Every weekday, about 50 children of George Mason University faculty, staff, or students spend part of their day playing and learning at the Child Development Center, in Patriots Village. Every month, some of their parents meet to provide feedback for the center staff and to plan events that help the center, the children, and the parents themselves. Since its beginning in 1992, the center has encouraged and welcomed parental input and involvement.
More parental involvement makes it easier for the child to adjust and do well.
Organized by the advisory board, the parents mail flyers, hand out programs, help with registration, room set-up, and lunch ticket collection, and provide support throughout the daylong event. In the coming months, the advisory board may expand its efforts to include sponsoring workshops open to all parents in the university community. According to Farrell, having a strong Parent Advisory Board is vital to meeting the criteria for accreditation by the National Association for the Education of Young Children. The center has been so accredited since 1993, a position achieved by only 5 percent of early childhood programs nationwide and a sign of the center's commitment to excellence.