Chapter 4

Chapter Four
GETTING PARENTS INVOLVED

"Head Start believes that the gains made by the child in Head Start must be understood and built upon by the family and the community."

--Head Start Policy Manual, 1975

Parents are important to Head Start because they are important to their child. They are his first teachers and most enduring friends. Long after his formal education ends, he will continue to feel their influence. Head Start can give little to a child unless his parents are involved in the giving.
When parents, as well as children, have opportunities to grow and learn, the benefits to both are more than doubled. As parents develop skills, make friends, and assume responsibility in Head Start, they feel better, not only about themselves, but also about their children. Children then take pride in their parents, accomplishments and, feel more confident themselves. The combination of increased confidence, proud role models, and high parental expectations helps the child to profit from the program's services and maintain in the future the advantages of a "head start."
By supporting, rather than usurping, parents' roles as prime educators of their children, Head Start strengthens family life and, consequently, society as a whole. Working from the base of the family, parents can use their Head Start experiences to take responsibility in the community and make decisions affecting the quality of their lives.
Developing and maintaining parent involvement is a big task. At first glance, it might seem impossible. Perhaps that's why it provokes so many questions. Like most big jobs, however, involving parents in Head Start is really a matter of doing many smaller jobs. By approaching and accomplishing them one by one, the parent involvement coordinator can reduce the work to manageable proportions.
This chapter focuses on a few basic tasks which form the backbone of parent involvement - recruiting parents, orienting them to the program, planning and conducting regular meetings, solving problems, and involving parents in each component.
RECRUITMENT OF FAMILIES
Recruiting children for Head Start provides an opportunity to invite parents and other family members to participate themselves. During recruitment, parents get their first impression of Head Start; it is important to make it a good one. Those who recruit. parents set the tone for the parent involvement program. If they are comfortable in their role as recruiters, sensitive to parents, and familiar with the community and Head Start, parents are likely to respond to their overtures. If they also involve male family members as they recruit children, men are more likely to participate in the program.
The Recruiters
Head Start staff members, parents, and volunteers from the community can recruit families to participate in the program. Those selected to serve as recruiters should be familiar and comfortable with the people of the community - their culture, lifestyle, and social etiquette. They also should get to know the community and surrounding
Those who recruit should be thoroughly familiar with the services of Head Start. They should
have opportunities to role-play situations they might encounter. It might also help to develop a list of Head Start "sales points" to mention when talking to parents. Following are a few examples:

Head Start provides medical, dental, nutritional, and social services, as well as education.

Parents have a voice in running Head Start.

Parents can visit the program and work as volunteers; when parents qualify for paid positions, they are given first consideration.

Head Start offers programs for parents as well as children guardians and all family members are welcome.

Finally, the recruiters should approach parents with respect, tact, and honesty. Parents will overcome apprehension and respond to Head Start's invitation if they are made to feel wanted, needed, and accepted.
Methods Of Recruiting
There is no single best way to interest parents in Head Start; a variety of methods are appropriate
- home visits, phone calls, distribution of printed fliers, television and radio announcements. Asking community agencies to refer clients to Head Start often. produces results.
The methods of recruitment chosen by each Head Start program should match their resources and the needs and characteristics of the community. No matter which methods are used to interest parents, personal contact should be made at some point in the- recruitment process. Such contact is invaluable in promoting full parent participation in the program.
Involving Men
Because some men might feel uhcomfortable participating in school-related activities or what they consider a woman's domain, special efforts to involve men might be required. These efforts can begin during recruitment. Following are some suggestions for involving men from the very beginning:

Make phone calls in the evening and speak to the father or other male family member.

Schedule home visits at times convenient to the men in the family.

Address correspondence to both parents.

Enlist Head Start fathers as recruiters.

Point out opportunities for male participation in Head Start.

