Northern Cheyenne Headstart Program

Program Year

Head Start Mission Statement

 

The Northern Cheyenne Head Start Program Mission: We are a child focused, family centered, community supported, culturally referenced comprehensive child development program serving all children in a least restrictive environment that assures positive individual benefit. Special needs identified by Individual education plans are provided by the local public school. Head Start serves to increase the educational readiness and social competence of 3-5 year old children and their families.

 

SERVICE AREA

 

The Northern Cheyenne Head Start provides services within the Northern Cheyenne reservation.

 

CHILDREN AND FAMILIES SERVED Northern Cheyenne Head Start is are funded to provide services to a total of 160 children and families. The following table will demonstrate the total number of children and families served, the average monthly enrollment, and the percentage of eligible children served.

 

EFFORTS TO PREPARE CHILDREN FOR KINDERGARTEN

 

Efforts to prepare children for kindergarten begin as soon as a child is enrolled in one of our Head Start programs. The center staff, along with the parents, reviews the child's health and nutrition history, as well as completes the required developmental screen within the first 45 days of enrollment. Our programs encourage parent participation in the screening process by using the Dial 3 Questionnaires as our developmental screen, and the Social/Emotional Questionnaires as our behavioral screen.

 

Throughout the program year, our teaching staff implements the researched-based early childhood curriculum of Creative Curriculum. This curriclua promote school readiness in the areas of language and cognitive development, early reading and math skills, social emotional development, physical development and approaches to learning. The curricula is based on scientifically valid research and have standardized training procedures and curriculum materials to support implementation. This curricula is aligned with the Head Start Outcomes Framework and the State of Montana's Early Childhood Standards of Quality for Prekindergarten.

 

The Creative Curriculum curricula is linked to comprehensive, ongoing assessment with developmental and learning goals with measurable objectives. Our program implements the following ongoing assessment: Creative Curriculum Developmental Continuum. Assessments are organized into three observations periods throughout the program year. At the end of each observation period, the teaching staff completes the assessment paperwork and writes a narrative report to share with the parents during home visits or parent conferences. The teaching staff, along with the parents, will develop an Individual Service Plan for each child that will facilitate plans for individualization to support and encourage the development of skills that will prepare the child to enter kindergarten.

 

All of our Head Start programs address teh importance of promoting effective transition from our programs to the local educational agency's kindergarten classes. The program has a collaboration agreements with the local education agency that outlines comprehensive transition policies and procedures that support the children transitioning from Head Start to kindergarten. Northern Cheyenne Head Start will develop a written "Transition Plan" and provides training for center staff and program parents about the plan and how it will be implemented. The teaching staff and the parents will work together to complete a "Transition Form," that will provide valuable information and insights about the child, as well as the final family report in regards to the child's ongoing assessment. The "Transition Form" will provide an opportunity for the Head Start program, the schools, and the child's family to collaborate and facilitate a positive transition for every child into kindergarten.

 

PERCENTAGE OF ENROLLED CHILDREN THAT RECEIVED MEDIAL AND DENTAL EXAMS

 

During the FY09 program year 100% & 94% of the children enrolled in Head Start received medical and dental exams.

 

FUNDING SOURCES

 

Federal Head Start
Tribal Part B & H
CACFP
Johnson Omalley

 

PARENT INVOLVEMENT ACTIVITIES

 

Northern Cheyenne Head Start encourages parent participation in Head Start programming. Parent involvement activities vary from within the eight Head Start Centers, that are similar in nature. Some highlights of the parent involvement activities that occurred during FY 2009 are listed below:

 

 

TOTAL PUBLIC AND PRIVATE FUNDS RECEIVED

 

The majority of funds received are awarded from the Office of Head Start (OHS) through the Department of Human Services - Administration for Children and Families. Non-Federal In-Kind funding is used in order to for the program to administer high quality services through supporting budget line items that cannot be supported by federal funding due to the inadequate funding levels provided by Tribal Council and OHS. The State of Montana provides funding for USDA meal reimbursement under the Child and Adult Food Program (CACFP).

 

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

 

In addition to the routine accomplishments of operating a successful 3-5 Head Start Program, the Northern Cheyenne Head Start Program has also engaged in several other activities and accomplishments during FY2009 as follows:

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