Paducah Head Start/Preschool

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Paducah Head Start/Preschool

• Program Governance Training

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Stitching the Services Together
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Head Start Program Overview

• Federal Program that began in 1965
• Program for low-Income preschool children and
  their families
• Head Start promotes the school readiness of
  low-income children by enhancing their cognitive,
  social and emotional development
• Comprehensive child development program designed
  to include the following service areas
• Early Childhood Development Health Services
• Family Community Partnerships
• Program Design and Management

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What makes a Head Start Program different from
other early childhood programs?

• Parents are empowered to actively participate in
  the shared decision-making process about all
  aspects of their childs program through a formal
  structure of shared governance.

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What is Program Governance?

• Program governance is the formal structure that
  provides parents and other community
  representatives with the authority and
  opportunity to participate in shared
  decision-making concerning program design and
  implementation.

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Policy Council Members are

• Parents of children currently enrolled
• Community Representatives

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Key Individuals Groups Responsible for Head
Start Decision Making

• Governing Body Paducah Public School Board
• Agency Director Superintendent
• Dr. Randy Greene
• Program Director Head Start Director
• Frances Smith
• Policy Council Membership must be at least 51
  of parents of children currently enrolled in the
  program

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Policy Council Responsibilities

• Under the new Head Start Law, the Policy Council
  must approve and submit to the Board, decisions
  about each of the following activities
• Activities to support the active involvement of
  parents in supporting program operations,
  including policies to ensure that the Head Start
  agency is responsible to community and parent
  needs.

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Policy Council Responsibilities

• Program recruitment, selection and enrollment
  priorities.
• Applications for Head Start funding and
  amendments to such applications, prior to
  submission of applications.
• Budget planning for program expenditures,
  including policies for reimbursement and
  participation in Policy Council activities.

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Policy Council Responsibilities

• Bylaws for operation of the Policy Council.
• Program personnel policies and decisions
  regarding the employment of program staff
  consistent with the Boards responsibilities in
  this area, including standards of conduct for
  program staff, contractors and volunteers and
  criteria for the employment and dismissal of
  program staff.
• Developing procedures for how members of the
  Policy Council will be elected.

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Roles Responsibilities

• Program Design and Operation
• Strategic Planning (Needs Assessment and
  Self-Assessment)
• Approve and submit program oriented policies to
  the Board.
• Long and short-term planning goals and objectives

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Head Start ActGoverning Body Responsibilities

• Assure active, independent, informed governance
  select independent auditors
• Fully participate in development, planning and
  evaluation of EHS/HS program
• Legal fiscal responsibility

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Board Responsibilities

• Must assure compliance with Federal, state and
  local laws and regulations
• And much more . . . . . . .
• Review and approve all major policies

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Information Sharing

• Information Sharing must include
• Grantees must ensure sharing of accurate and
  regular information for Board and Policy Council
  re planning, policies and Head Start
  operations.
• Monthly Financial Statements
• Monthly Program Information Summaries
• Program enrollment reports
• Financial Audits
• Annual Self-Assessment
• Community wide strategic planning and needs
  assessment
• Communication fro the HHS Secretary
• Program Information Reports

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Head Start Performance Standards

• The Head Start Performance Standards are designed
  to ensure that the Head Start goals and
  objectives are implemented successfully, that the
  Head Start philosophy continues to thrive, and
  that all grantee and delegate agencies maintain
  the highest possible quality in the provision of
  Head Start services.

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Head Start Performance Standards

• Mandatory regulations
• Must implement in order to operate a Head Start
  program.
• Define objectives and features of a quality Head
  Start program

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Performance Standards

• 1304.20 Child Health and Development Services
• 1304.21 Education and Early Childhood
  Development
• 1304.22 Child Health and Safety
• 1304.23 Child Nutrition
• 1304.24 Child Mental Health
• 1304.40 Family Partnerships
• 1304.41 Community Partnerships
• 1304.51 Management Systems and Procedures
• 1304.52 Human Resources Management
• 1305 ERSEA
• 1310 Transportation

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Paducah Head Start/Preschool Mission
Statement Paducah Head Start/Preschool provides
an exceptional child development program by
building compassionate partnerships with families
and positively influencing the future of our
society
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Summary

• The overall effect of the changes should be
  better informed Boards and Policy Council and
  therefore, an even stronger program serving our
  children and families.

