project summary/abstract project title: head start …
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PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT Project Title: Head Start Grantee, York County, Virginia
Grant Number: (03CH010569)
Applicant Name: County of York
Address: 224 Ballard Street Yorktown, VA 23690 Contact Phone Numbers: (757) 890-3888
Email Address:[email protected]
Web Site Address: www.yorkcounty.gov
As a grantee for Head Start, York County seeks to continue to serve 117 low-income children
ages 3 to 5 and their families, including children with disabilities in York County, Virginia. York
County partners with an extensive and growing list of community partners to provide
comprehensive early childhood services to qualified children 3-5 years old and their families.
These services prepare young children for success in school and provide their families with a full
range of integrated and intensive support services to help them develop new futures.
With this grant and a total funding of $1,113,012, York County proposes to:
Provide Head Start services to 117 preschool children ages 3-5 in three facilities
strategically located within the proposed service area:
o Four full-day center-based classrooms five days per week, 6.5 hours per day,
161 days per year
o Three half-day center-based program five days per week, 4.5 hours per day, 161
days per year
Based on York County’s community assessment, there is a growing need for early childhood
and human services to meet the needs of children and families in poverty. York County has a
total population of approximately 65,464 with 3,812 being children under the age of 5. As an
expert in delivering high-quality early childhood education and fully integrated family
services, York County will continue to incorporate staff expertise, community partners, and
family engagement to prepare children for school and beyond.
Head Start Baseline Grant Application
Table of Contents
Project Summary/Abstract…………………………………………………………………….1
Table of Contents……………………………………………………………………………….2
1. Goals…………………………………..……………………………………………………..3
2. Service Delivery……………………………………………………………………………14
3. Governance, Organizational, and Management Structures……………………………25
4. Budget and Budget Justification Narrative……………………………………………...29
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PROGRAM GOALS
York County Head Start (YCHS) has continued to work towards achieving outlined
program and school readiness goals. York County Head Start’s program goals are integrated and
implemented across the program’s center-based program option, content area service plans,
teaching tools and methods, and family engagement activities. Data is regularly collected,
reviewed, and analyzed to measure progress towards achieving goals using information from
family and child outcomes, monitoring and program information reports, self-assessment, and
program surveys. York County collects, aggregates, and analyzes this data to evaluate progress
towards goal achievement and to determine program improvements needed regarding
professional development, staff support, program systems, and services for Head Start children
and their families. Progress towards meeting program goals and objectives is routinely shared
with staff, parents, Policy Council, and the Board of Supervisors. As a result of sharing program
information and outcomes reports with stakeholders, no revisions to the two primary program
goals or nine school readiness goals were made. York County’s program and school readiness
goals are the following:
Program Goal 1: York County Head Start program will strengthen parent engagement in
all aspects of the program so that Head Start families will nurture their child’s learning
and development in order for their children to be successful in kindergarten and beyond.
Program Goal 2: Head Start will strengthen transition and mental health/disability
services so that parents are empowered to support and advocate for their child’s learning
and development as they transition to new learning environments.
School Readiness Goal 1: York County Head Start children will demonstrate the ability
to express themselves through imagination and engaging with other peers and adults.
School Readiness Goal 2: York County Head Start children will demonstrate healthy
relationships and interactions with adults and peers and demonstrate a healthy range of
emotional expression. Children will feel comfortable in school, trust their new
environment, make new friends, and feel they are part of a group.
School Readiness Goal 3: York County Head Start children will demonstrate the ability
to use language to engage in communication, conversations and storytelling.
School Readiness Goal 4: York County Head Start children will notice and discriminate
rhyme and demonstrate awareness that language can be broken into words, syllables and
smaller pieces of sound.
School Readiness Goal 5: York County Head Start children will demonstrate alphabet
knowledge through upper case and lower case letter recognition, letter sounds and early
writing skills. Increase their ability to write recognizable letters, especially those in first
name, and use letters that represent sounds.
School Readiness Goal 6: York County Head Start children will understand beginning
math skills including spatial relationships, patterns and using math concepts to gather
information in daily routines.
School Readiness Goal 7: York County Head Start children will increase ability to
identity shapes, their properties, and how objects are related to one another.
School Readiness Goal 8: York County Head Start children will increase physical
development in the area of large muscles for movement, navigation, and balance and
demonstrate fine-motor strength and coordination to manipulate.
School Readiness Goal 9: York County Head Start families will be educated on
preventive health care and demonstrate an understanding of healthy and safe habits.
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Although the program did not make any changes to the primary program and school
readiness goals, YCHS staff worked closely with stakeholders to make necessary revisions to
applicable program goal objectives. The program goals and objectives are listed below. If any
revisions were made to the objective, it is identified as well as the progress that York County is
making towards achieving each program goal objective. If revisions were made to an objective,
the program also reviewed and updated strategies used for tracking and achieving program goals,
if warranted. All revisions made to program goal objectives and strategies were determined as a
result of analyzing data from program outcomes, reports, and feedback from Head Start staff,
families, and governing bodies.
Program Goal #1: York County Head Start program will strengthen parent engagement
in all aspects of the program so that Head Start families will nurture their child’s
learning and development in order for their children to be successful in kindergarten
and beyond.
Obj. 1(A): York County Head Start will enhance the male involvement program as
measured by male involvement in program activities. York County will increase male
involvement by 10 percent each year.
Progress Outcomes Challenges Evidence
YCHS coordinated
the following male
involvement events in
YR 2:
FALL: CDR
presented at “Back 2
School Night” to
encourage male
involvement and
participation in the
24/7 Dad Fatherhood
Program.
WINTER: YCHS
coordinated a
“Tailgating to
FALL: Attendance
was 6% (7/113
families) of the
program’s total
number of families.
However, it was an
increase of 2 (40%)
from last year.
WINTER:
Attendance was 2%
(2/113) of the
-The program
continues to problem
solve to promote
attendance and address
barriers (e.g. time,
location, etc.).
- This year, CDR
determined that it
would include YCHS
in its plans for existing
24/7 Dad Trainings
open to the community
and public due to the
lack of participation.
