Bcfs Education Services

THE ORGANIZATION'S MISSION IS TO PROVIDE SERVICES TO CHILDREN IN NEED, ASSISTING THEM BY PROVIDING SCHOOL AND FAMILY RELATED SERVICES.

THE JVLCDG HEAD START-EARLY HEAD START PROGRAM PROVIDED EDUCATIONAL SERVICES TO 445 CHILDREN, THREE STAND-ALONE CENTERS AND FOUR ISD PARTNERS. THREE HUNDRED SIXTY-TWO PARENTS VOLUNTEERED DURING THE 2021-2022 SCHOOL YEAR. OF THE 445 CHILDREN SERVED, 143 WERE CLASSIFIED AS HOMELESS AND 8 WERE IN THE FOSTER CARE SYSTEM. 97% OF THE CHILDREN SERVED HAD A MEDICAL HOME, 99% HAD A DENTAL HOME AND 11% OF THOSE SERVED, HAD AN INDIVIDUALIZED EDUCATION PLAN, INDICATING AT LEAST ONE DISABILITY AND CONFIRMING ELIGIBILITY FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION AND RELATED SERVICES. THE JVLCDG HEAD START-EARLY HEAD START PROGRAM TOP SERVICES PROVIDED TO PARENTS WERE: FOOD ASSISTANCE, CLOTHING ASSISTANCE, INVOLVEMENT IN DISCUSSING THEIR CHILD'S SCREENING AND ASSESSMENT RESULTS AND THEIR CHILD'S PROGRESS.

THE AKW GRANT DURING THE 2021-2022 ACADEMIC YEAR SERVED AND ENROLLED 59 PARTICIPANTS INTO THE EARLY HEAD START PROGRAM AND 259 INTO THE HEAD START CHILDREN PROGRAM. ENROLLMENT VARIED AS FAMILIES MOVED AND/OR DECIDED THAT COVID PLAYED A FACTOR IN THEIR FAMILY'S LIVES. THREE HUNDRED FIFTEEN PARENTS VOLUNTEERED DURING THE 2021-2022 SCHOOL YEAR. OUR GRANT OFFERED VIRTUAL AND IN-PERSON EDUCATION SERVICES TO FAMILIES AND CHILDREN. AS COVID NUMBERS DECLINED WE TRANSITIONED TO FULL IN-PERSON EDUCATION SERVICES. WE WANTED THE FAMILIES TO FEEL CONFIDENT WITH THEIR INPUT, THEREFORE, WE CONTINUED TO HOLD VIRTUAL FACEBOOK LIVE PARENT MEETINGS EACH MONTH. THIS KEPT OUR FAMILIES INFORMED OF UPCOMING EVENTS. WE CONTINUED OUR FATHER ENGAGEMENT DURING THE PANDEMIC THROUGH SENDING HOME FATHER ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES THAT WERE COMPLETED WITH EACH CHILD. PARENTS CONTINUED TO VOLUNTEER AND PARTICIPATE IN POLICY COUNCIL VIA E-MAILS, AS MANY WERE STILL UNSURE OF BEING CLOSE TO OTHERS. PARENTS COMPLETED EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES FROM THEIR HOME WITH THEIR CHILDREN. PARENTS VOLUNTEERED READING TO THEIR CHILDREN AS WE PROVIDED BOOKS FOR THEM TO READ. THE CITY OF POTEET CONTINUED TO PROVIDE VOLUNTEER SERVICES, PAYING FOR WATER AND TRASH SERVICES. WE HAD PARENTS WHO VOLUNTEERED TWICE A MONTH DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR TO CUT THE GRASS AT OUR KARNES CITY AND STOCKDALE SITE.

THE STONEWALL GRANTS DURING THE 2021-2022 ACADEMIC YEAR SERVED AND ENROLLED 135 STUDENTS IN THE HEAD START PROGRAM. THE EARLY HEAD START PROGRAM ENROLLED 40 PARTICIPANTS, CHILDREN AND PREGNANT MOMS. ONE HUNDRED AND THREE PARENTS VOLUNTEERED DURING THE 2021-2022 SCHOOL YEAR. CHALLENGES DURING THE ACADEMIC YEAR; ONE OF OUR FAMILIES FACED A DISASTER, THEIR HOME BURNED, HOWEVER WE WERE ABLE TO HELP MEET THEIR NEEDS AND PROVIDE THEM WITH THE RESOURCES NEEDED. WE CONNECTED THEM WITH SOME OF OUR PARTNER'S IN THE COMMUNITY TO HELP GET THEM BACK ON THEIR FEET. WE WERE ABLE TO ENGAGE WITH THIS FAMILY AND WORK WITH THEM DURING THIS MOST CHALLENGING TIME. HOME BASED SERVICES: WE SERVED 40 FAMILIES WITH YOUNG CHILDREN IN THE HOME AS PART OF OUR NEW HOME-BASED PROGRAM THAT WE WERE GRANTED IN JULY 2021. RECRUITED FAMILIES FROM KENDALL COUNTY, GILLESPIE COUNTY, AND BLANCO COUNTY. PROVIDED FAMILIES WITH ACTIVITIES TO WORK WITH THEIR CHILDREN AND WE LEFT THEM INFORMATION TO CONTINUE THE PRACTICE UNTIL OUR NEXT SESSION. FAMILY ENGAGEMENT: HEAD START FAMILIES WERE PROVIDED A COOKBOOK DURING THE FALL "MY VISUAL COOKBOOK", INCREASED FAMILY ENGAGEMENT, ALLOWING CHILDREN THE OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN ABOUT KITCHEN SAFETY, BASIC COOKING SKILLS. PARENTS WERE ABLE TO USE THE ACTIVITY TO ENCOURAGE THEIR CHILDREN TO TRY NEW FOODS. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT: PROVIDED TO ALL 20 HEAD START ISD STAFF. ADMINISTRATION AT OUR PARTNERSHIPS ALLOWED US TO TRAIN THEIR TEACHERS ON HEAD START EXPECTATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS. CLASS: OBSERVATIONS SHOWED THAT CLASS SCORES IMPROVED SIGNIFICANTLY DURING THIS TIME PERIOD. TEACHERS ARE HAPPY THAT "CLASS" IS USED TO MONITOR CLASSROOMS BECAUSE IT HAS MADE A DIFFERENCE IN CHILDREN'S COMPREHENSION, CURIOSITY, AND LANGUAGE SKILLS. WE ARE PLEASED WITH THE OUTCOME OF OUR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT. WE ALSO FOCUSED ON DIFFERENT FAMILY ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES TO ENGAGE THE FATHERS IN EACH HOME AND THE PARTICIPATION HAS BEEN GREAT. FATHER ENGAGEMENT: BUILDING KITS DONATED BY THE BOERNE HOME DEPOT WERE SENT HOME TO FAMILIES. TWENTY-NINE FATHERS PARTICIPATED IN THE ACTIVITY. IN FEBRUARY 2022, 28 FATHERS PREPARED VALENTINE'S DAY CARDS WITH THEIR CHILDREN. IN APRIL, 33 FATHERS HELPED THEIR CHILDREN WITH THE ACTIVITY, "PLANTING WITH LOVE7 FATHERS PARTICIPATED IN THE "MATH LITERACY NIGHT".