Community Action Head Start believes that Parents are a vital part of their children's development and we are here to help You and Your Child be successful in school and at home .

An important component of Head Start is the time your child spends in one of our educational learning environments for several hours each day. Head Start has national quality standards to ensure your child receives the best and most appropriate educational experience possible.

Helps children learn through daily routines, structured activities and opportunities for play;

Knows the importance of the relationship between the child and his or her teachers;

Works in partnership with parents.

Our goals for your child are that through participating in our program. He/she will develop:

A healthy self-esteem and feelings of self-confidence;

The ability to control impulses and express emotions appropriately;

The ability to solve problems and ask questions;

A respect for and understanding of the similarities and differences among people;

The ability to express their ideas and feelings; and

From birth, your child has been exploring the world - taking in sights, sounds, and textures, sorting them, and making discoveries about how things work. Very young children are very capable learners. Just as you do at home, we build on this natural curiosity about the world. We carefully set up the environment so that your child will find interesting things to explore and will learn from everyday activities. Here are some of the experiences you can expect your child to have in our program.

Playing with Toys - Play is a natural teacher. Children learn new skills while they have fun. In our program you will see a selection of toys appropriate for the ages and interests of the children. We invite you to come play with your child whenever you wish.

Dabbling in Art - Using art materials to express ideas and emotions gives children another language for communicating. For very young children, art activities are sensory experiences and the emphasis is on the experience not a finished product. You will not see many art products coming home. But the experiences we provide lay the foundation for a lifetime of creative expression.

Imitating and Pretending- Pretend play builds imagination, promotes social skills, and is one of the ways your child gains a better understanding of daily experiences. In our program, we encourage the children to imitate and pretend. Sometimes we participate in their play, taking on a pretend role ourselves. We also provide props that inspire pretending: stuffed animals, dolls, baby carriages, play telephones, pots and pans, dishes, some hats, and dress up clothes.

Enjoying Stories and Books - Research shows that children who have been read to often and from an early age enter school with more advanced language and better listening skills than those who have not had these experiences. Our classrooms have lots of books for the children to explore alone or in small groups, and group read-aloud's are part of the routine every day. We hope you spend time sharing books and telling stories at home with your child. The warm feelings your child experiences when you cuddle together and read a book or tell a story can lead to a lifelong love for reading.

Exploring Sand and Water - Water play is a natural part of everyday life. It becomes a special activity when we provide props such as rubber animals, balls, boats, funnels, bottles, and cups and place a small amount of water in a tub. Sand play leads to discoveries (such as what happens when water is added to sand), develops fine motor skills (pouring sand into a pail), and promotes pretending (creating a sand castle).

Having fun with Music and Movement - Music and movement experiences take place every day in child care. We listen to different kinds of music, move our bodies to music, sing songs together, and create music with simple instruments. These experiences are enjoyable and teach important skills.

Going Outdoors - Time outdoors is important for everyone's health and well-being. Our outdoor play area invites your child to stretch and strengthen large muscles, breathe fresh air, and take in the sunshine and natural world. We try to spend part of everyday outdoors.

Parent-teacher communication is a vital aspect of our program. In addition to informal conversations everyday and periodic notes home to inform parents of their child's progress at school, parents and teachers have 4 conferences every year. The first meeting is an opportunity for the parent to share their knowledge of the child to help the teacher plan an appropriate experience for the child. The other 3 conferences offer an opportunity for the teacher and parent to exchange information about the child's progress.

Nicole Ray
Child Development Coordinator
( 512)396-3395 X 210
nray@communityaction.com