Two Tours...Two Thumbs Up!

Thursday and Friday of last week I had the privilege of showing off two of our Head Start Learning Centers to a visiting friend. My friend has experience both in Community Action and in public schools. She was excited to see that we are operating true centers of learning in our Head Start classrooms.

In touring the Hamilton Early Learning Center on Thursday, we were very much struck by how everyone is in new school year mode. Teachers are dealing with children adjusting to being away from parents and guardians. Parents are learning the rhythms of the centers and classrooms. But, just like every year, everyone is working to meet others’ needs and program requirements despite the challenges.

We saw example after example of teachers structuring and managing their classrooms for children’s success. With so many new teachers, both hired and promoted from assistant teacher roles, it is not only a new school year for them; they are also in new jobs. Even those that were head teachers now have to learn to team teach.

While outside one classroom at Hopkins-Locke on Friday morning, we heard a teacher leading a circle time activity. The children started laughing—like belly laughing.  Just as I was about to peer into the room to see why, she said, “That’s right, now wiggle, wiggle, wiggle.” The physical fitness activity the children were enjoying was likely part “I am moving, I am learning”, a Head Start initiative promoting healthy body mass and wellness in preschoolers.

We met home visitors between weekly sessions with children and their reports were encouraging. We are thrilled to have Home Base and the funding for the 48 children back this year. Family Service Workers were much focused on children’s records and meeting with families. Food service staff and their mandatory hair nets were highly visible and more than a little busy, especially Friday at Hopkins-Locke as the center welcomed fathers into the classroom for a spaghetti lunch. Participation was very good. My guest commented more than once on the cleanliness of the buildings. So a big thank you goes out to the custodial staff, Tony, Al and Barb.

I will finish with the Early Head Start stating clearly that last does not mean least. With 939 children in Head Start and 40 in Early Head Start, the Early program tends to get overshadowed. The Early program serves children from birth to three years old. The teachers in our “baby rooms” complete the same assessments and screenings as in Head Start. My guest astutely commented that Early Head Start classrooms are as thoughtfully structured as the Head Start rooms.

Whether they are joining their child for spaghetti or just trying to learn more about Head Start, our visitors are important. Our classrooms function best for all when they are welcoming and well-structured. The strongly functioning teams my friend met are wonderful representatives of the Head Start community and the goals we have to provide education to our youngest and most vulnerable community members.

Congratulations on a great start to the year!