Main Points:

• How to get children to attend.
• When children miss too many days, and when they return, it is like having to start over.
• Incentive for attendance are: transportation, food.
• Letters sent home if no attendance for 2 weeks.
• Voluntary service.
• Can't force the issue.
• Potty training is an issue. Must be potty trained to attend.
• Maybe we do too much ie. morning call out, bus pickup etc.
• Activities good - monthly field trips, parent craft, guest speaker, family book club.
• Some programs have strict policies re: attendance.
• Some are more casual (ie. drop in)
• Working on elder involvement.
• Who can attend? Any family affiliated???

Next Steps:

• Sometimes things take time ie. Head Start Funding takes a year to put in place.
• Keep incentive positive.
• Work on elder involvement.
• Make expectations to parents clear and follow up.
• Everthing is cyclical.