14a. Parent Committee/Parent Education Meetings Policy and Procedure

Policy

Parent Meetings provide an effective and meaningful way for parents to be involved in on-site decision-making, parent education, curriculum planning and two-way communication with staff members.

Policy complies with the Head Start Performance Standards: 1304.40 (d) (1 )-3, 1304.40 (f) (3) (i) &(ii), 1304.40 (f) (l), 1304.40 (f) (4) (i) & (ii), 1304.40 (f) (2) (i), (ii) & (iii)

Procedure

1. At a minimum, a parent committee meeting will be held five times per year with the business portion of the Parent Committee Meeting occurring on the alternate months. Parents may vote to have additional meetings as desired providing childcare funds are available. These meetings may include a second parent committee meeting, a family night (see policy), additional parent education meetings, or socialization times. Topics will be selected from parent input and mandatory topics as written in the Performance Standards.
2. Parent Committee meetings will be held at a time when it is most convenient for the majority of the parents to attend. If participation declines, the meeting time may be changed to accommodate the current needs of the parent population.
3. All parents are members of the Parent Committee and will receive notification of the time, date, and location of the monthly meetings.
4. Staff will work with parents and community agencies to assist in planning and implementing activities and programs that meet parents’ needs and interests and reflect the culture and linguistic diversity of the family. 
5. At the first or second parent meeting, Parent Committee officers will be elected. These officers will include: Chairperson, Vice Chairperson, Secretary, Classroom Representative and an Alternate. (See Job Description for each Parent Committee Officer.) Topics/ideas for future meetings will be solicited.
6. Staff will offer training to the Parent Committee officers in October.
7. Prior to the monthly Parent Committee meeting, the officers and Classroom Representatives will meet with staff to develop an agenda with input from staff and other interested parents. The agenda form will be handed out at the Parent Committee meeting. Items can be added if time and interest allows.
8. Topics for future meetings will be solicited.
   Topics along with Parent Education Plan Form (FS/PE 14e) will be due to the EHS Supervisor/Area Manager at least two weeks prior to the start of a new planning period. 
   
   • September – Orientation
   • October – Elections
   • November – December
   • January – February
   • March – April – May
   • June – Picnic, Celebration
9. Agendas will include the following (Parent Committee Agenda FS/PE 14j):
   • Call to Order/Welcome/Introductions
   • Review Agenda/Additions;
   • Read minutes of previous meeting;
   • Policy Council report by Policy Council member;
   • Committee reports by Chairperson, if any;
   • Old Business: any business not covered in reports, questions;
   • New Business: any information to take to Policy Council, items that need to have parent committee votes;
   • Developmentally Appropriate Practice Information/Activity for parents by staff;
   • Parent education topic from parent input and/or topics mandated by Federal Performance Standards presented by staff, Area Manager/EHS Supervisor, Program Specialist/Consultant or guest speakers;
   • Parent Curriculum Input
   • Announcements regarding Head Start/EHS/ECEAP and community resources and events, opportunities to sign up for volunteer time or projects, next Parent Committee Meeting. 
10. Parent Committee officers, with staff guidance and support, are to facilitate the Parent Committee meetings and follow the agenda developed.
11. Agenda, attendance sheet, minutes, and a summary of the topics discussed will be placed in the Center Notebook.
12. Childcare will be provided for Head Start/EHS/ECEAP children and their siblings when parents/guardians are attending parent meetings per available funds (See Childcare Policy and Procedure.)
13. The Food Service Supervisor submits a menu proposal to each Family Advocate/EHS Staff for input and revisions (which may include input from program parents). Revisions are made and copies of the program Parent Meeting Schedule/Menu are distributed to the appropriate staff members and a copy to be placed in Center Notebooks.
14. Staff will flex their work schedules to attend parent committee meetings. Per Area Manager/EHS Supervisor approval, staff will flex their work schedules to interact with families during weekend events (e.g., picnics, religious and Tribal ceremonies, or other cultural events), if necessary.