2012-2013Head Start Annual Report

BY THE NUMBERS

• Total number of children and families Served: 2,127

• Total number of breakfasts, lunches and snacks served: 234,120

• Percent of children exiting Head Start “Ready to Learn”: 94.75%

• Total budget for Early Head Start, Head Start and Migrant Head Start: $ 16,850,936

This brochure was prepared through a grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Community Action Council services are provided without regard to race, religion, sex, age, color, national origin, handicap, marital status, sexual orientation, political affiliation or belief.

CHILD DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS:Community Action Council (the Council) offers three federally funded child development programs for young children from low-income backgrounds: Early Head Start, Head Start, and Migrant Head Start. Each program utilizes a comprehensive developmental curriculum and offers a learning environment that will allow all children the opportunity to enter school “ready to learn.” The Council’s programs serve children ages birth through five and pregnant women and seeks to support the entire family, recognizing the inherent value of collaborating with one of the most essential child development partners, the family.

CHILDREN WITH A DISABILITYPercent of Children with a Disability in Early Head Start: 9%Percent of Children with a Disability in Head Start: 18%Percent of Children with a Disability in Migrant Head Start: 4.3%

**The Council has requested a waiver of the disability requirement for Migrant Head Start for 2012-2013.

Children and Families Served

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Average Percentage Daily Attendance for EHS: 81.03%

Average Percentage Daily Attendance for HS: 79.57%

Cumulative Migrant Head Start Enrollment

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CHILDREN OVER INCOMEPercent of Children Over-Income - Early Head Start: 3%Percent of Children Over-Income - Head Start: 13%Percent of Children Over-Income - Migrant Head Start: 2%

**Children in households with incomes over the Head Start guidelines may be enrolled in special circumstances, such as a diagnosed disability.

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PREPARING CHILDREN FOR KINDERGARTEN-HOW WE DID IT• Teachers utilized a research-based curriculum to ensure high-quality, effective

instruction.• Teachers utilized CLASS and Teaching Strategies GOLD, research-based classroom

teaching and learning assessment tools. • Because math was identified as an area in need of improvement during the pre-

assessment period, teachers attended multiple trainings to learn to incorporate math into activities throughout the day.

• Teachers created individualized development plans for each child to ensure needs-specific teaching and learning.

• Daily activities focused on social-emotional development by implementing Conscious Discipline, a comprehensive self-regulation program that integrates social-emotional learning and discipline.

• Family staff distributed school-readiness packets with vital information for all families of rising kindergarteners.

• Staff hosted on-site kindergarten registration drives to assist families in navigating the enrollment process and easing the transition to kindergarten.

• Family staff assisted parents in obtaining necessary documentation to register their children for kindergarten.

• Family staff conducted a minimum of two home visits and two parent teacher conferences during the year to discuss children’s strengths and areas that need development.

• Offered daily opportunities for children to develop skill sets in many areas that are predictive of future school and long-term success.

• Ensured teachers receive professional development based on research and developmentally appropriate practices.

FAMILY INVOLVEMENTThe Council recognizes that family involvement is essential in helping children achieve their full

potential, so every effort is made to include and engage families in Head Start activities. Staff members are trained on effective family partnership strategies to facilitate these relationships

in order to best provide the services vital to helping families move toward self-sustainability. Each neighborhood and community center encouraged families to attend a monthly parent meeting where they were welcome to share their thoughts, concerns, and input. Topics at these meetings during the last program year included school-readiness, dental health, parental involvement, information about other Council programs and family literacy. Families are encouraged to volunteer in the classrooms whenever possible. Families work

with a Family Development Specialist and/or Family Services Worker to set comprehensive goals. In addition, families are invited to attend an annual year-end celebration hosted by their

child development center.

EDUCATIONAL IMPACTA child’s ability to learn is influenced by every decision regarding environment, daily routine, and learning opportunities within the classroom. Through ongoing observation, children’s learning is continually assessed, providing insights into each child’s strengths, knowledge, interests and skills. The data collected during pre-, mid- and post- assessments are utilized to determine a child’s growth and learning and to find ways of supporting their individual developmental needs to ensure that each child leaves our programs “school-ready.” This data allows us to take stock of our current status and to make appropriate changes in procedures, tools, continuing educational needs and overall practices based on current evidence. These assessments measure a child’s age appropriate development in seven key developmental domains, including; social emotional competency, gross physical motor skills, fine physical motor skills, language development, cognitive development, literacy skills and mathematics. As evidenced by the “Post-Program Assessment Results” graph, over 90 percent of children, on average, met or exceeded expectations across all of these domains.

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COMPREHENSIVE SCHOOL READINESS:

Beginning the moment that all children enter any Head Start program, the Council begins to prepare them to enter kindergarten. Each child receives individual attention, ensuring that all of their developmental needs are met. The Council ensures that high quality, intentional teaching takes place in a positive learning environment by utilizing the Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS) twice per year. CLASS is an observation

instrument developed to assess classroom quality in preschool through third-grade classrooms. CLASS is comprised of domains, dimensions and indicators that are based on developmental theory and research suggesting that interactions between students and adults are the primary mechanism of student development and learning.

TEACHING STRATEGIES GOLD:

Teachers use the Teaching Strategies GOLD Birth through Kindergarten assessment tool to create a developmental profile for each child, ensuring a responsive learning and developmental environment. Teachers create individualized child development plans based on the developmental profiles, including needs-specific goals and lesson plans. The assessment tool enables teachers to effectively support all children. The bilingual system facilitates the assessment process for

teachers of English/Spanish dual learners, especially those in Migrant Head Start classrooms. Teaching Strategies GOLD is aligned with Head Start Child Development and Early Learning Framework, state guidelines, and the Common Core Standard.

