At Garvey School District’s Child Development Program we work collaboratively with families to support school readiness. This means that we encourage parents to be engaged in their child’s learning and development to support lifelong success. As a program, we recognize that parents are the child’s primary teacher and advocate. As a result, we have a variety of activities in place to support parents in their child’s school readiness journey.
PARENT INVOLVEMENT OPTIONS:
Involvement in Educational Opportunities
Families will be encouraged to participate in various learning opportunities through Center Meetings and workshops. The Family Service staff will facilitate workshops on various topics such as Nutrition, Self-Esteem, Parenting among others. We also schedule additional workshops based on parents’ interests and needs.
Parent Engagement in Community Advocacy
Parents will be informed about the various services and resources available in their community. Families will be connected to these resources through a referral process. Parents will also be encouraged to attend the quarterly Health Advisory Committee meetings which will offer a platform for parents, community organizations and staff to network, learn and share information on community resources, services and events.
Program Governance of the Head Start Program
Parents will also be encouraged to take an active role in Program Governance through the Parent Committees at each Site and the Policy Committee, which offer parents an opportunity to participate in the shared decision-making component concerning program design and implementation.
Parent Classroom Volunteers
Volunteering in the classroom is a wonderful manner to be part of your child’s education. Some individuals may want to work directly with children while others prefer to work on classroom support activities such as cutting, copying, coloring, etc. Interested parents may consult with their child’s teacher for guidance on volunteer opportunities.
Father/Male Engagement
Father and Male Engagement is encouraged by the program. Activities will be provided for father/male role models in the family. Our goal is to welcome fathers and other influential males into the program and to encourage their participation in the education of their children. Fathers play a key role in a child’s cognitive and social development.