Evidence used to
gather data to
evaluate progress
towards achieving
goal were the
Event Activity
Sign-In Sheets.
Wellness” event that
used a Super Bowl
theme to promote a
healthy diet and
exercise.
program’s total
number of families
which was a decrease
of 80% from last
year.
Obj. 1(B): York County Head Start families will ensure that parents are involved in program
decision-making activities as measured by an increase in completion of parent surveys at the
beginning and end of the program year by 15 percent each year.
REVISED for YEAR 3
Obj. 1(B): York County Head Start will improve parent engagement in program decision-
making activities as measured by 95% of families indicating that they have been involved in
program decision-making activities.
Progress Outcomes Challenges Evidence
YCHS revised
Objective 1(B) in
order to focus on
evaluating parents’
awareness and
involvement in
decision-making
activities instead of
focusing solely on the
overall completion of
parent surveys.
YCHS implemented a
system to survey
parents twice a year
(e.g. Fall and Spring).
Total Number of
Parent Surveys
completed:
Fall 2018-2019:
40/115 families
Spring 2018-2019:
83/115 families
Starting in YR 2, YC
incorporated questions
in the bi-annual survey
to evaluate parents’
awareness and
involvement in
program decision-
making activities.
Fall 2019-2020: 91%
of all families
surveyed indicated
that they have been
involved in program
decision-making
activities.
Spring 2019-2020:
Not Yet Available
YCHS is challenged to
continue to promote
and encourage the
engagement of parents
in decision-making
activities. A variety of
strategies will be
implemented based on
the varying needs and
availability of families.
Evidence used to
gather data to
evaluate progress
towards achieving
this goal were
Parent Survey
Outcomes.
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Obj. 1(C): York County Head Start will provide resources and utilize the parenting curriculum
to improve the knowledge of parents regarding child development topics to promote their child’s
school readiness. YC Head Start will increase each of the following by 10% per year:
REVISED for YEAR 3
Obj. 1(C): York County Head Start will provide resources and utilize the parenting curriculum
to improve the knowledge of parents regarding child development topics to promote their child’s
school readiness. YC Head Start will:
a. Increase the percentage of parents who participate in parent curriculum training to include
independent training, one-on-one, and/or group sessions by 10% each school year.
b. Increase the percentage of parents showing an improvement in their knowledge of child
development topics by 10% from the fall survey to the spring survey.
Progress Outcomes Challenges Evidence
a. The program has
implemented the
Positive Solutions
parenting curriculum.
In doing so, families
were able to obtain
information to assist
them in improving
their parenting skills
and knowledge of
child development
topics. Family
Services staff
facilitated group
sessions and provided
one-on-one training
with parents, per
parent request.
a. FALL 2019-2020:
Attendance was
3.5% (4/113) of the
program’s total
enrollment.
However, it was an
increase of 1 (33%)
from last year.
a. Based on the
varying needs,
dynamics, and
availability of families,
the program plans to
restructure parent
curriculum
implementation. In
YR 1-2, Parent Café
meetings have had
minimum
participation. As a
result, YC will begin
delivering parent
curriculum
information in YR 3
using a variety of
strategies. Strategies
will include offering
trainings at Parent
Committee meetings,
via webinars, and one-
on-one sessions with
family services staff.
a. Parent
Curriculum
Training Sign-In
Sheets were used
to gather data to
evaluate progress
towards achieving
goal.
b. YCHS facilitated
parent curriculum
training sessions. A
part of the training
included a pre-and
post-test to evaluate
whether parent
knowledge improved
after attending
b. YCHS implemented
a system to survey
parents twice a year
(e.g. Fall and Spring).
Starting in Spring
2020, YC will
incorporate questions
in the bi-annual survey
to evaluate if parents
b. YCHS is challenged
to continue to offer
training opportunities
for families using the
parenting curriculum.
Moving forward, YC
will utilize a variety of
strategies to deliver the
parent curriculum
b. Parent
Curriculum
Training Sign-In
Sheets and Parent
Survey Outcomes
were used to
gather data to
evaluate progress
sessions. However,
attendance at parent
training was minimal.
In an effort to educate
more families, the
program plans to
diversify the methods
used for delivering
parent curriculum
training information
to families.
Due to the method
changing for the
delivery of the parent
curriculum starting in
Spring 2020, YC
revised the method
that will be used to
evaluate whether
parents improved
their knowledge of
child development
topics based on parent
curriculum training
information provided
by the program.
felt that their
knowledge improved
due to training
information received
from parent
curriculum materials.
Fall 2019-2020:
100% (4/4) of all
families attending
parent curriculum
training showed an
improvement in their
knowledge on child
development-related
topics.
Spring 2019-2020:
Not Yet Available
information based on it
benefitting children
and families.
towards achieving
goal.
Obj. 1(D): York County Head Start will strengthen parents’ knowledge of child development
through the provision of educational resources and engagement opportunities in order to
increase their involvement in program decision-making related to education services for their
child.
YC Head Start will increase each of the following by 10% per year:
a. Number of parents who attend Education Review Team meetings.
b. Number of parents showing an improvement in their knowledge of child development topics.
c. Number of parents who volunteer in the classroom.
REVISED for YEAR 3
Obj. 1(D): York County Head Start will strengthen parents’ knowledge of child development
through the provision of educational resources and engagement opportunities in order to
increase their involvement in program decision-making related to education services for their
child.
YC Head Start will:
a. Increase the percentage of parents who participate in program education curriculum training
each year.
b. Develop a new method to provide education and resources to families on child development
and education-related topics each program year.
c. Increase the number of parent volunteer hours each subsequent year.
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Progress Outcomes Challenges Evidence
YCHS continues to
focus on training
parents on education
services and other
child development
topics. In addition,
YC offers
opportunities for
parents to be involved
in the program and in
making decisions
relating to the
program’s school
readiness goals,
curriculum,
assessment, and
education services.
