Parents Advisory Board: Playing a crucial role in Child, Youth and School Services

By Karl WeiselSeptember 10, 2015

Parents Advisory Board: Playing a crucial role in Child, Youth and School Services
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Parents Advisory Board: Playing a crucial role in Child, Youth and School Services
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WIESBADEN, Germany - Parents play a vital role in Child, Youth and School Services -- thanks in part to their participation on the Parents Advisory Board.

"The good thing about CYSS is that parents can always get involved," said Farideh Kastens, CYSS Outreach Services director, explaining that with the organization's open door policy, parents are welcome to eat lunch, play and interact with their children during activities in the various facilities.

"Parent involvement is a big part of CYSS," she added. "The Parent Advisory Board president plays a role in inspecting to ensure that we are meeting the requirements using the Department of Defense checklist. By seeing how the process works they (parents) get a better feeling of the services their children are receiving. They get a better view of where they can help their own child succeed. They can see how their children are learning, playing and interacting with other children."

"It's essentially parents providing input into child care center operations and activities," said Peter Witmer, U.S. Army Garrison school liaison officer.

With a recent turnover in several Parents Advisory Board positions, Kastens said, CYSS is currently seeking new parents to serve on the board.

"Our president just left in June," said Kastens, explaining that the board meets quarterly with garrison and CYSS representatives to look at ways to enhance services and programs and to encourage more parent involvement.

"One of the things they look at is what kinds of things parents need such as parent education classes. They also explore opportunities to do such things as staff appreciation days," she said. "It's a way to promote positive involvement in CYSS … to organize such things as extracurricular events and activities, T-shirts, photos."

Like the Parent Teachers Association in the schools, the Parent Advisory Board offers a way to positively influence Child, Youth and School Services, Kastens said.

It also provides volunteers with an incentive to get involved, she said, pointing out that registered volunteers earn parent participation points. "By accumulating 10 points they are eligible for a 10 percent discount on CYSS fees for the following month."

For more information about the Parent Advisory Board or to get involved, call Farideh Kastens at civ (0611) 143-548-9351.

CYSS parents are also invited to attend the next Parent Advisory Board to be held Sept. 24 at 4:45 p.m. at Army Community Service, Building 7790, in Hainerberg Housing.

Related Links:

Wiesbaden CYSS programs