CCC Head Start of LaPorte County Main Office: 811 Royal Rd. Michigan City, IN 46360 (219) 873-2146 www.cccheadstartlaporte.org

CCC Head Start of

LaPorte County

Parent Handbook

2017-2018

Welcome to CCC Head Start! This handbook contains information

regarding the Head Start Program. It is very important that you read

this handbook and keep it handy as long as your child is enrolled in

the program. It will answer many of the questions you have about

Head Start!

My Teacher & Class: __________________________________

My Family Advocate: _________________________________

Parent Handbook 2

Contents Introduction .................................................................................................... 3

Letter from the Director ............................................................................... 3 Locations ...................................................................................................... 4 School Closings & Delays .............................................................................. 4 Philosophy and Goals ................................................................................... 5 Our Staff ....................................................................................................... 5 Daily Schedule .............................................................................................. 6

Attendance ..................................................................................................... 7

Disabilities Services ........................................................................................ 8

Education-School Readiness .......................................................................... 8

Teaching Curriculum ..................................................................................10 Discipline Policy ..........................................................................................11 Home Visits .................................................................................................13 Parent-Teacher Conferences ......................................................................13 Field Trips ...................................................................................................14 Outdoor Play ..............................................................................................14 Education Resources for Parents ...............................................................15

Eligibility & Enrollment ................................................................................. 16

Health & Safety ............................................................................................. 16

Required Health Screenings & Immunizations ...........................................16 Sick Child Policy ..........................................................................................18 Lice Policy ...................................................................................................19 Medication Policy .......................................................................................20

Family Services ............................................................................................. 21

Parent Engagement ....................................................................................22 Parent Committee & Policy Council ....................................................... 22 Father/Father Figure Engagement ........................................................ 23

Parent/Guardian Trainings and Workshops ...............................................23 Community Resources................................................................................24 Family Fun Events .......................................................................................24 Transition to Kindergarten .........................................................................24

Nutrition & Food ........................................................................................... 24

Transportation & Bus ................................................................................... 25

Volunteering ................................................................................................. 27

Parent Handbook 3

Introduction

Letter from the Dire ctor

Welcome Parents! We know that you want the best for your child to make sure that they succeed in school and in life. We are so excited about the programs and services that we can provide to support this goal.

Our terrific teaching staff is well-qualified to provide a nurturing and educational environment for your child. Our teachers receive significant training on educational, behavioral, and social skills and you are always invited to join us for these training workshops. It’s so important for your child to see that you believe education to be as important as we do. Our teachers will track your child’s development throughout the year and offer activities and ideas that you can use at home to promote your child’s academic and social skills. We want to make your child’s experience at Head Start educational and fun. But, we also want to make your experience enjoyable, educational, and productive. We offer many parent education programs, volunteering and parent leadership opportunities that support parenting and can even lead to employment. We ask you to help guide our programming decisions based on the unique needs of our community so we can make our program the best it can be. Please consider serving on our Parent Committees, Policy Council, or Governing Board. Or, volunteer to help in our classrooms. Be sure to complete a survey to let us know your interest areas so we can plan family events and programs that you’ll enjoy. Then, join us for fun, fitness, food, family activities, field trips, and connecting with other parents. Be sure to like our Facebook page to keep up with event dates and times. Our awesome Family Services Department is here to help you find resources, navigate services, and face the many challenges of being a parent. Don’t hesitate to contact your Family Advocate for help. We’ll be screening your child for many health and developmental needs. Our Health Services staff will help you access health, dental, and other services. We look forward to getting to know you and your child. We hope that we can make a lasting relationship and work together to insure the success of your child and to make our community a wonderful place to live.

See you soon,

Deb Chubb Executive Director

Parent Handbook 4

Locations

Niemann Elementary School 811 Royal Road Michigan City, IN 46360 (219) 873-2146 Hours: 8:30-3:30

The Presbyterian Church 307 Kingsbury Ave. La Porte, IN 46350 (219) 873-2146 Hours: 8:30-3:30

Prairie View Elementary School 6434 E. 700 N. Rolling Prairie, IN 46371 (219) 778-1400 Hours: 8:30-3:30

Kingsford Heights Elementary 460 Evanston Road Kingsford Heights, IN 46346 (219) 393-3116 Hours: 8:30-11:30 a.m.