For example, the
program coordinates
Education Review
Team meetings twice
a year.
a. In Year 1-2, the
objective was focused
on measuring the
attendance at
Education Review
team meetings. Based
on parent
participation, the
objective was revised
to measure parent
engagement in
education curriculum
training in which the
program plans to
expand how trainings
are offered to families.
b. The program will
develop new methods
to provide education
and resources to
families on child
development and
education-related
topics.
c. A mechanism was
put in place to track
the total number of
parent volunteer hours
for each classroom
and the program. The
total number of parent
volunteer hours for
Year 1 was 1,815
hours. Year 2 is not
yet available.
a. Parent participation
at Education Review
Team meetings have
been minimal. The
program is challenged
to develop avenues for
parents to be more
engaged in decision-
making activities
relating to education
services.
b. Education Review
Team meetings were
the primary method for
facilitating education
curriculum training.
Based on parents not
attending meetings, the
program will create
other opportunities for
families to learn about
the education
curriculum.
c. None at this time.
Education Review
Team Meeting
Sign-In Sheets and
Classroom
Volunteer Logs
were used to
gather data to
evaluate progress
towards achieving
goal.
** REVISED AND MOVED TO 2(D) for YEAR 3
Obj. 1(E): York County Head Start will develop a communication plan and process that
improves Head Start families’ understanding of the importance of health and nutrition
screenings so that parents will ensure that their children receive needed health, nutrition, and
mental health services. YC Head Start will develop an ongoing data tracking matrix to track
needed services compared to the services received. At the end of year 1, YC HS will have
developed and introduced the monitoring and reporting schedule to all staff. Each subsequent
year, YC Head Start will decrease the delay in obtaining needed screenings and follow up from
families.
Program Goal #2: Head Start will strengthen transition, health, and mental health services so
that parents are empowered to support and advocate for their child’s learning and development
as they transition to new learning environments.
Obj. 2(A): York County Head Start will support parents to become advocates and leaders for
their children within the community by attending transition meetings which empower them with
knowledge regarding their child’s transition as measured by the attendance to transition
meetings, orientation, and trainings.
REVISED for YEAR 3
Obj. 2(A): York County Head Start will effectively coordinate transition meetings, orientation,
and trainings to empower parents to become advocates and leaders for their child as measured
by the percentage of students attending transition meetings and orientation each program year.
Progress Outcomes Challenges Evidence
YCHS coordinated
events and trainings
to assist children in
making smooth
transitions into their
new learning
environment at Head
Start or York County
School District.
Attendance
Percentage
Bethel Manor Head
Start
Back to School Night:
17%
Orientation: 100%
YCSD Kindergarten
Transition Event: 75%
Yorktown Head
Start
Back to School Night:
75%
Orientation: 100%
YCSD Kindergarten
Transition Event: 40%
Griffin-Yeates
Center
Back to School Night:
19%
Orientation: 100%
YCSD Kindergarten
Transition Event: 47%
The program
continues to overcome
challenges in creating
activities that promote
parent participation
despite barriers e.g.
limited transportation,
location, parent/staff
availability, etc.
Sign-In Sheets were
used to gather data
to evaluate progress
towards achieving
goal.
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Obj. 2(B): York County Head Start will collaborate with the York County School District to
support the program in providing transition services. York County will increase the number of
transition activities coordinated with the LEA by one additional activity each year outside of the
annual classroom transition visit.
Progress Outcomes Challenges Evidence
YCHS continues to
work closely with
YCSD to plan and
carry out transition
activities.
Transition activities
are being planned for
Year 2 and have not
yet been completed.
YCHS continues to
struggle with
coordinating transition
activities with YCSD
Assistant Principals
especially because
there has been some
changes in principals
and assistant
principals this school
year.
Program Calendar
and Transition Plan
were used to gather
data to evaluate
progress towards
achieving goal.
Obj. 2(C): York County Head will strengthen the coordination of MH/health services and
resources to increase documentation and tracking of the services offered to support children’s
successful transition and readiness for school.
REVISED for YEAR 3
Obj. 2(C): York County Head will strengthen its approaches to address children’s social-
emotional well-being in order to support children’s readiness for school as measured by an
improvement in the social-emotional development of children referred for Mental Health
services.
Progress Outcomes Challenges Evidence
YCHS has made
strides in
coordinating and
providing MH
services to children.
For instance, the
program added a
provider to assist the
program in
addressing the
individualized needs
of students to include
Therapeutic Day
Treatment services.
In addition, the
program revised
In developing a process
and updating
procedures, the program
determined that there
was not a need to
increase the tracking
and documentation of
MH services. Instead,
there was a need to
strengthen the referral
process. For this reason,
the program will
evaluate the program’s
efforts to address
children’s social-
emotional well-being by
evaluating the benefit of
MH services received as
The program will
research and
determine what tool
will be used to
evaluate
improvements made
by a child receiving
MH services and
supports.
MH Services
Monitoring/Tracking
Tools and ChildPlus
Reports were used to
gather data to
evaluate progress
towards achieving
goal.
policies and
procedures to include
timelines throughout
the MH referral
process.
measured by
improvements in a
child’s social-emotional
development.
****DISCONTINUED YR1-2 Obj. 2(D) See Obj. 2(A)
YR1 Obj. 2(D) York County Head Start will strengthen the process for enrolling and orienting
Head Start families and children entering the program and entering Kindergarten as measured
by the percentage of parents completing orientation documentation prior to the first day of
school in Head Start and the public school. **** PREVIOUSLY Obj. 2(E)- NO REVISIONS WERE MADE TO THE OBJECTIVE
Obj. 2(D): York County Head Start will enhance community partnerships to assist families in
accessing resources to build their advocacy skills and address their social and emotional, mental
health, and/or disability needs. YC HS will increase community partners by one each year.
*Partners will include one partner to assist with providing services to Dual Language Learners.
Progress Outcomes Challenges Evidence
YCHS has developed
two new partnerships
with community
agencies in an effort
to improve the
services and supports
offered to children
and families.
In Year 2, YCHS
developed new
partnerships with:
1. Elk Hill- Mental
Health Agency that
provides training,
therapeutic day
treatment, and
counseling to children
and families.
2. Student Success
Team was created in
collaboration with the
local Department of
Social Services in
order to provide child
Protective Services
prevention.