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The Ten Commitments of Leadership

• Challenging the Process
• 1. Search out challenging opportunities to
  change, grow, innovate, and improve.
• 2. Experiment, take risks, and learn from the
  accompanying mistakes.
• Inspiring a Shared Vision
• 3. Envision an uplifting and ennobling future.
• 4. Enlist others in a common vision by appealing
  to their values, interests, hopes, and dreams.
• Enabling Others to Act
• 5. Foster collaboration by promoting cooperative
  goals and building trust.
• 6. Strengthen people by giving power away,
  providing choice, developing competence,
  assigning critical tasks, and offering visible
  support.
• Modeling the Way
• 7. Set the example by behaving in ways that are
  consistent with shared values.
• 8. Achieve small wins that promote consistent
  progress and build commitment.
• Encouraging the Heart
• 9. Recognize individual contributions to the
  success of every project.
• Leadership Challenge
• 10. Celebrate accomplishments regularly.

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M-O-V-E-R Qualities

• What are the qualities of effective leaders?
• One outstanding quality of leadership is their
  dedication to learning. Effective leaders ask
  more questions than they answer and use this
  technique to instruct others. Rather than showing
  a person how to do something, they ask the
  questions that lead the person to discover the
  solution.
• Leader act as Mentors by guiding, coaching,
  supporting, and providing a safe environment in
  which others may grow.
• Effective leaders engage in Outreach beyond the
  confines of the organization building
  partnerships throughout the community. They have
  a clear idea of what is important, how to achieve
  it, and how to communicate enthusiasm to everyone
  about their vision.
• Visionary leaders recognize the importance of
  inspiring others to be proactive. They want to
  teach others to anticipate future opportunities
  and the challenges of change.
• Strong leaders Empower others to believe in the
  vision and play vital roles in making it happen.
  They provide the tools and support for others to
  make decisions and succeed.
• Finally, great leaders lead by example. They are
  Role Models, teaching others who look to them for
  guidance.

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LEADERSHIP MYTHS

• Myth 1 Leadership is a rare skill.
• Everyone has leadership potential. Great leaders
  simply develop their potential. You can be a
  leader in one area of your life while have a
  different role in another part of your life.
• Myth 2 Leaders are born, not made.
• Many leaders had very humble beginnings. They
  attained leadership positions through hard work
  and experience. Becoming a leader may not be easy
  and there is no simple do-it-yourself guide to
  leadership. However, if you prepare yourself and
  are willing to put forth the effort, leadership
  can be learned.
• Myth 3 Leaders must be charismatic.
• Leaders come in all shapes, sizes, colors, and
  cultural backgrounds. There are no requirements
  for any certain type of physical appearance,
  health, personality, or style.

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• Myth 4 Leadership exists only at the top of an
  organization.
• Have you noticed that the most successful
  organizations have many people who are willing
  and able to assume leadership positionsnot just
  the top management person? Strong leadership
  breeds leaders. All programs and organizations
  have plenty of room for leaders.
• Myth 5 Leaders control, prod, and manipulate.
• Leadership should not be seen as an exercise of
  power, but rather as the empowerment of others.
  Good leaders do not need to control and
  manipulate others. People should accept
  leadership, not be coerced into following it.

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Good leaders lead by

• Pulling, not pushing
• Inspiring, not ordering
• Enabling people to use their own initiative, not
  control
• Setting attainable goals, not unreasonable
  expectations
• Rewarding progress, not by ignoring achievement.