School Closings & Delays Please use our CCC Head Start School Calendars for each location to see which days Head Start will be open – they may be different than the local school district calendar.

Snow Closings and Delays – We’ll follow the decisions of the local school districts. Be sure to sign up for text message notifications with your school district.

We’ll also have closings and delays announced on the local radio station WEFM – 95.9 FM.

If you have any questions about closings or delays, please call our main office at (219) 873-2146.

Be sure to also like our Facebook page for updates.

Parent Handbook 5

Philosophy and Goals

Our philosophy is to regard the personal qualities of each child as gifts to

be nurtured, shared, and appreciated. Each child is unique in his or her

combination of strengths, weaknesses, interests, talents, needs, and

styles. Each child’s individuality is appreciated and considered in the

context of the children around him or her. The diversity inherent among

families is recognized and respected.

The Child Care Consortium Head Start of LaPorte County (CCC Head

Start) uses a curriculum based on current research and best practices

that balances physical, emotional, social, and cognitive development. A

unique feature of CCC Head Start is the emphasis on building self-

awareness, self-esteem, creativity, and social problem-solving skills—

tools all children need to grow and thrive.

We see our role as members of your child’s developmental team. We

aim to provide the highest quality early childhood education that you

expect of this team and rely on your input and feedback along the way.

When you enter the secure doors at CCC Head Start, you hear the

sounds of children learning, growing, and thriving. We hope you and

your children feel safe, secure, and comfortable at CCC Head Start. We

do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, national origin, sex,

age, disability, or sexual orientation.

Our Staff We are extremely proud of our staff. All of our lead teachers hold a

Bachelor’s or Associate’s degree in Early Childhood or Elementary

Education. Our co-teachers hold a Child Development Associate

Credential, Associate’s Degree, or Bachelor’s Degree in Early Childhood

or Elementary Education. We also welcome student interns from

Purdue’s Early Childhood Education Bachelor program to work under the

supervision of our staff. All staff must pass a TB screen, drug screen,

federal criminal background check, and a background check through

child protective services. All staff are required to have training in CPR.

First Aid, Universal Precautions to prevent the spread of disease,

identification and reporting of child abuse, and medication.

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Mandated Reporters

In the state of Indiana, all persons, including teachers and school staff

are required by law to report any suspected child abuse or neglect.

Daily Schedule Arrival/Breakfast 8:30am-9:15am Go to Gym, Put Things Away, Wash Hands, Eat Breakfast Morning Class Activities 9:15am-10:30am Morning Meeting, Centers, Read Aloud, Small Groups Outside/Gym 10:30am-11:15am Lunch 11:15am-12:00pm Read Aloud, Lunch Preparation, Eat Lunch Nap Time 12:00-2:30pm Afternoon/End of Day Activities 2:30pm-3:30pm Snack, Closing Circle, Pack Up, Bus

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Attendance Attendance is very important for

children to succeed in school. Even

one day of absence puts your child

behind. They miss important lessons

and socialization with other students.

You must call us if your child will be absent. If your child does not arrive at school by 9:30 am, and we have not heard from you, we will call or send a text message to your phone. If you receive a text message from us:

1. Note your child’s ID number shown on the text.

2. Click on the link.

3. Enter your child’s ID number.

4. Choose a reason for the absence, from the drop-down list.

5. Click on “Submit”.

If you have not agreed to receive text messages from us, or you

cannot receive texts, you must call our office at 219-873-2146 as

soon as possible to let us know the reason for your child’s absence.

We understand that sometimes your child may be too sick to attend or

an emergency may arise! If your child is absent for 3 days in a row or

more due to being sick, we will require a Doctor’s note to return. We

will review attendance on an individual case-by-case basis. Our main

concern is your child’s ability to succeed in the classroom!

If your child is absent more than 10% of the time (or roughly 2 days

per month), we will call an attendance meeting with you to help you

make a plan to improve attendance. If you cannot meet attendance

requirements, your child may be put on the wait list or withdrawn

from the program to allow other students to come into the program.

Attendance is important! If you have questions about

attendance, please contact your child’s teacher or your Family

Advocate.

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Disabilities Services Head Start is here to help identify children with special needs and make

sure that they receive any services that they need. All children are

screened for developmental delays within 45 days after their first day of

school. The results are reviewed with you to talk about concerns.