None Identified at this
time. Community
Partnerships
Resource List were
used to gather data
to evaluate progress
towards achieving
goal.
**PREVIOUSLY Objective 1(E)***
Obj. 2(E): York County Head Start will increase the number of children up-to-date on EPSDT
requirements by ensuring that children receive required health services before their first day of
program entry.
Progress Outcomes Challenges Evidence
YCHS planned and
carried out its first
summer screening
fair in an effort to
Data was analyzed to
determine the number
of students that were
up-to-date at
The program was
challenged to
establish a systematic
way of tracking,
PIR reports,
Summer Screening
Sign-In Sheets, and
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increase the number
of children entering
the program with up-
to-date health
requirements.
enrollment. Data
showed that 51/117
(43.6%) children
entered the program
with up-to-date health
required health
requirements which
decreased the number
of screenings needing
to be completed by the
45/90 day deadlines.
completing, and
monitoring health
screenings in order to
decrease the time that
it took for children to
obtain needed health
screenings. This was
primarily a challenge
based on gathering
data prior to the start
of the school year
which did not take
into account no
shows, child
transitions, and the
program filling vacant
slots through the end
of the summer. As a
result, the program
worked with the
governing body to
revise the goal and
measures used to
assess progress.
ChildPlus Data were
used to gather data
to evaluate progress
towards achieving
goal.
SERVICE DELIVERY
Service and Recruitment Area
York County is not making any changes to its service and recruitment area. York County
continues to offer few opportunities for affordable quality child care and early childhood education
services for families particularly for families living in poverty. For this reason, York County will
continue to target and serve eligible families residing in York County, Virginia. Most of the
families potentially eligible for Head Start reside in the following zip codes: 23185 and 23690.
These areas will be targeted based on them being identified as low-income neighborhoods as well
as having the highest percentage of residents who are unemployed, living below the federal
poverty level, and/or participate in assistance programs offered through the department of social
services.
Needs of Children and Families
The needs of children and families in York County is varied. Approximately 5% of York
County’s population are living in poverty. The 2019-2020 Community Assessment found that
5.42% of York County’s total population receives SNAP benefits, approximately .56% receives
TANF, and .19% receives childcare assistance. Based on the Community Health Needs
Assessment (CHNA) completed by Surgical Suites of Coastal Virginia, LLC in 2019, families
living in poverty within York County are more apt to having difficulties with their health, stable
housing, healthy food, maintaining steady employment, and accessing health care compared to
individuals living above the poverty level. Regardless of income, the death rates due to
fentanyl/heroin overdose is higher than the state rate in York County. Affordable housing,
transportation, access to healthy food, and affordable childcare were identified as the top four
community assets needing strengthening in York County community. For this reason, York
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County will partner with enrolled families to assist them in overcoming the barriers that are
prevalent in the York County community in an effort to assist them in preparing their
preschooler for school.
Chosen Program Options and Funded Enrollment Slots
The total number of York County School District students that were economically
disadvantaged increased by 4% from the 2018-2019 to the 2019-2020 school, and only
approximately 19% of all 2019-2020 Kindergarteners in York County School District had a
public preschool experience. To assist in offering York County children an opportunity to have a
preschool experience, York County Head Start will keep its program option the same and
maintain its current funded enrollment. York County will provide center-based services to 117
children and their families five (5) day a week for 161 days a year. York County has chosen to
provide center-based services to families because it allows more opportunities to intervene
directly with families by offering an opportunity for program staff to engage parents and provide
individual interventions to families when they come to the center to pick up/drop off their
child(ren) each day. Additionally, it will afford quality learning opportunities to students in a
center-based setting that will adequately promote their social, emotional, physical and cognitive
development.
Centers and Facilities
York County Head Start will not be making any changes to its centers and facilities.
Children enrolled in York County Head Start will attend the center-based program for 161 days
per program year. There will be fifty-two (52) half-day Head Start enrollment slots at the
Griffin-Yeates Center that will operate Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. until 1:30 p.m.
for 161 days a year. In addition to the half-day slots, YCHS will have eighteen (18) full-day
enrollment slots at the Griffin-Yeates Center, (17) full-day enrollment slots at Yorktown Head
Start, and thirty (30) full-day enrollment slots at Bethel Manor Head Start. Full-day center-based
classrooms will operate Monday through Friday for 6.5 hours per day, 161 days a year. Full-day
classrooms at Bethel Manor will operate 8:30 a.m. until 3:00 p.m., and full-day classrooms at
Yorktown Elementary and Griffin-Yeates will operate 9:00 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. Afternoons and
teacher work days will be used for team meetings, professional development training, parent-
teacher conferences, and home visits.
Eligibility, Recruitment, Selection, Enrollment, and Attendance
Children residing in York County will continue to be considered for enrollment based
upon eligibility requirements and a selection criteria. Applications will continue to be accepted
from families throughout the year to ensure that funded enrollment is met and an active waiting
list is maintained. The most vulnerable families will be targeted and considered for enrollment
opportunities first. This includes targeting children whose family income falls below the federal
poverty guidelines based on their family size, children with diagnosed disabilities, children
experiencing homelessness, and children in foster care which is included in the program’s
selection criteria. No changes are being made to the criteria point system other than the
wording that was used to target dual-language learners. Moving forward, the wording that
targets dual-language learners will also target children whose family may have other language
barriers e.g. hearing impairments, speech delays, etc. This change in wording was based on the
Community Assessment along with recommendations from the Policy Council. The change was
reviewed and approved by the Policy Council and Board of Supervisors.
