Policy Council

Policy Council

Policy Council representatives, Delegates and Alternates, serve in a leadership role and are involved in shared governance with the Board of Directors, Executive Director, and key management.

View the Policy Council Roster here.

Previous Policy Council meeting notes are available in pdf format on this page, below the sub-navigation.

The Policy Council is responsible for the direction of the Head Start program, including participation in program design, goals and objectives, community assessment and self-assessment. A Delegate and/or Alternate represent their site at monthly Policy Council meetings. Policy Council representatives share information directly from their center with other site representatives at the monthly Policy Council meeting. In addition, all information gleaned from Policy Council is shared at Parent-Center Committee Meeting using the Policy Council Highlights form.

Policy Council Representatives Responsibilities

• Participate in the annual Self-Assessment process
• Serve as a link to the Parent – Center Committees and Board of Directors
• Work in partnership with Executive Director, the Board of Directors, management and staff to implement a shared decision-making system of governance
• Assist Parent – Center Committees in communication with parents enrolled in all program options to ensure that they understand their rights, responsibilities, and opportunities in Early /Head Start and to encourage their participation in the program
• Assist Parent – Center Committees in planning, coordinating and organizing program activities for parents with the assistance of staff, and ensuring that funds set aside from program budgets are used to support parent activities
• Assist in recruiting volunteer services from parents, community residents, and community organizations, and assist in the mobilization of community resources to meet identified needs
• Assist with the annual updates to the Community Assessment
• Approve (or disapprove) decision to hire or terminate any person who works primarily for the Early/Head Start program. The term “primarily” shall mean a person who spends more than 51% of their work hours on Early/Head Start matters
• Participate in at least one Standing Committee
• Promote $2 per Child Campaign