Policy Council

Kirsten Garcia

Parent – Children’s Garden
Chair

Rachael Werner

Parent – Haskin Child Care Center
Treasurer

Sonia Molinar

Parent – Children’s Garden
Member

Anatniuq Gonzales

Parent – Centennial Early Learning Center
Secretary

LaRae Mattive

Community Member
Vice Chair

Jasmine Smart

Parent – Children’s Garden
Member

Jessica Adams

Parent – Children’s Garden
Member

Policy Council By Laws

Article I: Name

The name of this Council shall be Early Childhood Council of the San Luis Valley, Early Head Start Policy Council (ECC SLV EHS), from here forth known as, the Policy Council.

Article II:  Purpose

The purpose of the Policy Council is to provide parents and community members an opportunity to participate in shared decision making per the Head Start Performance Standards 1301.1 and the Head Start Act.  Training and technical assistance will be provided to the Policy Council Members in order to ensure that members understand the information they receive and can effectively oversee and participate in the Early Head Start Program.

  1. The Policy Council will work in cooperation with the Early Childhood Council Board of Directors, the Executive Director and the Early Head Start Director.
  1. Policy Council Representatives will be selected by parents of children
  2. currently enrolled in Early Head Start.
  • The Policy Council will participate in shared decision making in the areas of:
  • Budget
  • Parent Involvement and Family Activities
  • Program Operation

Section B. Function of the Policy Council:

  1. Participate in monitoring the ECC SLV EHS program operations.
  2. Communicate ideas for program improvements.
  3. Enhance parent participation by recruiting parent volunteers, community members and          organizations.
  4. Participate on Advisory Committees.

Article III:  Membership

Section A:  Eligibility

  1. Policy Council
  2. The Policy Council must consist of parents of Early Head Start enrolled children, a minimum of (5) five.
  3. The Policy Council should consist of parents from each Parent Center Committee. Should any parent committee from any one contracted program not have a        member available or interested, parents from other contracted programs will be considered. An attempt will be made to have one parent representative from each child care center. Each member will have voting rights at the meetings.  This Council will also make an attempt to have one alternate member per site. Alternates must have a child currently enrolled in an Early Head Start classroom.
  4. The Policy Council will be comprised of 51% current Early Head Start parents.
  5. Parents are elected for one program year.  Policy Council membership ends when the                     program year in which the member was elected ends at which point parents may choose       to be re-nominated and re-elected for membership at the annual elections.
  6. Policy Council members may not serve more than five (5) years in a lifetime.
  7. Community Representatives
  8. The Council will also elect Community Representatives (these could be past parents and/or community members). Community Representatives may be recommended

by the ECC Board of Directors, Policy Council Members, ECC Executive Director, Early Head Start Director and/or parents. They shall be elected by parents of children currently enrolled in Early Head Start.

  1. The Policy Council may only be made up of 49% Community Representatives.
  2. Community Representatives are elected for one (1) year.  Community Representative     membership ends when the program year in which the member was elected ends; at        which point the community member may be re-nominated and re-elected for membership         at the annual elections.
  3. Community Representatives may not serve more than five (5) years in a lifetime.

Section B:  Nepotism-Staff and Family Members

  1. Except as provided in the Head Start Performance Standard 1301.3 (b)(2), no San             Luis Valley Early Head Start staff (contracted or otherwise), Staff Member working        with a Head Start Program in the San Luis Valley (Early Head Start service area), or members of their immediate family (relatives) shall serve on the Policy Council. For           the purpose of this document, the term “relatives” includes wife, husband, daughter, son,           mother, father, sister, brother, grandmother, grandfather, grandchild, life partner or

relative by marriage of equivalent degree (in-laws).  This may extend to other relationships if conflict of interest and confidentiality are in jeopardy.

Article IV:  Meetings

Section A:  Regular Meetings

  1. The Policy Council will meet once a month at a regularly scheduled time and place,          as determined by the Policy Council Members at the previous Policy Council Meeting.           Notice of the regular meetings will be sent out or delivered to each Policy Council     member 48 hours prior to the meeting. Notice shall include at a minimum, an agenda, and a copy of minutes from the previous meeting for the upcoming meeting indicating all items requiring a vote of the Policy Council, additional items may be included to allow members to be prepared for the meeting.

  Section B:  Special Meetings

  1. Special meetings may be called by the ECC Executive Director, the EHS Director, or the Policy Council Chair.

  1. Any member of the Policy Council may request that the Policy Council Chair call a special meeting.

  1. Policy will be given a 24-hour notice in advance if such a meeting is called.
  2. An annual Policy Council meeting shall be held in each program year. The initial       ECC/SLV EHS Policy Council meeting and the annual meeting shall be for the seating of         new members, elections of officers, Policy Council training and transaction of business.

Section C:  General Meeting Format

  1. All agendas will follow the format provided by ECC/SLV EHS. Any item which is            not listed on the agenda may not be voted on at the meeting unless the agenda is amended and the item is add at the beginning of the meeting.
  2. Concise minutes shall be kept of the actions taken by the Policy Council at every     meeting.

  1. All meetings of the Policy Council shall be conducted using “Robert’s Rules of            Order”.

Section B:  Attendance

           

  1. All Policy Council Members are required to attend monthly meetings 
  1. A quorum at all meetings MUST consist of a minimum of 50% of current  members. In which 51% of all current members present must be parents and 49%  of all current members present must be community members.  Unless otherwise specified in the minutes of a meeting, a majority vote by the quorum present will  constitute official Policy Council action.  It is extremely important that a quorum be  present at every meeting (regular, special, emergency) in order to conduct Early Head Start business. 
  1. If a quorum is not reached in person, Policy Council members will be allowed to attend and vote virtually. 
  1. Policy Council meetings may be held virtually/hybrid if deemed necessary to conduct business of the Policy Council.
  2. In emergency situations requiring an action vote by Policy Council Members, votes            may be accepted via email as long as the email states clearly the purpose of the action          item.
  3. Policy Council Members shall notify the Policy Council Chair or Parent Family Community Engagement Managers if they are unable to attend the meeting, as soon as possible.

