 Head Start values partnerships with parents and other family members. Parents are their child’s first and most influential teachers. Head Start’s success is based upon the creation of meaningful partnerships between Head Start staff and parents on behalf of their children. Head Start programs work closely with families to remove barriers to their success and self-sufficiency and to deepen their ability to support their children. Head Start staff Head Start staff helps parents set short and long range goals that are realistic and achievable.
Head Start offers parents many parent involvement opportunities:
- Parent governance: program planning and evaluation, finance, human resources and community leadership.
- Parent center committees: all parents from each HS center and EHS area are invited and welcomed to attend program activities at the center. Parents elect representatives to the Policy Council which provides oversight to EHS and HS.
- Policy Council: Parents and community volunteers review and approve funding applications, budgets, personnel matters, etc. At least 50% of the Council members must be parents of currently enrolled children.
- Board of Director: Policy Council elects two parent members to represent Head Start on the Otter Tail – Wadena Community Action Board of Directors.
- Advisory Committee: Parent representatives are active members of several Head Start committees including Health Advisory, Eligibility-Recruitment-Selection-Enrollment-Attendance (ERSEA), Curriculum review and Head Start Involving Males (HIM).
Fathers and other influential males in the lives of Head Start and Early Head Start children play a crucial part in our programs. Special activities include Fathers Reading Every Day, father/child make and take days, male one-on-one support, training and counseling opportunities as requested.
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