Head Start delivers its services from people to people: 100,000 front line staff and managers working with children and families every day. It is not a factory or technology; it is a social system.

- Creating a 21st Century Head Start: Final Report of the Advisory Committee on Head Start Quality and Expansion

Module 2

Everyone Plays a Role

Outcomes

After completing this module, participants will be able to:

Key Concepts

Background Information

Defining management, relating the dimensions of management to individual roles and responsibilities, and developing a coordinated team effort are the first steps to providing quality services. However, if these activities are going to succeed, certain elements must be in place to help staff members and parents understand how work in one area of the program affects overall program quality. Staff and parents must identify their values and discover how these values are reflected in the Head Start program. In addition, they must understand that their Head Start program depends on individuals working together to deliver comprehensive services.

For example, how does the interaction between food service staff and parents affect the involvement of parents throughout the program? How does inadequate supervision or support for social service staff affect relationships between teachers and parents? To understand how these connections influence the program, Head Start staff and parents must have a team perspective of service delivery. They must see how everyone plays a role.

An important objective for staff and parents in Head Start is to build an environment that meets the needs of children and families. In this environment, everyone works together to support the spirit and philosophy of Head St art....[In addition, this type of environment is] based on mutual respect, self-worth, and.., supportive and nurturing relation ships.1 Programs must genuinely support the values of families to meet their current needs as well as any future needs that may be brought about by change.

The Head Start Program Performance Standards require programs to establish and maintain an organizational structure that supports the accomplishment of program objectives. The management team, each staff member, and every parent must work together as a motivated supportive team to create a program committed to the success of children and families. Creating a program of this nature involves understanding the roles and responsibilities of Head Start staff and the interrelationships among the governing bodies, the management team, and all staff and parents.

Program Roles and Responsibilities

Although the roles and responsibilities of the people in Head Start are partially defined in the Head Start Program Performance Standards, each program has considerable latitude to meet individual and agency needs. Some of the roles that exist in all programs include the policy council in grantees or policy committee in delegate agencies, board of directors, executive director, Head Start director, management team, advisory committees, additional staff, volunteers, and parents.

Policy Council or Policy Committee. This group comprises current Head Start parents and community representatives. One of their responsibilities is helping staff develop, review, and approve major governance and management policies and procedures. They also approve the hiring and termination of all Head Start staff, including the director. The policy council or committee links together and assists all the various center parent committees.

Board of Directors (Tribal Council, School Board, or Board of Commissioners). As the governing body for the grantee agency, the board of directors, tribal council, school board, or board of commissioners is
charged with general legal and fiscal oversight of the entire agency. The chair or president of the board receives official notification from the regional office about program funding guidance, on-site program reviews or monitoring, and the requirements to maintain or regain compliance with federal regulations. Direct involvement with day-to-day Head Start management is not the role of the board; however, a good communication and reporting system is essential to keeping the board members informed and supportive of Head Start activities.

Executive Director (or Designee). This individual usually supervises the Head Start director. He or she has general oversight of the administrative support functions such as financial and facilities management that the agency provides for Head Start. The executive director usually reports directly to the board of directors. In some agencies, the Head Start director and the executive director are the same individual.

Head Start Director. The director oversees the daily operations of the Head Start program. He or she has primary responsibility for program management. In collaboration with the policy council, executive director, and board of directors, the Head Start director formulates, coordinates, and implements the Head Start program plan.

Management Team. This group of core managers or coordinators varies from program to program. Some programs may include the policy council, board, grantee administrative staff, and Head Start managers on the management team. The management team is responsible for implementing all Head Start Program Performance Standards and managing the day-to day activities of the Head Start program.

Advisory Committees. Head Start programs are required to establish and maintain a Health Services Advisory Committee. They may also establish any other advisory committees that are appropriate for their local programs. The functions of the advisory committees include addressing service issues and helping the agency respond to community needs.

Additional Staff and Volunteers. This group consists of specialists, teachers, and aides who work directly with children and families on a daily basis. It also includes individuals from the community who participate in programs, offering their talents, knowledge, and skills on a voluntary basis.

