las cruces public schools head start program annual...

Las Cruces Public Schools

Head Start Program

Annual Report to the Community

2016-2017

Head Start Recruitment Information

LCPS Head Start staff work diligently to recruit families to participate in a quality preschool program.

Recruitment occurs year-round. Recruitment is conducted at each of the twelve Head Start Elementary

School sites and at the Head Start Office which is located at Booker T. Washington, 755 E. Chestnut Ave.

Flyers are posted throughout the community and neighborhood businesses. Children must be either three or

four years of age by August 31st to meet age eligibility. Eligibility is also based on the family’s income.

Income Guidelines for School Year 2016-2017

Family Size 100% Poverty and under Annual Income

1 $11,880

2 $16,020

3 $20,160

4 $24,300

5 $28,440

6 $32,580

7 $36,730

8 $40,890

Head Start Staff 2016-17 Director

Dr. Maria Artiaga

Leadership Team Lillian Duran

Luis Guzman

Julie Hallock

Sylvia Huerta

Lourdes Johnson

Linda Lopez

Rosario Sanchez

Office Staff Christy Enriquez

Karleen Gorham

Lillian Montoya

Janeth Soto

Teachers Alicia Alba

Irene Aragon

Martha Barela

Nicole De la Peña

Priscilla Duran

Rebecca Gutierrez

Bernadette Hernandez

Marianna Martos

Rosemary Martos

Jennifer Martinez

Alyssa Molina

Jessica Ochoa

Olivia Padilla

Gloria Prospero

Georgina Ramirez

Ashley Shaw

Felicia Stiles

Yoona Valencia

Educational Assistants Marisol Burciaga

Elvira De La Cruz

Ana Lujan

Maria Jaques

Sabrina Price

Daniela Segura

Parent Engagement Assistants

Vergie Arenas

Christina Castillo

Lucy Cuevas

Catherine Flores

Rachelle Gomez

Laura Gomez

Judy Lopez BTW

Manuela Hanway

Luigina Madison

Paige Martin

Lupe Mendoza

Roberta Muñoz

Esmeralda Palacios

Rocio Rivas MP

Brittney Romero BTW

Carissa Soria

Angelica Vargas BTW

Maria Esparza

Head Start is a national and federally

funded program which provides

comprehensive services for low-income

children and their families. LCPS Head

Start program provides services for

children beginning at ages three to four to

include social services for their families.

LCPS Head Start promotes school

readiness by enhancing the child’s social,

emotional, language, cognitive and

physical development.

The LCPS Head Start program offers a

school-based program option for three and

four-year-old children. These programs

operate on a nine-month basis and follow

the school district’s calendar.

What is Head Start?

. Center- Based Programs

Head Start classrooms were located in

twelve elementary schools. There were

18 part-day (double session) and 9 full-

day sessions. Part-day sessions met

from 7:45 a.m.—11:15 a.m. and 11:30

a.m.—3:00 p.m. for 3.5 hours and full-

day sessions met from 8:00 a.m.—2:30

p.m. for 6.5 hours Tuesday- Friday. The

full-day sessions primarily enrolled

children who were four-years. Head

Start parents provided their own

transportation to and from school.

Head Start Elementary Schools (Double-

Session/DS and Full-Session FS)

Booker T. Washington 2DS, 3FS Cesar Chavez 2DS, 3FS Columbia 2DS Conlee 2DS Doña Ana 1FS Hermosa Heights 2DS Loma Heights 2DS MacArthur 2DS Mesilla Park1FS Tombaugh 2DS University Hills 1FS Valley View 2DS

Numeracy becomes a daily routine in

Head Start!

Center- Based Programs

The center-based Head Start classrooms were located in twelve

elementary schools. There were 18 half-day sessions and 9 full day

sessions. The half-day sessions met from 7:45 a.m.—11:15 a.m.

and 11:30 a.m.—3:00 p.m. for 3.5 hours and the full-day sessions

met from 8:00 a.m.—2:30 p.m. for 6.5 hours Tuesday- Friday.

The Head Start sites that offered full day sessions for four-year

olds were located at Booker T. Washington, Cesar Chavez, Doña

Ana, Mesilla Park, and University Hills. The Head Start sites that

offered half-day sessions were at Booker T. Washington, Cesar

Chavez, Columbia, Conlee, Hermosa Heights, Loma Heights,

MacArthur, Tombaugh, and Valley View. Head Start parents pro-

vided their own transportation to and from school. An advantage

in parents taking their children to school each day offers the educa-

tional staff to communicate with parents on a daily basis.

