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Minutes 06-27-96 MINUTES OF THE ADVISORY BOARD ON CHILDREN AND YOUTH MEETING HELD IN COMMISSION CHAMBERS, CITY HALL, BOYNTON BEACH, FLORIDA, ON THURSDAY, JUNE 27, 1996, AT 7:00 P.M. PRESENT Shanna St. John, Chairwoman Beth Bailey, Public Information Marvin Blitz Officer Eric Davis Whitney Tompson, Student Regular Member Hattie Miller, Alternate Betsy Wallshein, Alternate ABSENT Angela Girtman, Vice Chairwoman David Helwig Marie Lengert Denise Panton Chanelle Bowdry 1. CALL TO ORDER Chairwoman St. John called the meeting to order at 7:03 p.m. 2. MOMENT OF SILENT PRAYER A moment of silent prayer was observed. 3. AGENDA APPROVAL - Additions, Corrections, Deletions Chairwoman St. John requested that Item 9-Public Audience, be moved up on the agenda to be addressed before New Business to accommodate Carmen Nichols of the Head Start Program. Motion Mr. Blitz moved to approve the agenda. Ms. Wallshein seconded the motion. The agenda was accepted as presented. 4. MINUTES APPROVAL - May 23, 1996 Motion Ms. Wallshein moved to approve the minutes of the May 23, 1996 meeting. Mr. Davis seconded the motion. The minutes were accepted as presented. 1 MEETING MINUTES ADVISORY BOARD ON CHILDREN AND YOUTH BOYNTON BEACH, FLORIDA JUNE 27, 1996 5. PUBLIC AUDIENCE Carmen Nichols, Director of the Head Start Program in Palm Beach County, said this program serves 1,237 three and four-year olds in 10 Head Start centers in the County. There are three centers in the western part of the County, and seven centers covering the area from Jupiter to Delray Beach. Some of the services provided are subcontracted to other agencies. The program began in the early 1960s, and has been credited for making parent involvement state-of-the-art. The program provides child care services and education for these preschoolers. The centers are open from 7:30 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. The children are served three meals which include breakfast, lunch and a snack. They are provided with health care when they enter the program, and dental care twice a year. Speech, language, and hearing screenings are offered, and intervention is provided. Parent involvement is critical. Although parents are not mandated to participate, the program is mandated to provide opportunities for the parents to be involved. No parents are forced to participate, but activities such as parenting classes and volunteer programs are available, and classes and workshops are offered to help parents get better jobs. Ten percent of the student population must be children with disabilities. One hundred sixty of the children involved in the program have disabilities. The children are mainstreamed and intervention is provided. The cost of the program to the children and parents is zero. However, the parents are encouraged to volunteer time at the centers. The program costs approximately $4,200 per year per family. Head Start has a grant from the Federal government in the amount of $5.2 million. That amount is 80% of the cost to run the program. The Board of County Commissioners for Palm Beach County contributes the remaining 20%. In the City of Boynton Beach, 106 families are served. There is always a waiting list for entrance into the program. Head Start is always seeking additional funds to increase the services offered to families. Ms. Nichols explained that there was a serious concern that Head Start's funds were going to be cut. However, that did not happen, and the program is funded for another year. If the funding had been cut, Head Start would have had to cut back on the number of families being served since they would not want to cut back on any of the services offered. Mr. Blitz questioned whether United Way offers any financial support to this program. Ms. Nichols responded negatively. Mr. Blitz thought the fact that this program is not a non- profit organization might be the reason United Way has not contributed. Ms. Nichols explained that Head Start is encouraged to seek funds from sources other than the government. 