Head Start Of Washington County Inc

DEDICATED TO MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN OUR COMMUNITY THROUGH COMPREHENSIVE CHILD AND FAMILY DEVELOPMENT SERVICES. OUR MISSION IS TO PROVIDE CHILDREN WITH NURTURING EXPERIENCES, A STRONG FOUNDATION FOR DEVELOPMENTAL GROWTH AND OPPORTUNITIES TO ACHIEVE SCHOOL READINESS. WE STRIVE TO EMPOWER FAMILIES TO TAKE AN ACTIVE ROLE IN THEIR CHILD'S DEVELOPMENT AND TO REACH THEIR FULL POTENTIAL.

HEAD START AND EARLY HEAD START PROGRAMS, SERVE CHILDREN FROM BIRTH TO AGE 5. THESE PROGRAMS SPECIALIZE IN A FULL FAMILY APPROACH TO EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION WITH AN EMPHASIS ON SCHOOL READINESS. OUR PROGRAM SERVES AROUND 400 CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES EACH YEAR. HEAD START IS A MULTI- GENERATIONAL PROGRAM, SERVING LOW INCOME OR OTHERWISE AT-RISK CHILDREN, PREGNANT WOMEN, AND FAMILIES. HEAD START AGENCIES ARE MANDATED TO REDUCE THE IMPACT OF RISK FACTORS BY PROVIDING HEALTHY CHILD DEVELOPMENT SERVICES TO INCLUDE EDUCATION, FAMILY SUPPORTS, HEALTH, NUTRITION AND REFERRALS TO COMMUNITY SERVICES. STRENGTHENING FAMILIES AS THE PRIMARY NURTURERS OF THEIR CHILDREN IS A HALLMARK OBJECTIVE OF THE HEAD START PROGRAM. PERFORMANCE STANDARDS REQUIRE A HIGH STANDARD OF CARE AND OVERALL CULTURE OF CONTINUOUS QUALITY IMPROVEMENT. CLASSROOM TEACHERS VISIT FAMILIES IN THEIR HOMES TWICE PER SCHOOL YEAR. EVERY FAMILY IS ALSO ASSIGNED A FAMILY ADVOCATE TO HELP THEM IDENTIFY AND REACH GOALS RELATED TO PROVIDING A SAFE AND NURTURING HOME ENVIRONMENT. FAMILIES ARE LINKED TO ANY COMMUNITY RESOURCES THAT MAY BE NECESSARY TO MAKE THIS POSSIBLE. RESEARCH HAS SHOWN THAT CHILDREN MAKE SIGNIFICANT INCREASES IN THEIR SCHOOL READINESS SCORES WITH INCREASED TIME IN A STRUCTURED CLASSROOM SETTING. IT IS ULTIMATELY THE GOAL OF HEAD START TO PROVIDE LONGER CLASS HOURS AND MORE LEARNING TIME FOR CHILDREN, PENDING THE AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS AND SPACE TO DO SO. DURING THE HEIGHT OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, HEAD START OF WASHINGTON COUNTY PROVIDED A QUALITY DISTANCE LEARNING PROGRAM TO ALL CHILDREN AND FAMILIES WHEN NOT ALL CLASSROOMS COULD BE OPEN IN PERSON. FOLLOWING A GRADUAL INCREASE IN THE SUMMER OF 2021, ALL CLASSROOMS RETURNED TO FULL IN-PERSON LEARNING FALL 2021. TO CONTINUE TO RECEIVE OUR FUNDING, THE AGENCY IS REQUIRED TO RAISE A 25% MATCH TO ALL FEDERAL DOLLARS RECEIVED. AT OUR CURRENT FUNDING LEVEL, THE 25% EQUATES TO 1,485,175 THROUGH INDIVIDUAL, COMPANY AND/OR FOUNDATION DONATIONS. ALTHOUGH THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC HALTED IN PERSON VOLUNTEERING, OUR AGENCY CONTINUES TO STRIVE FOR DONATIONS, TO INCLUDE CREATIVE OPPORTUNITIES FOR VIRTUAL VOLUNTEERING. CONTRIBUTIONS OF ANY SIZE ARE WELCOME AND ALLOW US TO REACH OUR REQUIRED MATCH AND ENABLE US TO REQUEST ADDITIONAL FUNDS IN THE FUTURE WE HUMBLY ASK FOR YOUR HELP TO CONTINUE SERVING THE NEEDIEST CHILDREN AND FAMILIES IN OUR COMMUNITY. DUE TO THE AVAILABILITY OF FEDERAL COVID-19 RESPONSE FUNDING, OUR PROGRAM WAS AGAIN ABLE TO IMPLEMENT A SAFE IN-PERSON SUMMER PROGRAM, FOCUSING ON PREPARING CHILDREN FOR KINDERGARTEN.

USDA CHILD CARE FOOD PROGRAM - PROVIDING BREAKFAST, LUNCH, AND SNACKS FOR CHILDREN AGES BIRTH TO AGE 5. DURING THIS PROGRAM YEAR 80,972 MEALS WERE SERVED TO ENROLLED CHILDREN. THE RETURN OF IN-PERSON SERVICES LED TO AN INCREASE IN MEALS SERVED COMPARED TO THE PREVIOUS FISCAL YEAR THOUGH STILL NOT BACK TO PRE COVID-19 MEAL COUNT TOTALS.

MARYLAND HEAD START AND EARLY HEAD START SUPPLEMENTAL GRANT TO ENHANCE THE SCHOOL READINESS OF HS AND EHS CHILDREN BY PROVIDING EXPANDED AND IMPROVED SERVICES TO ELIGIBLE CHILDREN BIRTH TO AGE 5 THROUGH THE EXPANSION OF HOURS AND DAYS OF SERVICES FOR CHILDREN TO ADDRESS THE FULL DAY, YEAR-ROUND NEEDS OF PARENTS WHO ARE WORKING, ATTENDING AN EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM OR ATTENDING JOB TRAINING. NEW THIS YEAR WERE FUNDS SPECIFICALLY FOR OUR EHS CHILDREN, CENTER AND HOMEBASED, USED TO ENHANCE CURRENT PLAYGROUND SPACE AND TECHNOLOGICAL EQUIPMENT AND UPGRADE CLASSROOM SUPPLIES AND MATERIALS INCLUDING PPE FOR IN PERSON AND VIRTUAL SERVICES.

MARYLAND STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION PRE-K EXPANSION GRANT TO EXPAND FREE ACCESS TO PUBLIC PREKINDERGARTEN FOR FOUR-YEAR-OLDS FROM FAMILIES WITH HOUSEHOLD INCOMES UP TO 300 PERCENT OF FEDERAL POVERTY GUIDELINES. GAMING COMMISSION GRANT TO PROVIDE SOCIAL GROUPS TO OUR MOST VULNERABLE CHILDREN GIVING THEM A SAFE PLACE TO LEARN ACCEPTABLE WAYS OF COMMUNICATING THEIR NEEDS AND WANTS. NORA ROBERTS FOUNDATION GRANT TO CREATE A MINDFUL GARDENING PROGRAM AT THE MARTIN LUTHER KING LOCATION THAT PROMOTES HEALTHY EATING HABITS, IMPROVED MOTOR SKILLS AND SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LITERACY AND STRESS REDUCTION FOR YOUNG CHILDREN.