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In this lesson, you will learn about program organization. This lesson includes information about the roles of the Training & Curriculum Specialist and the program manager and how each contributes to the overall leadership of the program. Program goals, relationship-based leadership, and cultural sensitivity all play an essential role in a program’s organization. This lesson will focus on how these factors and program organization go hand-in-hand.

In this lesson, you will learn about the critical importance of hiring and welcoming new staff members to the program. This lesson illustrates that staff members’ ongoing professional development plays a role in enhancing program quality. It explains that a sense of shared ownership is strengthened by collaboration in setting professional goals and encouraging staff members to take part in decision-making and leadership opportunities. This lesson ends with a focus on creating collaborative teams and reflecting on your own practices in working with others.

Staffing your program with high-quality caregivers and having a clear scheduling plan is critical to the daily operation of your program. In this lesson, you will learn about the importance of planning and implementing a clear and consistent staff schedule. You will also learn about the key elements to consider as you develop staffing arrangements that support the relationships and well-being of children, families, and staff. 

In this lesson, you will learn how the Training & Curriculum Specialist (T&CS) is a vital support to staff members as they implement the program’s curriculum. The T&C is recognized as an expert and leader in providing observation, coaching, and reflective supervision to assist the teaching staff with planning and implementing the chosen curriculum. Your role, as the program manager, is to support the curriculum through maintaining the environment, ordering materials and supplies, and ensuring that staff are provided professional development opportunities in order to feel successful as teachers and youth leaders.

Program managers and Training & Curriculum Specialists (T&CSs) provide leadership in the area of child and family services. Program managers engage families in feeling welcome to visit the program at any time and to have choices in how they want to be involved with the program. The program leaders also must represent the program to other groups and agencies. The program cannot exist in isolation from other services that are important to families (e.g., school districts, early intervention programs, mental health agencies, food pantries, businesses). T&CSs and program managers can serve as program representatives within the installation and the wider community.

In this lesson, you will learn about the importance of program evaluation as a source for determining what services provided to children and families are working well and what aspects of the program need improvement. All staff and families may participate in the program evaluation. Program managers and Training & Curriculum Specialists (T&CSs) serve as the leadership team that guides the collection and analysis of information needed to conduct a thorough program evaluation.