If staff members make it clear from the beginning that men have valuable, roles in the program and define those roles in terms acceptable to men, male family members will be more likely to participate.
After recruitment, efforts to fully involve men in the program should continue. Below are some ideas:

Encourage men to serve on the center committee, policy groups, or special committees in which they have interest or expertise, such -as budget, maintenance, or transportation.

Ask men to help make new equipment - bookshelves, puppet stage, doll house - or repair broken toys.

Plan activities of special interest, to men - home maintenance workshop, poker night, meeting with guest speakers such as athletes, or labor leaders. -

Serve refreshments that appeal to men - beer, burgers, pretzels, pizza.

Invite men to visit their child's class, share a hobby, go on a field trip, or plan for the children to visit a father's place of work.

ORIENTATION
If parents are to actively participate in Head Start, they need a thorough orientation to the program and their roles in it. Orientation can take place at the agency, center, or individual level. At the center level, an orientation meeting at the beginning of the year gives parents a preview of future activities. The parent involvement coordinator plans and carries out the orientation with the help of other staff members and parents. Pre-orientation activities can set the stage for a joint effort to plan, conduct, evaluate, and follow-up the orientation meeting.
Pre-Orientation Activities
In order to get acquainted with the parents and to enlist their aid in planning the orientation, it is helpful for the staff to plan an informal get-together with parents as soon as the children have been selected. While socializing with the parents, staff members can discuss the orientation and
ask individuals to join in planning and preparing for it.
The following suggestions for planning an informal social activity are applicable to planning the orientation as well.

Make a home visit before sending out invitations.

Choose a time and place convenient for parents.

Decide with director who will be responsible for refreshments; decorations, name tags, and other necessary details.

Mail invitations to parents, enclosing a stamped, self-addressed envelope for their response. The response card should include statements for parents to mark, such as, "I will attend," "I will bring a guest," "I will send someone in my place," "I need transportation," "I need a babysitter." Encourage both parents to attend and indicate if grandparents, siblings, and others are welcome. Following the invitation with a phone call is often helpful.

Publicize the event using posters, fliers, and handbills. Inform community organizations about the meeting and ask them to distribute information. Ask radio and TV stations, as a community service, to announce the event.

Arrange babysitting and transportation services for parents who need them. Staff members, volunteers, and other parents could be asked to provide their services. Eventually, a pool of volunteers could be developed to meet regular and short-term- needs-of parents.

At the meeting, provide name tags, perhaps color coded by class, so teachers can easily find and meet parents of their students.

Have someone, preferably a parent from the previous year, at the entrance to greet parents, assist them in finding their name tags, and perhaps introduce them to a staff member or other parent.

You might show scrapbook, photographs, a film or video tape from last year's class, as well as photos of previous parent activities. This is a good time to take photos of the parents, and post them somewhere in -the center where they and their children can view them later.

Introduce staff and explain their functions.

To encourage regular attendance of children, you can distribute a list of names and addresses of children in the class and also indicate on a map where they live, so parents can find someone who lives nearby to bring their child when they are unable to do so. (You must get; the approval of each parent before publishing his name, address, or phone number.)

After the get-together, it is important to contact everyone who volunteers to help and include them in planning and conducting the orientation.
Planning and Conducting Orientation
The orientation planning committee should include the center director, staff members from the component and support services, parents from the previous year, and new parents, as well as the parent involvement coordinator. The committee should make decisions about the time, place, content, format, speakers, materials, refreshments, announcements, and publicity. Responsibilities for specific tasks should be determined and a timetable for completion established. Orientation should take place as early in the program year as possible.
The content of the orientation program should include the following:

The overall goals and objectives of the Head Start program.

Parent involvement in the overall program, forms of parent participation, rights and responsibilities of parents.

Needs assegsment- and the planning process.

Decision-making and policy groups.

The role of each staff member, especially the parent coordinator.

The program content.

