Parent Involvement
Parents are one of Head Start & Early Head Start's most valuable resources - not only as primary educators of their children but also as policy makers of their children's local Head Start & Early Head Start program.
Parent Involvement
Head Start/Early Head Start encourages parents to be involved with their child's learning through either program. This involvement may include:
- Helping to make decisions about the Head Start/Early Head Start programs through involvement with Policy Council, the Health Services Advisory Committee (HSAC), Parent Committees, or other special committees.
- Participate in a Head Start classroom as a paid employee, volunteer or observer
- Help plan and develop activities for parents and children
- Be involved in literacy activities with children
- Volunteer time and talents
- Help plan and attend socializations (TAP) in Early Head Start twice per month with their children.
- During home visits, participate in child/parent activities.
2024-2025 Head Start Parent Handbook
2022-2023 Head Start Parent Handbook (Spanish)
2024-2025 Head Start Volunteer Handbook
Contact your Family Advocate/Home Visitor or your child's classroom to learn about the ways to become involved!
Parent Committees
Parent Committees exist in every Head Start center. These committees work with the Family Advocate and classroom staff to organize events inside and outside the classroom. Additionally, committee members help plan monthly parent meetings that include all parents of children in the center.
Policy Council
Policy Council is a group that consists of parents and legal guardians of Head Start/Early Head Start children currently enrolled in either program, former Head Start/Early Head Start parents and community agency representatives. The Policy Council is a shared decision making body of the Head Start/Early Head Start program that works in partnership with key management staff and the agency governing body to develop, review, and approve or disapprove certain policies and procedures; serve as a link to the Parent Committee, governing body and community; and assist Parent Committees. Policy Council members are elected by the parents in each center on an annual basis.
Policy Council meets on a monthly basis (with a combined November & December meeting in early December and no meeting in June or July unless needed due to program business).
Policy Council Meeting Minutes
2025
2024
- January 23, 2024 Minutes
- February 20, 2024 Minutes
- March 26, 2024 Minutes
- April 23, 2024 Minutes
- May 28, 2024 Minutes
- August 6, 2024 Minutes
- September 24, 2024 Minutes
- October 29, 2024 Minutes
- December 10, 2024 Minutes
2023
- January 24, 2023 Minutes
- February 21, 2023 Minutes
- March 28, 2023 Minutes
- April 25, 2023 Minutes
- May 23, 2023 Minutes
- June 27, 2023 Minutes
- August 8, 2023 Minutes
- September 26, 2023 Minutes
- October 17, 2023 Minutes
- December 5, 2023 Minutes
2022
- January 25, 2022 Minutes
- March 22, 2022 Minutes
- April 26, 2022 Minutes
- May 24, 2022 Minutes
- July 12, 2022 Minutes
- August 9, 2022 Minutes
- September 27, 2022 Minutes
- October 18, 2022 Minutes
- December 6, 2022 Minutes
