Tammy Stanley, Head Start Director
With 2021 drawing to a close, we reflect on the first half of this school year, as well as the past 12 months. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Central Kentucky CAC Head Start staff united to ensure the children and their families receive services without interruption. The January 2022 deadline for the COVID-19 vaccination being mandated for all staff was a concern at the initial announcement, however we are elated to say that over 95% of our staff are fully vaccinated and 100% will be when we return after the holiday break in January 2022. We are also excited to report that even in spite of issues with COVID-19, Head Start and Early Head Start have met full enrollment for our 494 slots and recruitment efforts for next academic year are in full swing. As we round out December, the Head Start and Early Head Start team have been working hard to grow and foster new skills and relationships with parents. Many new faces have joined our team and are learning to implement the Head Start Program Performance Standards to fidelity. The program has implemented a new assessment tool through Child Plus that has allowed our education staff to assess children’s developmental abilities quickly and easily. The Desired Results Developmental Profile (DRDP) provides easy to understand information and data to share with families and guardians. This is just one way we strive to build strong relationships with families. The data highlights the program’s strengths and allows for changes to be made for effective facilitation.
Plans are in place for the upcoming new year as we continue to build on current activities for families. Head Start Parent University was hosted this past Fall and will start again in Spring for parents. What exactly is Head Start Parent University? Head Start Parent University is a series of workshops held at the Head Start Family Enrichment Center and by Zoom and are led by community partners. Parent University provides an opportunity for parents to explore interests and gain knowledge. Topics for Parent University have included financial management, healthy eating, and effective parenting. If you have a topic that you wish to present to our Head Start and Early Head Start families, we would love to have your expertise. Lastly, Head Start and Early Head Start have just been given additional funds to support staff and operational efforts by the Division of Child Care. We are actively working on plans to best utilize this funding for staff recruitment and retention, as well as supporting our children and families. CKCAC Head Start and Early Head Start would like to wish everyone joyful holidays and a happy New Year!