Parent and Family Engagement
- Welcome
- Family Resource Center
- Title I Information
- Parents Right to Know
- Parents and Family Engagement Plan
- Complaint Procedure for Title I
- Volunteering at SHES
- School-Parent Compact for Achievement
Welcome
Hello and Welcome Sand Hill Elementary Parents, Guardians, Students and Family!
My name is Nancy Pierdipino and I am the new full-time Family Engagement Specialist for Sand Hill Elementary School. I am excited to be here! It is an honor and a privilege to serve our students, our families and the community in this role. I am a graduate of Hofstra University with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and a Master's degree in Family Therapy. I have worked with families for many years in my role as a family therapist, both in private practice and in the school system. In 2019, my family and I relocated to Effingham county. We love living in the South and enjoy the warmer weather. My son is thriving in 5th grade and we are blessed to call Effingham county home!
This is my first year in this role as a Family Engagement Specialist and I look forward to getting to know all of our students and their families. It is going to be an exciting new year with plenty to look forward to. My hope is that you get involved and join me, your students and this great school to make this an incredible year! Together we can accomplish anything!
What is a Family Engagement Specialist?
My job as a Family Engagement Specialist is to help bridge the communication between school and home by helping parents get information, help and support they need to ensure their child’s academic success in school.
How can the Family Engagement Specialist help me?
My main role as the Family Engagement Specialist is to empower you - the parents, to become active participants in the education of your children. Often, parents feel uncomfortable about sharing their questions or concerns with the teachers or school administration. Good communication between home and school is such a vital part of your child’s academic success. I will listen to your concerns and then work with you to ensure that your situation, question or point of view is expressed and understood. I will support and help you find ways to resolve any issues that may be hindering your child’s success in school. As the Family Engagement Specialist, I want to make sure that you understand what you can do to get involved, stay informed, and help your child do his or her very best.
What kind of assistance can the Family Engagement Specialist provide?
- Discuss some of the ways you can be more involved with school.
- Answer questions you may have about school rules and regulations.
- Help arrange meetings between you and your child's teachers or the school administration so that important information about your child is shared and understood.
- At your request, I can accompany you to conferences or other important meetings at the school to help clarify information about your child or home situation.
- Find out where to call or go to get special help or services for a child or your family.
Feel free to contact me by phone, email, or by coming to SHES! I look forward to meeting you!
Nancy Pierdipino
npierdipino@effingham.k12.ga.us
912 728-5112 ext. 2249
Office Hours: Monday - Friday 7:00am to 3:00pm
"At the end of the day, the most overwhelming key to a child's success is the positive involvement of parents." - Jane D. Hull
Family Resource Center
Our Family Resource Center is a family-friendly school-based center that provides support, information and academic materials for parents to use with their children at home. These are available for families to borrow at no cost.
It is our pleasure to provide you and your child with a variety of materials and resources to help support specific academic needs. We offer flashcards, books, workbooks, and family games to practice skills in reading, writing and math. We feel certain that you will find something useful to help you work with your child at home.
By offering these resources, our center enables families to help their children reach their fullest potential. The center is located in room 402 and is available during school hours for parents, faculty, staff and students.
Contact Nancy Pierdipino,
the Family Engagement Specialist, if you have any questions,
need assistance, or want to check out materials.
912 728-5112 ext.2249
Title I Information
Proud to be a Title I School
Sand Hill Elementary is a Title I School
What is Title I? It’s the nation’s largest federal assistance program for schools. The goal of Title I is to help every child get a high-quality education. The program provides millions of children with the help they need to be successful.
Title I helps students, teachers and parents. The program can help:
- Children do better in school and feel better about themselves
- Teachers understand the needs and concerns of students and parents
- Parents understand their child and be more involved in the child’s education
The Title I School works to:
- Identify students most in need of educational help (students do not have to meet income standards to qualify)
- Set goals for improvement
- Measure students’ progress using standards set forth in the state’s Title I plan
- Develop programs that add to regular classroom instruction
- Involve parents in all aspects of the program
Parents are an important part of the Title I team. You can make a difference in your child’s education. You know your child best. Tell and show your child that his or her education is important to you. You can:
- Volunteer –take an active role with the school
- Share information about your child’s interests and abilities with teachers
- Ask to see progress reports on your child and the school (to make sure both are reaching goals for improvement)
- Help decide if Title I is meeting your child’s needs, and offer suggestions for improvement.
Be a part of Title I’s success. There are many ways to be involved. Participate in your child’s school. You can:
- Attend school events, such as open houses, science fairs, awards day, concerts, programs, and plays.
- Make an appointment to volunteer
- Join parent’s organizations
- As the school about training programs that the LEA and the school must provide to help parents participate in Title I
Be aware of your child’s performance.
- Attend parent-teacher conferences
- Request additional meetings, if needed
- Keep teachers informed about events and issues that may affect your child’s work or behavior
Share a love of learning to help your child get the most out of school. Set a good example and show how schoolwork relates to daily life by
- Reading books and newspapers daily
- Writing letters, keeping a diary and so forth
- Explaining how you use math to do ordinary activities
Talk about homework with your child. Set a regular schedule, and make sure your child has a well-lit, comfortable space in which to do work. You should also:
- Monitor your child’s homework schedule
- Work with your child on harder assignments. (But, don’t do the work for him or her)
Spend quality time with your child. You can:
- Visit your local library together
- Read to your child, and talk to him or her about what you’re reading
- Ask your child to read to you
- Limit TV time, and watch and discuss programs with your child
Parents Right to Know
Parents' Right to Know
Parents may request the following information regarding teacher qualifications as required by the "Every Student Succeeds" Act: Information regarding their student’s classroom teacher’s certificate or credentials, and/or college major and graduate degree information. Parents may also request information regarding the licensing and training of paraprofessionals. Requests may be made in writing to the school principal or Mrs. Kirbi Ratner, Director of Human Resources, Effingham County BOE, 405 North Ash Street, Springfield, GA 31329.
Derecho De Los Padres a Saber
Los padres pueden solicitar la siguiente información acerca de las calificaciones de maestros como parte del acta “Éxito para cada estudiante”: Información sobre certificados y credenciales del maestro de salón de clase de su estudiante y/o información sobre la Universidad y diploma de graduación. Los padres también pueden solicitar información acerca de las licencias y entrenamiento de para-profesionales. Esta información de be ser solicitada por escrito a el/la principal de la escuela o a la Sra. Kirbi Tatner, directora de Recursos Humanos del condado de Effingham a la dirección BOE, 405 North Ash St., Springfield GA 31329.
Parents and Family Engagement Plan
Click Here for a printable version of the SHES Parent & Family Engagement Plan (2023-2024)
Haga clic aquí para obtener una versión imprimible del Plan de Participación Escolar y Familiar de SHES.
Complaint Procedure for Title I
Volunteering at SHES
School-Parent Compact for Achievement
Click Here for a printable version of the SHES School-Parent Compact (2023-2024)
Haga clic aquí para obtener una versión imprimible del Pacto de rendimiento entre padres y centros escolares de SHES.