Parent Involvement Benefits

Partners in Teaching

Leadership in Shared Decision Making

Partners in Teaching through:

Home – Supporting Curriculum and Activities

Home activities or “homework” assists children in the development of learning skills.  Parents can also benefit from homework because they learn about what their child is doing in class as well as, gain knowledge about their child’s experiences. 

Volunteering

Head Start though free to eligible families does require significant funding.  Eighty percent (80%) of the program cost is federally funded the other twenty percent (20%) of the cost is funded by in-kind donations that are non-federal, local sources, such as parent volunteer time. 

Parents are encouraged to spend any amount of time volunteering in the program, especially in their child’s center/class.   There are lots of volunteer jobs such as field trip monitors, assisting the teacher in the class, decorating boards, greeting visitors, participating in parent meetings and Policy Council, cleaning toys and or providing child care to other parents while they attend program meetings.  These are just a few volunteer jobs that are available.  Your child’s teacher or site coordinator can offer more suggestions on how to help.

ALL PARENTS, FAMILY AND FRIENDS ARE WELCOME TO COME AND VOLUNTEER!

Parent Teacher Conferences

Parent-teacher conferences are held twice per school year. Parents as well as other family members are encouraged to participate. Parent Teacher Conferences inform parents of their child’s progress and offer parents new and creative ideas to help build strong developmental skills.

Teacher Home Visits

Teachers make two (2) home visits per year. Home visits provide parents and teachers with a way to build relationships and share information on the child’s progress in a private, comfortable setting.

Leadership in Shared Decision Making

Parent Committees

All parents are encouraged to attend parent meetings that are held monthly at each center to take advantage of the training and participate in decisions about activities at your child’s center and program.

Policy Council

Once a year Head Start parents and community members are elected to serve on the Policy Council. The Policy Council meets once a month and gives parents the opportunity to take part in deciding policies that affect the program and how it works. The Board of Directors works with the Policy Council to plan processes that will improve the services for all Head Start children.

Task Forces and Ad Hoc Committees Committee’s are set-up to deal with topics that need ongoing planning and updating. Task Forces are usually formed to solve specific issues and exist only until solutions have been found.

Supporting Services Benefits

Health

Social & Emotional Development

Family & Community Partnerships

Health

Head Start's Health Team assists families in finding resources for Health concerns, preventative exams and provides health assessments.  The medical needs of all children including immunizations, medical, dental and nutritional requirements are regularly evaluated.

Screening

Grace Hill Head Start provides routine health/developmental screenings and assessments to all children. The children will receive an Early Screening Inventory (ESI) and ongoing developmental assessments. Parents will be invited to participate and offer input on these assessments.  If there are any areas of concern, parents will be notified.

Assessment

Head Start also provides all children with assessments on a regular basis. These include height/weight, nutrition, blood pressure, vision, hearing, dental and developmental assessments.

While attending Grace Hill Head Start each child must remain current and up to date on all shots. Each child is required to have:

A full and complete physical and dental exam

Blood work including (hemoglobin, lead testing, and PPD testing results).

Follow up paperwork for any health needs that are addressed during the school year, for example follow up dental appointments, or lab work.

Each child is required to have a doctor’s statement to return to the classroom if they have been out more than two days. Your CFS and perhaps a health team member will call to see how the child is doing and offer any help. No child should be taken to the center when ill or not feeling well.

Parents must complete a Release for Medication Administration form if their child is required to take medication during school hours.

All medical information on your child such as the physical, dental and blood work is only good for one year. That information will expire to the exact date a year later make sure that your child’s information is current and up to date.

Nutrition

The Grace Hill Head Start Program serves hot, nutritious meals daily. Please refrain from sending snacks and other treats unless requested by your classroom teaching team.

Teaching staff, volunteers and children eat together and share the same experience of nutritious foods low in fat, sugar and salt.  A variety of food is offered which broadens each child’s food experience.

Disabilities

Head Start Disability Services strives to make it possible for all disabled children to take part in the classroom.  At Grace Hill Head Start all children are fully included in the classrooms in order for them to reach their potential.  Disability Services also assist children and families in identifying disabilities, family support and referrals.

Child Social and Emotional Development

Screening All children receive an initial mental health screening conducted by the teaching staff. This screening is completed during the first 45 days of enrollment and looks at the child's social, emotional and behavioral development. The information is helpful to Head Start staff in providing an individualized program for each child.

Assessment

The Mental Health Department works with parents and teachers to build skills in social and emotional development. If concerns are identified through assessments, Mental Health works with parents and other agencies to create strategies and plans for solutions.

Family and Community Partnerships

Grace Hill has contacts and resources available in many different areas.

The M.O.R.E system is the unique volunteer bartering system that promotes economic development and self-sufficiency.

Grace Hill Settlement House offers neighborhood college courses to Head Start Parents.

PAT (Parents as Teachers) is a community partner program that will ensure each child is provided a developmental screening.

Grace Hill Health Services provides vision and hearing services for parents who have not identified a medical home.

Ready to Work and job/employment programs are offered through Grace Hill Head Start and Grace Hill Settlement House programs.

Resource manuals are distributed to all parents for further assistance.

Crisis Support assistance is also available:

Employment

Housing

Food

Clothing

Transportation

Family Literacy

In order to promote family literacy Head Start offers learning resources for adults to improve skills and provides classroom experiences and interactions that focus on literacy development of children.

Parent Training

Parents are encouraged to become involved in all aspects of Head Start by attending trainings and conferences both in and out of town. Trainings are offered to all parents at the expense of the program. Grace Hill Head Start also provides trainings at every parent and Policy Council meeting.