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CONSCIOUS DISCIPLINE:

All child development staff members complete an intensive training on the Conscious Discipline model to implement in the classroom with their children and families. Conscious Discipline is an evidence-based, comprehensive self-regulation program that integrates discipline and social-emotional learning. This program is a longtime leader in the integration of classroom management with social-emotional learning, utilizing everyday events as the curriculum and addressing the adult’s emotional intelligence as well as the child’s. Conscious Discipline empowers teachers to consciously respond to daily conflict, transforming it into an opportunity to teach critical life skills to children. The Council adopted this program after a thorough search of developmentally-appropriate strategies to use in order to address behavioral concerns within classrooms. Conscious Discipline also provides teaching staff with a model for self-reflection and growth, which is integral to staff development and providing the best possible early childhood education. As a result of this model, outcomes related to social-emotional learning have increased throughout the program year.

IMPACT OF SEQUESTRATION:

In August 2013, the Council was forced to accept funding reductions totaling more than $1 million across all of its programs as a result of the decision made by the U.S. Congress to sequester all federal funds. In addition, the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services cut the state-supported child care assistance program that provides subsidies for working families whose children attend Council child development centers. These reductions hit the Council’s Head Start, Early Head Start, and Migrant Head Start child development programs the hardest

as they are the organization’s largest federally funded programs. Since the reduction in funding for the Child Care Assistance Program alone, 16% fewer Kentucky children are able to access high quality early childhood experiences due to the prohibitive cost of child care for some families.

WHY INVESTMENT MATTERSEarly childhood education has a direct impact on the future economic, social and health outcomes of a community and, more globally, society. The period of birth to age five is a time in which cognitive abilities and social and emotional skills are rapidly developing, providing a foundation for future success. Investment in our economic future requires that our children are provided with the tools to become highly educated and skilled adults. When society invests in early childhood education programs, they afford children the opportunity to grow into their full potential. In order to build the skilled workforce necessary for economic and social success, investment in education is essential. According to the National Institute for Early Childhood Education Research, there is a $7 return for every $1 invested in Early Childhood Education. Such a return on investment testifies to the value of early childhood education programming for not only our children, but for society as a whole.

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FOCUS ON HEALTHFocusing on oral health in 2012-2013, Head Start children and families, including pregnant women, received important oral health information. Age-appropriate Oral Health Kits were provided to foster positive oral health habits that can last a lifetime. These kits engaged children through hands-on, developmentally-appropriate activities, and enable parents to reinforce simple steps at home to protect children’s baby teeth and gums. Oral Health Kits included items such as; Big Book and poster for each classroom, teacher guides with classroom activities and handouts, Bright Smiles for Children digest, take-home family booklets (available in English, Spanish, Chinese, and Vietnamese), and a Colgate® Kids’ toothpaste and toothbrush.

HEALTH SERVICESThe Council supports the continuum of children’s growth and development in all areas. These areas include physical health, social and emotional competency, approaches to learning, language and literacy, cognitive and general knowledge. Head Start programs focus on health services in order to prevent and potentially treat health problems by addressing the health needs of enrolled children whenever possible. Head Start staff works to ensure that each child has a “medical home,” an accessible source of continuous, coordinated care. Head Start staff also work with families to ensure that children are up-to-date on a schedule of well-child care and to instill the importance of preventive health care. Staff work with families to encourage them in becoming active partners in their children’s medical and dental health. This is done by encouraging families to accompany their children to appointments and to request explanations of medical conditions and procedures.

In 2012-2013, the Council assisted families through the Healthy Meals on a Budget program. Healthy Meals on a Budget allows families the opportunity to talk with a nutrition team staff member and to learn how a few simple ingredients can make a healthy and delicious meal in a short amount of time.

In 2012-2013, the Council offered I Am Moving, I Am Learning (IMIL) trainings for all Head Start staff. IMIL is a proactive approach to address childhood obesity within Head Start programs. Through this interactive training, staff share strategies on how to incorporate structured physical movement experiences in the classroom that are facilitated by an adult. IMIL focuses on moderate to vigorous physical activities and on teaching children to make healthy decisions in regards to nutritious meals and snacks.

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MUSIC FOR LEARNINGDeveloped, researched and supported by the Musikgarten Foundation, the Music for Learning program is designed to assist children from low-income backgrounds to engage in age-appropriate music lessons and activities that can enhance a child’s developmental skills in language, motor competence, social abilities and cognitive functioning. In addition, this program provides children with opportunities for artistic expression that they may not otherwise be able to access. Music for Learning seeks to bring a life-long love of music and learning to Head Start aged children and to assist teachers in creating positive environments in their classrooms. As a result of grant funding from the PNC Foundation, the Council has successfully implemented the Music for Learning program in three of its child development centers within Fayette County. In July 2013, the Council received additional funding from the PNC Foundation to implement Music for Learning in all of its child development centers in Fayette County and Scott County and hopes to continue the expansion of this program to all of the Council’s Head Start classrooms in the near future.

BUDGETEHS-$ 3,697,738HS-$ 7,254,956MHS-$ 2,875,665Total Match: $ 3,022,577Total-$ 16,850,936

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MAKING THE GRADEResults of Most Recent Financial Audit:Community Action Council is subject to the Single Agency Audit Act and is audited annually. It is the published opinion of the independent auditor in the most recent, completed audit (2012) that the Council is in compliance in all material aspects with the requirements applicable to each of the Council’s major programs.

Results of Most Recent On-Site Review: -The Office of Head Start conducted its triennial review of Community Action Council in October 2012. The final outcome of this review is still pending. Results will be published in the 2013-2014 Head Start Annual Report.

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