Head Start of Northern Fairfield County
--Just For Parents
There are many opportunities for parents to be involved with their child’s early education program. We encourage parents to pursue whatever path with which they are most comfortable from the following opportunities:Governance: The shared governance structure for the Connecticut Institute For Communities, Inc. (CIFC) has a Board of Directors with regional representation as well as a Head Start Policy Council. The Council is comprised of Head Start parents and members of the community including parent representation from the School Readiness Program. The Council in turn has a seat on the CIFC Board of Directors. The Policy Council oversees all aspects of CIFC’s early childhood programs, in order to make informed decisions in cooperation with the CIFC Board of Directors.
Classroom Volunteer: Parents are their child’s primary teacher, which is why parents’ participation in the classroom is important. We welcome parents as volunteers in their child’s classroom whenever possible. Children benefit from seeing their parents in the classroom, with many of the activities able to be continued in the home. Parents and teachers work together to share talents, knowledge and energy so that each child receives the greatest benefit.
Educational Programs: opportunities are available for parents to sign up for career/job training, ESL classes, GED classes and workshops that are offered in the Danbury community throughout the year. The Education Services Manager periodically provides training opportunities for parents who might be interested in becoming teaching substitutes.
Head Start of Northern Fairfield County collaborates closely with the Danbury Public Library. All children and families are offered library cards at their first Parent/Teacher Conferences.
Participation in Program Self-Assessment: Annually staff, community members, board members and parents come together to perform a formal, in-depth assessment of all aspects of our Head Start program, in order to provide recommendations for improvement. A written report and action plan is presented to the Policy Council and the Board of Directors each year.