Thursday, August 14, 2008

Free HeadStart for low income and special needs families

The Urban League Child Development Center is currently enrolling children and families in its Free HeadStart Program (in partnership with Community Partnership for Child Development). If you or someone you know has a child, ages 3 or 4 years old, that qualifies (see info below), please call 471-1930.

Classroom activities are interactive and age appropriate, and all children receive medical and dental screenings and nutrition guidance. Families may participate in parenting workshops, a variety of literacy classes, and in their child’s classroom as a volunteer.

Who qualifies for HeadStart program? Children must be 3 or 4 years old for Head Start preschool. (Three years of age by October 1st for most school districts.

The child automatically qualifies for Head Start if:

* Family receives TANF
* Family received Food Stamps
* He/she is in foster care
* Family receives SSI
* She/he has special needs
* If none of the above applies, the child's family income must not exceed 100% of Federal Poverty Guidelines

As the nation’s premier early childhood education program, Head Start offers a broad range of services for children ages three to five who reside in low-income families, and children who have special needs and their families. The program assists each child to develop cognitively, emotionally, physically, and socially and involves the entire family in the child’s development.

The overall goal of the program is to work in partnership with parents to prepare each child for success in school so they will grow up to be contributing members of the community. Head Start assists parents in their role as their child’s first and best teacher by offering services and opportunities expressly for them.

Head Start classrooms provide children with a specialized curriculum that offers the opportunity to work and play individually and in small groups, according to their abilities and interests. “Learning through play” is an important aspect of the program and these experiences help to build basic pre-math and pre-reading skills, self-confidence, and a love for learning.

The Urban League confers with CPCD/HeadStart:
Now is the time to educate the child… What a child learns and experiences from the day they are born until the day they enter kindergarten directly impacts their success in school and in life. These experiences set the stage as development occurs rapidly and dynamically during the early years of life. Now is the time to provide and support comprehensive early care and education with family support for our community’s youngest children.

Affordable year-round child care is also available with Head Start or Early Head Start in center-based or family child care options for children six weeks to five years.

CALL URBAN LEAGUE CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTER AT 471-1930 NOW -
SPREAD THE WORD

THANKS,

Denise M. Wisdom, MPA
President and CEO
Urban League of the Pikes Peak Region, Inc.

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