This month, we’re excited to celebrate 60 years of Head Start! Sixty years of making a difference in the lives of 39 million children, while empowering their families and serving their communities. Yet despite this track record, the future of Head Start is in doubt.
Neighborhood House’s Head Start and Early Head Start program serves 429 low-income children pre-natal to age 5 through home based and center-based services at 4 locations, with a 5th opening at Seola Gardens in White Center this month. Our official ribbon cutting will be held on Wednesday, May 21st from 3-5pm where we’ll have a short program and a tour. The children and families are very excited, as teachers have been visiting families at home and building relationships for months!
Did you know that about 1/3 of the children we serve have diagnosed or undiagnosed special needs? Head Start and Early Head Start are well equipped to serve children with special needs through our trained an experienced teachers, coaching, and smaller class sizes.
Here’s a story about one child out of the 800,000 children nationwide who benefit from Head Start/Early Head Start each year.
12-month-old K had not yet learned to crawl. During meals, he would throw his plate on the floor. He would cry and push his body away from the table when the class did small group activities. The teachers worked with Kai on his fine motor skills, focusing his attention, and being part of a group activity.
The other children helped too. Bringing him toys and making sure they included him in their play. Today, K is crawling, following the older children, and vocalizes. He feeds himself and when it’s time for small group activities he participates without crying. The children include him in their play and let teachers know if they see he needs help.
When the therapist comes to visit him, she compliments the teachers on the growth she has seen in K. During parent/teacher conferences K’s mom thanked teachers because she is so happy with his growth.
Neighborhood House uses a play-based curriculum, selected with input from and approval by parents to deliver individualized instruction, inclusive classrooms, developmental screenings, referrals, and coordination with therapy services. Because of these services, Kai is on a path to succeed in pre-school, kindergarten, and beyond.
Head Start and Early Head Start is comprehensive, we support the whole child: their academic, social emotional growth, medical, dental, and nutritional health. Head Start and Early Head Start supports the whole family, connecting parents to jobs, housing, health care, and providing opportunities for leadership development.
Head Start has a proven track record and sixty years of results — helping children like Kai succeed regardless of income or zip code. Head Start and Early Head Start are vital to children’s success and parents’ ability to work. The children Neighborhood House serves enter kindergarten prepared, able to self-regulate and follow classroom rules. Defunding Head Start would cut a vital lifeline for our nation’s children and families by eliminating a bridge to stability and economic opportunity. Today, and more than ever, the Head Start community stands together to fight for 60 more years of Head Start and beyond.
Take action to save Head Start here!