The Board requires, in compliance with State and Federal law, the Superintendent or designee to develop a parent/guardian involvement plan to encourage parent-school cooperation. Each school will also develop a parent/guardian involvement plan that encourages parent-school cooperation.

The parent/guardian involvement policy and plans will be shared with parents/guardians on the District website, school websites, and in parent/student handbooks.

Family Involvement

The education of a child is a joint responsibility shared between parents/guardians and their school community. Strong parent-school partnership and cooperation provide academic, social and emotional benefits to students. Pierce Staff, the PTA and Community Education each provide partnership and communication opportunities to develop and strengthen parent-school cooperation and encourage involvement within our district/school.

Through a variety of communication platforms, we share news and events to further these connections and encourage parent involvement within our buildings and partner organizations. We design and foster events, programs and organizations focused on students and with our community partnerships in mind. We encourage families and the community to stay connected and learn about these involvement opportunities through:

• Pierce eNews (called the Panther Press) – If you have a student in the school, you’re automatically subscribed to our eNews! The district system follows your child through their K-12 education and places them in the correct school email system using the email address you submit as your contact at registration. Check with our school office if you need to make a change.
• Our website – Our website offers you connections to staff, links and resources and important information for our families https://www.birmingham.k12.mi.us/pierce.
• Social media – follow us on Facebook @PierceElementary  
• Remind – Our school utilizes Remind to provide quick updates and reminders. Sign up by texting @piefam to 81010.
• Pierce PTA – This group meets on the first Wednesday of the month at 9:00 a.m. in the Pierce Multipurpose Room.
• Classroom communications – Look for classroom communications or reach out to your child’s teacher to learn how best to connect.

In accordance with Policy 9250, parents can further contribute to their child’s success by:

1. supporting the schools in requiring that the children observe all school rules and regulations, and by accepting their own responsibility for children's in-school behavior;
2. sending children to school with proper attention to their health, personal cleanliness, and dress;
3. maintaining an active interest in the student's daily work and making it possible for the student to complete assigned homework by providing a quiet place and suitable conditions for study;
4. reading all communications from the school, and District and signing and returning them promptly when requested;
5. cooperating with the school in attending conferences set up for the exchange of information of the child's progress in school.

Pierce Elementary Events

 Below is a general listing of PTA and Community Ed sponsored events that typically take place each year.  For more information on these events, please contact the Pierce PTA at piercepantherspta@gmail.com.  Hope to see you at these much loved events!

Welcome Back Coffee:

Held on the first morning of school after drop-off.  Join the PTA for bagels and coffee as the students head back to school.  This is a great opportunity to reconnect with friends and get information regarding volunteer opportunities and upcoming school events. Meet us on the Pierce Street entrance!

Pierce Carnival:

The annual fall carnival is our much loved tradition at Pierce.  It is our biggest social gathering of the year for the entire family.  The event offers an evening of fun, many kid friendly carnival games, prizes, bounce houses, and tattoos.  Join the fun!

Fun Run:

A fun school wide event where all Pierce students walk/run around Pierce’s grounds.  This event helps give Pierce students a better understanding of healthy habits, teamwork and helping out others.  In the past, students have raised funds to help support wellness initiatives at Pierce along with supporting a local charity that provides bicycles to children in need.  Typically help on a Friday in the spring.

Trunk or Treat:

Join this family friendly spooky event for an evening filled with treats, cider, donuts, and special show! This event is a ticketed event. Tickets are available on MTK.

Coney Bingo - being reimagined:

Fun event for all ages to come together after school for a fun family event.  This year it will be held in March!

Field Day:

Field day is typically held on a Friday in June.  Each grade participates in fun team building activities on the Pierce playground.  Mr. Chalker coordinates an awesome event for the students of Pierce as they close out the school year.

Additional Programs

Math Pentathalon:

Accelerated Reader:

An ongoing reading incentive program for students in grades 2 - 5.  Students take a short quiz on books they read.  Tests are taken on computers in the media center and can be done before or after school.  Some teachers allow students to take them during the day.  Students can begin the program at anytime.  There are prizes for different point levels reached and those that reach the highest level qualify for a celebration event in June.  A username and password is required for this program and can be obtained from Mr. Seley.

Battle of the Books:

A program for 4th and 5th grade students that is sponsored by the Baldwin Public Library.  The program is intended to inspire children to read and introduce students to genres they might not otherwise select on their own.  This program runs from December - March.  Students read the selected books and form teams that compete against other schools in the Birmingham School District.  

PTA Reflections Contest:

This is a PTA sponsored art competition open to all grade levels.  Each year there is a theme and students are encouraged to create different projects (poem, music, video, drawing, etc.) to go along with the theme.  The selections are judged by category and grade level within Pierce with the winners going on to the District and possibly State level.  There is a celebratory lunch at the end of the year.  Submissions for the contest are typically due in mid-November.  

Volunteer Opportunities

 Looking to get involved in the Pierce Community?  Below is a listing of some of the ways you get involved outside of the classroom setting.  These are great opportunities to get to know the Pierce staff, Pierce students and other parents.  For more details on any of the volunteer opportunities listed below, please contact the Pierce PTA at piercepantherspta@gmail.com.

PTA:

One of the easiest ways to get involved is to join the PTA! 

