The Policy Council is part of the shared governance team that includes the Board of Directors, program staff, community members, and Parent Committee members. Together the team plans, and makes decision to achieve positive outcomes for children and families.  Policy Council assists program staff in developing plans, policies and procedures to meet Head Start Performance Standards and address needs in the community.  Policy Council members participate on the School Readiness Team, Health Services Advisory Committee, and the SelfAssessment Team. The election of officers for Policy Council is held annually in October.

At SMTCCAC Family engagement is a collaborative effort through relationship building among staff, families and children. The relationship is built on mutual respect shared among families and staff for the experiences each brings to the table. Relationship building starts at the point of entry into the program. This year Policy Council spearheaded SMTCCAC Family Fun Day June 7, 2019 at a local church in Indian Head, Maryland. Each program was represented with a different colored tee-shirt. Their children enjoyed several activities such as pony rides, moon bounces, face painting, dancing, and painting. There were approximately 86 families in attendance.

Our 4 week Summer Program helps students transition to Kindergarten. Our Summer Program offers extended learning for all students transitioning to Kindergarten. During this time the students are provided one-to-one instructional support.

SMTCCAC launched the Male Involvement Program (MIP) September 2018. The first Male Involvement Meeting was held April 2019 at Famous Dave’s, Waldorf, MD. The MIP goal is to create a culture of engagement that encourages and supports fathers in becoming more involved in the lives of their children. 24/7 Dad’s is the curriculum used. This curriculum offers men an opportunity to Reflect and Share their experiences. One of the program outcomes is the increased male participation in Shared Governance (Policy Council Meetings.)