Section C:  Vacancies

  1. Vacancies in the Policy Council shall be filled for the duration of the program year by          a majority vote of current Policy Council members.   Candidates may be alternates or         other interested parents of currently enrolled children.  Candidates may be recommended by ECC Board of Directors, Policy Council Members, ECC Executive Director, Early   Head Start Director and/or parents.
  2. Candidates who have filled a vacancy within the year and before the beginning of the          new election year; and who are interested in remaining on the Policy Council will have        the option of re-nomination prior to re-election at the annual ECC/SLV EHS Policy            Council meeting and seating of new members, election of officers, and Policy Council         training.

Section D:  Voting Rights

  1. All regularly elected parent and community representatives, as Policy Council    members will serve in a voting capacity.  Each member will have a maximum of one vote.  During the transition period when the outgoing and incoming Policy council members are meeting together, old and new members will vote on each agenda item,   including election of officers, except in the case when the member is being voted in to    office in which that member will abstain from voting.

Section E:  Termination of Membership

  1. Policy Council Officers or Members may be terminated from office by a vote of 50%           of the total membership of Policy Council, not including the vote of the member subject           of removal.  Members are not allowed to vote on the issue of their own removal.
  2. Policy Council Members absent from two (2) consecutive meetings or four (4) total meetings in a program year, without notifying the Policy Council Chair or Parent Family Community Engagement Managers, shall be subject to termination.
  3. Policy Council Members whom are disruptive to the point of keeping the Policy         Council from functioning at the meetings shall be subject to termination.
  4. Policy Council Members, terminated, will be notified in writing of their termination            from the Policy Council.

Section F:  Resignation

  1. Policy Council Members electing to resign their membership from the Policy Council,      (ie.  due to obtaining a position with the grantee or becoming part of the EHS Program   staff, lack of interest or end of term) are required to submit a Letter of Resignation to the        Policy Council Chair or Parent Family Community Engagement Managers.

Article V:  Officers

Section A:  Election

  1. Parents of Early Head Start enrolled children will be included in an annual             nomination and election process to elect parents from the Parent Center Committee to become a Policy Council Member.  Nominations shall occur annually and precede the           annual elections.
  2. New officers will be seated to the Policy Council at the beginning of the Policy Council/Program year.

Section B:  Common Duties

  1. Attend all Policy Council meetings.
  2. Study and follow the By-Laws.
  3. Be familiar with Robert’s Rules of Order and Parliamentary Procedures as utilized by   the Early Head Start Program.
  4. Participate in the Annual Program Self-Assessment.

Section C:  Officers

  1. Officers of the Policy Council shall consist of a Chairperson, Vice Chairperson and Secretary. Positions may be combined at the discretion of the Policy Council prior to election of officers. Any voting member may be an officer, except for alternates.
  2. Chairperson

       The Chairperson shall have the following responsibilities:

            1) preside over the Policy Council.

             2) call special meetings, when necessary.

             3) work with Parent Family Community Engagement Managers to develop a

monthly agenda.

             4) open and close all meetings.

             5) vote only to break a tie except in cases where he/she has made the nomination                                for an election in which case the Vice-Chairperson becomes the tiebreaker.

             6) sign off on the Early Head Start grant amendments, and sign on behalf of the Policy Council for any other official business.

             7) carry out such reasonable duties as requested by the ECC Executive Director, EHS Director or Parent Family Community Engagement Managers.

  1. Vice Chairperson

       The Vice-Chairperson shall have the following responsibilities:

             1) preside over the Policy Council and carry out all the duties of the Chairperson  in their absence or whenever the Chairperson temporarily vacates the position.

             2) carry out such reasonable duties requested by the EHS Executive Director, EHS Director or Parent Family Community Engagement Managers.

  1. Secretary

       The Secretary shall have the following responsibilities:

1) work with the PFCE Managers to ensure that accurate minutes of the Policy Council meetings are recorded and kept in an organized manner so as to provide access to all Policy Council Members.

             2) sign minutes of official meetings; ensure that minutes are  completed within 48 hours following the meeting, prepared  and presented by the next meeting.

             4) assist with Policy Council mailings and distributions as necessary.

             5) carry out such duties as requested by the ECC Executive Director, EHS Director or Parent Family Community Engagement Managers.

Article VI:  Committees

  1. Special Committees shall be appointed by the Chairperson as the need arises.

Article VII:  By-Laws

  1. A copy of the By-Laws shall be distributed to each member of the Policy Council by Parent Family Community Engagement Managers.
  2. By-Laws will be amended annually. Any amendments to these By-Laws may be proposed in writing by any member of the Policy Council.  Amendments will be submitted in writing to the Parent Family Community Engagement Managers at least fourteen (14) days prior to the time when action must be taken by the entire Policy Council Membership.

Article VIII:  Reimbursement

  1. Policy Council Members shall NOT receive compensation for services or parent activities, but shall be entitled to reimbursement of expenses incurred on behalf of and at the request of the program, (ie. mileage).

Article IX:  Authority

  1. All Policy Council authorities are outlined in the Head Start Performance Standards, 45 CFR 1301 Subpart B- Program Governance.

Article X:  Confidentiality

  1. All matters discussed by the Policy Council in a Policy Council Meeting are public except personnel matters. The privacy rights of all parents, children and staff are protected rights that must not be violated under any circumstance.