PEP Program Information & Guidelines 2015-16

PEP Program Information & Guidelines 2015-16 Office of English Learner (EL) Programs and Services, Prince William County Public Schools

Overview

PEP is a parent outreach program coordinated by central Registration for grades K-12. It is designed to empower parents and guardians of English Learners (ELs) to become involved in school decisions regarding their student’s education. Sessions highlight the English language necessary for the home-school connection.

Components of the PEP Program

 Orientation to the PWCS educational system

 Information on School Procedures

 Strategies to support academic success

 The sharing of information on educational systems from heritage countries

Requirements

The No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Law of 2001 refers to parental involvement as the participation of parents in meaningful communication involving student academic learning and other school activities.

Title III requires schools to provide an effective means of outreach to parents of English Learners (ELs) to inform them of how they can be active participants in their student’s education, to help them learn English, and to help their student succeed academically. Schools hold regular meetings and the information is to be presented, to the extent practicable, in a language the parent can understand.

Program Design

 PEP curriculum currently contains 8 units of study, as listed on the PEP Application. Schools are invited to create their own unit. Examples include: Cradle to Graduation; Healthy Youth & Academic Success; Community Partnerships, Career Awareness, and Family Engagement. Schools may also elect to expand current units. Examples include: literacy integration; school involvement; technology; cradle to graduation parent outreach activities, and adult education opportunities.

To take advantage of this design opportunity, include the school–based unit of study or unit expansion description and syllabi with the PEP Application. The description should include resources such as online sites and printed materials. Please specifically address how the unit will enhance parental involvement. Create your own unit allows up to 8 hours at $27/hr. Each unit expansion allows up to 2 payroll hours for a maximum of 4 units, or 8 total hours. Units must be submitted to the Office of EL Programs and Services with the payroll request.

 The approved ratio is one PEP employee for every 14 parents. Minimum enrollment of five parents/guardians with regular attendance is required. Proximal schools or feeder pattern schools are encouraged to combine efforts to generate the preferred audience size of 10-14. Schools are encouraged to provide a school-specific PEP solicitation flyer as part of their new entrant orientation.

 School-based PEP programs are suggested to meet 4 hours per unit, for a minimum of 16 hours. Schools may apply for up to 20 additional hours if minimum enrollment is maintained.

PWCS Office of EL Programs and Services Rev. 08.10.15  Continuing from 2014, as part of the expanded Family Literacy Unit, schools have access to Rosetta Stone American English online user licenses for parents/guardians to use throughout the PEP program. Licenses are transferrable and can be used on a rotational basis. Training from the Office of EL Programs and Services will be available for the identified online manager in October 2015 and February 2016. Direct software questions to Eileen Lockhart, ELs in Special Programs Specialist, at [email protected].

 A second family literacy option is to offer parents multilingual books for use during the PEP class or to check-out. Books are provided for working with parents of ELs or Immigrant Youth to encourage bi- literacy. Four lessons for literacy strategies are included in each book bag. Book bags and the original contents are to be returned to Ann Ludwig, attention Yanet Boyd, at the completion of the Family Literacy unit.

Each bag includes books printed by Mantra Lingua in the following languages: Farsi, Urdu, Korean, Vietnamese, Arabic, Spanish, and English.

 Interpreters: PEP instructors are advised to make arrangements per parent request. One interpreter per requested language is an allowable expense. Please note: Interpreters must have completed interpreter training through the PWCS Office of EL Programs and Services. Simultaneous interpretation headsets are available from the EL Programs for short-term check-out. Contact Tamara Martinez, Translation and Interpretation Specialist, for more information.

School Responsibilities:

 Application: Submit applications prior to the start of your program to Yanet Boyd at the Ann Ludwig Central Registration site. Incomplete applications will be returned. o Semester 1 Program Due October 5, 2015 o Semester 2 Program Due February 1, 2016

 Training is required for new PEP instructors. Select a two part afterschool training series in September 2015. Register for ESL 718. Training is required for interpreters. Register for ESL 752.2.

 Registration: A total of 15 hours may be claimed for time spent on soliciting parent involvement through letters, flyers, and registration events. Submit payroll to only include the actual time for the event, not set- up, and time can also be claimed for publicity tasks. For registration which occurs directly before a class meeting, please clearly notate on a separate line on your PEP work documentation the start and end of registration and the start and end of the scheduled class.

 Food, Child Care, and Supplies: The Office of EL Programs and Services cannot pay nor reimburse any school for food, general supplies (paper, scissors, pens, glue, etc.) or child care provided for the PEP parents. These costs must be covered by each school.

 The school’s bookkeeper is to submit with each reimbursement request through a Journal Voucher (JV) for PEP employee salary, provide an original parent signature sign-in sheet* with meeting date, time, and employee providing services. A payroll ledger, the parent sign-in sheets and the payroll form with the schools administrator or designee’s signature are to be provided along with the JV, per month to Jennifer Flis, Office of EL Programs and Services Bookkeeper, Kelly Leadership Center. Use the PEP Program sign-in sheet and the PEP Program Payroll Work Documentation 2015-2016 form.

PWCS Office of EL Programs and Services Rev. 08.10.15  Clearly notate on the Journal Voucher’s reimbursement field titled ‘Justification for Request’ the following phrase: PEP Program for (Fill in the month and year, i.e. September 2015)

 During the last days of the program, the PEP instructor is to survey the parents for their satisfaction with the program and areas for program enhancement. The instructor provides the compiled feedback to Yanet Boyd, PEP & EL Counseling Coordinator.

 Please contact Yanet Boyd, PEP & EL Counseling Coordinator, at [email protected] or 703.491.8436 or Margery Connolly, EL Administrative Coordinator for Central Registration & EL Parent Outreach, at [email protected] or 703.491.8437 with questions regarding the program. For questions regarding payroll reimbursement, contact Jennifer Flis, Office of EL Programs and Services Bookkeeper, at [email protected].

PWCS Office of EL Programs and Services Rev. 08.10.15