1. Janai Carraway Therese Credle Lakeisha Jackson Katie Pinney
EDUC 520 Academic Service Learning Project The Parent Academy: Bridging the Gap
Janai Carraway
Therese Credle
Lakeisha Jackson
Katie Pinney

2. What is Parent Involvement?
What is Head Start?
Head Start is a national early childhood development program that promotes school readiness by enhancing the social and cognitive development of children through the provision of educational, health, nutritional, social and other services to enrolled children and families with children that are ages 3, 4, and 5.
What is Parent Involvement?
Parent and Family Core Value: “We respect that parents know what is best for their children and they seek and enjoy opportunities to connect with other parents and families”:
Parent Involvement Roles:
Participant, Evaluator, Planner, Decision Maker
Learner, Contributor, Supporter
Prime Educator, Child Advocate, Paid Employee, Leader

3. Barriers to the Program
Linguistic differences among families
90% of families are below poverty level- lacking in financial resources.
Reading levels of most families are below 7th grade making it difficult to disseminate information.
Lack of culturally competent resources such as counseling, education seminars and activities.
Non-citizenship causes barriers to accessing and receiving government services.

4. Working with Abby Mayers
The Parent Academy
Empowers families to grow through active learning and parent involvement.
Monthly events for all families.
Topics consist of:
Parenting skills, health & nutrition, budgeting as well as how to have healthy boundaries within family.
Working with Abby Mayers
Family & Community Specialist
Works with all the center staff and program volunteers
Organizes Parent Academy works with educational institutions like Seattle University to complete service learning projects.

5. What is Family Assessment?
Seattle First AME Head Start Centers:
Cecilia Williams Bryant Center (CWB) 
Dorothy Hollingsworth Center (DH)
Home-based Programs
Seattle Vocational Institute Center (SVI) 
What is Family Assessment?
Initial intake usually completed face to face by a care manager.
A way of collecting family specific data to provide support services for families.
Individual focus that families can receive to support and advocacy.

6. Family Assessment

7. Cecilia Williams Bryant Center (CWB)
Demographics
92 families being served
Family Composition:
57% : 2 Parent Household
42 %: Single Parent Household
Parent Education:
26 %: less than high school diploma
43% : High School graduate
Race:
11 % Hispanic/ Latino
56 % Black
24 % Asian
1% White
Child Primary Language
19% - East Asian
46%- African
11%- Spanish
22%- English
Data Analysis
1- Family Support
55% of parents want to share customs /traditions
90% of parents want to volunteer in classrooms/ field trips
60% of parents want to assist their child w/ homework
2- Family Interests:
15% Healthy Relationships
10 % Health & Nutrition
10% Budgeting & Finance
* Data analysis based on a sample size of 20 family assessments

8. Dorothy Hollingsworth Center (DH)
Demographics
Serves 63 families
50% single parent home
Parent Education
24% No HS Diploma
29% HS or GED
27% some college and above
62% make less than $15,000/year
68% African American
Child’s primary language
34% African
42% English
Data Analysis
38 Surveys Collected
Child and Family Interests
Parenting
Budget/Finance
Discipline/Behavior
Continuing Education
Computer
ESL
CNA
Parent Participation
Volunteering in classroom
At-home work with child
Recruiting
Music/Art Activities

9. Home-Based Programs Demographic Data Analysis Relationships skills
48 families being served
66.67%: 2 parent household
54.1%: less than high school diploma
Racial Identity
66% Black
12.82% Asian
Primary Language
63.64%- African
14.55%- Spanish
21.82%-East Asian
0% English
Data Analysis
Relationships skills
With focus on preventing violence
Health & Nutrition
Parenting Skills
Assistance with learning English
Employment training
Basic Needs support

10. Seattle Vocational Institute Center (SVI)
Demographics
59 families served
Family Composition
39% - 2 parent family
61% - single parent family
Parental Education
36% - high school graduate
42% - some college
Race:
58% Black or African American
Child’s Primary Language
58% - English
15% - African
14% - Spanish
Data Analysis
36 Surveys Collected
Interests:
Meal Planning
Health & Nutrition
Continuing Education
Family support:
Volunteering in Classroom/Field Trips
Sharing Skills
Riding the Bus
Communication:
send information home with student/child

11. Recommendations for Future Programs and Events:
Diversity training for staff
Parenting Skills Workshop
Create Informational flyer
Teacher contact information
Best dates/times for parents to volunteer in the classroom
Sharing Cultural Traditions and Customs
Family Potluck & Game Night
Have a variety of games available along with a special dish that represents each family’s culture 4

12. Recommendations for Future Programs and Events:
An Informational Session & Resource Night(s) featuring:
Meal Planning
Health & Nutrition
Healthy Cooking
What to Buy at the Grocery Store
Continuing Education- Community College
Public Transportation
How to Ride the Bus
What’s Available
Domestic violence & counseling
Budgeting and money management

13. “Everyone can be great because anyone can serve
“Everyone can be great because anyone can serve. You don’t have to have a college degree to serve. You don’t even have to make your subject and verb agree to serve…You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love…”
- Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

14. Questions?