You should let us know if you have any concerns about your child’s

development. We can provide evaluations and resources as needed.

If a screening shows a developmental concern, the teacher will contact

you to discuss evaluations and other services. If you agree, we’ll refer

your child for an evaluation. Our Disabilities Coordinator will help you

through the referral process. Evaluations by specialists will determine if

your child needs additional services. A meeting with specialists,

teachers, our Disabilities Coordinator, Family Advocate and you will take

place to discuss the results and the best way to help your child. An

Individualized Education Plan (IEP) may be developed at this meeting

that guides teachers and specialists in providing the necessary services.

The IEP will be reviewed every year at a meeting to assess your child’s

progress and update the plan with future services if needed.

Education-School Readiness We are excited about

kicking off another season at

Head Start and getting your

children ready for

Kindergarten through our

School Readiness Plan!

Head Start defines School

Readiness as when “children

are ready for school, families are ready to support their children’s

learning, and schools are ready for children” (2011 Leadership

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Institute Planner, p. 37).

The Child Care Consortium, in conjunction with area schools, has

specified indicators of School Readiness through our goals. It is our

commitment and passion that children and families in LaPorte County

will be prepared for the academic rigor of district schools and that

each child will be instilled with a genuine love for learning

throughout their lives. Below is a list of the current school readiness

goals:

Language and Literacy Development--Children will 1) engage in

pre- writing skills (drawing, tracing, cutting, and scribbling); 2) use

oral language through conversations with adults and peers to

develop proficient communication skills and increase varied

vocabulary; 3) engage with literature to gain awareness of

diversity (cultural, age, gender, ability, etc.) and understand print

awareness (that print conveys meaning); 4) demonstrate

comprehension of text and be able to make connections to real

life experiences through environmental print, classroom labels,

and sequence of events; and 5) be read to throughout the day

(picture books, ABC and number books, rhyming books, etc.) to

develop foundational reading skills. Children who are Dual

Language Learners (DLLs) will demonstrate increased competency

in their home language while developing proficiency in English.

Cognition and General Knowledge--Children will: 1) engage in activities that promote higher order thinking skills such as: counting, comparing, classification, manipulation, problem solving, sequencing, right and left directions, and following patterns; 2) use observations to make predictions and be able to differentiate between real and fantasy; and 3) engage in activities that provoke abstract thinking and the use of prior knowledge to develop hypotheses and gain an understanding of situations and activities.

Approaches to Learning--Children will: 1) engage in activities that

encourage them to plan, do, and recall actions, as well as be able

to ask questions and participate in group learning; 2) engage in

activities that encourage growth in creativity, independence, and

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self-determination; and 3) actively participate in activities that

promote the usage of words and concepts that parallel

information available in materials.

Physical Well-Being and Motor Development--Children will: 1)

engage in structured and unstructured physical activities that

assist with the development of gross-motor and fine-motor skills,

balance, manipulation of objects, self-help, and writing skills; and

2) engage in activities that introduce and promote health and

safety habits such as how to dress, wash hands, brush teeth

properly, and toileting independently.

Social and Emotional Development Children will: 1) demonstrate the ability to follow guidelines, resolve conflict with peers and adults, and understand and exhibit empathy and sympathy; 2) identify and label emotions such as: happiness, sadness, anger, excitement, etc.: and 3) engage in activities that help manage emotions and promote self- regulation

Teaching Curriculum

Teaching Strategies Creative Curriculum brings together developmentally appropriate practices in a fun, inquiry based format. It is one of the most commonly used curriculums among Head Start programs nationwide, and has set itself apart through the extensive research involved in creating it, details of the lesson plans, and the way in which it directly ties to state and federal standards, and GOLD.

Teaching Strategies GOLD (TS GOLD) is an authentic assessment tool that uses pictures, videos, anecdotal notes, portfolios, and checklists to comprise a holistic and reliable source for achievement towards meeting School Readiness Goals. Each quarter (Oct, Feb, May/June) culminates in a checkpoint where children are evaluated and scaled on a developmental continuum (below). We then compare the scores after the checkpoints to show where the students are based on widely held expectations for preschool age children. The end of the

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checkpoints correlate with the parent-teacher conferences so this information and be communicated to families.

