as practicably possible:

• Conduct an annual parent meeting in the Spring of each year with the School Governance Council, the School Leadership Team, and others interested to discuss ways to plan, review, and improve programs as well as solicit input from parents on the programs they would like to see and how the funds should be spent

• Share the plan with the community via school website and social media
• Forward comments of any parents who do not find this plan satisfactory to the district office

 ANNUAL TITLE I MEETING

Mundy Mill Arts Academy will take the following actions to conduct an annual meeting, at a convenient time, and encourage and invite all parents of participating children to attend to inform them about the school’s Title I program, the nature of the Title I program, the parents’ requirements, the school parent and family engagement policy, the schoolwide plan, and the school-parent compact:

• An Open House is conducted at the beginning of each school year where teachers provide a copy of this plan and the Parent Compact 
• During September, an annual meeting will be held in the evening and a morning meeting will be scheduled upon request to accommodate parents, students, and community stakeholders’ schedules. 

COMMUNICATIONS

Mundy Mill Arts Academy will take the following actions to provide parents of participating children the following:

• Timely information about the Title I programs
• Meetings will be held in the morning and evening to increase parent participation. 
• Information related to the school and parent programs, meetings, and other activities, will be sent home in an understandable and uniform format, including alternative formats upon request and, to the extent practicable, in a language the parents can understand. 
• At times, transportation will be provided. Contact the school for more information. 

SCHOOL-PARENT COMPACT

Mundy Mill Arts Academy will take the following actions to jointly develop with parents of participating children a school-parent compact that outlines how parents, the entire school staff, and students will share the responsibility for improved student academic achievement and the means by which the school and parents will build and develop a partnership to help children achieve the state’s high standards.

• Parent meetings will be held each spring with a group of teachers, the parent liaison, counselor, students, and administrators to jointly develop the parent compact to determine how they will all work together to share the responsibility for improved student academic achievement. 
• The School Governance Council will meet to develop and/or revise the parent compact to determine how they will all work together to share the responsibility for improved student academic achievement. 

RESERVATION OF FUNDS

Mundy Mill Arts Academy will take the following actions to involve the parents of children served in Title I, Part A schools in decisions about how the 1 percent of Title I, Part A funds reserved for parent and family engagement is spent by:

• Meeting with parents to explain how the consolidation of funds allows for more flexibility in funding parent and family engagement activities
• Meeting with the School Governance Council to review the budget and to determine areas of need regarding Parent Resource Room purchases and the purchase of materials to aid parents when working with students at home
• Meeting with parents and families during the annual Spring Input meeting to gather input on ways to use the funds

COORDINATION OF SERVICES

The Gainesville City School System will integrate Parent and Family Engagement programs in Part A with parent and family engagement strategies under the following programs: Pre-K, Homeless, Neglected and Delinquent, Special Education, Migrant, and other district programs by:

• Offering preschool at Mundy Mill Arts Academy and providing preschool for students with special needs 
• Providing resources needed for school to host Parent and Family Engagement sessions so parents and family members learn ways to support their child at home
• Providing materials to parents and families for at-home use through the Parent Resource center
• GCSS Migrant staff members will provide tutorial services in the home for preschool aged children and will provide materials to help parents prepare children for school
• Offering resources housed at The Hub for college, career, workforce planning, mental and behavioral health, and basic needs
• Providing tutoring services for students registered with the Boys and Girls Club of Lanier

BUILDING CAPACITY OF PARENTS

Mundy Mill Arts Academy will build the parents’ capacity for strong parent and family engagement to ensure effective involvement of parents and to support a partnership among the school and the community to improve student academic achievement through the following:     

• Providing parents with a description and explanation of the curriculum in use at the school, the forms of academic assessments used to measure student progress, and the achievement levels of the challenging State academic standards
• Providing materials and training to parents to help them work with their child to improve their child’s academic and social-emotional success          
• Providing assistance to parents of participating children, as appropriate, in understanding topics such as the following:

the academic standards, state and local academic assessments including alternate assessments, requirements of Title I, Part A, how to monitor their child’s progress, how to work with educators to improve the achievement of their child

• Providing training to parents on the use of the Parent Portal
• Providing parent information and resources on the school’s website
• Utilizing automated calls and text messages to inform families of school information
• Utilizing translator/interpreter for school events

BUILDING CAPACITY OF SCHOOL STAFF

Mundy Mill Arts Academy will provide training to educate teachers, specialized instructional support personnel, principals, and other school leaders, and other staff, with the assistance of parents, in the value and utility of contributions of parents, and in how to reach out to, communicate with, and work with parents as equal partners, implement and coordinate parent programs, and build ties between parents and the school by:

