Serving Scott County for
More Than 104 Years!

Head Start Provides Education, Health Program for Area Families

From staff reports

It has been proven numerous times that a preschool program is an important first step in the learning process.

A local agency that serves low-income children provides not only a kick-start in education but also gives children and parents an opportunity to learn. The Scott County Head Start program is funded to serve 173 low-income children and under their guidelines, they must follow federal poverty levels to determine eligibility.

Head Start is a program of the United States Department of Health and Human Services that focuses on assisting children from low-income families. Created in 1965, Head Start is the longest-running program for stopping the cycle of poverty in the United States. It provides comprehensive education, health, nutrition and parent involvement services to low-income children and their families.

Helen Henderson serves as program director of the Scott County Head Start and wants more parents to know about the benefits of Head Start.

"Our mission is to help parents prepare children for success in public school," explained Henderson. "We build skills in social and emotional development; receptive and expressive language; fine and gross motor; cognitive reasoning/problem-solving/decision-making; emergent literacy through - print awareness, alphabet letter knowledge, phonological awareness/rhyming; book knowledge and appreciation; number/counting concepts; and early writing practice."

The program helps three- and four-year-old children become socially adapted to the timing constraints of public school and general knowledge concepts important to later success in school. 

"We involve children in activities appropriate to their age, developmental level and individual interests," she noted. "Children enrolled in the program also have access to medical and dental care, nutritious meals and snacks, safe settings for indoor and outdoor play, literacy-rich classrooms and experienced and qualified teachers."

Scott County Head Start currently operates nine centers with classrooms in the following locations: two at Duffield Primary School, one at Dungannon Intermediate School, one at Nickelsville Elementary School, four at Shoemaker Elementary School and one at Weber City Elementary School.

Centers are open from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m., Monday through Friday (according to school bus routes. She proudly points out that the Virginia Department of Social Services licenses all centers. 

Last year, the program underwent a federal on-site administrative review and passed with flying colors.

"In September 2007, we were awarded a Certificate of Full Compliance with all applicable Head Start Program Performance Standards, laws, regulations, and policy requirements, following an on-site administrative review in March 2007," explained Henderson.

Students with special needs are welcome into the Head Start program as officials work closely with the Scott County School System's Special Education Department. Each child that needs an Individualized Education Plan (IEP), said Henderson, is served in the least restrictive and most appropriate learning environment. While their youngsters are being learning new ideas, parents are invited into Head Start's adult programs. Henderson said Head Start invites family involvement into several aspects of the program.

"Our families have access to support service as well as activities for the entire family," she remarked. "We also have specific programs in education in child growth and development, parenting skills, health and nutrition and the Head Start curriculum that allows the entire family to participate in Head Start. Parents are connected to community resources such as Adult Education where they may learn to read, earn their GED and/or get help with getting into college."

Another component of Head Start that involves parents is its Policy Council.  Through the Policy Council, parents are learn to develop the Head Start budget, hire personnel, approve policies and procedures, and make decisions about how the program operates.

Parents are also given opportunities to volunteer in the program- particularly in the classrooms to earn points toward quality child development activities displayed in the "Exchange Point" area of the office.  They may also become eligible to work as paid classroom assistants and substitute staff.

Under federal guidelines, 55 percent of all enrolled children must come from families whose income is at or below the 100 percent of poverty guidelines; 35 percent may come from families with incomes at or below 130 percent of poverty, and 10 percent of children may come from above the 130 percent of poverty. Ten percent of enrollment must be children with disabilities as determined by the LEA (Local Education Agency).

Head Start began in Scott County in 1965, as well as the rest of the country, as an eight-week summer program designed to break the cycle of poverty by providing children with a program to meet their emotional, social, health, nutritional and psychological needs. The idea was that with a little help children from even the most disadvantaged families could begin elementary school at the same level of school readiness as their more advantaged peers.

Originally operated as a program of RADA, the Head Start grant was awarded to Scott County Public Schools in 1995.

Today, Head Start continues to provide opportunities to low-income children, families and communities with high quality early childhood education, nutrition, health, dental, mental health, and social services, involving parents in all services and activities throughout the program. The promotion of school readiness is at the focal point and is delivered through a program that is child centered, family-focus comprehensive and community based. Not only are developmental goals for children supported, but there is also tremendous support for employment and self-sufficiency goals for adults along with support for parents in their work and childcare roles.

Scott County Head Start is actively recruiting three- and four-year-old children for the program. Applications are taken by Family Resource Specialists. Call 386-6051 for the Family Resource Specialist in your area.

The following items are required when the application is taken:

The main office of Scott County Head Start is located in Weber City. To contact them, call 386-6051.

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