17
Education and Child Development
York County will continue to utilize and implement the research-based Teaching Strategies
GOLD (TSG) by Creative Curriculum® to guide education and child development services. The
curriculum is aligned with the Head Start Early Learning Outcomes Framework. Over the last
grant cycle, the program achieved the goal of having at least 85% of children to meet or exceed
the widely held expectations set by the Teaching Strategies Gold Assessment tool. However,
children scored the lowest in the areas of literacy and mathematics. Data from the Phonological
Awareness Screening indicated that upper-case, lower-case, and letter sounds were the lowest
areas of mastery for 4-year old students enrolled during the 2018-2019 school year. Based on
literacy and mathematics being the weakest areas of development for York County students, the
program plans to continue to support children’s development and implement TSG with fidelity
to achieve its school readiness goals. Additionally, the program plans to do the following to
promote children’s skill acquisition and school readiness:
Conduct formal classroom observations using the Fidelity Tool for Creative
Curriculum for Preschool, ECERS checklist, and CLASS tool at least twice a year.
Offer training and technical support to classroom teaching staff provided by through
the Mentor Coaching program.
Utilize the Coaching to Fidelity Tool by Creative Curriculum to assess the program’s
Mentor Coaching program and approach to providing coaching to staff implementing
the education curriculum.
Consider the feedback and recommendations from the Education Review Team and the
Mentor/Coaching Implementation Team to make program improvements and complete
program planning activities.
Purchase education tools and supplies to expand the program’s library of resources,
theme boxes, and STEAM activities.
Offer professional development opportunities to staff to improve classroom instruction,
teacher-child interactions, and classroom environments.
Implement the use of technology to expand classroom instruction and learning
opportunities that will include updated computer software for classroom computers and
expanded use of IPADS and Smart Boards in the classroom.
Expand the program’s literacy program to include hands-on activities to be completed
at home by parents and students.
Health Services
The needs of Head Start children and their families are assessed during the enrollment
and screening processes as well as throughout the year. Appropriate referrals are made by staff
and staff’s follow-up is continuous. For the coming year, the program will further its efforts to
empower families to be engaged in all aspects of their child’s health. To achieve this, the
program will expand its summer screening fair to include newly enrolled and returning children.
By doing so, it will allow the program to better leverage internal and external resources and
decrease the impact of conducting screenings during classroom instruction time. As a result of
the program implementing summer screening for the 2019-2020 school year, the program had a
31% increase in the number of children from 2018-2019 that were up-to-date on a schedule of
appropriate preventive and primary health care, according to Virginia’s EPSDT schedule for well
child care.
In assessing the program’s mental health services, York County Head Start has seen an
increase in the number of children that would benefit from mental health services and supports.
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As of winter 2019-2020, the increased the number of children referred for mental health services
by 50% from last school year. The program works closely with the mental health contractor to
complete mental health observations on all students and the Devereux Early Childhood
Assessment (DECA) screening tool is used to assess children’s social and emotional
development. In reviewing DECA outcomes for Year 2, the protective factors found to have the
highest area of need for Head Start students were initiative, self-regulation, and
attachment/relationships. It was found that 11% of York County Head Start students had two or
more areas of need within the protective factors that were assessed. In an effort to address the
needs of students in the area of social and emotional development, the program plans to:
Utilize the e-DECA tool to continue to screen each child’s social and emotional
development. However, the program will also use the e-DECA tool to assess the
progress of a child’s social and emotional development at the end of the school
year for all children referred for mental health services. Outcomes of the e-DECA
completed at the end of the school year will be used to assess the child’s progress
and the effectiveness of the mental health services and supports provided to the
child.
Provide parents with a copy of Learning and Development Reports from TSG at
each checkpoint, and provide a copy of strategies obtained from the e-DECA
Assessment and Planning System to engage families in the process of addressing
their child’s social and emotional development if there are identified areas of
concern.
Implement a Yoga Program instructed by the program’s Health Services Program
Administrator that will focus on supporting staff and children’s social and
emotional well-being.
Purchase and utilize components of the Conscious Discipline Curriculum in
classrooms to promote resilience and the social and emotional well-being of
children.
Expand the partnership with an outside mental health provider to provide more
support to the program to include Therapeutic Day Treatment services,
professional development, on-site consultation.
Family and Community Engagement
York County provides continuous, intensive family support services to Head Start
children and families by making the necessary provisions to offer multiple opportunities for
parents to improve their parenting, build healthy parent-child relationships, and advocate for
their child’s education. Family Services staff will continue to implement approaches to assess
family strengths and weaknesses during the intake and goal setting process, provide case
management and family support services to assist families, and offer a variety of family
engagement opportunities. Family Services staff will also continue to partner with parents to
assist them in achieving their goals, accessing community resources, responding to emergency
or crisis situations, and identifying trainings and educational opportunities that may lead them
to career advancement and self-sufficiency.
York County Head Start staff uses the PFCE Framework as a tool to address the
challenges and successes for individual families as they work through the Family Partnership
Agreement process with families. Last school year, enrolled families made strides in improving
identified areas of need for their family. In analyzing the gains that families made during the
2018-2019 school year, it was determined that families made the highest gains in the areas of
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health ( 0.5), financial ( 0.3), and housing ( 0.4). For the three Head Start locations, the total
average gain in all areas of needs assessed were: 1) Griffin-Yeates 2; 2) Bethel Manor Head
Start 1.9; and 3) Yorktown Head Start 2.4. The total average gain in all areas of need assessed
for the program as a whole was 2.1. However, family relationships, mental health, education
and food/clothing had the lowest amount of gains ( 0.1).
To support families in improving their self-sufficiency and addressing areas of need,
York County Head Start will continue to improve family engagement efforts. For the upcoming
grant cycle (YEAR 3), program improvements will include:
The development and implementation of strategies to expand the delivery of the
parenting curriculum tool so that more families can benefit from parenting
curriculum information. Instead of offering the parenting curriculum twice a
year, the program will use a variety of strategies to deliver the Center on the
Social and Emotional Foundations of Early Learning’s Positive Solutions for
Families parenting modules. For example, the program will develop webinars
and videos using the Positive Solutions for Families parenting modules and offer
whole group sessions during the school year to accommodate and engage
families.
York County will revise its method for selecting and electing Policy Council
members to improve the opportunities that Head Start parents have to participate
in the voting process.
York County Head Start will work towards becoming a more trauma-informed
program by completing a trauma-informed program assessment. Based on the
assessment, the program will develop and implement an action plan to create a
more trauma-informed workforce and environment. As a part of this, the
program will offer training and resources around trauma-informed care for staff
and families.