School Readiness Plan

The LCPS School Readiness Plan (SRP) helps to prepare children

for school and a lifetime of academic success through Language

and Literacy Development, Cognition and General Knowledge,

Physical, Social and Emotional Development and activities to in-

clude Approaches to Learning. Head Start staff support families to

reach the milestones as included in the Parent, Family and Com-

munity Engagement Framework, which is part of the SRP. Staff,

parents and community members revise the SRP three times per

year. As part of the educational program, Head Start uses the Frog

Street Curriculum and Assessment as part of their daily instruction.

Nine thematic units assisted teachers to implement and provide

developmentally appropriate activities throughout the year. The

classroom staff used the New Mexico Early Learning Guidelines

and portfolios to document the children’s developmental mile-

stones. Children participated in numerous transition activities that

began at the beginning of the year. Children and parents joined

their classroom team at their Head Start site. Transition activities

support children to establish good routines and eventually transi-

tion successfully into kindergarten. Additionally, during the two

Home Visits and two Parent/Teacher Conferences during the

school year, teachers work collaboratively with parents as they

shared the children’s developmental milestones.

Head Start Federal Review

On January 11 and 12, 2017, Las Cruces School District #2

participated in the Eligibility, Recruitment, Selection,

Enrollment, and Attendance (ERSEA) Federal Review. All

areas were in compliance. Congratulations to our Head Start

team for doing amazing work!

Family and Community Engagement

Community Agencies

Collaboration with community agencies and programs is key to working effectively

with our families. Informal and formal partnerships with community agencies

continue to be established and/or revised as the needs of our families’ change. Once

again we collaborated with NMSU School of Social Work to provide over 400 hours

of field experience for one student intern completing her senior year towards her

bachelor degree. The Intern worked closely with the Family and Community

Engagement/Mental Health Facilitator to identify and address Social Services and

Mental Health needs and provide case management.

For SY 2016-2017, 164 Head Start families were identified as having Social Services

needs and received services. The highest needs were for food, clothing, housing

assistance and domestic violence support.

School Readiness Plan The LCPS School Readiness Plan (SRP) helps to prepare children for school and a

lifetime of academic success through Language and Literacy Development,

Cognition and General Knowledge, Physical, Social and Emotional Development

and activities to include Approaches to Learning. Head Start staff support families to

reach the milestones as included in the Parent, Family and Community Engagement

Framework, which is part of the SRP. Staff, parents and community members revise

the SRP three times per year. As part of the educational program, Head Start uses the

Frog Street Curriculum and Assessment as part of their daily instruction. Nine

thematic units assisted teachers to implement and provide developmentally

appropriate activities throughout the year. The classroom staff used the New Mexico

Early Learning Guidelines and portfolios to document the children’s developmental

milestones. Children participated in numerous transition activities that began at the

beginning of the year. Children and parents joined their classroom team at their

Head Start site. Transition activities support children to establish good routines and

eventually transition successfully into kindergarten. Additionally, during the two

Home Visits and two Parent/Teacher Conferences during the school year, teachers

work collaboratively with parents as they shared the children’s developmental

milestones.

LCPS Head Start staff continue their efforts to establish and build strong partnerships with our families.

At the first home visit, program staff invite our parents to partner with us in a family goal setting process which

results in a Family Partnership Agreement. The Family Partnership Agreement is an individualized, strengths-

based, family-driven, and staff-supported process. The process includes guidance and support for assisting the

family to develop achievable and measurable goals. Family strengths are identified and staff encourage families

to draw on their strengths to help them reach their goal. Responsibilities of all parties involved are determined

and a timeline to complete tasks is established. Regular tracking of progress is initiated by the Parent

Engagement Assistants throughout the program year. Strategies are discussed and implemented when families

are faced with challenges that prevent them from moving towards reaching their goal. Our program uses our

School Readiness Plan to emphasize to parents the importance of parent and family engagement in all content

areas. The School Readiness Plan is continually revised and updated to improve the delivery of services.

Family and Community Engagement staff utilized the newly developed Matrix which is completed by the parent

early in the program year to identify individualized areas of need. Our families are then provided with accurate

and timely information about community service providers, agency referrals when needed and assistance with

accessing appropriate services. In the upcoming school year a new Family Needs Assessment will be introduced

as well as a more efficient and improved monitoring system that will assist us with tracking

program and family successes in areas defined by the School Readiness Plan.