Tour of the center and classrooms
Written material explaining aspects of the program discussed during orientation may be helpful to parents. Other topics suitable for handouts include a list of staff members and names and positions, a list of parents and children in each class, a list of materials parents can save for the center, suggestions on helping a child adjust to the program, and songs or finger plays being taught in school. A questionnaire about how parents would like to participate in the program could also be distributed. Finally, a brief evaluation in checklist form could be used to get parents' reactions to the orientation.

Follow-up and Evaluation
After the orientation, parents would welcome a note from the coordinator, expressing pleasure in meeting them, as well as a summary of the orientation meeting. If the note is warm and personal, including specific comments about the parents or their child, they will be all the more pleased. The use of informal notepaper also lends a personal touch. Following the orientation, the coordinator and staff should evaluate the degree to which they met their objectives for the orientation and write a summary report including the evaluations by parents.

MEETINGS

Meetings are an integral part of parent involvement and should be held on a regular basis at the Head Start center. Subcommittees of parents can meet more frequently at times and locations convenient for them. During the course of a year, parents will meet for a variety of purposes and conduct meetings in many ways. Among other reasons, parents meet to make decisions, participate in educational activities, prepare for the program's self assessment and validation process, and give and receive information. The parent involvement coordinator can assist in planning meetings, locating materials and resources, providing information about group processes and techniques, evaluating the meetings and planning ways to improve parent attendance and participation.

Planning Meetings
If a meeting is well planned, parents will more readily understand its purpose, participate actively, and recognize that the planners valued their time. Every parent meeting should be planned by parents, who gradually take on more and more responsibility with the assistance of the parent involvement coordinator and any staff members whose expertise is needed. Planning should begin at least three weeks prior to the meeting to allow time for revising plans if necessary and notifying parents well in advance. The following steps should be taken in planning a meeting: defining the purpose; determining the resources needed; choosing methods; planning the agenda; making physical arrangements; and notifying parents.

Purpose Of Meeting
Each meeting should have a well-defined purpose. The planners will know their aim is direct and clear if they can answer these questions: Why are the parents getting together? What do we want to accomplish? Are we sure that having a meeting is the best way to accomplish this? The purpose of a meeting might be as simple as becoming acquainted with each other or as complex as making recommendations for curriculum development. In either case, the purpose should be absolutely clear to the planners and participants.

Resources for Meeting
The next step in planning is determining what resources are needed and available to accomplish the purpose. These resources might include people who could provide information or services, books, posters, audio-visual materials, food, supplies, and money. Arrangements should be made as early as possible to obtain what is needed for the meeting.

Methods Of Conducting Meetings
A variety of methods for giving and receiving information, sharing feelings, and accomplishing tasks can be used during the meeting. The planners should choose those methods most appropriate for their purpose. Some examples are discussions, demonstrations, lectures, audio-visual materials, exhibits and workshops.

Discussion is a natural way to share experiences and feelings, debate ideas, and work together on common problems. Discussions happen all the time, but they can be planned to accomplish a specific goal. It is often helpful to use a "trigger device" to start parents talking, such as asking a specific question, posing a particular problem, or showing a film. Every discussion group needs a leader to keep the conversation flowing and deal with potential problems. Preferably, the leader should be a parent. The parent involvement coordinator can join in as co-leader, if necessary. Following are some tips for the discussion leader:

Get participants to talk to each other, not just to you; if they direct comments or questions to you, bounce them back to another parent with a question such as, "Do you agree?"
Avoid filling in when there is silence; wait for others to respond.

Join in only to make things dearer, summarize information, or add your ideas.

If the conversation strays too far from the topic, gently remind participants of the purpose and encourage them to keep moving along.

Avoid having one person dominate the discussion; ask others for their opinions.

Try to include quiet members of the group, but avoid embarrassing them with direct requests for their comments; try to get to know them better individually and show them, outside the group, that you respect their opinions.

Make sure you don't discourage an open discussi~n by rewarding "right" answers and punishing forthright speakers in subtle ways.