• Meeting with our School Governance Council to garner feedback for topics of improvement
• Conducting weekly Professional Learning Community meetings with teachers
• Monitoring and notifying parents of student attendance
• Conducting curriculum nights to build ties between home and school
• Sending information home in the child’s home language
• Conducting professional development to teachers on ways to effectively communicate with members of the school community

BUILDING CAPACITY FOR INVOLVEMENT

Mundy Mill Arts Academy will provide other reasonable support for parent and family engagement activities under Section 1116 as parents may request by:

• Providing parents with access to our Parent Center, Parent Liaison, and resources
• Providing parents with a survey asking for suggestions on  necessary subjects to discuss  for the upcoming school year
• Eliciting School Governance Council for feedback concerning needs for further parental involvement

DISCRETIONARY SCHOOL PARENT AND FAMILY ENGAGEMENT POLICY COMPONENTS

 Mundy Mill Arts Academy will:

• Provide literacy training for parents from Title I, Part A funds if the school has exhausted all other reasonably available sources of funding for that training
• Pay reasonable and necessary expenses associated with local parent and family engagement activities, including transportation, to enable parents to participate in school-related meetings and training sessions
• Provide flexible hours for our parent meetings to maximize parents’ ability to attend meetings

Dr. Michelle Masters, Principal Mrs. Amy Buffington, Assistant Principal School Year 2026-2027 Revision Date: July 10, 2026

 

Dear Parent/Guardian,

Mundy Mill Arts Academy, students participating in the Title I, Part A program, and their families, agree that this compact outlines how the parents, entire school staff, and the students will share the responsibility for improved student academic achievement as well as describes how the school and parents will build and develop a partnership that will help children achieve the State’s high standards.

 

JOINTLY DEVELOPED

The parents, students, staff, and School Governance Council of Mundy Mill Arts Academy partnered together to develop this school-parent compact for achievement. Teachers suggested adding home learning strategies and providing Parent Center tours. Parents added input about the forms of communication they prefer, the need for parent classes on how to better help their children succeed in school, and how to navigate the Parent Portal. Students told us what would help them learn. Parents are encouraged to attend annual revision meetings held in the spring each year to provide suggestions for improvement and/or to provide suggestions via the Title I parent survey. 

To understand how working together can benefit your child, it is first important to understand the district’s and school’s goals for student academic achievement. 

GAINESVILLE CITY DISTRICT GOALS:

Goal #1: By June 2027, we will increase achievement on state assessments in the area of ELA by 3 percentage points. 

Goal #2: By June 2027, we will increase achievement on state assessments in the area of Math by 3 percentage points.

Goal #3: By June 2027, we will decrease the percentage of students in Tiers 2 and 3 by 2 percentage points. 

 

MUNDY MILL ARTS ACADEMY’S SUBGOALS:

Goal #1: By June 2027, we will increase proficiency in reading by at least 3% in grades K-5 based on the iReady EOY state diagnostic performance and K-3 DIBELS data as compared to the 2026 results. 

Goal #2: By June 2027, we will increase proficiency in math by at least 3% in grades K-5 based on iReady state diagnostic performance as compared to the 2026 results. 

Goal #3: By June 2027, we will reduce the percentage of students missing more than 10% of school days by 2% compared to 2026.

To help your child meet the district and school goals, the school, you and your child will work together to:

SCHOOL/TEACHER RESPONSIBILITIES:

Mundy Mill Arts Academy will:

• provide academic newsletters each semester that contain helpful ideas on how parents can help their child in the areas of reading, writing, math, science, and/or behavior.
• provide a list of educational websites that can help students in the areas of reading, writing, math, and/or science.
• provide at least three parent sessions that will help parents learn ways to support their child at home in the areas of reading, writing, math, science, and/or social-emotional development.
• will maintain the Parent Center which contains instructional tools and books that parents can check out and use at home with their child. 
• teach your child PBIS expectations and rules to include the 4 Rs: Ready, Respectful, Responsible, Role Model.

 

PARENT RESPONSIBILITIES:

We, as parents and families, will:

• frequently check the Parent Portal.
• read the school newsletters and utilize the academic tips.
• use the resources provided in parent sessions to support our child’s physical, academic, and social-emotional needs.
• get our child(ren) to school on time and avoid unnecessary absences. 
• find out how our child(ren) is/are progressing by attending conferences and/or calling the school with questions. 

 

STUDENT RESPONSIBILITIES:

I, as a student, will:

• take home the school newsletters and fliers.
• come to class prepared to work and will complete all assignments to the best of my ability. 
• discuss with my family what I learned in school. 
• properly care for my school items.
• adhere to our PBIS goals to include the 4R’s: Ready, Respectful, Responsible, Role Model.

