Communication & Family Engagement Policy

digiTIES / The Islamic Education School District

Communication & Family Engagement Policy

ADM-004 · Administrative · Policy & Procedure

Policy Number	ADM-004
Category	Administrative
Effective Date	2026–2027 School Year
Last Reviewed	March 2026
Next Review Due	December 2026
Approved By	Principal, digiTIES Online School
Standards	WASC C3, A6 · NSQ D1, C2 · CA Ed Code §48985, §48980
Policy Contact	Principal – principal@digities.org
Scope	All enrolled families and staff – online program
Replaces	Communication & Family Partnership section – TIES USA Family Handbook 2024–2025

Policy Overview

Purpose & Statement

digiTIES believes that strong, transparent, and consistent communication between school and family is a cornerstone of student success. This policy establishes the official communication channels, expectations, and family engagement opportunities for the digiTIES online community. Families are not just recipients of information – they are partners in their child’s education, and digiTIES actively cultivates that partnership.

Scope & Who This Applies To

This policy applies to all digiTIES staff and all enrolled families. All staff are responsible for communicating with families through approved channels and within the response timeframes established in this policy.

Official Communication Channels

Primary Channels

digiTIES SIS: The primary platform for all official school communications including grades, attendance reports, announcements, and teacher-family messaging. All families must maintain an active SIS account.
Email: Official school email is used for formal communications including enrollment, policy notices, recognition letters, and administrative correspondence. Families must maintain a current email address on file.
Microsoft Teams: Used for live classroom instruction. Parents may view live sessions but may not interrupt or communicate with teachers during class time.

Teacher-Family Communication

Teachers must respond to family emails and messages within 1 business day.
Teachers schedule parent communication outside of live session times – session time is reserved for students.
Families wishing to speak with a teacher must request an appointment via email or TEAMS/Whats App Business message.
Concerns about a student’s academic progress should first be directed to the classroom teacher before escalating to administration.

Family Engagement Opportunities

Parent-Teacher Conferences

Formal conferences are held once each marking period – within the first few weeks of the start of each marking period.
Additional conferences may be requested by the family or initiated by the teacher or administration at any time.
Conferences are conducted virtually via Microsoft Teams or by phone.
Families are expected to attend all scheduled conferences. Non-attendance must be communicated in advance with a request to reschedule.

Quarterly Newsletters

digiTIES publishes a quarterly newsletter emailed to all families. Newsletters include school news, upcoming events, academic highlights, recognition announcements, and community updates.

Digital Bulletin Boards / Platform Homepages

Platform homepages in Microsoft Teams serve as the digital equivalent of school bulletin boards. Teachers maintain classroom homepages with current announcements, upcoming assignments, and resources. Families are encouraged to review these regularly.

Family Events

digiTIES hosts and partners with local AICP centers to bring families events throughout the year. These events build family capacity and strengthen the school-home partnership. Topics may include:

Positive guidance and Islamic parenting approaches
Understanding online learning and supporting students at home
College and career readiness workshops
Obligatory knowledge classes and Islamic enrichment
Academic support strategies and learning styles

FE events are announced via email and What’s App. Families are strongly encouraged to participate.

Classroom Observation

Families are welcome to observe their child’s live sessions. However, families may not interrupt the session, communicate with the teacher during class time, or have non-enrolled individuals observe sessions. Concerns arising from observation should be shared with the teacher via email or scheduled conference.

Family Responsibilities

Maintain a current, active email address and phone number on file with digiTIES at all times.
Monitor digiTIES SIS regularly for grades, attendance, announcements, and teacher communications.
Respond to school communications within 2 business days.
Attend all scheduled parent-teacher conferences.
Notify the school of any changes to contact information, emergency contacts, or custody arrangements promptly.
Contact teachers and administration respectfully and through approved channels only.

Respectful Communication Standard

digiTIES expects all family-school communications to be conducted with mutual respect. Hostile, aggressive, or inappropriate behavior toward staff will not be tolerated and may result in restricted access to school communication channels or, in severe cases, review of the family’s enrollment status. Staff are equally held to a standard of respectful, professional communication with families at all times.

Publicity & Media Consent

digiTIES may use student images, names, or work for school media purposes (website, newsletters, social media). Media use requires explicit written parental consent. Families wishing to opt out must submit a written request to administration. Consent decisions are documented in the student’s enrollment record per ADM-007.

Standards & Legal Alignment

Standard / Law	Reference	How This Policy Addresses It
ACS WASC 2026	Standards C3, A6	Community partnerships, family engagement, and transparent communication support student success and school accountability.
NSQ Online Programs 2025	Standards D1, C2	Program information made available to stakeholders; collaborative environment for learning and family partnership.
CA Education Code	§48985, §48980	School-family communication requirements; annual notification of school rules and parental rights.
digiTIES 1–3 Year Plan	Goal: Community Partnership	Strong family partnerships are core to the digiTIES 2030 vision of a global learning and faith community.

Related Policies & Documents

ADM-001 – Enrollment & Admissions Policy
ADM-002 – Attendance Policy
ADM-003 – Academic Calendar & School Hours Policy
ADM-007 – Student Data Privacy Policy
STU-002 – Student Behavior & Discipline Policy

Annual Policy Review Log

Per NSQ Standard C4 and ACS WASC Standard A6, all policies must be reviewed annually with documented stakeholder input and governing body approval.

Date	Revised By	Approved By	Summary of Changes
03.2026	Manal Nachef	Principal / Board	Initial adoption

digiTIES Vision, Mission & Values – Policy Alignment Reference

VISION

By 2030, digiTIES will stand among the world’s most respected virtual schools – a premier destination for Muslim youth seeking rigorous academics, global opportunity, and a community rooted in faith and integrity.

MISSION

digiTIES delivers a rigorous, WASC-accredited virtual education that prepares Muslim youth for competitive university pathways and meaningful futures. We combine academic excellence, innovative digital learning, and a values-driven community rooted in the Islamic tradition to develop confident, ethical, and future-ready leaders.

CORE VALUES ALIGNMENT

Before adoption, confirm this policy supports: Academic excellence · Islamic values · Digital innovation · Student agency · Community partnership · Continuous improvement

Resource Library