From staff reports
Local communities are invited to join Jefferson-Clarion Head Start Inc. in celebrating the “Week of the Young Child” which will be held from Monday, April 16 to Friday, April 20.
The purpose of the week is to provide information to the public regarding early childhood programs and recognize that young children require and deserve high-quality early learning experiences which prepares them for success in school and life.
The week is also a time to draw attention to the needs of young children and their families and plan how to better care for all young children.
Head start and pre-k counts provide a high quality pre-kindergarten experience to children which helps prepare them for public schools. Classrooms are staffed with qualified teachers and use an educational curriculum aligned with Pennsylvania Early Learning Standards. Children are regularly assessed to monitor their education development. Parents are also recognized as the primary educator of their child and the most important influence in their lives. Parent involvement is encouraged in all levels.
Early head start provides home-based services to families with children from birth to age 3 and pregnant women. Parent educators conduct weekly home visits with families. The home visits focus on child development, parent-child bonding, health and nutrition and practicing positive parenting skills. Parent educators use the Partners for a Healthy Baby Curriculum to assist in guiding activities with families. Playtime with infants and toddlers are provided twice a month for families.
Head start, early head start and pre-k counts are now accepting applications for enrollment for the 2018-19 school year.
The public is invited to attend one of several open house events during the “Week of the Young Child.” The classrooms, locations, dates and times of the open houses are listed below:
– Monday, April 16 from 5 to 7 p.m. – Clarion Site Early Head Start, 11304 Route 322, Shippenville.
– Monday, April 16 from 4 to 6 p.m. – Clarion Pre-K Counts at Clarion Elementary School, 800 Boundary Street, Room B12, Clarion.
-Monday, April 16 from 4 to 6 p.m. – Rimersburg Head Start Center, 350 Eccles Street, Rimersburg.
– Monday, April 16 from 3 to 5 p.m. – Rimersburg Site Early Head Start at Baker Street Church of God, 160 Veteran Street, Rimersburg.
– Tuesday, April 17 from 4 to 6 p.m. -Clarion Head Start Center, No. 1 Deitz Place, Clarion.
– Wednesday, April 18 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. – Knox Head Start Center at Keystone Elementary School, 451 Huston Road, Room K1, Knox.
– Thursday, April 19 from 4 to 6 p.m. – A-C Valley Head Start Center at St. Petersburg Community Center, 144 Church Street, St. Petersburg.
– Thursday, April 19 from 5 to 7 p.m. – A-C Valley Pre-K Counts at A-C Valley Elementary School, 776 Route 58, Room 109.
– Thursday, April 19 from 5 to 7 p.m. – Sligo Pre-K Counts Center at Sligo United Methodist Church, 506 Penn Street, Sligo.
More information is available by contacting Jefferson-Clarion Head Start Inc. at (814) 849-3660 or toll free at (800) 628-6150.