School & Family Partnerships GCCS families, parents and caregivers are a welcome and significant part of their children’s education at GCCS. RMSC Families & Caregivers Home > RMSC Families & Caregivers GCCS believes that children learn best when schools and families work in partnership with each other. Parents have many resources, strengths, and areas of expertise that enrich our instructional program. In addition, children whose parents are involved in their education perform better academically and socially. Family Commitments and Expectations The Family Handbook The Family Handbook will inform you of GCCS policies and procedures which contribute to the smooth operation of our school. The Handbook can be downloaded by clicking here. The School’s full Discipline Policy can be found here. The Parents Bill of Rights for Data Privacy and Security can be found here. Supporting Your Child at Home Upon enrollment, each family commits to supporting their children’s learning at home. We ask that families commit to: Assisting with and monitoring homework assignments every day. Reading with their child 15 minutes each day. Attending Parent-Teacher conferences. Attending school-wide day and evening events whenever possible. Encouraging their child to follow school community policies and procedures. Making sure their child attends school and is on time each day. Talking each day with their child about what he or she is learning, class projects, field studies, and other school activities. Serving the school community at least 20 hours per year (see Family Service). Aftercare Options Presently, both schools are unable to house before or after school programming. However, here are several organizations that have openings for after care for you to explore further. YMCA Before and After School Program, https://rochesterymca.org/child-care/basp/ After School in the Park, 428-6755, https://www.cityofrochester.gov/afterschoolprogram/ City of Rochester Department of Recreation, 585-428-5990, https://www.cityofrochester.gov/rcenters/ RocMusic, 585-428-9944, https://www.rocmusic.org/ Baden Street, 585-326-4910 ext 1112, https://badenstreet.org/community-youth-and-adult-development-cyad/ The Community Place of Greater Rochester, 585-288-002, https://www.communityplace.org/programs/youth-services/ Boys and Girls Club, 585-328-3077, https://bgcrochester.org/ Rochester Childfirst Network, 585-473-2858, https://rcn4kids.org/school-age/ Child Care Council (Online Childcare Database), 585-654-4720, https://childcarecouncil.com/for-parents/find-child-care/ Kids Out and About Rochester (list of Rochester-area childcare centers) https://rochester.kidsoutandabout.com/content/preschools-and-child-care-greater-rochester-ny IMPORTANT Before and Aftercare Information School transportation can transport children to their aftercare sites if it is within the same school district. Please note that Monday through Thursday dismissal is at 2:45 and our schools have an early dismissal on Fridays at 12:45 pm Our schools are not able to care for children prior to 7:35 am For additional Parental Support or more information for families, please call: GCCS Hotline 585-310-0103. For any other school-related calls, please call 585-697-1960 to reach the RMSC Campus. Family Association The Family Association is an organization of student families and staff that strengthens the school community through social events, fund raising activities, and community service. Family Association meetings are held twice a year. The Association is led cooperatively by elected representatives. You can learn more about the GCCS Family Association here. Diversity and Racial Equity Committee GCCS was founded on the belief that all children benefit from life experiences that come with attending school with peers from other racial, socio-economic, religious, and ethnic groups as well as those who have disabilities, live in different geographic areas, and have different family structures. We have been fortunate to provide our students with one of the most diverse peer populations in the county. In order to capitalize upon our diversity and improve our ability to promote students’ appreciation of their classmates’ different backgrounds, this committee of staff, parents, and alumni has been founded to support and facilitate parent and student community-building across differences. In addition, the committee supports staff efforts to celebrate and highlight opportunities to talk productively about race and bias and build personal relationships and make cultural curriculum connections. Additional Family Resources It is important that GCCS families receive the support they need from the school as well as the surrounding community. Our Special Education Coordinator delivers reading intervention services to students who are academically at-risk and also serves as the liaison between GCCS and the students’ home district when receiving Special Education services. Our Social Worker partners with students, parents, and teachers to cultivate student achievement both academically and socially by fostering well-being, leadership and a positive learning experience through support groups, as well as individual and classroom lessons. Here are some additional community resources recommended by the Social Worker and Special Education Coordinator: Local Community Resources Rochester Community Resources Monroe County Resources Reading Recommendations The Enchanted Hour: The Miraculous Power of Reading Aloud in the Age of Distraction The New Childhood The Whole Brain Child The Deepest Well What Does it Mean to be Present How to Talk So Kids Will Listen & Listen So Kids Will Talk COVID-19 Updates GCCS recognizes the hardships families are experiencing due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Therefore, there are several ways our school can support our families and students: Social Emotional Wellness, Transportation, and Other Resource Sharing – In addition to our private GCCS class pages, our school has started a GCCSCares Facebook page so families can share resources across grade levels. The Family Association can also be a valuable resource. Email GCCS_FA@gccschool.org with any questions or needs you may have. Targeted Intervention Services – GCCS – Flour City has two Academic Intervention Teachers supporting students academic growth in addition to the classroom teachers. The American Rescue Plan Act is providing GCCS and all schools with a substantial amount of funding to support COVID-related expenses including learning loss and COVID-19 prevention over the next two years (until the fall of 2024). GCCS plans to utilize these funds in the following ways: Fund comprehensive after school programming for the next three years Support targeted interventions for students who are one or more grade levels behind in reading or math Training for staff, students, and families in Restorative Practices to support relationships given the racial, economic, and academic inequities of the COVID-19 pandemic Supporting continuity of learning by providing additional building substitutes when staff have to be absent more often due to COVID-19 prevention protocols Fund personnel such as a School Social Worker and Math Intervention Specialist to support students directly in learning loss and social-emotional wellness Replace and purchase technology to support hybrid and remote learning for staff and students. More information will be provided regarding this plan during the 2022-23 school year. If you have suggestions for how to utilize this funding, please email Shannon Hillman at shillman@gccschool.org.There was a public hearing regarding American Rescue Plan Act, other COVID relief funding and Title Funding at our Board of Trustees July Meeting on Wednesday, July 20th, 2022 from 5:30 – 7:30 pm.