Parent Policy Council

The Parent Policy Council is made up of Head Start/Early Head Start Parents and community representatives who share responsibility for overseeing the delivery of high-quality services to children and families in the program.

Through the Policy Council, parents have a voice in decisions about how the program spends money, what children do in their classrooms, and how the program works with community partners. Children, parents, and the program benefit when parents take on leadership roles.

The responsibility includes being able to commit to a once a month meeting and completing a Background Disclosure for the State of WI.

Join us and let your voice matter!!

Your Voice Matters

Policy Council representation for Head Start and Early Head Start is a federal requirement.

Every Head Start and Early Head Start Center has a Parent Center Committee and each parent is a member. Out of the Parent Center Committee a representative is elected by the parents annually.

The Policy Council members receive training on Program Governance and the importance of working together as a team. The Policy Council meetings monthly and provides input on policies, program self assessment, grant applications, program design, hiring and reporting information back to the Parent Center Committees.

Any father, mother or guardian with a child in the program may run for Policy Council representation and some past parents may run for the “community representative” position.

The responsibility includes being able to commit to a once a month meeting and completing a Background Disclosure for the State of WI.


Benefits of Policy Council membership:

  • Learn valuable leadership skills
  • Received training in the many areas of HS & EHS
  • Give back to a program that is free to families
  • Opportunities to attend workshops and trainings
  • Awareness of job opportunities and education needed for employment

POLICY COUNCIL 2021-22

Marquita Newsome – Chairperson
Beloit Head Start

Alyssa Shire – Vice-Chair
Janesville Head Start

Donna Oatman
Elkhorn Head Start

Nydia Perez
Janesville Head Start

Heather Hill
Lake Geneva Head Start

The Head Start Logo Tells a Story

Head Start BlocksPeter Masters designed the National Head Start logo in 1965. He used building blocks (common play toys and learning tools) as a symbol for the development and growth of children through Head Start. To reflect the fact that Head Start is a national program operated by the Government, Masters added a representation of the American flag. He chose red and white stripes and an arrow, printed in reverse on a blue background. The arrow is the common denominator of all antipoverty programs and symbolizes upward mobility.

  • The two squares represent early childhood by suggesting building blocks.
  • The arrangement of the blocks represents stairs by which this can be accomplished.
  • The vertical stripes represent the child and parent.
  • The arrow pointing upward represents the direction out of poverty and on to the future.
  • The colors, red, white, and blue represent the United States and the many opportunities it provides for its citizens.

Head Start is designed to ensure that all children – regardless of their family’s income, race, or ethnic background – are able to enter kindergarten ready to learn.
– Lucille Roybal-Allard

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