Parents. Because Head Start programs are family-centered programs, parents play a crucial role. They serve on the policy council, and their involvement in all the areas of the program, such as education, health, and nutrition, is key to meeting program objectives.

Social Systems Concept

This module discusses the concept of systems theory to give participants a comprehensive understanding of how Head Start organizations operate. In systems theory, the whole program (organization) and its parts are examined. When applied, this concept allows all staff members and parents to step back from their program area and consider how their roles and responsibilities affect the entire program. If all the parts of the organization are clearly defined and operating properly and if everyone assumes an effective role, the program will provide quality services.

To understand Head Start as a dynamic social system in which everyone plays a significant role, apply the following questions to each of the interrelated parts of a Head Start program:

Purpose
What is Head Start's vision?
What is the mission of our program?
Is our mission clearly defined?

Structure
How is our work divided?
What roles and responsibilities do we have?

--Which individuals are responsible for the overall program? For Early Childhood Development and Health Services? For Family and Community Partnerships?
--What is the structure of our policy group?
External Environment
What is our relationship with other community organizations?
How do we work with our grantee agency?
How do we work with the Head Start regional office?
How are we affected by the recommendations of advisory committees?
How do we identify and address community needs?

Leadership
Who are our leaders?
What roles and responsibilities do they have?

Processes
What steps do we follow to do our work?

--Which management systems and procedures do we use?

--How do we make assessments?

How do we implement the performance standards?
How are decisions made?
How are values communicated? Are they clearly understood?

Culture
 What values are represented in our program?
Do parents and staff have common values?
How do we provide a supportive and respectful environment?
What standards of conduct do we have?

People

How are relationships supported in our program?

--How do we promote staff-to-staff relationships?

--How do we promote staff-to-parent, parent-to-parent, staff-to- children relationships?

--How do we support communication between staff and the governing bodies?
What are our staff requirements?

Impact of Values

Every organization has these interrelated parts, and each part provides a framework for addressing Head Start management issues. This framework also helps us ask the necessary questions to improve our programs.

In the first three activities of this module, participants review values, a key element in the culture of the Head Start system. In these activities, participants explore the link between their personal values and the values of their program. The purpose of these activities is to help participants recognize that sharing values that support the Head Start philosophy helps people work as a team to achieve their goals.

Values are the main reason for working in partnerships with children, families, and communities day after day. Many aspects of the environment that affect people and give meaning to their lives influence values, including culture, childhood events, and peers. For example, inclusion is a Head Start value that has a significant part in the program's culture; inclusion involves building a supportive community in which each child and adult is treated as an individual. Collaboration is another important Head Start value; it involves building relationships among children, families, staff, and the larger community.

Program Mission

The next two activities in this module deal with mission, a key element related to the purpose of the Head Start system. Participants complete exercises to identify their roles and responsibilities in achieving their program's mission. Because agencies or grantees may have a central mission statement, a Head Start program can develop guiding principles if a mission statement is not an option. Guiding principles and mission statements can achieve the same objectives.

A mission is the program's goal or the activities accomplished in partnership with Head Start families. How is the mission of Head Start put into action? By creating a mission statement. In The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, Stephen Covey describes the role of the mission statement:

An organizational mission statement.., truly reflects the deeply shared vision and values of everyone within that organization. ... [It] creates a great unity and tremendous commitment. It creates in people's hearts and minds a frame of reference, a set of criteria or guidelines by which they will govern themselves.2

When people understand the mission of a program, they can focus on how to achieve it. This knowledge helps people see how they can contribute to and achieve the Head Start mission if they fulfill their roles and responsibilities.

Other Elements of Social Systems

The final activities in this module focus on reviewing the remaining elements of the Head Start social system. To understand how the program operates, participants use these activities to see Head Start as a dynamic social system of interrelated parts. Looking at Head Start comprehensively and seeing how its parts are interrelated gives everyone a broader perspective. Staff members and parents can understand how each job function is a critical link in providing quality service. Like links in a chain, people depend on one another to do their jobs, and when one part of the system changes, the other parts can be affected.

To work together effectively, Head Start staff and parents must see themselves participating in the process and recognize how their daily tasks contribute to achieving program goals. They need to accomplish the following: