evised 11/03

Initial Meetings

Preparing for the Initial Meeting

1) Read the Initial Student Assignment Policy and Procedure before making contact with any parents.

It is critical that you complete no official enrollment paperwork with any student not on your assigned student list. You may give out enrollment applications to those who ask you for them, and parents may request a specific ES on the enrollment application form. We will honor every request that we can.

2) As soon as the student is on your assigned list, call the parent to set up an appointment for meeting with the parent face to face: 

*Make sure that the student will also be present at the first meeting since both the student and parent signatures are required.  

*If the student is in high school, the parent must obtain a copy of transcripts before your first meeting. 

*Make the appointment long enough to allow time for questions and paperwork. 

*Some education specialists visit the family in the home; others arrange to meet their families at a centrally located appropriate meeting place (e.g. the county library). The decision of where to meet lies with the parent and if the educational specialist feels unable to accommodate the parent's decision, a different specialist may be requested.

3) Before leaving for the meeting:

* Print necessary forms and documents as provided by the district.

* Print Interview Questions for Initial Meeting.

* Use the following Initial Meeting Process as a guide to take with you to an initial enrollment meeting. Please do not submit enrollment paperwork until all issues have been discussed with the parents/adult students. 

The Initial Meeting Process:

(each link below leads to directions found in the ES handbook on each of these topics)

*Bring all forms, interview questions, and checklist to the meeting.

*Go through Interview Questions, if everything is satisfactory, proceed to enroll student.

*Go over Charter and have the parent sign the Charter.

*Give the parent the General Information Sheet and explain each item. This is a good time to ask for an emergency contact number from them.

*Explain Attendance Policy and the Truancy Policy, and how to fill out weekly assignment report. The ES fills out the information and explains to the parent how to mark the attendance. The first rollsheet will be handprinted and left with the family at the time of the initial meeting.

*If high school student, fill out Graduation Requirements Agreement.

*Explain process for ordering materials and arrange for curriculum. Give the parent a copy of the parent version of the state standards as an option that will best prepare their student for standardized testing. Ask your advisor for help about the specifics. When you are selecting for high school students, use the copy of the transcript provided by the parent and the Graduation Requirements Worksheet to check the courses that the student has already taken, assuring that you don't order curriculum that the student does not need.

*Assign work

*Explain weekly assignment report documentation.

*Work Samples policy so that the parent will be prepared for you to collect samples at the next meeting.

*Fill out First Meeting Information Sheet, making sure that each item has been explained and covered during your meeting.

*Set Weekly meeting time and place. Give the parent a copy of the school calendar. It is a good idea to set a regular time, place, and frequency for your regular meetings. Some ESs plan the entire year of appointments at this time. You will have to space your meetings as you will be unable to meet will all of your families in a few days. For some ESs and families, weekend meetings are convenient. Others prefer evening meetings. Every effort should be made to meet with the family at their convenience.

*Answer the family's questions the best that you can. Don't make up answers. Write the question down and let them know that you will call them later after finding the information.

*Check your Initial Meeting Checklist to see if you've accomplished all elements of the initial meeting.

 

REMEMBER:

*It's important to call your prospective students and enroll them as soon as possible.  Within 2 weeks of the prospective student being assigned to an ES during the school year (unless we are near our enrollment cutoff date, then meeting should occur before cutoff date).

*A student will be enrolled as of the date that all correct documentation is signed by the parent. The Initialed Charter Summary is required before the prospective student can be enrolled in the school. If you meet with a parent and do not complete all the correct documentation or complete them incorrectly, the documents will be returned to you to be resigned by the parent. The first day of attendance cannot precede the day that all correct documentation is signed. If you must return to a parent to resign papers, the date that these correct documents are signed is considered the first day of attendance.

Submit original completed enrollment paperwork to:

LVCA 8560 Aliento Rd, Lucerne Valley, CA 92356