Trying to accomplish a task or make a decision is often difficult if the discussion group is large. Occasionally it is helpful to divide a large group into smaller ones of less than ten each. Each group can then choose a leader to summarize their discussion for the whole group later.

Demonstrations can be helpful 'to parents who want to learn how to do something" They are used when spoken or written explanations are insufficient. Handicrafts, food preparations, and many parent-child learning activities can be taught best by demonstration" Questions, discussions, or actual participation in the activity can follow.

When it is necessary to communicate much information in a short time, the lecture is useful. This method is more appropriately used by a guest with specialized knowledge than by a staff member who is frequently available" Since the audience has little opportunity to participate when lectures are given (except during a question and answer period), they are likely to lose interest quickly. Consequently, lectures should be used infrequently and only when most appropriate to the purpose of the meeting. When used, lectures should be limited to 20 minutes or less.

Audio-visual Materials such as films, filmstrips, slides, records, and video-tapes are usually appealing to parents. The style and content of the materials used should be relevant to the audience; the picture and sound should be of high quality" Planners should preview the materials before the meeting and prepare an appropriate introduction for the audience. Following is a range of suggestions for using films and similar materials:

Give a brief summary and then show the film straight through; observe parents' reactions for clues about their concerns and feelings, then build a discussion around them afterwards.

Before showing the film, ask parents to pay particular attention to certain parts, aspects, or themes of the film that will be discussed later.

After showing the film ask parents to share their first impressions, to mention specific images or sounds they remember.

Stop the film at certain points to discuss what just happened, what's coming next, or what viewers would do next.

Show the film a second time to give parents an opportunity to notice things they hadn't seen before or to answer a question that came up in discussion.

An exhibit set up in or near the meeting room may be used to introduce the topic of the meeting or to supplement a speech, film or discussion. If parents are to make something at the meeting, sample finished products could be displayed. Exhibits could include such things as photographs, educational materials, health information, free booklets, and handmade articles.

Workshops are useful in learning or practicing specific skills, such as making puppets or books, planning menus, filing consumer complaints, or art activities. Workshop groups should be limited to a manageable number of people, depending on the topic, and led by a person skilled in the particular area. Usually, it is necessary to allot at least two or three hours for a workshop.

Agenda For Meetings
An agenda, a list of things to be done, should be prepared for each meeting. It should include the name of the chairman of the meeting and other speakers and a description of the activities planned in the order they will occur. Below is a sample agenda

AGENDA

Head Start Parent Meeting
Wednesday, February 10, 8:00 p.m.

WELCOME AND INTRODUCTION OF GUEST SPEAKER
by Jane Smith, Center Committee Chairman

"HOW YOUR BLOOD PRESSURE AFFECTS YOUR HEALTH"
Martha Street, R.N., Community Health Project

"HAVING YOUR BLOOD PRESSURE CHECKED" - Filmstrip

QUESTION AND ANSWER PERIOD

REFRESHMENTS

INDIVIDUAL BLOOD PRESSURE EXAMS

Notifying Parents
Parents should be notified of each meeting at least two weeks in advance. The notification should include the date, time, and place where the meeting will be held, as well as the purpose and agenda. The notification should be made in writing and include a response card for parents to return to the center. Although the children can carry the notices home to their parents, mailing them is a more reliable method. It is helpful to call parents at home a few days before the meeting to express the hope that they attend. Parent volunteers can assist the coordinator with this task.

Evaluation of Meeting
During and after a meeting, everyone involved has some impressions and feelings about it. Comments, facial expressions, gestures, and body movements express these feelings. Extreme expressions are easy to see - a guest speaker may be given a standing ovation or parents may walk out angrily before he finishes. Usually, the cues are between the extremes. In any case, careful observation of parents' reactions throughout the meeting is the best form of evaluation. Written evaluations by parents can also be helpful, if parents feel comfortable in writing them and if they are not used too often. Having to write an evaluation can sometimes spoil an otherwise pleasant evening. Written evaluations should be short, easy to read, and anonymous, unless the parents wish otherwise. Parents' attendance at meetings, monitored over a period of months, will also indicate the degree of their satisfaction with meetings.