Services for Children with Disabilities
York County Head Start has continued to provide quality services to meet the needs of
children with disabilities, and it will continue to recruit and enroll children eligible for special
education services with mild, moderate, or severe disabilities. To meet the needs of eligible
children with disabilities, the program partners with the local school system to provide
specialized disability services and dually enroll children in Head Start and the LEA’s four (4)
day a week early education program to provide more comprehensive services. The partnership
with the LEA has been positive and it has been effective in meeting the needs of families. For
this reason, the program will not be making any changes to its delivery of services to children
with disabilities. Partnerships will continue with families, York County Public Schools and
other community agencies in order to make the necessary accommodations, modifications, and
supports appropriate for the child to fully participate in the program.
Transition
Head Start staff will work collaboratively to provide quality transitional services to children
entering the Head Start program and transitioning from the Head Start program. Based on the strides
that the program has made in ensuring that children have the necessary health requirements met, the
program will continue to hold a summer screening fair and parent orientation. As a result of the
program having a summer screening fair and parent orientation for the 2019-2020 school year,
43.6% of enrolled children entered the program with up-to-date health requirements and 100% of
families attended orientation. Coordinating a summer screening fair and parent orientation is
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helpful in assisting students in successfully transition into the program. In addition to focusing on
helping children have a smooth transition into the program, the program also plans to improve
efforts made to assist children in transitioning successfully out of the program. Some of the
program’s efforts will include:
Family Services staff coordinating to meet with families at the Head Start Center or
in the community to help them complete the LEA’s online kindergarten registration
process.
Education Leadership coordinating additional onsite or offsite transition activities in
addition to elementary school visits to prepare students for transition.
Family Services creating family-friendly correspondences and/or videos to distribute
to families at Orientation and Back to School Night that highlights information on
parent engagement & volunteer opportunities.
Services to Enrolled Pregnant Women
York County Head Start is not making any changes to its delivery of services to pregnant
women. York County Head Start will continue to focus efforts on serving the whole family
including supporting pregnant women to determine if any pregnant mothers need assistance in
obtaining healthcare, medical insurance, dental care, mental health, nutrition, or other needed
services.
Transportation
York County continues to work to overcome the challenge of having limited public
transportation in the County. In an effort to assist families and promote regular school
attendance, transportation will be provided by the program and also through contract with the
public school to children living in the mid-section and the upper end of the County. For the
coming year, the program will continue to utilize an evaluation process to determine a family’s
need for transportation services. In doing so, children will be selected for transportation services
using a criteria selection process so those most in need of transportation will be selected for bus
transportation first.
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Governance, Organizational, and Management Structures
Governance Structure
York County Head Start is not making any changes to its governance structure. The
Policy Council and the York County Board of Supervisors (BoS) oversees the delivery of
services to families. The York County BoS is comprised of five elected York County citizens,
one each from the five election districts. BoS serve four-year terms with the Chairman and Vice
Chairman elected to serve for one year. As a result, a new BoS Chair was elected. However, the
program does not anticipate any impact on the program’s governance structure. A representative
from the BoS will continue to be assigned to the Policy Council that will attend Policy Council
meetings and serve as a liaison between the Policy Council and BoS. The BoS Liaison will not
have voting privileges at Policy Council meetings.
The members of the Policy Council are current Head Start parents and community
representatives. The Policy Council is made up of at least fifty-one percent of parents of
currently enrolled children and forty-nine percent community representatives. Each year,
currently enrolled parents are formally selected to serve on the Policy Council. Community
Representatives, members of community agencies and organizations who have an interest or
mission to serve children and families, will be voted to the Policy Council by the parent
representatives. This year, the program will expand its efforts beyond the typical process
used at Back to School Night to solicit Policy Council representation. Instead, families will
be a Policy Council Campaign will be implemented that will occur over a period of time
leading to Back to School Night so that more parents will be encouraged to participate in the
nomination and voting process. Parents selected to serve on Policy Council will continue to
serve up to a five year term; however, they will be re-elected annually. The structure of the
Parent Committee, comprised exclusively of the parents of children currently enrolled in the
program, will also remain the same.
Human Resources Management
The organizational structure for York County Head Start will remain the same. The structure is:
York County makes every effort to recruit and hire qualified culturally and ethnically
diverse staff to ensure appropriate representation of the ethnicities and cultures of enrolled
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families’ that includes bilingual staff. In doing so, York County provides a comprehensive new
hire and orientation process for new employees. Within the process are steps to ensure that
staff, consultants, contractors, and volunteers in the program receive appropriate background
checks prior to onboarding. Additionally, York County has a substantial training program to
ensure all employees build and maintain their professional skills.
In reviewing and analyzing the needs of the program, the program plans to add a Work-
As-Required Janitorial staff. In previous years, the program has worked with a contractor to
keep the Griffin-Yeates Center clean and safe. However, there is a need to have additional
support during the program’s core hours. The addition of a Work-As-Required Janitorial staff
will improve workflow and allow office staff to focus on the essential responsibilities of their
position with limited interruption to complete janitorial task. The creation of this position will
further the program’s commitment and priority in maintaining a healthy and safe environment
for students, families, staff, and visitors at all times.
Program Management and Quality Improvement
York County does not have any pending corrective actions from ongoing oversight,
monitoring reviews, or audits. However, York County’s leadership staff conducts ongoing
planning activities, monitoring, and evaluation of its operational systems and outcomes to assess
compliance and progress towards achieving program goals. Data collected through monitoring is
used to formulate program plans and determine needed program improvements. Data such as
ongoing monitoring reports, child and family outcomes, Program Information Reports (PIR),
Community Assessment, Self-Assessment, and Annual Report are used to formulate program
plans and assess progress. For the upcoming grant cycle the program will do the following as a
part of its program improvement plan:
York County Head Start staff will help better prepare children for transition to
Kindergarten by creating and following a Transition Plan. The Education Coordinator
will take the lead on developing a Transition Plan that will outline activities that will
promote children’s readiness and smooth transition to kindergarten so that they are ready
to learn.