 

COMMUNICATION ABOUT STUDENT LEARNING:

Mundy Mill Arts Academy is committed to frequent one-way and two-way communication with families about children’s learning. Some of the ways you can expect us to reach you are:

• class and/or school newsletters to parents
• Parent Portal
• emails, phone calls, and/or text messages to parents about student progress
• Parent-Teacher conferences
• Student agenda/communication folder
• Parents can call the school at 770-287-2016 to leave a message for their child’s teacher. The teacher will return the call.

 

ACTIVITIES TO BUILD PARTNERSHIPS:

Mundy Mill Arts Academy offers ongoing events and programs to build partnerships with families. 

• Parent-Teacher conferences
• Curriculum Nights
• Parent Workshops
• Parent Resource Center
• Family Events

 

 

 

 

Please sign and date below to acknowledge that you have read, received, and agree to this School-Parent Compact. Once signed, please return the form to your child’s teacher. We look forward to our school-parent partnership!

 

School Representative Signature:____________________________________________________   Date: ___________________

 

Parent/Guardian Signature:_________________________________________________________   Date: ___________________

 

Student Signature:________________________________________________________________   Date: ___________________

 

 

Year: 2026- 2027	Name of School: Mundy Mill Arts Academy
Comprehensive Needs Assessment: A needs assessment takes into account information on the academic achievement of children in relation to the challenging State academic standards, particularly the needs of those children who are failing or are at-risk of failing. Describe the process/es and data sources used in conducting the school’s comprehensive needs assessment: A thorough review of data was conducted on a monthly basis throughout the 2026-2027 school year in order to create a comprehensive needs assessment. This needs assessment took into account information on the academic achievement of students in relation to the challenging State academic standards, particularly the needs of those students who are failing or are at-risk of failing. Data sources that were analyzed included universal screeners, state assessments (ACCESS, GKIDS and GA Milestones), SAEBRS SEL survey, behavioral information from Educators’ Handbook, grades, attendance logs, surveys, and other feedback from faculty, students, parents, and community stakeholders. The needs of the following groups were considered: students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, English Learners, migratory students and families, students with disabilities, immigrants, gifted, and students from a variety of demographic subgroups. The professional learning needs of staff members (including mentors for new staff members) in order to help support the needs of these students and families were also considered. This comprehensive needs assessment process culminated in a two-day district retreat in May of 2026, during which district and school staff worked with a variety of stakeholders in order to develop an initial draft of the schoolwide improvement plan, including reform strategies for addressing identified needs.
List Identified Needs:  A focus on literacy, including writing, during math and science instruction.  Additional academic and behavioral support for English Learners, Students with Disabilities, McKinney-Vento, and Migrant Students Professional development for teachers on effective Tier I instructional strategies for all learners Professional development for teachers on effective implementation of curricular resources and proper implementation within the literacy framework Professional development for teachers on implementation of quality instructional strategies and data analysis, particularly those effective with English Learners, in the areas of reading, writing, math, and science Student support mechanisms for behavior and social-emotional needs
Schoolwide Plan Development: The schoolwide plan has been developed during a 1-year period. It was developed with the involvement of parents, teachers, school and district administrators, paraprofessionals, the literacy coach, counselor, post-secondary providers, and community partners such as the Boys and Girls Club. We look forward to more opportunities to collaborate with our community partners in the future. The plan will remain in effect for the 2026-2027 school year and will be monitored quarterly during principal meetings, Consolidated Funds Quarterly Reviews, and School Governance Council meetings. The plan will be revised as necessary in order to ensure that all students are provided the opportunity to meet the challenging State academic standards. The simplified format of the schoolwide reform strategies, as detailed in the following section, is designed to be available and clearly understandable to a variety of stakeholders.
Goal #1 By June 2027, increase achievement on state assessments in the area of ELA by 3 percentage points.
Goal #2                                                                                  By June 2027, increase achievement on state assessments in the area of Math by 3 percentage points.
Goal #3 By June 2027, increase the percentage of students on track to graduate by 2% points at the high school level and decrease the percentage of students in Tiers 2 and 3 by 2 percentage points.

SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT ACTIONS  (ALIGNED TO SUBGOAL	ASSESSMENTS, RESOURCES AND MATERIALS	TIMELINE	METHOD(S) OF EVALUATION	FUNDING SOURCE(S)	PERSON(S) RESPONSIBLE
Increase foundational reading proficiency for K-5 students in phonics, phonemic awareness, vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension by utilizing evidence-based instructional strategies	Heggerty manuals training for teachers and paraprofessionals, Heggerty Phonemic Awareness Assessments, explicit morphology instruction, UFLI, DIBELS, Bookworms,iReady Reading Diagnostic, iReady Tools for Instruction and targeted lessons for support, Literacy Modules, professional development in the effective use of evidence-based instructional strategies, WIDA, EIP rubrics, differentiated reading groups for all K-5 students to include English Language Learners, Students with Disabilities, McKinney-Vento students, Migrant students (PFS/non-PFS), Gifted students, and Economically Disadvantaged students based on Individual Decoding Inventory (IDI) assessment, MTSS academic Tier I, II, and III checklists, MTSS academic strategies for Tier I, Tier II, and Tier III, Teacher Clarity by Almarode, et al., Visible Learning: the Sequel by Hattie, GADoe resources	May 2027	Heggerty Phonemic Awareness Assessments, Individual Decoding Inventory (IDI), DIBELS, student writing samples, completed writing rubrics, Ready, Coaching Cycle, MTSS data, Culminating Writing tasks, GaLEADS Feedback Cycles, Milestones, ACCESS, Agendas from professional learning opportunities, sign-in sheets, completed PL surveys, GoMTSS reports	Consolidated Funds, District Funds, IDEA	Classroom teachers, Literacy Coach, Administrators, MTSS coordinators at the school level
Provide professional development to K-5 teachers on effective Tier I, II, and III instruction to address math fluency, mathematical practice, operations and algebraic thinking, number and operations, measurement and data, and geometry.	K-5 math manipulatives, differentiated math groups for all K-5 students to include English Language Learners, Students with Disabilities, McKinney-Vento students, Migrant students (PFS/non-PFS), Gifted students, and Economically Disadvantaged students based on math screener results and formative assessments, Georgia Numeracy Project, MTSS Checklists, EIP rubrics, Pacing Guides, iReady Math Tools for Instruction, iReady Math Instructional Grouping Tool,Math Talks, State Framework, MTSS academic Tier I, II, and III checklists, MTSS academic strategies for Tier I, Tier II, and Tier III, Teacher Clarity by Almarode, et al., Visible Learning: the Sequel by Hattie, GADoe resources	May 2027	iReady Math Diagnostic results, completed MTSS checklists, GaLEADS Feedback cycles , Coaching Cycle, Screener results, Milestones, Agendas from professional learning opportunities, sign-in sheets, completed PL surveys, GoMTSS reports	Consolidated Funds, District Funds, IDEA	Administration Media Specialist Parent Liaison
Provide professional development on attendance policies, procedures, identifying barriers and reasons for missing school, and properly documenting parent notifications/meetings in the PLP	Monthly Attendance Reports, PLP checks, PLC Agendas, Truancy Letters to parents, Attendance Cart/Incentives, Attendance Team, Parent and Family Engagement meetings	May 2027	Monthly calculations on district data sheet, Attendance Meeting Agendas, PLC agendas	Consolidated Funds	Teachers, Administrators, Counselor, Social Worker

 

ESSA Requirements: The school will use and implement effective parent and family engagement strategies under Section 1116, Section 1112 (b)(7), and Section 1112E(3)(C) by:

• Involving parents, in an organized, ongoing, and timely way, in the planning, review, and improvement of programs under Title I, Part A, including the planning, review, and improvement of the school parent and family engagement policy and the joint development of the schoolwide program plan. 
• Updating the school parent and family engagement policy periodically to meet the changing needs of parents and the school, distribute it to the parents of participating children, and make the parent and family engagement policy available to the local community. 
• Providing full opportunities, to the extent practicable, for the participation of parents with limited English proficiency, parents with disabilities, and parents of migratory children, including providing information and school reports required under Section 1111 of the ESSA in an understandable and uniform format, including alternative formats upon request and, to the extent practicable, in a language parents understand.
• Being governed by the following statutory definition of parent and family engagement and by carrying out programs, activities, and procedures in accordance with this definition: 

 

Parent and Family Engagement means the participation of parents in regular, two-way, and meaningful communication involving student academic learning and other school activities, including ensuring:

(A) Parents play an integral role in assisting their child’s learning

(B) Parents are encouraged to be actively involved in their child’s education at school

(C) 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

(D) Other activities are carried out, such as those described in Section 1116 of the ESSA

 

The schoolwide plan is aligned to the District CLIP, school-based Intent and Purpose, and Fund 150 budget and is monitored quarterly. During this quarterly  monitoring, revisions to the plan, intent and purpose, and Fund 150 budget are to be made based on data-driven needs.