The Child Development Centers encourages both informal and formal parental involvement in children’s care and education. Staff members are available to talk on a daily basis, and classroom telephones enable parents to call during the day to talk with teachers or check on their children. Parents of younger children receive regular written information about their children’s experiences and progress, and all parents are invited to participate in parent / teacher conferences twice a year and to attend parent meetings.
Parent / teacher conferences are an opportunity to discuss children’s progress and share information about experiences at home and at the center. We welcome parents to visit the center at any time during our hours of operation to observe their child, the center’s operation, or program activities, and we do not require parents to secure approval for their visits beforehand.
The centers provides a variety of opportunities for parents to be part of the program, offering choices of which work best for their families. General parent meetings allow families to keep up with center-wide activities, and each class has a classroom parent who serves a one-semester term as a liaison between the staff and other parents. Parents are invited to visit their child’s classroom and participate in center activities, such as parties and field trips. Parents are also encouraged, but not required, to participate in parent meetings, parent workdays, and fundraisers.
Members of the Parent Advisory Council (PAC) are a cross-section of parents of children from each of the center’s age groups. The council’s purpose is to facilitate communication between parents, staff, and the center’s administration in an ongoing effort to support the quality of care provided. The PAC is not a policy making body. Council members are nominated and elected to represent different age groups, and they serve two-year terms beginning in September.