2 MEETING MINUTES ADVISORY BOARD ON CHILDREN AND YOUTH BOYNTON BEACH, FLORIDA JUNE 27, 1996 Mr. Blitz asked how the board could help the Head Start program. Ms. Nichols feels the most important thing anyone can do to help is support programs like Head Start that provide comprehensive services to children. She further pointed out that Head Start never has enough staff in the classrooms; therefore, they are always looking for volunteers. The program does not close for the summer. It remains open and operating with the exception of three weeks in August. During that time, the Board of County Commissioners picks up the cost of the program to keep it in operation. This cost is over and above the 20% match they provide. Head Start is in the process of opening a new center in Delray Beach. A playground is needed at that facility, but funds are not available for the construction. Ms. Nichols urged the members to join in the movement known as, "Leave No Child Behind". Anyone having access to the Internet can assist. Her office will send out legislative alerts. The members can E-Mail their concerns to the Legislators. A "Child Watch" program is being formed to bring the Legislators and the children together so that they can actually see the children involved in the program and share their experiences. Ms. Nichols reminded everyone that it is important to be informed, and then to pass that information along to others. Head Start was threatened by block granting; however, that did not come to pass because of the efforts of many people. Chairwoman St. John asked Ms. Nichols to elaborate on the qualifications for entrance into the Head Start program. Ms. Nichols advised that there are Federal income guidelines which must be met. In addition, each center has a parent committee. There is a screen of priorities for acceptance. Once a determination is made that a child is eligible, the information is entered on a screen without names. The social worker then sits down with the priorities and selects the children who will enter the program. A waiting list is established, and as children drop out of the program, children are removed from the waiting list and entered into the program. In response to Chairwoman St. John's question, Ms. Nichols advised that every year, during the month of May, Head Start has open recruitment. They are mandated to publicize this open recruitment. In addition, every center has one or two family service workers who go door-to-door to hand out flyers in the neighborhoods. This is done for approximately one month. Even after the open recruitment, applications are accepted throughout the remainder of the year, and names are put on a waiting list. Chairwoman St. John questioned the length of the waiting list in Boynton Beach, and asked whether or not there is a need for an additional center here. Ms. Nichols explained that she did not have the figures available because Head Start is now in a transition period having just recently concluded open recruitment and because of 3 MEETING MINUTES ADVISORY BOARD ON CHILDREN AND YOUTH BOYNTON BEACH, FLORIDA JUNE 27, 1996 graduation. They are in the process of enrolling children and, therefore, the waiting list is not yet established. There were 4,000 children on the waiting list throughout the County. Ms. Nichols explained that Head Start could easily use 10 more centers. However, they already know that there are no Federal dollars available for expansion for the next two years. As a result, that would mean finding money through grants, foundations, or public agencies. Ms. Nichols advised that the Federal government has begun to fund Early Head Start programs for infant and toddler care. Ms. Nichols applied for this funding when she first learned about it. The Head Start program is mandated to have a Policy Council made up of 50% plus one of active Head Start parents. The remainder of the members are community representatives. The Council currently has two vacant seats. The Council meets monthly and is involved in the decision-making policy, as well as the development of projects, awarding of subcontracting services, and hiring and firing. She urged anyone who is interested in filling a vacancy to submit a resume. Chairwoman St. John thanked Ms. Nichols for her presentation. 6. NEW BUSINESS A. Summer Movie Program Chairwoman St. John advised that she added this item to the agenda. In Lake Worth and Delray Beach there are summer free movie programs for children. There are two theaters in Boynton Beach, and neither one offers this type of program. Chairwoman St. John asked for authorization from the board to writer letters to the two movie theaters encouraging them to offer such a program. The movie program is free in Lake Worth. They show three different movies at two separate times on three days of each week. In Delray Beach, there is a fee of $5.00 for eight movies. The movie program in Delray Beach is once a week. Motion Chairwoman St. John moved to draft a letter to United Artists Movies at Boynton Beach and Cobb Cinemas to see about setting up a summer movie program. Mr. Blitz seconded the motion which carried unanimously. 7. CORRESPONDENCE AND ANNOUNCEMENTS 4 MEETING MINUTES ADVISORY BOARD ON CHILDREN AND YOUTH BOYNTON BEACH, FLORIDA JUNE 27, 1996 a. Joint City Commission/School Board of Palm Beach County Meeting July 1, 1996, 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., Boynton Beach Public Library Program Room. TOPIC: Boynton Beach High School Financing Chairwoman St. John made this announcement. 