Family and Community Engagement

Disabilities

Head Start serves children with disabilities, special health care needs, and children who are at high risk for developmen-

tal delay. Our regulations require that at least 10 percent of enrollees be children with disabilities. Upon enrollment, the

Head Start children receive a speech screening by licensed Speech-Language Pathologists (SLP) to determine if a speech

concern exist. If concerns are detected by the SLP and/or classroom teachers, then a Fast Track Early Intervention meet-

ing is held with the child’s parent, teacher, SLP (and/or other SPED personnel as needed), school site administrator, and

Head Start Disabilities Facilitator (when available). During this meeting, a review a discussion of the child’s documenta-

tion that includes the results of all screenings and concerns occurs. If the team determines that continued interventions

are not enough, parents need to provide permission to test before the child receives an evaluation by the district’s

licensed evaluators.

During the 2016-2017 school year, 60 Head Start children received Special Education (SPED) services through a LCPS

Individualized Education Program (IEP). Of the 60 children with IEP’s, 22 were dually enrolled with LCPS DD-

Preschool. Throughout the year, 7 students were exited from receiving SPED services and 9 others were evaluated but

did not qualify. At 14.53% SPED enrollment, the LCPS Head Start program surpassed the 10% disability requirement

for the 2016-2017 school year.

Transitioning Head Start Students into

Kindergarten

In preparation for the child’s transition to kindergarten, every Head Start Teacher was required to follow a “Timeline Plan for Transition into Kindergarten” throughout the whole year.

Timeline includes:

Activities to develop more self-sufficient skills

Reading books about kindergarten to share similarities and differences

Drawing pictures and dictating stories of expectations of kindergarten

Provide assistance to Head Start parents during kindergarten registration

Provide information to parents about school support services (i.e., after-school care, special needs, free and reduced lunches, bus services, etc.)

Children visit kindergarten classrooms

Head Start students eat in the cafeteria the last two weeks of school

Placement cards were given to principals for student placement in kindergarten. Also, a list of activities were provided for children and parents before summer break to reinforce school readiness skills.

Mental Health

Head Start continues to collaborate with LCPS School Counselors, Social Workers and community Mental Health agencies as needed. For SY 2016-2017, 26 families were identified with Mental Health needs for the Head Start child or other family members and were offered referrals to outside agencies.

The Head Start Management Team utilized a multi-disciplinary approach when assisting the Head Start classroom team with strategies for children exhibiting adjustment and behavioral concerns. Facilitators conducted classroom observations, provided feedback to staff, reviewed medical and nutritional information which was provided by the parents and/or legal guardians and suggested intervention strategies. The program continues to strive to develop and revise MOU’s with area Behavioral Health providers on a yearly basis.

Number of Head Start Children Who

Transitioned into Kindergarten:

Booker T. Washington Elementary 55

César E. Chávez Elementary 59

Columbia Elementary 14

Conlee Elementary 14

Doña Ana Elementary 18

Hermosa Heights Elementary 31

Loma Heights Elementary 19

MacArthur Elementary 13

Mesilla Park Elementary 16

Tombaugh Elementary 15

University Hills 9

Valley View Elementary 24

Total Number of students who

transitioned into Kindergarten 287

Health and Nutrition LCPS Head Start emphasizes preventive care and early detection of health problems. Our

program additionally supports parents to have their children complete their routine

immunization, physical, and dental exams. Operation KidSite provided In-Kind screenings to our

children at all Head Start sites within the first 45 days at the beginning of each school year.

Children with concerns were referred to community vision specialists.

Nutrition is also an integral part of the program. Meals and snacks were served to meet at

least one third of the child’s daily nutritional needs, based on the dietary guidelines established by

the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the NM Public Education Department. Morning

sessions received breakfast and lunch, and afternoon sessions received lunch and snack. Dietary

substitutions were made to accommodate students with special nutritional/medical needs, as

deemed by a physician. Head Start children are experiencing eating year-round in the cafeterias.

In an effort to fight childhood obesity and encourage a healthy lifestyle, students were

involved in classroom cooking activities that enhanced learning and promoted nutritious eating

habits. Children received Body Mass Index (BMI) screenings twice per school year. Parents of

children who were determined to be at risk of being over or underweight were offered a variety

information and/or referrals to appropriate community agencies.

There were four Public Health Interns from New Mexico State University (NMSU) who completed their

internship during the 2016-2017 school year. The partnership established with NMSU benefits Head Start by

providing additional services to staff, children and families.

