Handbook for Early Childhood Administrators: Directing with a Mission » (1st Edition)

Hilde Reno, Ed.D, is Director of Instruction and Special Projects at Mailman Segal Institute, Nova Southeastern University.

Practical guidance every early childhood administrator needs to successfully direct with a mission!

“As a program director of an early childhood program, I find the sample lists and forms provided throughout the text to be very practical and helpful. They can easily be modified to meet the center’s needs or copied as they are and utilized in one’s program.”

-Dr. Leighan Rinker, Executive Director Beginnings of Palm Beach County, Inc.

“I would recommend this as a resource for child care center directors and assistant directors, especially for assistant directors who hope to move up the ladder eventually. This text would help administrators see the connection between mission and vision and everything else you do, as well as providing structures for developing and implementing sound business practices….I [also] believe this text would be very appropriate for students taking an administration course …even if they were not currently directors.”

-Jill M. Uhlenberg, University of Northern Iowa

From Mailman Segal Institute, Dr. Hilde Reno invites future and current early childhood administrators and early education center directors to examine and assess the many duties and responsibilities inherent in successfully managing staff, budgets, and a quality program that conforms to all legal and regulatory requirements. In Handbook for Early Childhood Administrators: Directing with a Mission, Dr. Reno walks readers through each management task that is essential to directing with a mission and offers a wealth of helpful support and resources, including forms, documents, recommended readings and websites, and reflective prompts to help all administrators and directors flourish in their positions.

What it takes to direct with a mission:

• Includes program evaluation and assessment tools to guide directors and administrators in maintaining high quality services and achieving accreditation and/or quality incentive awards.

• Highlights useful resources and weblinks featuring additional books, articles, documents, and information to aid in successfully operating a child care and education center.

All Chapters include: "Summary," "Resources," "Weblinks"

Chapter 1 - Organizational Vision AND MISSION

Developing an organizational vision

The mission statement

Using your mission statement to inform practice

Chapter 2 — Organizational Structure

Organizational structure and hierarchy

Organization Culture

Ensuring Safety

Recognizing Competence

Demonstrating Value

Meaningful Communication/Staff Meetings

Chapter 3— Program Policies and Procedures

Personnel Policies

Procedures

Chapter 4 — Job Descriptions

Writing a Job Description

Job Description as legal document

Modification of a current job description

Writing/Reviewing current job descriptions

Chapter 5 — Staffing

Recruitment

Screening

Interview

Practical demonstration of skills

Employment requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

Chapter 6 — Orientation, Evaluation, Staff Development

Staff Orientation

Probationary/orientation period

Evaluation

Professional development —Education and training

Progressive Staff Discipline

Chapter 7— Developing management systems

Developing Systems

Recurring activities that can be systematized

Calendar

Chapter 8 —Ethical Behavior/ Code of Ethics

Ethics

Ethics in Early Childhood Education

Ethical Dilemmas

Chapter 9 — Working with Boards

Governing versus Advisory Boards

Advisory Boards

Board essentials

Job descriptions

Selection of Advisory Board Members

Orientation

Meetings

Communication

Assignment

Chapter 10 — Law and child care

Employment Law

FLSA

Disciplinary Policy/Due Process

Unemployment Compensation

Worker’s Compensation Insurance

ADA (employment and providing services)

Legal responsibilities to Families - ADA and Admissions

Other Legal responsibilities to Families

Chapter 11 — Financial Operations

Budgets

Monitoring Income and Expenses

Competitive wages

Benefits

Chapter 12: Marketing and Publicity

In-house Marketing

Publicity/Visibility

Marketing Tools

Chapter 13 — Supporting Families: Parent Handbook

Developing a comprehensive Parent Handbook

Essential elements of a Parent Handbook

Cover with contact information

Admission requirements/procedures

Hours of operation, holiday schedule, program closings

Policies related to fees, payments, and refunds

Policies related to termination of enrollment

Policies related to sick child (contagious illness and infestations)

Health and Safety policies

Medication

Pick up

Reporting Child Abuse

Program plans to meet nutritional needs of children

Discipline policy

Transportation policy

Field trip/off-site activities policy

Statement of Receipt

Chapter 14: Program Practices to Support Families

Welcoming Families: Communication

Orientation

Child’s First Day and First Week

Newsletters

Daily notes

Bulletin Boards

Parent Education

Family Conferences

Surveys

When Families Leave

Welcoming Families

Opportunities for Family Participation

Inclusion

Diversity

Building Staff-Family relationships

Staff Training

Parents in the classroom

CHAPTER 15: PROGRAM EVALUATION

Curriculum

Scope

Sequence

Choosing a Curriculum

Outcomes Assessment

Child Assessment

Program Assessment

Accreditation

Choosing an accreditation system

Application

Self-Study

Submission of Self-Study

Verification of Standard