Mixed-Aged Groups

At CCC Head Start, we individualize learning plans to meet each child’s

needs because we recognize that not all children develop and learn in

the same ways or at the same rate. We believe that this approach is

supported by mixed-age classrooms. Research by Dr. Lilian Katz, and

others, shows that 4-year-olds are more likely to take on leadership

roles, help peers, teach, explain, communicate appropriately, and are

less competitive, while 3-years-olds are more likely to engage in

complex play, be cognitively stimulated, and nurture peers in mixed-age

classrooms.[1][2] She also found that children in mixed-aged

classrooms showed increased social-emotional and language skills. We

also believe that mixed-age classrooms which include approximately

equal numbers of 3-year-olds and 4-year-olds, give children the

opportunity to learn and grow as a classroom community in a more

diverse environment which supports empathy and tolerance.

[1] Katz, L. G. (1998). Twins in school: What teachers should know. ERIC Digest. Champaign, IL: ERIC Clearinghouse on Elementary and Early Childhood Education. [2] Katz, L. G., Evangelou, D., and Hartmann, J. A. (1990). The case for mixed-age grouping in the early years. Washington, DC: National Association for the Education of Young Children.

Discipline Policy Our approach to

discipline is positive and

uses techniques that

encourage children to

develop high self-

esteem, self-respect,

independence,

creativity, social

problem-solving skills

and self-control. Such

practices include, but

are not limited to, appropriate and genuine praise, guidance in conflict

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resolution, problem-solving, identification and verbal expression of

feelings, redirecting, selective ignoring and appropriate use of humor.

Brief, supervised separation from the group (e.g., “time out”) may be

used if necessary. Such a separation will be followed by a private

discussion with the child regarding the reason for separation and

alternative choices in similar situations in the future. No child shall be

placed in a locked room.

At no time is cruel or abusive behavior on the part of the staff

allowed. Positive methods must be used for maintaining group

control and handling individual behavior. All behavior correction will

be administered with primary consideration for enhancing the self-

awareness, problem-solving skills and the self-control skills of the

child. Physical punishment and other humiliating or frightening

techniques are prohibited. Punishment shall not be associated with

food, rest or toilet training. Children who wet or soil themselves shall

not be shamed or punished.

When the behavior is destructive or potentially dangerous to staff or

other children, the following steps will be taken and communicated

with the parent(s):

1. The rule and consequences for breaking the rule will be stated and/or reiterated to the child.

2. If the behavior ceases, the child will be praised. 3. If the behavior continues, the child will be separated for the

safety of him/herself and others. 4. Upon the discretion of the teacher or director, the child will be

permitted back in the group with the rule and consequence restated.

5. If the behavior persists, or if, upon discretion of the director, the

behavior is considered to be dangerous or disruptive beyond the capacities of the staff, the parent or designated emergency contact will be called to pick up the child.

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6. If the dangerous behavior continues on a consistent basis, one or

more of the following options may be pursued at the discretion of the administration:

a) An Individual Behavior Plan will be developed by the teacher, coach, director of education, family advocate, and the parent

b) With parent consent, a referral will be made to Meridian Health Services

c) Child is put on half-days until the unsafe behavior ceases d) Parent is asked to volunteer in the classroom with their child

daily until the child is able to have a routinely positive and safe behavior day-to-day

e) Child will be sent home for an agreed upon time period. Staff will visit the family to provide educational activities, and family advocates will support the family with potential needs.

Home Visits Home visits are an opportunity for you and your child’s teacher to get to

know one another. It will also be a time to share a variety of

information concerning school readiness, health, family engagement,

and to get input from you about our program.

Teacher Home Visits will be completed twice a year. The first home visit

will take place before the school year starts. The second home visit will

be completed at the end of the school year.

Parent-Teacher Conferences

Parent-Teacher conferences will be held three times during the school

year (see calendar). Parents will be invited into the classroom to speak

with teachers about their child’s progress, get activity ideas to support

them at home, and give the teachers suggestion for guiding them in the

classroom.