Ngage New Mexico

Head Start administration participated in numerous committee events

led by Ngage New Mexico, a backbone organization to the Success

Partnership of Doña Ana County. The Early Childhood Education

Committee, which includes three Head Start Directors, collaborated to

advertise and recruit for their programs. In one city bus, a large graphic

is displayed on the back of the bus and in fifteen city buses, they have

interior posters highlighting the three Head Start programs.

COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS

LCPS Head Start continues to receive support by the NM FOCUS initiative in the State of New Mexico. The initiative

includes an alignment of all early child programs in NM which includes: home visitation, licensed child care, NM PreK,

DD Preschool, Title I Preschool, Early Head Start and Head Start programs. LCPS Head Start implements the Early

Learning Outcomes Framework and includes the early learning guidelines to ensure children are school ready.

An essential part of every Head Start program is the engagement of parents in the program and in the

activities they partake in that enhances their child’s learning. Families are invited to participate at all levels

of the program. They are encouraged to take part in their child’s education, in addition to the program

planning and operations of the Head Start program. A mutual relationship between families and the

program is established at the beginning of the year, which allows each to support the other and improve the

continued functioning of the families as individuals, as members of a larger system, and an agency as a

whole. Parents are invited to join the following groups; men’s, women’s or grandparents raising

grandchildren. Many volunteer in the classroom and some even serve as members of the program’s Policy

Council. The Head Start Parent Policy Council is made up of representatives from each classroom. The

Policy Council meets once a month to discuss policies and procedures. In addition, each classroom

conducts several workshops at Parent Committee Meetings centered in various topics chosen by the parents

thru a Workshop Survey. Head Start families are also provided a Parent Education Packet with information

on Nutrition, Child Growth and Development, Health and Safety, Mental Health. Financial Literacy classes

are provided in collaboration with local financial institutions. In conclusion, parents are guided and

supported to attend Adult Basic Education classes on; GED, ESL, and Citizenship at Dona Ana Community

College.

Participation in the following meetings was measured by In-Kind forms completed and tracked by sign-in

sheets:

Parent, Family and Community Engagement

Parent Engagement Meetings/Events SY 2013-

2014 Provided

Number of Parent En-

gagement Meetings/

Events Provided

Number of Parents that Attended

Parent Engagement Meetings/Events

Policy Council Leadership Training 1 15

Policy Council Meetings 8 17

Parent Committee Meetings 90 596

M.E.N.’s Meetings 4 16

Women’s Meetings 4 23

Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Meeting 2 20

Volunteer Training 1 5

School Readiness Workshop 1 15

Self-Assessment Training 1 1

Self-Assessment 1 1

Health Advisory Council 3 1

Money Smart Week 1 4

TOTALS 117 714

Head Start Grants for 2016-2017 $2,861,806.

Non-Federal Share ………………………………………………………………………$ 725,434.

Total ………………………………………………………………………………………..$3,587,240.

Personnel/Fringe $2,399,098

Supplies $ 157,982.

Other $ 89,750.

T/TA: Travel $ 59,934.

Indirect Cost: Calculated at the rate of 2.72% $ 66,199.

Language of Origin:

English 370; Spanish 106; Middle Eastern &

South Asian 1; East Asian Language1; and

Unspecified 8

Race and Ethnicity:

American Indian or Alaskan Native 6; Black or

African American 7; White 394; Multi-Racial 3;

Other 2

Transportation:

Each family is responsible in transporting

children to and from school.

413 Funded Enrollment

137 Prior Enrollment

60 Children with a Disabilities

766 Children Applied

116 Children on the Waiting List as

of May 2017

466 Actual Enrollment

Funded enrollment counts the number of

spaces that our program has for children.

Actual enrollment counts all of the children

who have come through the program in a given

year.

Head Start By The Numbers

Las Cruces School District #2 Head Start Grants & Non-Federal Share (NFS)

2016-2017 (Year 3)

Category of Grant Amount of Grant NFS Reported

Continuation Grant Award $2,678,955 $679,722

COLA Award $48,221 $12,055

Carryover Funds $134,630 $33,657

Total $2,861,806 $725,434

Head Start is proud to

provide support and

services to children

and families.

Head Start Office

Information

Location of Head Start Office

Booker T. Washington

755 E. Chestnut Ave.

Las Cruces, NM 88001

(575) 527-6020 Phone

(575) 527-0081 Fax

Children engaged with their learning and

proud of their accomplishments.

las cruces public schools head start program annual...

Documents