Head Start at CTI
Head Start is a program of early education for children ages 3-5 years old. In Massachusetts, most Head Start programs are run out of a community action program. In Lowell, the designated community action program, Community Teamwork, Inc., (CTI) hosts the Head Start program that serves the Greater Lowell area.
Since the 1960s, when Head Start was initiated by federal law, Head Start programs across the country have been helping low-income parents help their children develop skills which lead to success in school and later in life.
Parent involvement is a critical component of Head Start. The basic assumption underlying each Head Start program is that a child's most important teachers are his or her parents. The program relies on parent involvement and stresses parent education. Parents volunteer and participate in special activities, such as parent meetings, parent training, and policy groups.
Head Start in Lowell is part of CTI's Child Development Program. The past year was a significant one for the program.
CTI Child Development Program Highlights, 1996-97
The 1996-97 program year was one of growth and refinement, Director James A. Honleires reports. As the new year began CTI received notification that we would become the first Early Head Start grantee in Massachusetts; nationally only 70 grantees in "Wave Two" received Early Head Start funds. Thus, a year-long process of program development, hiring new staff, training, and startup activities began. With this expansion, the Program's organizational structure was enhanced. The Assistant Director for Family and Community Development position was created; this position is responsible for oversight and supervision of the Early Head Start and Family Services components. The Deputy Director for Program Operations oversees the Education and Health components, among other responsibilities.
The Program benefited from a full year in the Research Drive facility and the results of the on-site review from the previous year. The Research Drive facility was a vital, busy environment. The program provided expanded full-time child care services, English as a Second Language, and GED preparation classes. Reading Strategies and Basic Writing were added to the adult learning center's offerings. On-site counseling, services and special education services were provided and, with two nurses on staff, the Program was better able to serve children with medical needs who required ongoing and/or daily medical care.
The Program moved towards full implementation of a collaboration with Concord-Assabet Family and Adolescent Services, Inc. (CAFAS). Through this collaboration, the Program expanded its menu of services by fully integrating a mental health component. For example, CAFAS clinicians participated in our multidisciplinary care coordination process and performed observations of our classrooms as a means of providing feedback to staff relating to children's pro-social behaviors. Also, observations were used as a professional development tool to support staff growth. Counseling, parent education, and mental health services for parents and children, and additional training and consultation services to staff have enhanced the Program's capacity in the mental health area. Fifty-four children in our program were referred to mental health services; forty-two received services. CAFAS professional staff provided more than 20 hours per week of services to CTI Head Start.
The Program continued to work closely with the Lowell Public Schools and other agencies in the Community Partnership project. Expansion resulted in the Programs receiving additional funds to provide child care services to working parents. As a result, 16 children received service. A second partnership involving Billerica, Tewksbury, and Dracut allowed two children to participate in extended day services.
As part of the National Head Start research efforts, our Program continued its participation with the Education Development Center (EDC) in Newton, Massachusetts in several areas, including: language acquisition related to use of language between adults and children; how children code switch between Spanish and English during general classroom conversation; the use of computers in managing data; and using the Bronson Behavior checklist in the observation of children.
The second annual Lawrence Academy of Groton-CTI Head Start initiative took place during the first two weeks of March. Twenty five students participated, volunteering in our classrooms and maintaining a journal of their experiences. For the Head Start children and staff, as well as the Academy students and their adult mentors, this was an enjoyable and moving experience.
Our adult literacy program and family book fair continued to he very successful. The Lowell Public Library's Bookmobile made monthly visits to the Lowell site. Each child had the opportunity to participate and, with parental permission, to obtain a library card.
A Head Start-WIC partnership resulted in the provision of on-site WIC nutrition services as the WIC van began making two stops each month at the Lowell site.
Two small grants resulted in additional services. A training grant from ACE gained First Aid and CPR training for parents. A start-up grant from the Department of Education provided a new Summer Feeding site. Weight Watcher and Smoking Cessation programs were implemented for staff and parents at the Research Drive facility.
Key Statistics
During the year, the funded enrollment was 498, including 483 ACE-funded and 15 Department of Education Community Partnership-funded children; 551 children representing 525 families participated in the program, including 60 children with disabilities. Approximately 78 children participated in the extended day option funded through a combination of federal and voucher child care funds. Average daily attendance was 87 percent.
Sixty-two percent of our Teachers (18 of 29) and 10 percent of our Teacher Aides (3 of 29) have degrees in early childhood education. The remaining Teachers have an age-and-setting appropriate CDA certificate for classroom qualifications. Three additional Aides also meet this qualification.
A further review of program statistics reveals that 488 children completed a medical screening, including all appropriate tests and physical examinations. Some 422 children completed a dental examination during our operating year and 514 received up-to-date immunizations.
The program identified 316 families as needing social services; 145 of these required emergency or crisis assistance. And 309 families received benefits under the temporary assistance to needy families program. The total number of volunteer hours reported during the last program period was 26,946 hours.
The racial/ethnic characteristics of our families are:
48% White
31% Hispanic
16% Asian (primarily Cambodian families)
50% African-American
HEAD START Expansion
The Head Start and Family Life Services Departments worked with the Planning Director to develop a comprehensive proposal for expansion of the Head Start Program by one classroom at the Child Development Center, and by one classroom at the Children's Village at the Mill, the latter created in the Market Mills complex with state funding secured by former Senator Daniel Leahy. (Senator Steven Panagiotakos has secured funds for playground construction.) The proposal for this collaboration was submitted to the Administration for Children and Families.
(This Feature Report originally appeared on-line at this Web site in MASSCAP News, Spring, 1998.
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