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What is Head Start?
Head Start provides comprehensive
child and family development services for low-income families.
Federally funded Head Start centers are operated in Calvert, Charles and
St. Mary's Counties by Southern Maryland Tri-County Community Action
Committee, Inc.
(SMTCCAC).
Children benefit greatly in the
program from a variety of educational activities, nutritional meals, health
monitoring and playtime in a safe environment. Families are
strengthened to become self-sufficient.
- Head Start staff use a curriculum and
assessment program that ensures planned activities are
developmentally appropriate to meet each child's needs.
- Guidance to parents interested in obtaining
their high school General Equivalency Diploma (GED) and other
education opportunities is provided. Head Start offers classes
to parents in areas such as child rearing, job training, health and
nutrition and tapping into available community resources.
- Skilled professionals work with families to
assure that vision and hearing testing, dental, immunizations and
other physical & mental needs of children are met.
Nutritional assessments are also made.
- Head Start recognizes the importance of
parent participation and fostering the goal of self-sufficiency.
An essential component of the program involves assisting families
assess their needs and access needed services to build upon their
strengths and eliminate their weaknesses to attain self-sufficiency
and other goals related to family stability.
- Children with disabilities often learn more
readily with other children than when separated into a group for
disabled. Head Start has successfully carried out a 1972
Congressional mandate that at least 10% of enrollment be available for
children with disabilities. Staff works closely with local
agencies to provide services to meet the special needs of children
with disabilities. Parents and guardians are guided into roles
of advocates for their children through the Special Education ARD
process.
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