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Field Trips We believe that

field trips are

an essential

and enjoyable

way to enhance your child’s education. In general, field trips are related

to the classroom themes indicated on the weekly lesson plans. And the

children just love them! We may require assistance from parent

volunteers. You will receive plenty of notice before an upcoming field

trip. Though parents’ consent during enrollment to allowing children to

attend field trips, an additional form will be sent home requiring a

second signature for each field trip. Please fill the form out and send it

back in a timely manner. Alternate arrangements will be made for

children who are unable to attend. Any assistance that you can offer is

greatly appreciated.

Outdoor Play Outdoor play is an essential part of children’s healthy development and

is a key objective in our school readiness and curriculum goals. Teachers

are required to provide children outdoor play time every day when it is

not raining and the temperature is above 25 degrees, Fahrenheit. We

understand that the weather can be unpredictable, but we need you to

make sure that your child has appropriate clothing to spend time

outside every day. If you need help getting the proper clothes for your

child, please let us know. We can help. A child will only be excused

from outdoor play with a doctor’s note clearly stating why the child

cannot go outside.

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Education Resources for Parents National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) - Research on child development, advocacy, activities, parent and community outreach, teacher education and training: http://www.naeyc.org/ Pinterest - Creative activities and information https://www.pinterest.com/ Zero To Three - Parenting, early child development, policy and advocacy https://www.zerotothree.org/ Head Start - Everything Head Start https://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc Center on the Social and Emotional Foundation for Early Learning - Activities and ideas for helping children develop social and emotional competencies. Dealing with feelings. http://csefel.vanderbilt.edu/ The Ounce of Prevention - Parenting tools, advocacy, videos http://www.theounce.org/ PBS Kids - Videos, activities, resources for kids http://pbskids.org/ iPad Apps: Povi Family Connect - Gives parents ideas on how to connect with their child Endless 123 - Numbers Reader - Reading iWW Lite - writing Super Why! - PBS Kids Bugs and Buttons - Math Big Gig - Music (PBS Kids) LunchBox - Math Povi Family Connect - Language and Literacy (Iphone)

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Eligibility & Enrollment In order to enroll in the Head Start program, the following documents

are required:

Birth Certificate

Medicaid/Insurance Card

Income Record

Current Health Exam Record (including hemoglobin & lead results)

Current Dental Exam Record

Immunization Records

Enrollment will be completed using an in-person meeting, or phone interview if you are unable to meet at our facility. Eligibility will be determined based Head Start guidelines. Selection and enrollment will be based on our approved set of criteria that is designed to prioritize the children and families who are most in need in our community.

Health & Safety

Required Health Screenings & Immunizations

Hearing Exam

Your child will receive a hearing exam upon entry into the program

within the first 45 days of the first day of school. Your child will be re-

screened should an issue be noted by either the parent or teacher. If

they fail that exam, we’ll refer him/her to a hearing specialist for a

professional evaluation. We’ll need you to provide documentation of

that evaluation and treatment plan (if applicable) to us no later than (5)

days after the evaluation.

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Vision Screen We will provide your child a vision within the first 45 days of the first day of school. If your child fails this test you will be given a list of eye doctors for a professional evaluation. We’ll need you to provide

documentation of that evaluation and treatment plan (if applicable) no

later than (5) days after the evaluation.

Hemoglobin Test

Your doctor should provide a hemoglobin screen during your child’s

health exam to check for anemia, or low iron levels. If not, we’ll provide

a hemoglobin screen, which does not require your child to be stuck with

a needle.

Lead Test

Upon entry into the program you must provide results of a lead test,

this can be obtained through your child’s physician or the LaPorte

County Health Dept. If you need assistance in obtaining a lead

screen, please contact our Health Services Department for

assistance.

Immunizations

We need a current immunizations

record for your child within 30 days of

the first day of school. If your child is

not up-to-date, your child’s doctor will

create a plan to get your child on track.

We need to have a copy of that plan.

Physical Exam

Head Start requires a physical examination

of your child that provides details of all information on our Physical

form. The exam is required to be updated every year. We

recommend that you make an appointment with your child’s

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physician at least (1) month before the exam expires. The exam must

have the printed name of the physician as well as a signature and

date that the exam was completed. We encourage families to find a

“medical home,” or a regular doctor who can see your child for

regular well-child exams as well as for illnesses or injuries. If you

need help finding a medical home, please contact the Health Services

Office and we will assist you.

