Education and Disabilities Services

Partnership with Parents

In partnership with each parent, our Teachers and Home Visitors establish individual developmental and learning goals, curriculum, and home learning to ensure each child’s readiness for the next developmental milestone and school. We recognize that parents are the most important teachers of their child; therefore, parents participate in educational planning and assist in the screening process and ongoing assessment of their child.

Each Early Head Start and Head Start/ECEAP child participates in a developmental screening process. Early Head Start uses the Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ), which focuses on the whole child’s development and the ASQ Social-Emotional screening tool. Early Head Start parents complete both tools. In Head Start/ECEAP, the Ages and Stages Developmental screening tool and ASQ Social-Emotional Tool (completed by parents) are used. Home Visitors and Teachers use the Creative Curriculum’s Developmental Continuum, which is an observational tool for performing ongoing developmental assessments on all Early Head Start and Head Start/ECEAP children. We share all results with parents in the development and updating of their child’s individual learning plan. This happens three times a year.

In the Home

Early Head Start provides services primarily in the home to families with children from birth to age three. Early Head Start parents, in weekly consultations with their Home Visitor, plan and teach activities to their child in their home, and plan and participate in socialization play groups twice a month. Socialization Groups occur outside of the home, in one of our centers.

Head Start provides services primarily in the classroom to families with children from three to five years old. However, learning in the home is also an important element of Head Start/ECEAP.  Head Start/ECEAP parents participate in home visits and conferences with their child’s Teacher throughout the year to discuss their child’s development, review his progress and update his individual learning goals. This is another opportunity for parents to provide input into curriculum.

In the Classroom and Group Socialization

Our curriculum for Early Head Start home visits, group socializations, and Head Start/ECEAP classrooms is The Creative Curriculum. The Creative Curriculum provides the framework for planning activities and assessing growth. Room environments, activities, and routines support children’s social/emotional, physical, cognitive, and language/literacy development. We use this curriculum to build on each child’s interests and strengths to develop competency in all areas needed for successfully meeting the next developmental milestones and being ready for school. Early Head Start and Head Start/ECEAP parents can provide input into their child’s group socialization and classroom curriculum by participating in Center Leadership Committee.

Disabilities/Mental Health

All children are welcome in Head Start/ECEAP classrooms and the Early Head Start program if it is the least restrictive environment for them. All classrooms and group socialization rooms are ADA accessible. Parents are very important in the special service process. We work with parents and outside service providers to incorporate all educational and family goals for each child, and to ensure each child receives the best possible individualized services.