Head Start provides the quality education, health monitoring, and convenient locations that you need to give your child the best possible start in life.
Did you know that society receives nearly $9 in benefits for every $1 invested in a Head Start child? Or that Early Head Start children are at least eight percent more likely to have their immunizations than those who did not attend pre-school? Read the results of research that demonstrate both the short and long-term results of Head Start and Early Head Start programs.
Quality Education
Head Start provides learning experiences that will enhance a child's love for education and improve their social competencies. In order to plan meaningful and playful activities for children, Head Start uses a variety of resources including results from assessments and screenings, daily observation by teachers, and parent input. Each of these helps to form a real understanding of each child and provide individualized teaching.
Research shows that young children learn best when exploring with their senses (touching, smelling, tasting, hearing, and seeing). Head Start teaches children through intentional and purposeful “PLAY” activities, based on State and Federal Standards. The Pregnant Moms program uses “Parents as Teachers“ Curriculum. Early Head Start uses Innovation Curriculum. Head Start uses a variety of curriculums to guide and plan developmentally appropriate activities and strategies.
Head Start teachers focus on the child’s entire skill set development including cognitive, social, and emotional skills. Children are exposed to many learning situations with opportunities to work in small groups, large groups, and individually. Children learn to practice self discipline, taking turns, and teamwork. Head Start children learn real math concepts such as counting, shape recognition, and basic measures of size, height, and weight. Teachers support and enhance the growth of children's language skills through open-ended questions and daily conversation. Head Start children begin to understand letter and word formation and learn to write their names.
Health Services
Research has proven that a healthy child comes to school ready to learn. One very important key to a child's ability to learn successfully is having current immunizations, yearly physicals, and regular dental check-ups, in addition to receiving balanced and nutritional meals. Head Start makes a rigorous effort to ensure children are healthy by providing:
Vision, speech, and hearing screenings and evaluations;
Nutritional assessments;
Health history and updated immunizations;
Medical examinations yearly and referrals to medical facilities;
Dental check-ups and evaluations and referrals to dental facilities;
Mental health observations, and assessments;
Disability monitoring and service referrals;
Handicap accessible centers; and
Trainings for staff and parents.
Convenient Locations & Schedules
Head Start is available in morning half-day, afternoon half-day, or full-day classes at nearly 140 sites in Hamilton County. CAA directly provides Head Start services at two locations and through partnerships with numerous other child care centers in Hamilton County.
