PARENT / TEACHER CONFERENCES

We try to make our academic teachers available face to face with parents every month.  On the last Thursday of the month from 3:30 – 4:30 for most months (not December or May).  The teachers will generally schedule the first 30 minutes with parents they wish to speak to.  From 4:00 – 4:30 pm, the teachers accept walk ins.  If you would like to try to schedule time, please email the teacher directly to see if they have a time slot available.

​

PARENT ADVISORY COMMITTEE

The PAC is the Parent Advisory Committee, not a board. The PAC is an integral part of reporting to the school board every month at their board meetings.  The PAC also has a representative at every board meeting taking notes so they can report out to the PAC at the monthly meeting that PAC has.  The PAC meets on the last Thursday of every month, following parent / teacher conferences.

 

GOALS FOR PAC:

1.  LCAP – The biggest mission of the PAC is to help the administrative team identify needs based on data to help create goals and action plans based on the LCAP.  There should be a small committee of parents (less than 6) that work with the administration and department chair teachers to help identify needs and goals based on academic data.  This smaller group should be working with the entire PAC to get ideas between meetings with the LCAP Committee (Dean of Academics, teachers, and parents).  From this committee, ideas for the LCAP should be derived and reported to the school board, the PAC, and the executive team need to complete the LCAP with buy in from all of the stakeholders.

2. College and Career Readiness – Encore has a counseling department with a college and career readiness director to help our students prepare for life after high school.  The second PAC goal is to work with the counseling department and our College and Career Readiness Director to make sure that information on things like FAFSA are getting to the parents of the students and that parent participation in things like college and career fairs and workshops put on by our counselors are attended by parents.  Encore needs the help of our parents to help get our students to the finish line.

3. Parent Volunteers – PAC helps team advisers, ASB, teacher directors, and administration organize the parents to help at upcoming events and activities.  They also help with parent donations of items and things needed for events and activities that happen throughout the school year.  The PAC helps with Box Office and then running a 50/50 contest during the shows to raise money for students in need.

4. Fundraising – PAC is responsible for organizing the staff talent show and other various fundraisers throughout the school year to raise money.  The purpose for the money raised is for needy students that need help throughout the school year meeting some of the costs associated with teams and participation in certain field trips.  Each year, the Encore staff listens intently to students (mostly eavesdropping) to find students that may not have the means to participate in certain events that they have earned participation in.  When a staff member hears of a need (like a senior not being able to afford grad bash or a student whose family may have gone homeless), they will ask the PAC to help fund the student in need.  This is not a free for all, but a staff recommended need request.  Over the years, we have funded team expenses for students without homes, yearbooks for students that lost parents, dance shoes for students that could not afford, competition fees for band members that could not pay, sketchbooks for artists that could not buy the right tools, and backpacks with school supplies for students that had parents lose jobs.  This is an important family need for Encore and the participation of PAC is appreciated.

5. Advocacy – PAC is responsible for working directly with the California Charter Schools Association to build a political presence in the ever changing world of charter schools. In 2019, the state of California had 127 bills signed into law that affect charter schools.  It is imperative to Encore and schools like Encore to have a parent group that can help advocate for charter schools in the state of Californica.

​

ENCORE ADVISORY COUNCIL – The Advisory Council meets once a semester.

 

This group will include three parents from each PAC, ASB General Officers, One Board member, Deans, and a member of the executive team.

In every meeting, the following will take place:

 Information Items –
o ASB student report – Highlights from the quarter
o ASB Director report – Includes parent committee update, budget briefs
o Data reports
o Dean of Students report – Cover overall operations, parent & student meetings held
o Dean of Academics report – Cover Professional Development & academics

PAC report – Covers topics brought up by the PAC
o Legal Briefs – Hot topics in the legal world for Charter Schools
o Information Item – SARC
o Information Item – Audited Actuals
o Information Item – Salary Schedules
o Information Item – Risk Manager Report
o Information Item – School Calendars
o Workshop Item – LCAP

​