The Family and Community Partnership Content Area consists of Social Services and Parent Involvement.

"Social Service"

The primary goal of Social Service is to provide support to families as we work together to strengthen the family unit, and improve the quality of daily lives. We do this in the following ways:

1) Assessing family needs.

2) Provide information about our program and about support services available in the community.

3) Assist with locating and securing needed services, and to serve as advocates for St. Mark's families.

4) Offering parenting education workshops that are relevant to everyday life.

"PARENT INVOLVEMENT"

Parent Involvement has three purposeful roles in St. Mark's that directly impacts on its success. They are:

1. Parent Education Regarding:

- Their Children

- Head Start Components

- Adult Education

- Career Development

2. Parent Empowerment:

-Taking greater control over their lives

- Increasing self-esteem

- Improving decisions-making skills

- Developing or increasing advocacy skills

- Developing or increasing self-determination

- Moving or achieving self-sufficiency

- Breaking the cycle of poverty

3. Enhanced Leadership Skills:

Parent Involvement is a human enterprise embracing all of the parent's roles and relationships. When the following leadership skills are enhanced in St. Mark's, parents feel empowered enough to meet new challenges.

- Creative and critical thinking

- Communication skills-verbal, written, listening

- Enrolling, inspiring and encouraging

- Positive role modelling - Negotiating, compromising and resolving conflicts

- Being a team player - Being appropriately assertive

- Sharing and/or delegating responsibility

- Acknowledging and praising

FOUR WAYS PARENTS PARTICIPATE IN St. Mark's

1. Parents are participants in the process of making decisions about the nature and operations of the programs.

2. Parents are active participants in the classroom as volunteers, observers or paid employees.

3. Parents help us plan activities for parents, which they have helped to develop.

4. Parents work with their children (at home) in co-operation with the staff.

DESCRIPTION OF SOME PARENT COMMITTEES:

POLICY COMMITTEE: This committee is charged to work closely with the administrative body to assure the well being of St. Mark's. This committee shall be made up of 2 parents from each class committee, thus assuring equal representation. The elected body shall have voting power in all policy issues. They shall elect officers from within their ranks which include:

CHAIRPERSON

VICE-CHAIRPERSON

SECRETARY TREASURER/FINANCE COMMITTEE CHAIRPERSON

PERSONNEL COMMITTEE CHAIRPERSON

GRIEVANCE COMMITTEE CHAIRPERSON

BY-LAWS COMMITTEE CHAIRPERSON

Within the Policy Committee the following four mandates Sub-Committee shall function:

THE PERSONNEL PRACTICE COMMITTEE shall work closely with the administrative staff in screening applications for staff positions and submit it's recommendations to the policy committee.

THE BY-LAWS COMMITTEE shall review and recommend action on additional provisions or amendments to the existing by-laws. It shall review and recommend action on policy questions under consideration. This committee shall also act on legislative issues.

THE GRIEVANCE COMMITTEE shall work closely with the program director and hear grievances or complaints from parents, and make recommendations to the policy committee. This committee will not address grievances against staff because the union procedures take priority.

THE FINANCE COMMITTEE shall review and manage all parent involvement expenditures and monies, and plan an annual budget.