After each meeting, staff members should write down their objective observations about the conduct of the meeting and the parents' reactions. In addition, they should rate the degree to which the objectives of the meeting were met. A brief summary and evaluation of each meeting should be kept on file for further reference.

Improving Meetings
Those who plan meetings can use the evaluations of parents and staff to make improvements in the future. However, obstacles to attendance and full parent participation at meetings are often difficult to pinpoint. The following chart lists some common obstacles to good parent attendance and participation as well as some ideas for overcoming them

PARENT ATTENDANCE AND PARTICIPATION:

OBSTACLES AND IDEAS FOR OVERCOMING THEM

Obstacles
Ideas for Overcoming Them

Meeting time inconvenient
Send home a brief questionnaire asking parents to specify most convenient meeting time.

Lack of transportation
Arrange car pools and walk pools; provide Head Start bus and information on public transportation; arrange for transportation.

Lack of baby sitters
Provide a nursery at the center or arrange to pool children where sitter is available.

Parents' feelings of inadequacy
- that something they say
may be out of place or stupid
Arrange informal social events where the parents and staff can become better acquainted. At meetings, leader or PIC should not discount anything parents say. Leader can acknowledge that "We are all initially hesitant to say anything out loud because we think that what we say might not be of interest to the group. But that's why we're here -- to share ideas."

Chairpersons may be inexperienced
Coordinator conducts training, coaches chairpersons and takes them along to other well-run meetings to observe.

Meetings may be boring or too formal
Make sure meetings are not too long, check agendas, maintain central focus during meeting, plan some social time, try to informalize meetings without losing structure.

Members might be talked at - with no opportunity to participate
Leader asks questions of group, encourages members to express their viewpoints; staff is reminded that they are there at the invitation of the group in a non-voting, consulting capacity.

Meetings may not accomplish anything
Research topic before meeting; dose on a positive note; if issue cannot be resolved, research the topic further and present findings at next meeting or by memo; involve other members in getting more information. Write dear "job description" for the group with purpose, responsibilities, authority, and communications clearly delineated.

Parents may feel uncomfortable or unwelcome
Brief staff on ways to make parents at ease; i.e., comment on something positive their child has said or done, compliment parents on something they have said or done or their appearance. Serve refreshments.

Parents may have overwhelming problems of their own
Arrange personal phone calls or home visits to permit parents to speak openly about their problems. When ready, the coordinator can move from there toward helping the parents. resolve the problem.

INVOLVING PARENTS IN EACH COMPONENT

As parents become oriented to the program and comfortable meeting others, the parent involvement coordinator can draw them into a wider range of activities. Each component offers opportunities for parents to learn more, to plan services with the staff, to volunteer, and to work with staff on a one-to-one basis. The following charts list sample topics for parent education, planning opportunities for parents, opportunities for volunteers, and ways to work with individual parents in each component.

EDUCATION SERVICES

HEALTH SERVICES

MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES

NUTRITION SERVICES

Parent
Education
Topics:
• Growth and development of young children emphasizing individual differences (in cooperation with all components, on an ongoing basis).
• Observing children's behavior and development at home and in school, and meeting their specific needs.
• Building upon school learning in the home, by planning activities and structuring the environment.
• Meeting the special needs of children with handicapping conditions.
• Locating and using community resources for children with spedal needs.
• Advanced skill development such as CDA credentialing, for those who desire it
• First aid, prenatal and postnatal care, oral hygiene procedures, lead poisoning, home safety, fire prevention, childhood illnesses and immunization.
• Assessing their own family's health needs, finding the services needed, and using them appropriately.
• Preventive health education.
Understanding children's growth and development.
• •Child-rearing practices and concerns.
• •How to fully develop child's potential.
• Nutrition needs of young children.
• How to make nutritious snacks.
• Experimentation in new foods.
• Avoiding junk foods.
• How to make mealtime a happy family time.
• Encouraging positive eating habits.
• Knowledge of center menus and how to complement them at home.
• How to use food as a learning activity for children.
• Food selection and preparation.
• Food sanitation and storage.
• Low budget menus.
• Special diets.
• Comparative food shopping, including bulk purchasing, setting up a food co-op, planting vegetable gardens.
• Reading and understanding labels, and common terms such as "drink", "natural", "processed", "imitation".
• Use of food additives.
• Home and money management.
• Professional training toward career as food service personnel.