8. OLD BUSINESS A. Youth Expo Reports Photo Contest - Ms. Wallshein advised that this contest has been turned over to her by Mr. Helwig. However, she is unable to do anything at this time because Mr. Helwig did not provide her with any information. In addition, the attempts she has made have been futile since the people she needs to contact are on summer vacation. Ms. Wallshein explained that she phoned Mr. Helwig, but he has not returned her phone call. Chairwoman St. John suggested that Ms. Wallshein contact Mr. Helwig in the evening hours. Mr. Blitz asked when the schools will be approached relative to the contests. Chairwoman St. John advised that the schools reopen in August. She has sent the contest applications to Dr. Dupont. As soon as there is a response, the handouts will be drafted for the schools. Art Contest - Mr. Blitz advised that he has some small prizes for this contest. At this point, however, he feels there is not a lot that can be done until school reopens. Chairwoman St. John would like to begin firming up the booth space. Mr. Davis agreed to assist with this job. Chairwoman St. John advised that she saw the Bahai Youth Group. These children put on an incredible musical performance. The coordinator of the group has committed to be part of the expo, but has asked for a letter from the board requesting the group's participation. Chairwoman St. John also spoke with a representative of the Hitachiti Indians, and is aware of a storytelling group. Barnes and Noble will provide prizes for the writing contest either in the form of books or gift certificates for book purchases. Chairwoman St. John will work with Ms. Bailey to reword the letter she drafted regarding expo participation so that it can be used for reserving booth space. The Mall will supply seven or eight tables, and the City will have to furnish any tables over and above that number. Chairwoman St. John introduced Whitney Tompson, the new student member of the board. At Chairwoman St. John's request, Ms. Tompson announced that she is a 10th grade 5 MEETING MINUTES ADVISORY BOARD ON CHILDREN AND YOUTH BOYNTON BEACH, FLORIDA JUNE 27, 1996 student at Atlantic High School. She is in the IB program, runs track and cross-country, and is a member of the band. She advised that Commissioner Bradley recruited her for this position on the board. B. Advisory Board Mission and Duties Chairwoman St. John reminded the members that at the last meeting, she asked them to review the board's Ordinance since this board was created for a reason, and there are duties associated with being a member of the board. At last month's meeting, Chairwoman St. John asked the members to try to come up with ideas of things the board can do. In addition, she would like to compare the board's duties to the new Vision 20/20 statement. Mr. Davis said he found a few areas where he feels the board can get involved. He pointed out, however, that is it very important to target the parents because they need to reiterate, at home, the things the children are taught outside of the home. He recommends that parenting classes be required to correlate with children entering programs. The requirement would stipulate that the children can only enter the program if the parents participate in a program. Chairwoman St. John thought that perhaps the City could get some representatives of organizations that deal with this subject to assist in offering parenting classes. Mr. Blitz reported that he contacted Chairwoman St. John earlier today and expressed to her the fact that it has taken him a couple of meetings to realize that he does not know the purpose of this board. In reading the Ordinance, it is obvious that this is an advisory board to the City. This board was not set up to address problems. He does not feel it is the board's responsibility to deal with the answers to problems. He does feel, however, that the board should be looking for the problems the community has, rather than trying to find the answer to one problem. Once the problems are identified, the board can present its questions to the City to learn how to work on the answers. Chairwoman St. John reminded the members that Mrs. Girtman suggested the board contact the City Commissioners to apprise them of the things that have been accomplished, and ask them how they want the board to proceed. The board has gotten involved in the building of the playground, talked about creating a youth orchestra, a clinic, child care, the new high school, funding for extra curricula activities, the child abuse question, crime, and the Wrice marches. Chairwoman St. John feels that the City Commission can be