York County Head Start will increase parent engagement in decision-making activities by
implementing a new strategy for: delivering parenting curriculum information; providing
education curriculum information; and offering alternative ways for parents to volunteer
for Policy Council and elect Policy Council representatives. Offering a variety of
opportunities for parents to be involved in decision-making activities and engaged in their
child’s education will further support children’s school readiness.
York County Head Start will improve its approaches to address children’s social and
emotional well-being by ensuring that 100% of students referred for mental health
services have improvements in their social and emotional development. It is the
program’s goal that children referred for mental health services will make improvements
in their social and emotional development as a result of the supportive services that the
child receives.
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BUDGET AND BUDGET JUSTIFICATION NARRATIVE
Budget Justification Narrative
York County is requesting $1,113,012 in federal funding to provide Head Start services to
117 low-income, at-risk children age 3–5 years and their families in York County, Virginia. The
budget narrative justification for the upcoming grant cycle for York County is included. The
narrative describes how the costs are derived for each line item of the budget and takes into
consideration the necessity, reasonableness, and allocation of the proposed cost. Below is a
budget line item allocation that addresses each budget area as follows:
SALARIES AND FRINGES- The allocated amount of $955,138 in personnel $647,366 and
fringe benefits $307,722 is designated to support program staff and meet federal and state wage
and compensation laws.
SUPPLIES - The Supplies total is $39,258. This includes expenses listed below.
Office Supplies and Copies- The total number for office supplies and publications is
$6,700. Office supplies provide the York County offices and classrooms with the
materials and resources necessary to ensure the establishment and maintenance of
efficient and effective operating systems.
Child and Family Services Supplies- The total number for classroom supplies is $28,558.
This allocated amount supports all classrooms and family services activities to support
and meet the demanding requirements of Head Start to ensure a quality program.
Food Service Supplies- The total number for food service supplies is $3,000. This
allocated amount will be used to support food services and activities involving food
services.
Other Supplies- The total number for other supplies is $1,000. This allocated amount
supports computer hardware and small equipment needed for quality programming.
CONTRACTUAL- The contractual total is $65,469 is allocated to the
services listed below that supports the program’s efforts.
Health /Disabilities Services- The total number for health and disabilities services is
$6,300. This includes contractual expenses needed for mental health services and CDL
licensing.
Food Services- The total number for food services contractual cost is $15,319. This
includes contractual expenses needed for the food service contract with York County
Division schools for Bethel Manor and Yorktown classrooms as well as cost for adult
family style dining.
Child Transportation Services The total number for child transportation contractual cost
is $35,000. This includes contractual expenses needed for the transportation services
provided by York County Division schools for Griffin-Yeates children.
Other Contracts-The total number for other contractual cost is $8,850. This includes
contractual expenses for daycare licensing fees, printer and copier contracts, ChildPlus,
and Teaching Strategies.
OTHER EXPENSES- The total for other expenses listed below is $37,085 which is allocated
to support the program’s efforts to meet or exceed Head Start program regulations.
Utilities and Telephone-The total number for cost is $3500. This includes cost
associated with phone service and cell phones.
Building and Child Liability Insurance- The total number for building and child
liability insurance cost is $490.
Travel-The total number for travel cost is $2,400. This includes expenses associated
with mileage expenses for staff and parent volunteers.
Substitute- The total number for substitutes cost is $22,650. This includes cost for
work as required substitute teacher assistants, cook, and janitorial staff.
Parent Services-Activity Fund- The total number for parent activities-parent activity
fund is $1,170. This includes parent activity funds for $10 per child.
Publications/Advertising/Printing- The total number for publications, advertising, and
printing is $300. This includes cost for printing materials, business cards, etc.
Training/Staff Development-The total number for training and staff development fund
is $3,425. This includes cost for personnel development.
Dues and Membership- The total number for dues and membership is $1,500. This
includes cost for Directors Association, VA Head Start Association, and National Head
Start Association.
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Postage and Messenger Services- The total number for postage is $500. This includes
cost for mailing correspondences, applications, etc.
Vehicle Maintenance- The total number for vehicle maintenance is $1,150. This
includes cost for the maintenance of buses used for transportation services, field trips,
and activities.
TRAINING & TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE- The total number for training and technical
assistance cost is $16,062. This includes contractual expenses needed for providing staff and
policy council training.
Total Personnel: $955,138 Total Non-Personnel: $141,812
Total Grant Request: $1,096,950 Total T/TA: $16,062
Total Grant: $1,113,012
Total non-federal share is $278,253
Non-federal share includes:
$8,000 (Vehicle Maintenance);
$177,522 (includes $80,214 (Child Health and Nutrition personnel salaries paid
by Head Start Local Funds); $27,022 (Family Services Coordinator salary paid by
Head Start Local Funds); $37,336 (Director salary paid by Head Start Local
Funds); $15,215 (Administrative Assistant I paid by Head Start Local Funds); and
$17,735(Administrative Assistant II paid by Head Start Local Funds));
$86,307 (Fringe Benefits for salaries paid by Head Start Local Funds); and
$6,424 (Computer support, supplies, hardware, data processing equipment paid by
Head Start Local Funds);
York County maintains a comprehensive financial policy that guides the accounting
practices for York County Head Start and other York County departments. The established
policies and procedures outline a system for internal controls, processing accounting
transactions, reporting financial activity and adhering to regulatory compliance. These policies
and procedures are submitted to and approved by York County BoS. Policies are reviewed
annually and ongoing to ensure up-to-date practices. York County has significant internal
control practices outlined in its finance policy which are enforced by management and fiscal
departments, monitored by the Board of Supervisors, and audited by an external audit firm
annually. Internal controls are designed to ensure validity and accuracy within the accounting
system. The various elements of York County’s internal control policies include segregation of
duties, authorization of transactions, secure storage and strong management oversight.
York County utilizes the MUNIS Accounting System to develop, monitor, and maintain
the program’s operating budget. The MUNIS Accounting System is a Cloud-based, password
protected, secured and backed up immediately upon entry of information. MUNIS systems allow
the finance department to accurately forecast, track, monitor and report financial information.
