The Head Start program is currently funded to serve 140 children from all over DeKalb County. Actual enrollment each year averages 175-190 children due mostly to family relocations.

An Early Head Start grant was awarded to the program in 1998 to serve an additional 33 pregnant women, infants and toddlers. Actual annual enrollment averages 40 to 45 per year.

2 classrooms at the Garrett Center located adjacent to the Head Start office in Garrett

2 classrooms at the Auburn Center in Auburn

1 classroom at McKenney-Harrison Elementary School in Auburn

2 classrooms at the Butler Elementary School in Butler

One of the preschool classrooms at the new Auburn Center serves children in a full-day, full-year program option. This classroom is available for families who need care for children from 7:00 AM to 5:30 PM, daily.

All other preschool classrooms operate 3 ½ hours per day, 4 days per week, during the regular "school calendar" year.

All eight of the classrooms are child-care licensed by the state of Indiana. Five sites are also accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (N.A.E.Y.C).

All children in Head Start part-day programs are provided with free transportation to and from classroom sessions. This program currently operates 6 school buses to meet transportation needs. In addition, 2 vans and 1 pick-up truck are available for staff and utility purposes.

The Garrett-Keyser-Butler Community Early Head Start Program was started in 1998, with services beginning in the spring of 1999. The Grantee for the Early Head Start program is also the Garrett-Keyser-Butler Community School District Board of Trustees.

The program is currently funded to serve 33 infants, toddlers and pregnant women from DeKalb County. The EHS Program is housed at the Waterloo site. The EHS program consists of a year-round, home-based option. Early Head Start home-based programming includes approximately four home visits and two socialization "clusters" per month. The home visits allow time for parent-child interaction, parent-visitor interaction and visitor-family interaction. Early Head Start follows the Parents As Teachers curriculum. There is a focus on parent training in areas such as child development, health issues, and life skills.

Transportation is provided to the parents and young children in a school bus equipped to transport infants and toddlers. The bus is also accessible with a wheel-chair lift.

Staff for the EHS program consists mainly of an Early Head Start Manager, three home visitors and several support staff, including a nurse. Early Head Start staff must have an educational background in Early Childhood Education and/or social services with specific training on infants and toddlers.

Head Start programs nation-wide must abide by the Head Start Program Performance Standards (45 CFR 1304). The Performance Standards are divided into specific units that provide the following:

EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT AND HEALTH SERVICES

Early Childhood Development - All children enrolled in the program are screened with the Denver II instrument. Individual education goals are provided for each child, based on the individual developmental levels of the child, and are developed with the parents.

This Head Start agency prescribes to the goals and philosophies of the National Association for the Education of Young Children. Classrooms are arranged in learning centers and schedules reflect time for teacher initiated and child initiated activities. Head Start classrooms do not include ditto sheets or children all working on the same project. Visually, children’s artwork predominates. Teacher samples are not used. Positive discipline techniques are used, and problem solving is encouraged.

Health and Development - The health area of Head Start is divided into several groups including Health and Safety, Nutrition and Mental Health.

Under the Child Health and Safety area, all children who attend Head Start receive a complete medical examination, vision screening, speech and hearing screening, dental screening and exam, nutritional screening and mental health services. Follow-up treatment is provided when needed. Head Start has funds within its budget to pay for these services when all other sources of funding have been exhausted. Children are taught proper health skills such as hand washing and tooth brushing by daily practice and modeling by all of the adults present in the classroom. Health and safety issues are included within formal lesson plans and spontaneously as opportunities present themselves.

In the Child Nutrition area, all preschool children receive a minimum of 1/3 to 2/3 of the nutritional daily requirements while attending classroom sessions.

Head Start provides, on a contractual basis, the services of a registered dietician who reviews all children’s nutritional habits and growth patterns, and counsels parents appropriately. The nutritionist also provides training to staff and parents and provides guidance for the nutritional component of the program.

The Child Mental Health area provides for the services of a mental health consultant on a contractual basis. The mental health consultant is required to periodically observe in the classrooms to assist in identifying children who may need special services or attention.

The mental health consultant also provides training to staff and parents, participates in the selection of developmental screening instruments, and is available for individual consultation to parents and staff.

The entire health services component is guided by a voluntary Health Services Advisory Committee that consists of physicians, nurses, optometrists, dentists, etc., from DeKalb County.

FAMILY AND COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS

Family Partnerships - The Family Partnerships area is often referred to as Family Services, and includes the parent involvement and social services aspects of the program. Parent involvement and participation at the decision-making level of Head Start is mandated by the Performance Standards. Head Start Policy Council is required to have input and/or approve or disapprove certain actions within the program. Some of the Policy Council’s responsibilities are

1. To assist in identifying community needs and strengths and make decisions as to program options being offered to meet those needs.
2. To approve or disapprove the hiring and termination of all staff.
3. To participate in the planning and preparation of all funding requests, including the budget, and approve prior to submission to Regional Office.

The Family Partnerships area includes the development of a Family Partnership Agreement with each family willing to participate. The agreement involves a survey of strengths and needs, goal setting and action plans for each family. A transition plan is also developed with the family. Parents have the opportunity to receive training in areas that they have indicated a need, and to participate in planning activities for the classroom through participation in Center Parent meetings. Other services available through the Family Partnership area include funding for completing G.E.D.’s and or furthering education, Family Literacy services and resource and referral services.

Community Partnerships- The Community Partnerships area encourages collaboration between Head Start and other community agencies, schools and businesses. By developing a system of communication, cooperation and sharing among community institutions, services to families are improved. Community Partnerships also involve outreach to improve community member’s understanding of the Head Start program and encourage volunteerism. Interagency agreements and advisory committees are developed to foster partnerships.

DISABILITIES - The Head Start Program Performance Standards on Services for Children with Disabilities (45 CFR 1308) provide opportunities for children with disabilities to receive services within the Head Start program. Four of our buses are equipped with a wheel-chair lift which allows our program to transport children and adults who have special transportation needs. Cooperation and collaboration exists between Head Start, the Children First Center, First Steps and the Northeast Indiana Special Education Cooperative to provide services and equipment for children with disabilities.

ELIGIBILITY - Children from families whose annual income falls at or below the Federal Poverty level are considered income-eligible for Head Start. Children who are 3 or 4 by the state school eligibility date are considered age-eligible for Head Start. Children who, as a result of a diagnosed disability, are considered school-age eligible on their third birthday are also considered age-eligible for Head Start. Early Head Start is available for pregnant women and children ages birth to 3.

ALL HEAD START SERVICES ARE PROVIDED TO CHILDREN AND FAMILIES AT NO COST TO THEM.