Planning
Opportunities:
• With education staff, plan training program.
• With staff and policy group members, discuss education performance standards and parents' educational aspirations for their children. Choose most appropriate methods for meeting these objectives and write education plan.
• Approve of written plan, for classroom and home activities.
• Participate on the Health Services Advisory Committee to plan health services.
• Develop forms and procedures to be used in emergencies.
• With Director, mental health professional and mental health coordinator, develop and evaluate plan for delivery of service. • Assist staff in menu planning.
• Parents on policy board on Health Services Advisory Committee.
• Center Committee advice nutritionists on special community needs and family food patterns, and review nutrition plan

Opportunities
for
Volunteers
• Classroom aides.
• Consultants and workshop leaders, in areas of competency.
• Multi-lingual, multi-cultural resources, helping curriculum reflect the children's culture by advising about and planning activities related to their heritage and language, e.g., holiday celebrations, food preparation, songs, dances, costumes, games, art projects, and stories.
• Classroom interpreter for childrens' native language.
• Home visitors, trained and supervised by
• staff.
• Measure height and weight in classroom.
• Help with vision screening.
• Update health services information to be disseminated to all parents.
• Enter data on health records, while protecting confidentiality.
• Check immunization records.
• Help with oral hygiene program.
• Drive other parents to their health appointments and assist with necessary forms and routines.
• Serve on Boards of Directors or as volunteers in community health agencies.
Assist parents in crisis by providing supportive help.
• •Transport families to mental health services and help them utilize same.
• •Perform simple observation of children, and work with those needing special help, under supervision and guidance of mental health professional.
• Serve on Board of Directors of or as volunteers to child guidance clinics in mental health centers
• Keeping records of food expenses, menus and health inspections.
• Planning menu with nutritionist.
• Monitoring nutrition program.
• Assisting other families with food shopping or home management.
• Eating with children in classroom, and helping to create acceptance of new foods, a pleasant mealtime atmosphere.
• Interviewing other families about their home eating habits for input into the nutrition plan, so continuity can be provided between home and school.
• Sharing recipes and demonstrating new food preparation to other parents.
• Providing nutritious "birthday treats" for their child's class.

Work With
Individual
Parents
• Staff and parents prepare an individual program for each child, using information collected from parent during recruitment, enrollment, home visits, parent-teacher conferences, meetings and needs assessment. • Staff interviews parents about child's health history, and provides immunization record and treatment summary to parents.
• Parent accompanies own child to medical appointments.
• Provide assistance for individual problems by doing any of the following:
1. Observe child in his classroom.
2. Offer suggestions to a teacher.
3. Contact parent for permission to see the child alone.
4. Discuss results of evaluation with parent and together plan a program for the child either in the center or using neighborhood facilities.
• In cooperation with social services, help eligible families receive food assistance.
• Early nutrition interview, especially with parents of children with handicapping conditions, to assess their food patterns and needs (nutritionist uses information provided by family, health personnel, teachers, and health records to identify needs and provide individual program for each family and their child).

PROBLEM-SOLVING

Problems in achieving full parent involvement in Head Start arise frequently. Unfortunately, there are no ready-made solutions. What works in one program may fail in another. Those who know the most about a problem and its causes are best qualified to solve it. What follows is a step-by-step process which groups can use to find solutions.