asked to prioritize these items. Mr. Blitz reiterated that the board's mission statement does not say the board is to handle projects. The board's purpose is to advise the City on how to address problems and act as an advocacy group for children. He suggested beginning a fact-finding drive by contacting police departments and other organizations that come in contact with children. A list of 6 MEETING MINUTES ADVISORY BOARD ON CHILDREN AND YOUTH BOYNTON BEACH, FLORIDA JUNE 27, 1996 areas to address can be created and presented to the City. At that point, the board will discover in what direction the City wants the board to move. Ms. Wallshein agreed with Mr. Blitz' remarks. Chairwoman St. John referred to the Ordinance. Item #1 under Duties asks the board to formulate a comprehensive City child care policy. She questioned whether or not the City has any type of child care policy at present. Ms. Bailey was unable to respond. Chairwoman St. John asked whether it would be possible for a member to search the City Codes to see if such a policy exists. Chairwoman St. John read another one of the duties that asks for the development of incentives and enhancements which would encourage the development of new child care facilities. She advised that she contacted Child Care Resource and Referral. When you contact them, you tell them what you want, and they refer you to resources in your area. Everyone who works with them is licensed. Chairwoman St. John requested information on the calls that were received from Boynton Beach. She was provided with information that was collected between January and May of this year. The information included how many calls were received, the zip code locations of those who called, what they were looking for, the age they were interested in, the reason why they were looking for child care, and the costs associated with child care. Before trying to establish something new, Chairwoman St. John felt it was necessary to find out what is already available. In response to Chairwoman St. John's question, Ms. Bailey advised that the City Clerk's Office has the City Codes available for the public to review. However, she does not believe there will be anything in the Code relative to a child care policy. Mr. Blitz feels the statement relative to the formulation of a child care policy is very ambiguous. He would like clarification on this item before proceeding. Ms. Bailey recommended contacting the Commissioners to ask them for guidance in this area. Chairwoman St. John advised that she is in touch with the Children's Services Council. They deal with numerous agencies. Marlene Passel will speak before this board at the next meeting. Chairwoman St. John will request that she bring information on the programs that are available through Children's Services Council that are not being tapped by Boynton Beach at this time. She urged the members to provide any information they may have on children's programs. Mr. Blitz pointed out that by using the Yellow Pages, and looking under Social Service Organizations, the members could probably find a huge list of programs that serve children and families. 7 MEETING MINUTES ADVISORY BOARD ON CHILDREN AND YOUTH BOYNTON BEACH, FLORIDA JUNE 27, 1996 Chairwoman St. John urged each member to contact one organization before the next meeting and bring back information to the board. In addition, the members decided to contact the City Commissioners to advise them that in reviewing the board's mission statement, it became obvious that clarification is necessary. Ms. Wallshein will contact Vice Mayor Jaskiewicz, Ms. Miller will call Commissioner Tillman, Mr. Davis will contact Mayor Taylor, Chairwoman St. John will contact Commissioner Titcomb, and Mr. Blitz will contact Commissioner Bradley. Chairwoman St. John reported that she sits on the Palm Beach County Child Advocacy Board. Their mission is school-age child care for all children needing care. They are in the drafting stage of how to go about accomplishing this. They have printed out a preliminary statement. When the statement is finalized, Chairwoman St. John will provide the members with a copy. This is the first time this group will be taking on one issue instead of trying to handle many issues. Chairwoman St. John advised the board that next month's meeting will be held on the same evening as the Budget Public Hearing. Therefore, the Chambers will not be available for the meeting. The board agreed to meet on July 25 in Conference Room "A". 9. COMMITTEE REPORTS This item was addressed earlier under Item 8-A. 10. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business to come before the board, the meeting properly adjourned at 8:25 p.m. Janet M. Prainito Recording Secretary (Two Tapes) 8