Openings available now as Head Start offering free enrollment to help local three and four-year-old children develop skills necessary for kindergarten.
Van Buren County Head Start Director Elsie Blaylock said the program specifically targets low-income families and those receiving SNAP, SSI, or Social Security benefits. Blaylock said children in foster care are also eligible for the services, which are funded by the federal government at no cost to the families.
“Head Start is a pre-school program,” Blaylock said, “We do everything that the kids need to be successful in kindergarten, their academic skills, social emotional. So we’re preparing them from the base.”
Blaylock said the program utilizes a specialized curriculum called Conscious Discipline to help children learn problem-solving techniques. Blaylock said the daily schedule is highly structured and includes teacher-directed activities, outdoor play, and family-style meals where staff and students eat together.
Blaylock said the Van Buren County center currently maintains a wait list when full, but officials continue to accept applications throughout the year at all Head Start facilities and pull from the wait list as spaces become available.
Blaylock said parents can begin the process by searching for Head Start opportunities on local community websites and submitting an application online.
“I think the most important thing for Head Start is for everyone to know that this is a great opportunity for young children and it’s something that ensures that children will have a love for learning and that the staff at Head Start truly care about each and every child that they have in their program and family as well,” Blaylock said.
Blaylock said the program extends its reach into the home by providing monthly educational kits to parents that focus on literacy and nutrition. Blaylock said these resources include books and cooking activities designed to create bonding experiences while allowing parents to educate their children alongside the school’s efforts.
“We are a great source for educational, social-emotional, getting your child that first step toward their education,” Blaylock said. “This is a good base for young children and we work with the parents to ensure that they’re comfortable enough to send their child to Head Start.”
