Parent Advisory Board improves base child care Published June 14, 2010 By Connie Hempel 17th Training Wing Public Affairs GOODFELLOW AIR FORCE BASE, Texas -- There are more than 300 youths attending base youth activities - Child Development, School Age, Youth Sports and Youth Center - but looking at the turnout of the Parent Advisory Board meetings, you'd think this number was a bit inflated. Unfortunately, it's not. "We need to get more people involved, because we can't give our customers what they want if we don't know what they want," said Shandy Scott, Youth Programs director. Youth programs on base are geared to make the active duty member's life a little easier and the PAB meetings let parents speak with directors and caregivers about their needs and share new ideas. It is made up of parents, center directors, the airman and family services flight chief, and the 17th Mission Support Group commander, but it is run and led by the parents, Ms. Scott said. The meetings are held the first month of each quarter on the third Thursday during lunch so parents have time to attend, but the trend over the past year has shown an average of only four to five parents coming. "You have a say and the center directors want to hear it," said PAB co-chairperson, Master Sgt. Kacy Ellsworth, 17th Training Wing commander's action group. "The center directors and caregivers genuinely care about each child who attends the centers and they are always looking for different and unique ways to educate the children while ensuring they have fun." The Airman and Family Readiness flight chief, Anthony Hooks, said it's vital to have parents involved so the child care programs are successful. "Parent involvement in structuring the quality of care your child receives is absolutely essential and critical to the success of Goodfellow's child care programs," Mr. Hooks said. "The quality of child care in the first five years of a child's life has a direct impact on academic performance that lasts into high school. Providing high-quality care - warm and supportive care with cognitive stimulation - boosts vocabulary, language and reading." School Age Program director, Terry Killgore, said the meetings provide parents information about what's going on in youth programs and gives parents an opportunity to provide feedback to the staff. The board meetings are another outlet for parents to get involved with their child's care because they do just what the name implies. "It's an avenue for parents to recommend improvements of the service being provided to their loved ones with no retribution," Sergeant Ellsworth said. "If a parent isn't happy about something going on at one of the centers, the parent can bring it up at the meeting and it will get resolved in a timely manner." Some of the recent developments from past meetings include finding ways to add privacy in the CDC's preschool room while still meeting regulations and taking School Age youths to participate in community service activities like Meals for the Elderly. The next PAB meeting is July 22 at 11:30 a.m. in the Event Center. "The more people there, the more feedback we get and the better programs we can provide," Ms. Scott said.