Step 1: Identify and verify the problem.
What evidence is there that there is a problem? Who sees it as a problem? Is the evidence factual or based on impressions and opinions? How can it be verified?
How does it affect the program? children? staff? parents? community?
Is solving the problem a high priority?
What would happen if it were not resolved?

Step 2: Identify the causes.
Why does the problem occur?
Is there more than one reason?
Are the causes already being addressed by anyone?

Step 3: Brainstorm solutions.
What has already been tried?
What has been done by Head Start programs in other communities to solve this problem?
What has been done by other community agencies (if applicable)?
What new ways are there?
What resources exist to solve this problem?
Who else is interested? How can they be involved?

Step 4: Select solution.
Is it acceptable to all parties?
Is it consistent with Head Start guidelines (if applicable)?
Is it an effective utilization of available resources?
What specifically will have to be done? by whom?
Are there circumstances which will inhibit the solution, such as lack of financial resources or lack of skilled manpower, social and cultural deterrents, organizational rivalries, 01 opposition by special interest groups?

Once the solution has been decided upon, specific responsibilities for carrying out the solution should be assigned, and a timetable set for the completion of these assignments. Progress toward the resolution should be reviewed regularly.

Occasionally the chosen solution does not solve the problem. In this case, it is necessary to reexamine the causes and to explore alternative solutions.

Table of Contents | Chapter Five

Head Start National Library Collection | BMCC Home

	EDUCATION SERVICES	HEALTH SERVICES	MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES	NUTRITION SERVICES
Parent Education Topics:	• Growth and development of young children emphasizing individual differences (in cooperation with all components, on an ongoing basis). • Observing children's behavior and development at home and in school, and meeting their specific needs. • Building upon school learning in the home, by planning activities and structuring the environment. • Meeting the special needs of children with handicapping conditions. • Locating and using community resources for children with spedal needs. • Advanced skill development such as CDA credentialing, for those who desire it	• First aid, prenatal and postnatal care, oral hygiene procedures, lead poisoning, home safety, fire prevention, childhood illnesses and immunization. • Assessing their own family's health needs, finding the services needed, and using them appropriately. • Preventive health education.	Understanding children's growth and development. • •Child-rearing practices and concerns. • •How to fully develop child's potential.	• Nutrition needs of young children. • How to make nutritious snacks. • Experimentation in new foods. • Avoiding junk foods. • How to make mealtime a happy family time. • Encouraging positive eating habits. • Knowledge of center menus and how to complement them at home. • How to use food as a learning activity for children. • Food selection and preparation. • Food sanitation and storage. • Low budget menus. • Special diets. • Comparative food shopping, including bulk purchasing, setting up a food co-op, planting vegetable gardens. • Reading and understanding labels, and common terms such as "drink", "natural", "processed", "imitation". • Use of food additives. • Home and money management. • Professional training toward career as food service personnel.
Planning Opportunities:	• With education staff, plan training program. • With staff and policy group members, discuss education performance standards and parents' educational aspirations for their children. Choose most appropriate methods for meeting these objectives and write education plan. • Approve of written plan, for classroom and home activities.	• Participate on the Health Services Advisory Committee to plan health services. • Develop forms and procedures to be used in emergencies.	• With Director, mental health professional and mental health coordinator, develop and evaluate plan for delivery of service.	• Assist staff in menu planning. • Parents on policy board on Health Services Advisory Committee. • Center Committee advice nutritionists on special community needs and family food patterns, and review nutrition plan
Opportunities for Volunteers	• Classroom aides. • Consultants and workshop leaders, in areas of competency. • Multi-lingual, multi-cultural resources, helping curriculum reflect the children's culture by advising about and planning activities related to their heritage and language, e.g., holiday celebrations, food preparation, songs, dances, costumes, games, art projects, and stories. • Classroom interpreter for childrens' native language. • Home visitors, trained and supervised by • staff.	• Measure height and weight in classroom. • Help with vision screening. • Update health services information to be disseminated to all parents. • Enter data on health records, while protecting confidentiality. • Check immunization records. • Help with oral hygiene program. • Drive other parents to their health appointments and assist with necessary forms and routines. • Serve on Boards of Directors or as volunteers in community health agencies.	Assist parents in crisis by providing supportive help. • •Transport families to mental health services and help them utilize same. • •Perform simple observation of children, and work with those needing special help, under supervision and guidance of mental health professional. • Serve on Board of Directors of or as volunteers to child guidance clinics in mental health centers	• Keeping records of food expenses, menus and health inspections. • Planning menu with nutritionist. • Monitoring nutrition program. • Assisting other families with food shopping or home management. • Eating with children in classroom, and helping to create acceptance of new foods, a pleasant mealtime atmosphere. • Interviewing other families about their home eating habits for input into the nutrition plan, so continuity can be provided between home and school. • Sharing recipes and demonstrating new food preparation to other parents. • Providing nutritious "birthday treats" for their child's class.
Work With Individual Parents	• Staff and parents prepare an individual program for each child, using information collected from parent during recruitment, enrollment, home visits, parent-teacher conferences, meetings and needs assessment.	• Staff interviews parents about child's health history, and provides immunization record and treatment summary to parents. • Parent accompanies own child to medical appointments.	• Provide assistance for individual problems by doing any of the following: 1. Observe child in his classroom. 2. Offer suggestions to a teacher. 3. Contact parent for permission to see the child alone. 4. Discuss results of evaluation with parent and together plan a program for the child either in the center or using neighborhood facilities.	• In cooperation with social services, help eligible families receive food assistance. • Early nutrition interview, especially with parents of children with handicapping conditions, to assess their food patterns and needs (nutritionist uses information provided by family, health personnel, teachers, and health records to identify needs and provide individual program for each family and their child).