Dental Exam

We require a completed dental exam report within 45 days of the first

day of school. If your child requires treatment, you must also provide

documentation of the treatment within 5 days of the dental visit. Ask

the dentist to fax this information. We will provide at least 2 on-site

dental exams. But, dental consent forms must be completed and

signed by a parent to be seen by the dentist.

Although dental exam reports are valid for one year, we recommend

dental check-ups every six months. We encourage families to find a

“dental home,” or a dentist who can attend to your child’s dental needs

on a regular basis. If you need help finding a dental home, please

contact the Health Services Office and we will assist you.

Sick Child Policy

If your child is absent for more than (3) days due to an illness we must

receive, either by fax or by hand delivery, a return to school note from

your child’s doctor. No child will be permitted back in school unless a

note is received, this is to ensure the health and wellness of all of the

children and staff.

Please do not send your child to school with a fever of 100 degrees or

greater. If they have a fever at school, we will have to call you to pick

them up. We do not have the facilities to care for a sick child for any

longer than 30 minutes, so you will be expected to make arrangements

to pick up your child. Your child must be fever free for 24 hours

without medication before they can return to school. Our strict sick

policy is the only way to keep communicable diseases from

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spreading to other children.

If your child has been diagnosed with a contagious illness, or you

suspect they have a contagious illness, do not send them to school. If

you need help getting them into a doctor, please do not hesitate to

call us for assistance.

If your child is actively vomiting during the morning before school, do

not send them to school.

If a child is injured at school, staff will take necessary steps to obtain

emergency medical care. These steps may include, but are not limited

to:

Administering appropriate first aid;

If an injury is serious, we will contact parents, guardians, or

your family physician;

We will call an ambulance if we feel it is necessary to get

emergency medical services;

Staff will prepare an accident report for parents and for the

State Licensing agency in the case of serious injury.

Lice Policy If your child has lice or nits (white eggs that adhere to the hair shaft)

they may not attend school. Please contact your child’s physician for a

prescription for lice treatment or use an over-the-counter product. All

family members must be treated and your child must be checked by

the Health Services Dept. before they can return to school. If your child

rides the bus, you must drive them to school or arrange for our staff to

visit your home to check for nits before they can attend school. This

strict policy is the only way that we can prevent lice from spreading to

other children. Your child must be lice and nit free to attend. If you

need assistance with purchasing over-the-counter lice treatment

and/or education on how to remove lice, we will provide that for you

at no charge.

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Medication Policy If a child must take medication while at school, it

must be in the original container. Prescriptions

must have the original pharmacy label showing a

prescription number, name of medication, date

filled, physician’s name, child’s name and directions

for use (frequency and dosage). Over the Counter

medications must also be accompanied by a

Doctor’s note with the reason for using it and

instructions for dosage.

Medication cannot be sent to school with your child. It must be brought

to the school by the parent/guardian or given directly to a bus monitor,

teacher, or other staff member. Additionally, no medication will be sent

home with a child; it will be given to a bus monitor or teacher or a

guardian will need to pick it up in the Health Services Office.

Medication can only be administered at school when the scheduling of

the medication cannot be altered. BID (Twice Daily) medications will

NOT be given at school, these medications must be administered at

home. No expired medications will be accepted and medications that

expire at school will be sent home.

Parents must also complete a Request for Medication Administration

Form, signed by the parent, indicating the dosage, time(s) of

administration, name and phone number of the doctor, and any other

important information related to the medication or illness. Staff will

record the medication administration, dosage, time, and child’s name in

the daily medical log.

Dietary substitutions for any child will be implemented only with a

written order or prescription from the physician indicating the specific

reason for the substitution and what is to be substituted. Parents may

be required to provide food substitutions in some cases.

In the case of a suspected allergic reaction to a medication, appropriate

first aid will be initiated. Should that child require transport to a medical

facility, the child’s health file, the order for the medication, and the

medication itself will accompany the child.

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Parents will be responsible to insure that we have sufficient medication

for ongoing medication administration and to provide adequate refills.

If a medication should stop being administered, a discontinue order

written by a physician, or other such qualified professional, must be

provided to the Health Services Office.

Asthma Inhalers must be accompanied by a doctor’s prescription like other medication. Inhalers must also include a spacer device (to insure proper dosage) which can be requested from your doctor. We will also require your doctor to provide an Asthma Rescue Plan.