York County has obtained finding-free financial audits from its fiscal audit. In addition, there
are other government entities and private foundations that examine the accounting practices of
funds provided to York County annually and no significant findings have been identified.
York County has a comprehensive Code of Conduct and Ethics policy. The policy is
provided to all employees, discussed with staff during the orientation process, and included in
staff training plans. York County Head Start program has an ethics policy and code of conduct
statement in the employee handbook. Employees must sign the Standards of Conduct each year
and it is filed in the employee’s personnel file which is maintained at the program’s
Administrative office. York County’s culture reinforces ethics practices that include an open
door policy, an anonymous reporting system for concerns/ideas and a whistleblower protection
policy. Training and appropriate separation of duties have been established to minimize the risk
of fraud and to protect the assets of the agency and those with federal interest.
A Grants Coordinator employed by York County Government’s Finance department and
a Management Analyst working within the Community Services Department assists in fiscal
accountability of the Head Start grant. In addition to support by the Grants Coordinator and
Management Analyst, the County’s Accounts Payable and Purchasing Departments oversees
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and monitors the processing of purchase orders, check request, and credit card purchases by
Head Start staff. Although the Director can review the Head Start program’s expenditures and
revenue in the MUNIS system at any time, a monthly budget report is created and provided to
the Director for review by the Management Analyst. The program’s Administrative Assistant,
who works closely with the Management Analyst to track program expenditures on a budget
ledger in order to compares actual activity to the budget on a monthly and year-to-date basis.
Detailed fiscal reports that includes expenditures are provided to the Policy Council and the BoS
on a monthly basis. At the beginning of each program year, training is provided to the
governing bodies to explain the financial and fiscal related reports. Budget reports and
information is also shared regularly with leadership team members.
Financial findings or errors are communicated to the Finance Department as soon as they
are identified in the audit process. Information particular to a finding can be read in audit reports
by agency’s auditor. The Regional Office is provided direct communication in these matters.
York County has an inventory system that identifies all furniture, equipment, vehicles and
building improvements for all items purchased where a single item costs over $5000. Assets
entered into the system that identifies the asset tag number, description, location, vendor, cost,
date of acquisition, and serial number. Inventories are conducted every year by the Finance
Department. Assets cannot be destroyed without obtaining approval from the Finance
department. Vehicle Services inventories all vehicles and Public Works tracks building
improvements.
York County’s food and nutrition program is funded by reimbursements from the Child
and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP). Reimbursement requests are filed monthly within the
required timeframe. The reimbursement request amount is determined by the number of children
served for each meal option, such as breakfast, snack, or lunch during the service month. All
purchase orders are reviewed and approved by the Head Start Director. Purchase orders are
reviewed by the Head Start Director to confirm adherence to the policy and approved budget.
Once approved, purchase orders are forwarded to the purchasing division for further review and
processing. General supply vendors are selected based on price, quality and ability to deliver.
Invoices to be paid are matched with approved purchase orders and signed delivery
receipts before being processing payment request to Accounts Payable. All vendor statements are
reviewed and reconciled each month and discrepancies addressed. All credit card transactions
are approved by the Head Start Director before a credit card purchase is made. Credit cards may
be used for budget line items. Usage is monitored electronically and receipts for purchases are
turned into the Accounts Payable department once a month. Single purchases made over
$10,000-$50,000 have to be approved by the County Administrator, and purchases over $50,000
have to be approved by the BoS. Vendor pricing is periodically solicited for competitive pricing.
Major purchases for construction, equipment, vehicles, and service contracts over $30,000 will
use a formal bid process. All contracts for service have vendor files that contain a master
agreement, with the current terms and conditions. The master agreement details all of the
particulars in terms of program services and financial requirements.
The grant preparation and budget development process start each year with the Head
Start Leadership Staff, Management Analyst, and Grants Coordinator meeting with the Director
to discuss possible expenditures for the new grant year, including changes in curriculum and
program standards. The detailed line item budgets, as submitted and approved during the grant
process, are entered into the MUNIS accounting system at the beginning of the fiscal and
contract year. Payroll expenses for the new budget is tabulated and provided by Human
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Resources Department to the Grants Specialist; as well as, the Human Resources Department
provides a list of active employees with rate of pay that can be used to project annualized
payroll for the new program year. Prior to presenting the draft budget to governing bodies, the
Director meets with the Policy Council’s Budget Committee to review the draft budget. During
this meeting, committee members are able to provide feedback and input into the budget. A
final draft budget is presented to the Policy Council and BoS Liaison for review and approval
before being submitted to the Community Services Director and the BoS for final review and
approval. All programs are monitored monthly, but near grant year-end, special attention is
made to direct spending or the need for budget adjustments.
York County uses Kronos for processing payroll on a bi-weekly basis. Kronos allows
the county to electronically document employee’s time when they clock in and out daily. The
Kronos Payroll system assigns a time and labor code to each employee that corresponds to the
general ledger accounts and program numbers for labor distribution. A wage comparability study
is conducted approximately every three years. The results are reviewed and discussed with
Management and the BoS. Changes may occur to keep wages in line with local standards.
Changes are made to reflect cost of living adjustments as directed by Head Start funding, the
agency’s annual employee review policy and the county budget. All salary adjustment policies
are approved by the Board of Supervisors and Policy Council.
York County does not have any indirect costs. In-kind contributions goods and services
are valued at actual cost or market value. A receipt voucher form is used to support each
individual contribution. Rates for parents volunteering in the classroom are determined by using
the average starting rate for an assistant teacher. A volunteer log is used to track volunteer
hours, these logs contain: time, date, location, purpose of the activity and signed by volunteer
and center staff. York County is a government entity whose policies, procedures and practices
conform to the best practices in county government and to maintain compliance with CFRs,
OMB Circulars and all other applicable regulatory requirements. Budget amendments, when
necessary, will be prepared, approved by Policy Council and Board of Supervisors, and
submitted to the Regional Office for approval. If unexpected surpluses are identified within
these special funds, communications are initiated with the Regional Office to seek approval for
redirection.