PARENT ATTENDANCE AND PARTICIPATION:
OBSTACLES AND IDEAS FOR OVERCOMING THEM

Obstacles	Ideas for Overcoming Them
Meeting time inconvenient	Send home a brief questionnaire asking parents to specify most convenient meeting time.
Lack of transportation	Arrange car pools and walk pools; provide Head Start bus and information on public transportation; arrange for transportation.
Lack of baby sitters	Provide a nursery at the center or arrange to pool children where sitter is available.
Parents' feelings of inadequacy - that something they say may be out of place or stupid	Arrange informal social events where the parents and staff can become better acquainted. At meetings, leader or PIC should not discount anything parents say. Leader can acknowledge that "We are all initially hesitant to say anything out loud because we think that what we say might not be of interest to the group. But that's why we're here -- to share ideas."
Chairpersons may be inexperienced	Coordinator conducts training, coaches chairpersons and takes them along to other well-run meetings to observe.
Meetings may be boring or too formal	Make sure meetings are not too long, check agendas, maintain central focus during meeting, plan some social time, try to informalize meetings without losing structure.
Members might be talked at - with no opportunity to participate	Leader asks questions of group, encourages members to express their viewpoints; staff is reminded that they are there at the invitation of the group in a non-voting, consulting capacity.
Meetings may not accomplish anything	Research topic before meeting; dose on a positive note; if issue cannot be resolved, research the topic further and present findings at next meeting or by memo; involve other members in getting more information. Write dear "job description" for the group with purpose, responsibilities, authority, and communications clearly delineated.
Parents may feel uncomfortable or unwelcome	Brief staff on ways to make parents at ease; i.e., comment on something positive their child has said or done, compliment parents on something they have said or done or their appearance. Serve refreshments.
Parents may have overwhelming problems of their own	Arrange personal phone calls or home visits to permit parents to speak openly about their problems. When ready, the coordinator can move from there toward helping the parents. resolve the problem.