Family Services A major component of Head Start programming is Family Services. We strive to provide comprehensive services not only to Head Start children, but also to their families. In our program, every family will have their own Family Advocate. Your Family Advocate will provide home visits, create goals with family members, plan family events, and connect your family to community resources! They work closely with teachers to develop plans of action and determine ways to make Head Start programming even better! Let them know what they can do for you! Your Family Advocate will help you achieve your goals, support your volunteer and education opportunities, and help navigate local community resources. Let’s say you currently have a part-time job, but want to further your education through a vocational program…ask your Family Advocate for assistance! They will help locate vocational programs or direct you to where to go to obtain your GED, etc.

Family Goal Setting Each year, your Family Advocate will complete a Family Partnership Agreement (FPA) with you. The Family Partnership Agreement (or FPA) is a goal-setting process so the Family Advocates have an idea of your

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interests, strengths, and needs. They can help you reach your goals, whether it be to get a new job or find ways to volunteer in your community. Your Family Advocate will set up a Family Services Home Visit with you in August to start the FPA. After that, they will follow-up with you monthly to see how things are going. But you can always contact them sooner if you need something!

Parent Engagement You are your child’s FIRST and most IMPORTANT educator! Head Start is a wonderful place to get practice being a teacher. You can volunteer in the classroom, join our Parent Committee, help plan events and activities, and attend trainings/workshops. Parent and family engagement is key to your child’s education and success. We provide a variety of opportunities for parent engagement and also invite you to make suggestions for how we can do a better job of engaging families!Some of the activities that we provide on a regular basis are:

Parent Committee Meetings

Trainings/Workshops on topics YOU are interested in

Family Fun Nights…watch a movie, play games, work-out! And more…let us know if you have other ideas, too!

Keep a look-out in our monthly newsletter, event flyers in your child’s

Communication Folder, and on Facebook for upcoming activities!

Parent Committee & Policy Council

Parent meetings provide an effective and meaningful way for parents

and guardians to guide our program decision-making, parent

education, curriculum planning, and methods of communication with

staff.

Each of our Head Start sites has a Parent Committee that holds

regular monthly meetings, at least 6 times per year. ALL parents are

members of the Parent Committees and will elect Parent Officers as

well as Parent Representatives on the Policy Council.

Using the results of the Parent Interest Survey, we will set dates for the

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meetings and start planning great family events. If you are interested

in taking on leadership roles, or just helping out, please let your Family

Advocate know!

Policy Council members meet every month, approve financial reports,

funding requests and policy changes. The Council is made up of at

least 51% parents, but includes governing board members and

community members. This is a fantastic opportunity for parents and

guardians to learn more about Head Start operations, funding, and

programming. It is also a chance to make decisions that insure we

are doing the best that we can to improve the lives of Head Start

children and families, as well as the broader community.

Father/Father Figure Engagement Dads and positive adult male figures are important to kids’ growth and

development! Our Head Start Program wants our dads and father

figures involved in our programming, events, and children’s education!

If you are a father or father figure, we want YOU engaged. We offer

opportunities year-round for father engagement and would like to hear

from you about how you want to be involved.

Parent/Guardian Trainings and

Workshops Head Start will offer trainings and

workshops to families that are of

interest to them. Once parents and

guardians complete the Family

Interest Survey, Head Start staff will

set up workshops and trainings for

parents to attend. We can offer childcare and will provide certificates

for attending and completing the training sessions. We work with

community partners to provide relevant and useful sessions to parents

and other family members.

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Community Resources Each Head Start site and Family Advocate has a Community Resource

Directory. If you are looking for a certain type of resource, you can go to

your Head Start center or call your Family Advocate who can help locate

resources and refer you if it is outside of Head Start.

Family Fun Events Head Start hosts regular family fun events, such as Wii, movie, and

game nights, fitness activities, and celebrations. These activities are

meant to encourage parent and family participation. These events also

provide parents to meet other parents! Parents and guardians will be

notified of these events via newsletter, letter sent home, phone call, or

other means of communication, so be on the look-out.

Transition to Kindergarten If your child is moving onto Kindergarten in the fall, we want to help!

We will host field trips to Kindergarten classrooms in the spring so the

upcoming-Kindergarteners can visit their new school and teacher before

school starts. We will also provide relevant trainings for parents and

help with school registration.

