Parents are the most important influence in a child’s development. Parent involvement in education, program planning, parent education, and operating activities is an essential part of every quality preschool program.
Parents are eligible for committee involvement and are urged to participate in their child’s classroom and center activities. Parents are also given the opportunity to become active members of the Head Start/Early Head Start community by participating in the Parent Committees, the Policy Council, and the Board of Directors. These groups share the responsibilities, along with staff, for making decisions about how the programs are operated.
WHY PARENT INVOLVEMENT?
PARENTS…
- Are their child’s first teacher. They play a major role in shaping what and how a child learns.
- Spend more time with their children than our staff and can reinforce what the child learns with the teacher.
- Have a great emotional investment in their children.
- Know their children better than anyone else.
- Are important natural linkages between teachers, Family Advocates, Head Start staff, and their child.
- Families are primary influences of their children’s lives.
- Know their communities and those aspects of community life which affect their children.
PARENT INVOLVEMENT BENEFITS
Parent involvement benefits you the parent, your child, your family, and the program.
Parents gain…
- Activities to reinforce their children’s learning
- Training to enhance their parenting skills
- Educational opportunities
- Community resource information and referral assistance
- Health, mental health, and nutrition information
- Leadership experience
Your child sees you…
- Assisting the teacher
- Visible in the center/home and program
- Carrying out educational activities at home
- Reinforcing the value of education
The family gains…
- Positive approaches to child rearing
- Assistance in identifying needs
- Assistance in accessing resources