Community Education:

Community Education is a division of the PTA, guided by Carey Larson, CSO at Pierce Elementary School, and volunteer committee members. Community Ed will set up fundraising and giving campaigns for students, staff and the community several times a year.  We run the Pierce Patch Garden through our Green Schools Committee, we participate in BPS Gives, a week-long giving campaign in December, and spear head student and community service and fundraising events.  Contact clarson@birmingham.k12.mi.us for more information.

 Pierce Carnival:

Committee members plan and organize the fall social event which includes booking the vendors, communicating the event, organizing the carnival volunteers, selling tickets, etc.  It is a great opportunity to meet many families when volunteering for this position!  This event requires many general volunteers to make the event successful.  The general volunteers will sign up via sign up genius to help out on the day of the carnival for 1-2 hours.  Carnival is typically held on a Friday evening in early September.

 Scholastic Book Fair:

We have a fall and spring book fair here at Pierce! And we always need volunteers! You can contact our PTA for additional information. 

 Accelerated Reader:

Two to three volunteers are needed only at the harvests, about 6 times per year. The volunteers are required to tabulate points, fill out sheets for each student, and track each student's points. This portion of the harvest is done at school, on harvest day.  Previous to each harvest, the AR committee is required to prepare student tally sheets, obtain rewards, stars, bags etc. following the harvest, one of the committee members does the input into excel.  Each committee member usually works a different part of the program.  AR committee also helps maintain a bulletin board outside of the Pierce office.

 Math Pentathlon:

Do you enjoy Math?  Consider getting involved with this great program.  This program strengthens basic math concepts and skills, and stimulates creative thinking while developing problem-solving skills.  Students K - 5 are invited to participate.  Parent volunteers help to run the games at each meeting which are typically help before school.

 5th Grade Graduation:

Want to help make your student’s last day at Pierce a memorable one?  If so, get involved with this committee.  Lots goes into making this day a special one!  Committee members help create memory books for the 5th graders, help host a fundraiser for the 5th graders legacy gift to Pierce, help to organize the ceremony, etc.  Planning typically starts in January.

Staff Welcome Back Lunch/Conference Dinners:

Love to bake, decorate, or host a dinner?  Bake an item and drop off for teachers to enjoy, or stay and help serve and set up at the meals.  Welcome back lunch is held in September and conference dinners are held in November and March.

Safety Week:

A PTA sponsored school program that promotes Internet Safety, Stranger Danger Awareness, and Fire and Police Safety. PTA holds Parent Information Sessions.  Contact organizations to come in and talk to the students about safety.  Many of the same people are contacted each year, so this is mainly managing the logistics of all the visitors.  Typically held in early December.   

New Families:

Help welcome new families to the Pierce Community.  You can serve as a point of contact for new families to ask you questions or just come to a new family coffee to mingle with those new to Pierce.

Field Day:

A great way to spend the day outside with the students.  Lots of parent volunteers are needed to host a field day station.  Event is typically held on a Friday in June.

Fun Run:

A wide range of ways to get involved in this Wellness event - collecting sponsorships, helping stuff goody bags for the Pierce students, helping on the day of the event, etc.  This event typically takes place on a Friday morning in Spring.  Students K - 5 all participate.

Fundraising:

Love to throw a party?  Have lots of contacts around town?  Want to get to know the town better by soliciting donations?  Every other year there is a large fundraising event, on the off years the main fundraising source is a silent auction.

Alumni Breakfast:

Coordinator will work to advertise this alumni event to the community.  All former Pierce students are welcome and encouraged to attend this breakfast to reconnect with old teachers and look back at their former elementary school before heading off to college.  Coordinator will order breakfast and will invite Pierce staff as well to attend.  Event is typically held in late May/early June.

Band-Aid Clinic:

Help out during lunches and recesses in the Band-Aid Clinic.  Give out ice packs and band-aids.   Having extra hands in the office during the busy lunch hour is so helpful to the Pierce office staff.

Office Help:

A super flexible way to volunteer inside the school.  The front office is where the teachers copy and make projects for their classrooms.  Help is always needed to keep things organized and up to date. 

Media Center:

Want to be in school, but need to be flexible?  Volunteer as little as once a month or as much as you like.  Come for as little as a half hour.  Help check in and out books and reshelve.  Arrange your time during your child’s media center special if you like.

Pierce Patch:

Have a green thumb?  Come in at your leisure, even the weekend and work on the planter boxes that greet visitors as they enter our school.

4th Grade Disability Workshop:

Want to work directly with the students?  The workshop is for 4th graders, but parents of all grades are welcome to volunteer.  Described by many students as their favorite day.  Work directly with the students teaching awareness of differences and what it is like to have a difference.  Volunteer for the entire day or half a day.

Teacher Appreciation Week:

A great way to show your gratitude to the Pierce staff!  This committee will work to make the Pierce staff feel special during this week in May.  In the past, committees have coordinated themed activities for the students to show their appreciation - such as drawing your teacher a picture/card day, wearing your teacher’s favorite color day, bring your teacher a flower day.  A staff lunch is typically provided on Friday.

 Kindergarten Round-Up:

The coordinator works with Pierce administration to provide volunteer support for this event.  Approximately 8 parent volunteers will act as tour guides on the night of the event as potential new families learn more about Pierce.  Typically, it takes place on a Wednesday evening in late January.