Nutrition & Food We serve a healthy breakfast every day at 9:00

am, Lunch at 11:30 a.m. every day, and snack at

2:30 pm. everyday. Our menus are posted near

the front doors as well as in your child's

classroom. All meals and snacks comply with

the nutritional standards provided by the USDA

and CACFP.

Because a varied diet is the healthiest diet, we encourage children to

try new foods. We also provide fun food and cooking activities in

the classroom to encourage children to experiment with new foods.

We hope that you'll support us in this effort by trying new foods at

home and allowing your child to help your prepare meals.

We invite you to join your child for any meal or snack here at school.

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Please let us know in advance if you plan to join us so that we can

prepare enough food.

A doctor's order must be provided in order to substitute foods due to

allergies. CACFP and Indiana State child care center regulations do

not allow parents to bring in foods that have not been prepared in a

kitchen approved by the County Health Department.

In an effort to maintain a high level of dental health and nutrition, we

do not allow sweet treats to be provided in the classroom. If you

would like to bring something special for a holiday or birthday, please

bring fresh fruit, vegetables, or fun educational materials for the

children. We do not discriminate based on race, sex, religion, age,

gender, or disability.

Transportation & Bus We are very lucky to have the

Michigan City Area Schools

transport your children to

school every day. Their staff

consists of a bus driver and bus

monitor. We also provide a Head Start monitor to assist with the

children as they are picked up, dropped off and ride the bus.

Please adhere to the following rules to make sure the buses

stay on schedule:

1. Allow for a window of 10 minutes before and after the pickup and drop off times that were given to you in case of any traffic delays that might arise.

2. Make sure that whoever picks up your child up at the bus

stop is authorized, by listing them on your emergency contact list. The list can be changed at any time by contacting the office at Head Start at 219-873-2146.

3. We will not release your child to anyone who is younger than 15 years old, even if you list them on your emergency contact list.

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4. A Transportation Change Form must be completed in order

to change pick-up or drop-off sites. Transportation changes are very difficult to manage because the bus department has to revise the entire bus route and contact all riders about the change. It also increases the risk of your child accidentally being put on the wrong bus. Changes that are unavoidable will be accommodated, but will always take at least a week to become effective.

5. If no authorized person is at the bus stop to receive your child when the bus arrives, your child will be taken back to Head Start, 811 Royal Rd (Niemann). We will attempt to contact everyone on your emergency list starting with the parent/guardian, until we reach someone to pick up your child at Head Start. Please, make sure that we have current and correct phone numbers.

6. Your child must be picked up from Niemann by 5:00 pm.

After that, we will be forced to contact the Department of Child Services to take temporary custody of your child until you can be reunited.

7. If your child behaves in a way that is unsafe, you will

receive a written report to help us correct the behavior. If the behavior is not corrected, your child may not be able to ride the bus. You will have to provide transportation to and from school.

8. Buses pick-up and drop-off at the front door of Niemann.

Cars parked along the curb between 8:00 am and 9:00 am or 3:10 pm and 3:45 pm will be blocked in by buses or may be towed.

9. If you will be picking up and dropping off your child, please

avoid times when the buses are at school. Drop off after 8:45 am and pick up before 3:10 pm. You must sign your child in and out at the main office.

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Volunteering Volunteers are an essential component of Head

Start, and by donating time and energy, they

make a huge contribution to the success of our

program. Parents and guardians are very

important volunteers, and our Head Start

believes that utilizing parents/guardians as

volunteers enriches the Head Start experience

for all participants. We provide structured

opportunities and appropriate support for all interested

parents/guardians to participate in the classroom.

We highly encourage parent volunteering and strive to put parents in

volunteer positions that match their interests, abilities, and time

availability, as well as provide opportunities that add to their job skills

and experience.

Parents and guardians can volunteer in a variety of ways, including the

following:

In the Classroom: Put your talents, skills, time, and knowledge to

use in the classroom!

o Field trips

o Read to the class

o Playground supervision

o Organizing classroom materials

o Sharing a cultural experience or talent

At the Head Start Site

o Help in the office

o Plant and maintain outside gardens

o Clean storage areas

o Help set-up/clean-up during events and celebrations

If you are interested in volunteering, please contact your child’s teacher

or your Family Advocate.

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