Following your child's growth

CDC teachers and staff always welcome contact with parents - from informal chats at pickup and dropoff to scheduled meetings. We also have two formal channels of communication with parents:

Journals
Journals are sent home twice a month by your child's teacher. Each entry contains a brief synopsis of what your child has been doing during the previous two weeks at CDC, who he/she plays with, and the skills being developed in group time. If you have any questions, just jot a note in the notebook and the teacher will respond either in person or in the next journal entry.

Parent Conferences
Conferences between teacher and parents are held two times a year, once in the fall and once in the spring. Parents meet their child's group teacher for about 20 minutes in the evening. The teacher shares observations and answers questions about the child's activities and development.

Joining the community

CDC welcomes parents and other family members into the broader CDC community. Families can keep up with events, and join in, in several ways:

Newsletter
Monthly newsletters, with important information about the program, special events, meetings and any policy changes, are distributed at the beginning of each month. Each newsletter includes a calendar for the month, which is a great way to keep track of CDC events.

Potlucks and other dinners
Several times each year we have pot luck dinners for our families. These are a great way for parents to get to know each other, meet other children, and to have a relaxed time to talk with teachers and staff. Details are posted on the parent information board at CDC and printed in the newsletter (and will be listed on the web site).

Parent education nights
Several times a year, CDC sponsors a "parent education" night. These evening presentations and discussions cover the gamut of parenting and early childhood development and education; our parents have found them particularly valuable. Topics and times vary each year and will be announced; materials from past sessions will be available on the web site.

Helping out at CDC

CDC relies on parent involvement for a good deal of its work; parents are encouraged to visit, to volunteer in the classroom, and to participate in CDC governance. We also ask that all parents participate in some of the work needed to keep CDC functioning.

Parent work teams
Every other month, we have a parent work day on a weekend. We ask that parents sign up for two work days each year. On these days, parents come into the center and do major cleaning and/or repairs. These work days help keep the cost of maintenance down. There are other work options for parents who cannot attend one of the designated work days.

Volunteer in the classroom
We are always open to having parents volunteer in parts of the CDC program. At particular times of year, we may specifically ask for volunteers to give presentations (on other cultures, ethnic foods, etc.) or to read to the children at story time. Consult with the CDC staff for details.

Help with field trips
Teachers plan field trips from time to time; we welcome suggestions for interesting and appropriate trips. For some excursions, we may ask for parent drivers. Strict safety rules and regulations are observed. When drivers are needed for field trips, sign-up sheets are posted at least two weeks in advance; we appreciate any help you can give us with driving.

As part of our licensing requirements, all drivers must submit to a State of Michigan screening which certifies that the driver has had no history of involvement in a case of child abuse or neglect. This screening can be performed by submitting a simple form to Children's Protective Services; copies are available on the Key Forms page and at CDC. Allow a week for the results to be returned to you.

Join in CDC governance
The members of the Board of Directors are parents, elected by the parents of children enrolled in all of CDC's programs. CDC was founded in 1972 by families in the Burns Park community, and parents continue to pay a central role in CDC's governance. The parents and staff of CDC have worked together over the years to develop policies and procedures that work best for the children, parents and staff. In addition to serving on the Board, parents can participate in the work of the Board by serving on one of its committees, even if they are not Board members. For more information, see our Board pages.